Using reporting technology to competitive advantage

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IBG - SA Instrumentation & Control Buyers' Guide

April 2003 News

Turning raw information into actionable knowledge is the key to becoming a realtime adaptive organisation. With current manufacturing capacity exceeding demand, companies are being forced to refocus their strategies and maximise operational value, industry leaders recognise that achieving efficiency and flexibility in manufacturing means making most effective use of available technology to enhance their competitive position.

Many companies lack access to vital day-to-day operational information and feel like they do not have the necessary control over their businesses. In today's market, control is essential to directing the kind of flexibility and responsiveness that customers demand.

Managers increasingly require information from a multitude of sources without the associated delays between requests for reports and finally receiving them. Dave Wibberley, MD of OPUS Technologies, developers of information gathering and collation tool: OPUS Business Reporting and Analysis software says, "Competitive companies use reporting and analysis software to control the definition, measurement, analysis and continuous improvement of operations within the company turning customer benchmarks into industry benchmarks. With a spreadsheet interface, users can create and manage reports from a multitude of sources, while at the same time querying the components of those sources."

Dave Wibberley

Realtime adaptive organisations are using technology to gain the lead by analysing daily operations reports that enable them to detect and respond rapidly to market fluctuations and capitalise on first mover advantage. These Business Analysis tools allow companies to reveal opportunities for strategic operational improvement, providing permanent additions to an organisation's analytic data model without incurring large capital outlays.

By using these tools, realtime adaptive companies accelerate information flow by eliminating intermediaries and providing appropriate visibility to relevant information. Creating realtime visibility to all parts of the operation is key to monitoring business performance. Wibberley comments, "Visibility must provide the right information to the right person, at the right time and in the right context."

The realtime adaptive enterprise realises the industries and companies closest to technology shifts always benefit first. Business Reporting tools are a cost effective and simple solution to obtaining mission critical company information via a technology-enabled delivery mechanism.

Wibberley's advice when selecting a Business Analysis tool, "It should be powerful yet flexible, featuring an intuitive interface and a wide range of tools and palettes. It should employ drawing tools, relational database tables, spreadsheet computation capabilities, and a graphical interface to diagram exactly what is going on in your operations."

For more information contact Dave Wibberley, MD Opus Technologies, 011 781 3665, www.opustechnologies.net

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Using reporting technology to competitive advantage

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