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CASE STUDY | PHARMACEUTICAL RETAIL| SAC

Decision Inc. implements a modern, cloud-based business planning platform for a leading pharmaceutical chain.

Solution Overview

Industry

Pharmaceutical Retail

Solution

Decision Inc. used SAP Analytics Cloud to provide the client with real-time insights into their data so that budgets and reports can be adjusted on the go.

Client

The company is a leading South African retailer in the healthcare and beauty sector, specialising in retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical wholesale.

Requirement

The client’s business planning platform was coming to the end of its life, and they needed a new platform that would retain all of the current functionality.

Location

South Africa

Results

Real-time Reporting

Real-time Planning

 

Easily plan for month-end and year-end

 

The client has a modern business planning platform that can scale with them as they enter new markets, they have also gained real-time insights into their data so that budgets and reports can be adjusted on the go.

The Client

The company is a leading South African retailer in the healthcare and beauty sector, specialising in retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical wholesale.

Across Southern Africa, they have over 880 stores, with over 710 of those containing an in-store pharmacy. Seen as an established, stable business they are included in the JSE/FTSE Top 40 index.

The Requirement

The client’s business planning platform was coming to the end of its life, and they needed a new platform that would retain all of the current functionality.
The company’s existing business planning platform, SAP Business Planning and Consolidation 10.1 – Microsoft version, was approaching its expiry and would cease to receive support. Their objective was to preserve their current functionality, which includes account-based planning, HR cost planning, and travel planning, while migrating to a newer platform that would continue to receive support and adapt to their requirements.

In search of guidance, the company sought advice from Decision Inc. regarding the best course of action.

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The Solution

Decision Inc. recommended leveraging their existing SAP ERP platform by integrating SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), recreating the planning functionality they needed. a cutting-edge solution renowned for its comprehensive business intelligence, augmented analytics, and enterprise planning capabilities.
SAP Analytics Cloud

is a leading cloud-based platform, renowned for its comprehensive business intelligence, augmented analytics, and enterprise planning capabilities. Facilitating seamless data visualisation, analysis, and sharing across diverse data sources. Its versatility and integration capabilities make it a market leader in its field.

To minimize operational disruptions, Decision Inc.’s consultants replicated the necessary functionality within SAC and operated both systems concurrently.

After ensuring satisfaction with SAC’s functionality, the company gradually transitioned to it as the primary planning tool, while maintaining the original system as a backup. As the license and support for the original system are near expiration, it will be deactivated without impacting planning operations.

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In addition to replicating the current functionality, SAC offered further benefits, enabling real-time visualisation of reporting and planning data. Unlike the previous system, which experienced delays in data compilation, SAC ensures continuous accessibility and visibility of necessary data, significantly expediting business decision-making processes.

The advantage this real-time reporting gives is that budgets and forecasts can be adjusted and reviewed immediately. Any spending deviations from the budget can be corrected straight away so it maintains a true reflection of budget vs actuals.

The Benefits of Value Realised

In addition to resolving a software issue where the system was becoming obsolete, the client seized the opportunity to significantly enhance their insights into planning data. They have now adopted a modern, cloud-based platform that provides real-time access to all necessary planning data.
The solution enables the following benefits:
REAL-TIME REPORTING:

The advantage of real-time reporting is that budgets and forecasts can be promptly adjusted and reviewed to correct any spending deviations from the budget.

EASILY PLAN FOR MONTH-END AND YEAR-END:

This replicates the same functionality as SAP BPC, enabling the client to easily plan for month-end and year-end journal adjustments.

REAL-TIME PLANNING:

This feature allows users to plan for future periods, adjust short-term forecasts, and provides real-time reporting of actuals versus planned figures.

As a result, business decisions are made more promptly, and despite their size, the company has increased its agility, enabling swift responses to market changes.

About Decision Inc.

Decision Inc. is a global digital partner that enables businesses to reinvent themselves to realise their full potential.
We deliver agility, resilience, and intelligence to any enterprise, enabling them to adapt quickly and thrive through innovation and opportunity. Our teams have engaged with more than 400 clients globally over the past 15 years, providing them with the expertise to build, operate, and optimise their digital businesses.
We achieve this by leveraging the world’s best technology to drive our client’s business ambitions forward into tomorrow’s reality.

Our success is ultimately driven by our entrepreneurial culture, industry exposure, and the passion of our people. We have three key cross-functional teams – Functional and Specialist Consulting, Development, and Engineering teams. Based in four global offices, our exceptional consultants focus on delivering value to clients by keeping them at the centre of our service delivery.

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