Digital transformation is advancing, and companies in the pharmaceutical industry face unique challenges in managing their processes and delivering high-quality services. This case study highlights the transformative partnership between STADA, a leading European manufacturer of high-quality pharmaceuticals, and INKUBIT, an expert in digital solutions and transformation.
STADA and Business Intelligence: A Pioneer in the Pharmaceutical Industry
STADA, short for “Standard Medicines of German Pharmacists”, is a renowned company with a long history in the German pharmacy industry and is known for its efficiency in business intelligence. The company is known for manufacturing and distributing generic and over-the-counter drugs. With a clear focus on quality and affordability, STADA offers healthcare products that improve people’s well-being. The company has established a firm place in the European pharmaceutical industry and plays a crucial role in healthcare.
Business Intelligence Challenge: Increasing Efficiency and Integration
STADA has so far supported its customers with expertise, high-quality medicines and innovative business intelligence solutions. The focus of the project was on modernizing the business intelligence infrastructure of STADA and INKUBIT and migrating existing Tableau reports to Microsoft Power BI. STADA needed a solution to streamline their reporting processes and ensure comprehensive data integration.
Objectives of the project:
- Migrate over 120 Tableau reports to Power BI
- Improve and expand reports in supply chain management, finance, sales, market analysis, production, and HR
- Implementation of best practice reporting transformation methods
- Ensure seamless integration and data visibility
- Training of the STADA team in the use of Power BI
Solution: Tailor-made digital infrastructure
INKUBIT developed a tailor-made business intelligence solution for STADA based on the following technologies:
Power BI: Power BI is a powerful business analytics solution from Microsoft that enables organizations to visualize data from multiple sources and create interactive reports and dashboards. The ease of use and the ability to analyze data in real-time were key factors in choosing this solution.
Data Vault 2.0: This framework supports the integration and modeling of data from different sources. It provides a robust and flexible method of managing data that is easily scalable and customizable.
Azure Data Lake: A cloud-based data platform that stores and manages large amounts of data. Azure Data Lake provided STADA with the ability to store data securely and cost-effectively while providing quick access for analytics and reporting.
Azure Integration Services: These services enable seamless integration of different systems and processes, resulting in better data consistency and efficiency.
Implementation and results
The project duration was 18 months, during which INKUBIT worked closely with the STADA development team to analyze the existing data sources and transform the backend. The migration of reports from Tableau to Power BI was gradual to ensure a smooth transition.
Advantages of implementation:
Sales growth: The improved analytics capabilities enabled STADA to make strategic decisions faster and more accurately, resulting in significant revenue growth.
Cost reduction: The migration to Power BI and the automation of reporting processes led to a significant reduction in operational costs. By using the Microsoft Cloud, STADA has also been able to reduce IT infrastructure costs.
Transformation: The digital transformation of the BI infrastructure enabled STADA to react more flexibly and agilely to market changes. The expanded reporting landscape helped to gain better insights into business processes and continuously optimize them.
Risk minimization: With the new reporting capabilities, STADA was able to identify potential risks at an early stage and take appropriate action. The improved data transparency and accuracy helped minimize errors and ensure regulatory compliance.
Training measures
INKUBIT conducted regular monthly training sessions to train the STADA team in the use of Power BI. These training courses covered both basic and advanced features of Power BI, empowering employees to create and manage reports on their own.
Business Intelligence STADA: Success Story in Numbers
A prime example of unprecedented innovation and digital transformation in the pharmaceutical sector. The results in numbers:
- 120+ reports migrated: Over 120 Tableau reports were successfully migrated to Power BI, resulting in a consistent and centralized reporting platform.
- Improved reporting in several areas: Reports in supply chain management, finance, sales, market analysis, production, and HR have been improved and expanded.
- Increased efficiency: By using Power BI, the efficiency in the creation and analysis of reports has been significantly increased.
- Training and self-service: Regular training and the introduction of self-service reporting capabilities enabled end users to perform analysis and report on their own.
Project results: Efficiency and transparency on a new level
The implementation of these solutions led to impressive results:
- Standardized reports: Migrating to Power BI standardized reporting processes and improved data quality.
- Data integration and visibility: Leveraging Data Vault 2.0 and Azure Data Lake enabled seamless integration and visibility of data.
- Scalable infrastructure: Azure Integration Services provided a scalable and flexible IT infrastructure to support future needs.
- Increased efficiency and cost reduction: The automation of reporting processes and the use of cloud-based solutions led to a significant increase in efficiency and cost reduction.
Foundation for sustainable success: Business Intelligence STADA
STADA was able to transform its company in four different business pillars:
Sales growth: Improved sales and marketing efficiency led to a significant increase in sales.
Cost reduction: By automating core processes and integrating Azure DevOps, STADA was able to achieve significant cost savings.
Transformation: STADA’s digital transformation not only optimized internal processes, but also created new opportunities for future innovation.
Risk mitigation: The implementation of Dynamics 365 and Azure DevOps improved the accuracy and consistency of process delivery, minimizing operational risks.
Project duration and implementation
The project was completed in an impressive time of 18 months. INKUBIT’s expertise in requirements engineering, process design and project management, as well as advanced programming and low-code development, contributed significantly to the success of the project. The power user training by INKUBIT ensured that STADA’s employees were well prepared for the use of the new systems.
Future prospects: Sustainable growth and innovation
The partnership between STADA and INKUBIT has not only overcome current challenges, but also created a solid foundation for future growth and innovation. Through the use of state-of-the-art technologies and close cooperation, sustainable competitive advantages have been achieved.
The collaboration with INKUBIT was a crucial turning point for our digital transformation. Thanks to their expertise in business intelligence solutions, we have been able to fully modernize our reporting processes and significantly increase our efficiency. By implementing these solutions, we were not only able to reduce our operating costs, but also to boost our revenue growth. The new reporting capabilities enabled us to make faster and more accurate decisions, which had a direct positive impact on our bottom line.
The success story of STADA and INKUBIT is a shining example of how digital transformation can revolutionize companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Through the implementation of innovative technologies and strategic cooperation, STADA was able to strengthen its market position and create a future-proof basis for further growth and innovation.