DataSelf Analytics Streamlines Data and Saves Time for GLP Canada
GLP Canada has been providing contractors, builders, distributors, engineers and retailers with quality HVAC systems, replacement parts, and personalized service since 1958. GLP serves customers from coast to coast and credits their success to an unwavering commitment to customer service.
Old School Reporting Causes Inefficiencies
As GLP Canada grew, they realized they needed to improve their data management and decision-making. Not only were Excel pivot tables and Crystal Reporting taking much too long; they provided only a limited view of the current state of the business. Creating new reports was laborious, and analyzing statistics across the business was increasingly difficult. It was clear that ‘the same old reports’ were not going to cut it for a company committed to excellence and longevity.
From clarity regarding how costs were evolving in real-time; to direct visibility into margins enabling them to better enforce corporate controls, GLP Canada knew the most important thing was data access and insight. As Philip Desrochers, CEO of GLP Canada explained, “’ In order to empower both management and staff to make better and faster decisions, we needed to streamline access to the data that those decisions would be based on. And we needed to do it across the board.”
A Breath of Fresh Air – BI-based Reporting and the Experts to go with it
GLP Canada was introduced to DataSelf early in the selection process by their technology partner. “We wanted a Business Intelligence-based Reporting solution that was off the shelf, but also had the capacity to integrate with our ERP system,” recalls Philip. “DataSelf stood out right away because of the large number of report and dashboard templates they offered. What’s more, DataSelf gave us access to real people – a team of experts who worked alongside us, assisted in the implementation, and tailored the solution to meet our specific requirements.”
From the beginning, DataSelf set clear milestones for the installation. From uploading and optimizing the data, to creating metrics and performing quality checks – the implementation went smoothly. Philip recalls, “We enjoyed working with the team at DataSelf. Their expertise was invaluable. I knew the DataSelf solution came with customization capabilities, but I was surprised at how they turned a very complex process into something understandable and manageable.” With no-code, low-code, and full-code options, processes such as field selection and linking tables are simple. Reports that previously took hours to create are now available with just a few clicks.
Less Wasted Time; More Productivity
With DataSelf’s BI-based Reporting linked to Sage 100 ERP, the advantages are numerous. Not only has GLP’s data visibility improved, they can now also see what’s behind those numbers. Managerial statistics come with easy drilldown. Large datasets are no problem, and even non-technical users find the system easy to use.
GLP Canada couldn’t be happier. “Our leadership team has access to the specific dashboards they need to see so that they can easily view the state of the business and identify critical trends. In addition, our operations team has better visibility into logistics, branch management and supply chain data. It’s one thing to make an educated decision based on experience, and it’s another to back up that decision with data.”
GLP Canada appreciates the audit trails of how their data was reconciled — giving them confidence that it is trustworthy. What’s more, having role-level security – giving the appropriate dashboard and reporting access to the right individuals, enables staff members to view and act on only what is applicable to their area.
The best part is, streamlined reporting saves an incredible amount of time. “DataSelf has saved a lot of time for many of our staff members. For me personally, not needing to download, manage, and reorganize data has reduced my time spent by 20 hours each month.” concludes Philip. “For anyone who has an ERP system – I highly recommend DataSelf for reporting. It is like a magnifying glass revealing the information you need to see – in the way you need to see it. The greatest value for me is having access to one version of the truth, live from our ERP data, and be able to discuss it with our team immediately.”
