Project Overview
Data must be accurate. And it must be available when decisions are made. The relevant information was already available in the existing systems: financial data in Infor ERP, project plans in MS Project, and analyses in Excel.
Together with soxes, MECOS wanted to move beyond simply preparing this data for monthly reports and instead make it centrally accessible and up-to-date. The goal was to create an automated reporting foundation for Power BI that connects existing systems and presents project information in a structured, visual format.
Challenge
The existing reporting structure was well-established but heavily reliant on manual processing. In particular , data from MS Project had to be manually transferred to Excel and then combined with ERP information . This resulted in recurring effort in report generation. At the same time, visibility into ongoing projects remained heavily tied to the monthly reporting cycle.
Solution
soxes developed an automated reporting foundation that consolidates project data from MS Project and financial data from Infor ERP into a central database.
To do this, a .NET extractor service reads the MS Project files in a structured manner, including tasks, resources, milestones, dependencies, and progress values. The ERP data is also integrated and linked to the project information.
Power BI then accesses this central database. This creates a dashboard that provides a more up-to-date and clear overview of project costs, budgets, deadlines, and milestones.
Result
- Less manual effort in reporting
- A more reliable data foundation for project decisions
- Clear view of ongoing projects, costs, and milestones
- Project managers identify deviations and critical issues earlier
- Existing systems remain integrated
- The technical depth of project work is maintained
- Project complexity remains, but reporting becomes significantly easier
Collaboration
Our collaboration with MECOS demonstrates how important a shared understanding of existing processes is. We have come to understand how project managers work, what information they need, and what role various systems play in their day-to-day work . This led to a solution that was not developed in isolation from existing workflows, but rather specifically designed to support them.
