Target EntitiesMargin Visibility, Real-Time Analytics, Manufacturing Reporting, Pricing Margin, Executive Dashboards, ERP Reporting
Core ValueSee margin in real time instead of a 30-day lag, one unified view across regions, catch pricing and logistics leaks early
Tech StackERP integration, Data Warehouse, BI Dashboard, Data Integration
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Manufacturing

How a steel manufacturer replaced a 30-day margin lag with real-time visibility

A steel manufacturer saw margin data a month late, so pricing gaps, logistics overcharges and claims hit the bottom line before anyone noticed. We built real-time dashboards on the existing ERP covering margin by product and region, sales, logistics costs and claims.

Real time

margin visibility, was a 30-day lag

Unified

across all regions and business units

6 to 8 weeks

full sprint delivery

Challenge

Margin arrived a month late, and each region measured it differently.

What we built

Real-time margin dashboards on the existing ERP, with drill-down.

Result

Margin gaps that ran for months surfaced in the first week.

The challenge

Raw material costs changed weekly but customer pricing did not keep up, so the gap between quoted and actual margin widened silently until the P&L closed a month later. Finance pulled board reports by hand from ERP, logistics systems and spreadsheets, and US and international operations measured margin differently, with claims tracked in email and logistics costs estimated rather than measured.

What we built

  • Built real-time dashboards covering margin by product and region, sales performance, logistics costs, claims and operational KPIs.
  • Pulled from the existing ERP and operational data, with drill-down for executive review.
  • Delivered the first dashboards within weeks and the full sprint in 6 to 8 weeks.

How the data flows

Source systems

ERP
Logistics systems
Claims & pricing
Real-time margin dashboards

Reporting

Margin by product & region
Logistics & claims
Executive KPIs

The outcome

Margin gaps that had run for months showed up in the first week, and pricing decisions started resting on current numbers instead of a month-old P&L, with one consistent view across every region.

Systems & technologies

ERP integrationData WarehouseBI DashboardData Integration

Before vs after

Before
BeforeMargin seen a month late, after the P&L closed
AfterMargin visible in real time
BeforeEach region measured margin differently
AfterOne unified view across regions
BeforeBoard reports compiled by hand for days
AfterLive dashboards with drill-down

Get in touch

Seeing margin a month too late?

We can find your top 3 to 5 margin blind spots and deliver real-time visibility in a focused 6-week sprint.

Email us directly

sales@3alica.com