Real-Time Data Access and Enhanced Reporting: A Power BI Solution for Construction Industry Success
Client Profile
Project Needs
The client managed multiple construction tasks using Excel spreadsheets and Latista, a construction field-management application. These tools were used for task tracking, capturing customer acceptances, and sign-offs on completed work. However, this manual process was cumbersome and time-consuming.
Their Excel-based reporting process required extracting Latista data at specific intervals, followed by manual analysis to generate status reports. This took several days, delaying timely updates for project teams and supervisors. Furthermore, Latista lacked the necessary customer-specific details, making it difficult to organize and analyse tasks according to the needs of individual projects.
To address these challenges, the client sought Everest Consultants’ expertise in streamlining their data integration and visualization processes.
Challenges
- Time-consuming manual processes
The manual data collection and reporting process using Excel and Latista took several days, causing project reporting delays. - Limited visibility and flexibility:
Latista’s customer-specific data was inadequate for the client’s reporting needs, making it difficult to organize and analyse detailed tasks for ongoing projects.
The Solution
Everest Consultants proposed and implemented a data integration and visualization solution that leveraged Power BI to streamline reporting, eliminate manual efforts, and improve data accessibility across project teams.
Technology and Tools
- Power BI: Business analytics for real-time data visualization and reporting.
- Oracle Latista API: For direct data extraction from the Latista application.
- Oracle Database: Excel: Used for managing secondary data sources.
- SharePoint
- Team Foundation Server (TFS)
Results
By leveraging expertise in printer and device driver development, Everest Consultants successfully addressed the needs of both legacy and modern Windows systems. We delivered printer drivers using both Microsoft’s V3 and V4 architectures. Key outcomes included:
- Real-Time Data Access
Everest Consultants integrated Power BI with Latista via API, enabling real-time data extraction and visualization. This eliminated the need for manual data collection and analysis, significantly reducing the time needed to generate reports. - Enhanced Reporting Capabilities
Power BI’s ability to connect with local data sources allowed the creation of secondary data sources managed by the client’s administrative team using familiar tools like Excel. This approach avoided introducing new tools and overhead. Additionally, Everest developed online Power BI reports and dashboards with detailed charts and visualizations, tailored for different client and customer teams. - Feature-Rich Improved Data Management and Flexibility
The solution empowered various user groups with enhanced access to data. For instance, a core group of staff could maintain and modify standard Power BI reports centrally, while other teams dynamically updated reports to manage their project plans and monitor progress. - Static Reporting for Further Analysis
Power BI’s standard report set provided static reports and snapshots for deeper analysis or use in other documents such as Excel and PowerPoint, enabling broader data usage across the organization. - Increased Employee Satisfaction and Productivity
By streamlining the reporting process, Everest’s solution significantly reduced the workload associated with manual reporting, improving staff satisfaction and productivity. The new system also fostered better collaboration and relationships among employees, peers, and managers, contributing to a positive work environment.
Everest's Expertise
With over 25 years of experience and a global team of experts, Everest delivers innovative solutions for client success. Whether it’s custom application development, engineering services, or offshore outsourcing, Everest empowers businesses to optimize their operations and achieve their goals.