Logistics Integration and Visibility Platform with MS Power BI
The lack of a unified shipment data platform for both carrier and customer information resulted in decreased visibility and protracted delays in the invoice reconciliation/payment process.
Client Overview
Tricon Logistics (now Visible SCM), a comprehensive supply chain solution provider in the US, was utilizing a blend of systems (SaaS TMS, CW1) but lacked a common platform to consolidate data from all these systems. They leveraged Microsoft Power BI to integrate data from various systems, including spreadsheets, into one cohesive interface.
Challenge
The absence of a unified shipment data platform for carrier and customer information led to decreased visibility and prolonged delays in the invoice reconciliation/payment process. The client was unable to analyze data effectively, making it difficult to pinpoint processes that could be optimized to reduce costs.
Outcomes
The solution enabled end-to-end visibility across operations. Invoice reconciliation, which in some cases took months prior to the Power BI solution, began occurring weekly. The accounts receivable process was streamlined, and data was analyzed to potentially increase revenue and profitability. Tricon Logistics (now Visible SCM) has since become a satisfied consumer of Microsoft Power BI.
Proof of Concept to Production
The proof of concept for Tricon Logistics required end-to-end visibility and the ability to drill down to view data at an atomic level. The business need was to extract data from a variety of sources (multiple relational databases, multiple spreadsheets), then create diverse views depending on the user access of the shipment and invoice data.
The journey to production was a significant one, marked by the collective expertise of Tricon Logistics and SwiftAnt - deep collaboration was evident, with the shared goal of co-creating digital transformation.
Teams tested various scenarios to build reports and dashboards that met the business needs. Business users could now access detailed reports on not only what had transpired, but also analyze what steps should be taken to optimize internal processes, explore opportunities for business growth, reduce costs, and collaborate with external partners (customers and shippers) to streamline processes.
Other Case Studies
Supply Chain Visibility & Exceptions Management
SwiftAnt architected a solution in agile methodology to address supply chain visibility needs
Measuring Business Outcomes with
CARE
CREATE
New business
capabilities
AVOID
Manual and redundant
operations
REDUCE
Operational
overheads
ENHANCE
Customer experience & Productivity
STRATEGIC BUSINESS VALUE
OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
CREATE
Data-driven decisions and shipment visibility
AVOID
Manual invoice reconciliation and redundancy
INCREMENTAL CHANGE
ENHANCE
Customer satisfaction and operational transparency
REDUCE
Delays and operational overheads
Client Testimonial
Gaining visibility of our supply chain data through Power BI Dashboards has been immensely beneficial in making crucial decisions based on real-time data. The dashboards going live within weeks of project initiation has been truly advantageous.
Frederic Johnson
Visible Supply Chain Mgmt, Director