How Smart Data streamlined ERP consolidation for a national CNC machinery provider, turning manual headaches into automated, repeatable data processes.
Client
CNC Machinery Provider
Industry
Manufacturing
Timeline
2 Weeks
Project Challenge
An Ohio-based, national CNC machinery and automation solutions provider has undertaken a process of digital transformation to support its continued growth. As part of this process, they are consolidating three different ERP systems (IFS, Sage, and E2) under a single platform: NetSuite. They are simultaneously consolidating their sales, marketing, and CRM processes and data into HubSpot. The customer was seeking a partner to work with them on the data components of their digital transformation journey. This was broken into two parts:
Project Solution
Smart Data partnered with the Client to provide the following solutions:
Post-Migration Data Processes and Practices: Smart Data provided a Senior Data Consultant to understand the customer’s current landscape and data, and worked with the platform vendors to understand the proposed new landscape. Based on this, Smart Data formulated data synchronization procedures between NetSuite and Hubspot, as well as associated governance practices and strategies for the post-migration environment.
Data Migration Assistance: While the client had an internal data team, the team's capacity was strained by concurrent operational responsibilities and the complexities of data cleansing and migration procedures, compounded by a lack of automation expertise that resulted in predominantly manual tasks. Smart Data assisted by rapidly developing a suite of bespoke tools tailored to the client's specific environment. This enabled a repeatable migration process focused on the data import prerequisites of the NetSuite vendor. The rapid development of these tools was facilitated in part by the application of Generative AI to expedite the construction of CSV models from NetSuite's documentation. Additionally, these tools afforded the client the capability to incorporate data cleansing and deduplication measures within the data set migration process.
Project Approach
For each project and segment of work, Smart Data collaborated with the client to understand and document the requirements and then developed a ranged estimate to accomplish the work. Time was billed T&M and Smart Data worked directly with the client to ensure projects stayed on track and that budgets remained within the estimated range provided. Project teams used an Agile methodology for project management and regularly reported on progress and budget.
At Smart Data, each Agile team is free to adjust their approach as suits the project, with some projects leaning more towards a Scrum methodology and some towards a Kanban style. Regardless of approach, all projects have the following in common:
A prioritized backlog of work items
Planning meetings to prioritize coming work items as the project progresses and refine the backlog
Daily “stand-up”, or short, meetings to quickly sync for the day and remove any blockers
Regular demonstrations of progress
Sprint retrospective meetings that help teams review and adjust their approach
Regular reports on progress and budget
Project Results
The partnership between Smart Data and the client resulted in:
