CASE STUDY
DAS Companies
Converting Cognos tool to Power BI
Client Background
DAS Companies, Inc. is a leading provider of travel gear, truck & auto supplies, and mobile electronics, managing over 12,000 products including their proprietary RoadPro Family of Brands. Founded in the 1970s by David Z. Abel, DAS has established itself as a key player in serving the on-the-go lifestyle market. The company maintains a reliable supply chain operation, processing and shipping over 172,000 products daily with a 97% in-stock rate.
The Challenge
DAS faced a significant technological transition as they sought to modernize their business intelligence infrastructure by moving from Cognos to Microsoft Power BI. The scope of this migration was substantial, encompassing 1,280 reports, including 154 scheduled reports and 182 ad hoc reports regularly accessed by users. The system managed 15 different data source packages, with 13 actively in use and 6 containing scheduled reports.
The migration required converting all existing reports to the new platform while maintaining business continuity. Adding to the complexity, the company had an immediate need for Power BI administration expertise, as their internal administrators needed support and training during the transition period.
The challenge was further complicated by the need to coordinate and manage a development team of 21 users, including 5 administrators and 8 daily users, while simultaneously establishing new governance structures and operational procedures for the Power BI environment. This combination of technical migration, knowledge transfer, and organizational change management presented a complex, multifaceted challenge that required careful planning and execution.
The Solution
Collective Intelligence addressed the migration challenges by converting Cognos reports to Power BI and creating a collaborative development environment. They established the “Developer’s Round Table,” a monthly forum for governance and collaboration among the development team, which became essential for consistent communication and problem-solving.
They managed 154 scheduled jobs, with 103 active, handling 175 internal and 10 external email distributions. They developed and implemented robust governance frameworks for the new Power BI environment, automated overnight data migration from legacy systems, and maintained a strong focus on troubleshooting and support to quickly resolve any issues with the environment or
Power BI reports.
Outcome & Benefits
Collective Intelligence provided modern data management and reporting in Power BI and helped create The Developer’s Round Table, a monthly forum to share best practices, address challenges, and maintain consistent development standards. This improved code quality, reduced redundancy, and ensured alignment with project goals and governance.
Automating overnight data movement from legacy systems to Power BI significantly improved operational efficiency by managing 15 data source packages, reducing manual intervention, ensuring data consistency, and enhancing data management through strong governance frameworks, resulting in more reliable business intelligence outputs.
Comprehensive support and training for internal Power BI administrators established a sustainable system handling 154 scheduled jobs and managing 175 internal and 10 external email distributions, ensuring timely business intelligence delivery. This approach built strong internal capabilities, allowing the organization to manage and evolve their BI infrastructure independently while maintaining high standards.
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
- Converted 1,280 Cognos reports to Power BI format, including 154 scheduled reports
- Established governance framework and documentation for 21 users
- Implemented automated data movement processes for 13 active data source packages
- Created troubleshooting protocols for environment and report issues
- Set up collaborative development structure through Developer’s Round Table
- Configured and maintained 103 active scheduling jobs with email distribution
Conclusion
The successful migration from Cognos to Power BI highlighted Collective Intelligence’s expertise in managing complex BI transitions, and creating a sustainable system for multiple data sources and user requirements. Establishing governance frameworks and collaborative structures ensures long-term sustainability, while automating key processes enhances operational efficiency.
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