Many business processes work well for years with Excel, email and shared files. Problems arise when the number of users, versions, rules and control requirements increases. At that point, the spreadsheet stops being a flexible tool and becomes part of the problem.
Signs that Excel is no longer enough
- The same file is duplicated for different users, departments or periods.
- It is unclear which version is the correct one.
- Process rules are embedded in formulas and individual knowledge.
- Approvals and responsibilities are managed by email.
- Consolidation requires recurring manual activities.
- Data must be copied between ERP systems, BI tools and spreadsheets.
Process first, tool second
E-project starts with AS-IS analysis and TO-BE design. The objective is not to replace Excel at all costs, but to understand which activities need more structure, which controls are required and which data should be shared.
Two different answers to two different needs
EP-Writeback / Row Editor
It is useful when the process remains closely tied to Business Intelligence and requires data entry, data changes or simulations directly from Power BI or Qlik.
EP-Hydra
It is designed for processes and information that require more structured management but are not effectively covered by core applications. The goal is to reduce shared spreadsheets and unstructured information.
When the process becomes an asset
Bringing data, rules, responsibilities and statuses into a structured environment makes the process more traceable, less dependent on individual people and easier to integrate with reporting and analytics.
The BEA approach
Analyze, design, prototype, validate and consolidate: the BEA method builds the solution iteratively, validating it early in the client's real environment before final release.