Use Case: From Excel Chaos to Power BI Clarity

How a Small Business Saved 40+ Hours Monthly on Financial Reporting

Die Herausforderung:

Like many small businesses, my client (< 100 employees, healthcare sector) was drowning in spreadsheets. Their two-person finance team spent countless hours each week manually updating Excel files, copying data from various sources, and creating weekly financial reports.

The process was not only time-consuming but also prone to human error. With data scattered across Excel sheets and Confluence pages, creating comprehensive financial reports had become a weekly nightmare and risk.

MY APPROACH:

The first step involves analyzing the current situation and creating a roadmap:

1. Analysis of the entire reporting workflow

2. Review of current technology (Excel)

3. Comparison of potential technology upgrades (e.g.  PowerBI, Zoho Sheets/Analytics, Google Sheets, Airtable, Tableau, Qlik, Excel VBA/Power Query)

4. Data quality assessment (Which workarounds were implemented by the controlling team to clean data?)

5. Presentation of analysis and possible solutions

6. Client decision on implementation path including time estimation

   
   

Once the client made their decision, the second phase began: Implementation.

In this project, they chose:

• Technology: PowerBI

• Automation of data cleaning processes and optimization of analysis (workflows & visual representation)

• Documentation & Training (approx. 1 day for 3 employees)

• My effort: 25 person-days + 2 person-days for training & documentation

The Implementation Process:

1. Data Source Integration: Consolidation of financial data from multiple sources into Power BI

2. Automated Data Refresh: Setup of scheduled refreshes for real-time data accuracy

3. Visual Preparation: Design of intuitive dashboards, tailored to specific KPIs, for weekly and monthly reporting

4. Confluence Integration: Establishment of automated data flows between Power BI and Confluence, plus a process for report archiving

5. Team Training: Developed practical training for both team members and the financial director, ensuring smooth handover. Documentation was also provided.

The Results:

• Reduced report generation time from hours to minutes

• Saved 10 hours of manual work per week (40+ hours monthly)

• Improved data accuracy by eliminating manual data entry & copy-paste processes

• Enabled real-time financial insights through interactive dashboards

• Increased team productivity and decision-making capabilities

• Detailed documentation for new employees and empowerment of existing team members for reporting development

Key Takeaways:

By moving from manual Excel processes to automated Power BI solutions, small businesses can transform their data handling from a time-consuming burden into a strategic advantage. The initial investment in professional data automation quickly pays off through time savings and improved decision-making capabilities.