Business intelligence for small and medium-sized enterprises
Three days of work for a monthly report. 18 different Excel files. And in the end, the sales department works with different figures than the management. This is not an extreme case—it is everyday life in many small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Excel problem
“The problem is never that companies have too little data,” explains Andrew Long, managing director of Rootlogik GmbH in Darmstadt. “They come to us and say: We have everything in Excel, but no one can make sense of it anymore.”
A typical example: A manufacturing company with 120 employees used 18 different Excel files for sales, inventory, production, and human resources. It took three days to compile all the figures before the management meeting. Errors were inevitable, and quick reactions were impossible.
The solution: Business Intelligence Dashboard
A business intelligence dashboard automatically consolidates all data sources and displays key figures in real time.
Three key advantages:
- Time savings – Automated data consolidation instead of manual reports
- Error reduction – A uniform database for all departments
- Reaction speed – real-time overview enables immediate action
“A dashboard doesn’t just replace Excel lists,” says Long. “It changes how quickly a company can respond. In the past, you had to wait three days for figures. Today, you can take a look at the dashboard and act immediately.”
Fast implementation
Most companies fear a years-long IT project. The reality: a functional dashboard is usually up and running after four weeks.
“The technology is not the problem,” explains Long. “The question is: what are the five or six key figures that are really important? Once that’s clear, it’s quick.”
As a KPI dashboard provider, Rootlogik relies on established tools such as Power BI and Tableau, which can be seamlessly integrated into existing IT landscapes.
Digitalization begins with clarity
“Many companies start digitalization completely wrong. They launch some huge project and get lost in the technology. But the first step is quite simple: get an overview of your own figures.”
Those who know and understand their KPIs can make informed decisions. Those who are stuck in the Excel jungle make decisions based on gut feeling.
