Tableau + Cognos + Analytics Connector:
Aero Precision Saves $100k Annually
Aero Precision’s supply chain account managers used to spend painful hours scanning static rows and columns of data each month only to deliver incomplete reports. But with the Senturus Analytics Connector in place, they now automatically generate interactive, at-a-glance Tableau dashboard reports against live Cognos data. Reports now include critical markers and historical trending they could not previously report on. The Analytics Connector saves Aero Precision approximately 80 hours of time per month across the Supply Chain Management team, or a savings of about $100K/year for that department.
Challenge
Aero Precision provides OEM component management for military aircraft operators in over 60 countries across 14+ military platforms from more than 16 OEM partners. Maintaining excellent OEM relationships is a cornerstone of its business operations.
The company used Cognos to produce static monthly and quarterly supply chain reporting. The process involved a “export to Excel” data dump, data manipulations in Excel, and cutting and pasting into PowerPoint. Reports took account managers as much as three hours per OEM and did include historic trending or KPI goals. Scanning rows and columns made it difficult to spot trends, anomalies or potential opportunities. In short, the process was inefficient and added up to a significant drain of staff time.
Aero Precision wanted to produce insightful, top level supply chain OEM performance reports that were standardized, interactive and quick to compile. While Tableau offered impactful visualizations, it could not accommodate the company’s complex Cognos Framework Model with its five data sources, 29 namespaces, 500 query subjects and 17,000 query items.
Aero Precision explored doing data extracts to get the data into Tableau, but ruled that out due to the increased back-end effort required and the static nature of the extracts. Nor did they want to expose all that metadata within Tableau.
Solution
The Senturus Analytics Connector allows Aero Precision to leverage the best of Cognos and Tableau and automates the reporting process to boot. Aero Precision is now able to
- Easily build Tableau vizzes directly against their live, curated Cognos data.
- Effortlessly create visual, dynamic, automated Tableau dashboards that streamline the supply chain reporting process and provide drill-to-detail capabilities.
- Combine multiple data sources in one worksheet.
- Leverage the robust data security in Cognos.
- Maintain a single source of the truth in Cognos.
Benefits
Aero Precision is able to synchronize Tableau and Cognos for the benefit of IT, business users and partners alike.
Listen to the on-demand webinar with Aero Precision.
- Saves 80 hours of analyst time per month or $100K annually with just one set of reports in one department alone.
- Creates improved communication between OEMs and vendor managers.
- Allows senior management to spot trends and anomalies and respond quickly because critical markers and historical trending is now readily available.
- Ensures accurate numbers across all reports and visualizations.
- Provides consistent report formats. Eliminates the use of independently designed reports with minimal regard for consistency; Gives account managers a ‘pixel perfect’ presentation to review with managers as well as interact directly with OEMs.
- Makes report distribution easy. Provides an email bursting distribution process of the various views necessary for each manager’s monthly report.
The combination of Tableau, Cognos and the Senturus Analytics Connector has greatly improved all our departments: from sales to business development and customer service to warehousing and shipping as well as supply chain management.Dave Clausen
Business Intelligence Architect
About our client
Aero Precision provides OEM component management for military aircraft operators in over 60 countries across 14+ military platforms from more than 16 OEM partners. Aero Precision provisions OEM spares, manages repairs and provides upgrade/modification solutions. In March of 2020, Kellstrom Defense came together with Aero Precision to form AllClear Aerospace and Defense.
