Project Analytics with Microsoft Power BI

Project-based organizations need to analyze data from multiple systems to make the right decisions—CRM, billing, project management systems, and others. A project analytics solution on Microsoft Power BI helps you analyze project delivery, generate project reporting, and track the KPIs required for informed, timely decisions.

Challenges and drivers

Project execution is disconnected from financial performance

• Projects are delivered “on autopilot” without timely payments—informal agreements, misuse, and related risks

• No clear visibility into which projects are profitable and to what extent

Data is fragmented

• Project data and cash-in data are stored in different systems: CRM, Billing, ERP, Project Management

Reporting is manual, slow, and static

• Reports cannot be prepared quickly for urgent requests and may contain errors due to the human factor

• To see trends, teams must compare reports across multiple periods

Microsoft Power BI solution for project reporting and analytics

Project Business Intelligence is a solution for analyzing a company’s project activity. It brings together project and financial KPIs, automates data collection, and enables interactive reporting for any time period.

Solution components

• A KPI system and a clear visualization of key metrics in the web interface or mobile app

• A dashboard that consolidates project data from all source systems

• Multidimensional reports in a familiar Excel interface

• Project performance analytics

Key features

• A ready-to-use set of KPIs with color-based visual interpretation

• Rich dashboard visualization capabilities

• Report access via web interface or mobile app

• Flexible drill-down and detail levels:

• by time period

• by revenue / costs / subcontracting expenses

• by customers

• by projects, with clear performance dynamics—e.g., changes in Work in Progress (WIP) at the beginning and end of the period

• Use of preconfigured reports and the ability to build reports “on the fly”

• Drill-down from Power BI into a detailed report in Excel

• Integration with SharePoint 2013/2016

• Configurable role-based security model

Implementation benefits

Reduced risk of incorrect or delayed decisions

• Executives can access core project KPIs at any time—even from a mobile device

• When needed, users can open the dashboard to explore the situation in more detail and review project dynamics in the context of internal costs, timelines, and incoming payments

• Project managers get a real-time view of their own project portfolio and performance indicators online