DataSelf Spices up Reporting for TWANG
With roots in Latino and Tex-Mex cultures, TWANG has been adding a dash of fun to food and drinks since 1986. As the original creators of flavored margarita and beer salts, TWANG manufactures and supplies premium salt, sugar, and seasonings nationwide from their headquarters in San Antonio, TX.
Standard ERP Reporting Produces Bland Results
TWANG merges culture, flavor and fun with exceptional products and services. While satisfied with their Acumatica ERP system, their complex reporting needs required special attention. Alicia Diaz-Blevins, CFO for TWANG explains, “We needed more than standard reports. We needed to combine information to get a bigger picture of how our business was doing. For example, we might want to see SKUs, gross profits, regions, and sales by salesperson all in one report. Previously, we had to run individual reports for each dataset and then manually combine them. And, if we wanted to adjust something to see the detail from a different angle, we couldn’t. There were no options for drill-down or slice-and-dice. As a result, upper management was constantly inundated with sales team requests for new pivot tables.”
The Missing Ingredient: DataSelf BI-based Reporting
TWANG needed a reporting solution that worked with their ERP system to streamline, expedite, and enhance their reports. In addition, they needed something with advanced technical capabilities that was also easy enough to be used by salespeople and managers alike. TWANG was referred to DataSelf by their reseller, and after meeting them at an Acumatica conference, TWANG immediately knew they had found what they were looking for.
After a smooth implementation planned and executed to accommodate their busy season, TWANG finally had the reports and insight they needed. Chris Goebel, ERP Analyst for TWANG recalls, “The installation process was really good. The DataSelf team set up a timeline and used an agile approach. We had regular meetings and consistent email communication to ensure we were all on the same page. In addition, their training classes were helpful in helping us understand the system and get the most benefit out of it.”
The team at TWANG couldn’t be more thrilled with their new solution. Alicia comments, “DataSelf allows us to build charts and reports in a very user-friendly way. We can use the ‘Sales Slicer’ to find whatever we need very quickly.” And Chris adds, “Previously, when I built GIs in Acumatica, I couldn’t see the whole picture which forced me to spend a lot of time checking for duplicates. Using DataSelf with Tableau makes it easier to see where tables connect. DataSelf is a very intuitive solution, and with infinite drill-down – there’s always more information to be uncovered. Our staff is so impressed that they keep requesting more and more reports with extra enhancements!”
The biggest impact for TWANG has been in their sales department. With a very complex sales process that includes direct sales, sales via sales rep, and sales via external brokers, it had been impossible to get big-picture details in a single report. Chris reflects, “With our various channels, I couldn’t get Acumatica GIs to show all sales data without excluding the customers who used brokers. With DataSelf, we built a structure that shows us exactly what we need to see without excluding anything. What used to take hours, now takes a matter of minutes.”
Refreshing Productivity with a Twist of Increased Profitability
At the end of the day, TWANG’s efficiency and profitability have seen enormous gains. Streamlined reporting has created transparency and accountability between accounting and sales. Shipping and inventory needs are being met more effectively, and the entire company is operating from a single version of the truth. Chris reflects, “Our whole team appreciates how quickly and easily we can get the data we need. Before DataSelf I was writing new GIs left and right, each taking anywhere from 1-2 hours. The equivalent DataSelf report takes only 5-10 minutes! And even better, users can now do their own ad hoc analysis without my assistance – something that was impossible before.” Alicia adds, “Because of this improvement, we were able to add customized metrics to our data. Chris created comparisons between actual and forecast data for sales per customer, per salesperson, per SKU, etc., which has been instrumental in helping us meet our sales goals. We can now easily identify and improve our sales gaps which will enable us to significantly increase our revenue.”
“If you’re considering DataSelf for your company – go for it!” laughs Alicia. “I am their biggest advocate. I like to show off the system’s capabilities whenever I get the opportunity.” Chris concludes, “Our experience in working with the team at DataSelf has been exceptional. Whenever we’ve had a question or issue – we hear back within 24 hours. And when the issue is complex, it isn’t uncommon for the developers or even DataSelf CEO, Joni Girardi to jump in to help. Their customer service is ‘all hands-on deck’. DataSelf cares about their client’s success.”
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