A future-proof data warehouse for steering finance and projects

The data warehouse not only ensures better reporting, but also forces the organisation to work better and more consistently on a structural basis. This creates a way of working that is reliable and future-proof. This movement rests on three pillars.

• Unambiguous definitions and high data quality as preconditions for steering.
• Built-in functionalities that monitor the quality of input data.
• A scalable foundation to seamlessly add AI and further automation.

From island automation to communicating systems

Jarno: “Normally, we suffered from island automation. For instance, HR has different definitions of absenteeism than the ERP system. Via the datawarehouse, you use one definition from all systems. Another example: the data warehouse compares ERP data with the operational planning programme. If the planning is shifted, the operational planning is also shifted. It would go wrong if you let people who have never been on construction do that.”

A data warehouse that monitors data quality

Management can now steer much more and employees provide better input, driven by the system. “Calculation, work budget and actual orders have to match. Previously, things sometimes went wrong with wrong dates or illogical amounts, for instance. Small mistakes that could have a big impact, the system now removes them. A tool within the data warehouse makes you alert to possible errors. You can no longer enter unrealistic figures without them going unnoticed.”

Worn in all layers of the organisation

“Data quality starts with commitment from management, but you also have to make it as easy as possible for the shop floor. So don’t stoically say that data must be entered from a laptop, but make sure it can also be done from a mobile phone. Previously, things sometimes went wrong there and we started steering with wrong data. Now we get clean data.”

“If there is a new need, we have a programme in no time.”

A foundation you can go either way with

“The main driver is reliability and data quality. From there we will continue to build. Now that the foundation is in place, we can go in any direction. If there is a new need, we have a programme in no time. And even if we change the structure somewhere, Blenddata does not rush into stress. While ERP consultants often think in limitations, Blenddata thinks along with us.”

Building further with AI

“We set out to see how we can use AI. We want the data to be so good that we can ask AI if any patterns can be seen? If we have already installed a heat pump for a customer 20 times, why would it be different the 21st time? AI can immediately make a proposal, whereas now we still spend hours engineering every time. This is our aspiration, then AI can make our work processes more efficient and data gets real value.”

As if they were our company’s own department.

“Blenddata thinks well and puts themselves in our shoes and understands what is important to us. They come up with proposals themselves and communication is very fast. It’s like they are a department of our company. Blenddata also connects well on a human level. They are very approachable and thoughtful. A fine club.”