Eskom has selected to implement an automated key performance indicator (KPI) reporting solution based on Strategic Vision, SAS Institute's Balanced Scorecard solution for strategic management. The project win is SAS Institute SA's largest sale to date - at an estimated software value of more than R6 million and an added Professional Services revenue of R2.69 million - and first-ever SAS/ACCESS to SAP/R3 project in South Africa.
Says Grant Ward, business development manager at SAS Institute SA: "The solution will be end-to-end and will make use of data accessed from Eskom's SAP R/3 systems. Eskom's decision to implement Strategic Vision was based on the organisation's existing situation: a manual BSC environment with disparate data sources, a low level of data quality and integrity and out-of-date Web reporting.
"This environment could not provide Eskom's large user community a single, uniform version of information, with reports taking two to three weeks after period end to compile, and another week to distribute hard copies," he explains.
SAS' Strategic Vision solution will automate the reporting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) within a BSC framework, combining the ERP and OLTP sources and providing a portal for timely and reliable information dissemination and security.
"Strategic Vision facilitates strategy communication, organisational alignment, and provides continual feedback on how well strategy is being executed," says Ward. "With a central information repository fine-tuned for decision-making, Eskom will be able to simplify, organise and audit all enterprise information, while users receive reliable reports on how the organisation is performing.
"With its new BSC framework, Eskom will be able to develop its analytical capabilities, while concurrently retaining flexibility," he adds.
Eskom project manager, Cory Botha, who also managed the procurement process, says: "SAS was the natural choice for Eskom Distribution because they responded exceptionally to our RFP and demonstrated a keen willingness to participate in a very trying project.
"They are able to accurately assess the need and are compiling a solution that will provide us with automated reporting that is valid, accurate, transparent and repeatable. The data warehouse acquired as part of the project further provides us with the opportunity to further exploit our data management at enterprise level."
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