Faster planning across 50 global offices with 80+ different currencies

DyStar’s Excel-based reporting and planning systems could not keep up with global demands. Systems were people- and time-intensive. There was no multicurrency capability – a big problem for a company dealing with over 80 currencies. DyStar could not process the data volumes from around the globe fast enough. A lack of writeback capabilities meant they could not run online data simulations. It also took great effort for controllers to make changes to reports, as the legacy solution lacked self-service functionality. Consequently, new reporting requirements took far too long to adopt. Thomas Seeler, then Head of Corporate Controlling at DyStar, went on the hunt for a unified solution for planning, analysis, and forecasting. For Seeler, ease of use and performance response times were top priorities. After trying out Jedox, Seeler and his team felt that it would help them build on their Excel skills while also being able to manage all their data centrally. The system was easy to use, and Seeler felt confident that the team would ramp up quickly on the new platform. The team selected Jedox and began to implement.

Within a week, Thomas Seeler had the complete monthly reporting procedure integrated into Jedox by using built-in SAP connectors to draw data out of SAP BW/BI and SAP SEM-BCS. Thomas constructed profit and loss (P&Ls) with actuals at every corporate level for over 50 offices worldwide. The detail and accuracy were unprecedented. Finance could easily drill down into product groups and business units with complete costing and banking analysis across any business unit anywhere in the world. The “internal controlling” solution quickly gained momentum. Thomas describes how Jedox improved their processes: “We could add users and capture more data easily. With Jedox Web, we could quickly gather worldwide ad hoc information into one place and provide this information anywhere in the world without sending out and manually consolidating Excel files.” After using Jedox to transform reporting, DyStar controllers quickly applied Jedox to their planning process, enabling them to redefine it and replace older systems. Results were delivered efficiently with a pragmatic rollout that started small, proved results, and then rolled out more widely.

Thomas explains the DyStar approach: “We carried out initial setup completely by ourselves. Our early expenditure was minimal, with no external consulting costs. Because Jedox was easy to use, we could prove it all ourselves. We could test without investment risk, prove the benefits, and only then implement. This meant each stage was validated and proven before we invested. Our rollout was pragmatic, cost-effective, and controlled.”

DyStar’s Jedox solution has evolved into an extensive reporting and planning solution to support global processes. The internal controlling solution provides management, board, sales, controllers, and private equity owners with standard and self-service ad hoc reports. They can all keep a finger on the company’s pulse at any moment. Jedox provides DyStar with an unprecedented gain in performance, online simulations, and instant responses to queries with full governance and ownership by global controllers. Quick and easy report manipulation has helped remove the team’s dependency on Excel, increasing data security and providing an audit trail. The team is happy that Jedox fits seamlessly within DyStar’s platforms and corporate information architecture, helping to keep things running smoothly.

With Jedox, DyStar now consolidates global data in over 80 currencies. DyStar produces concise, dynamic reports and uses powerful online Jedox simulations to analyze and plan on a global level. The solution is owned by Finance, and the platform is supported by IT. This means DyStar can deliver results efficiently and securely in a much shorter time frame than traditional projects.