Transforming a Two-Month Manual Process Into a Streamlined, Real-Time Workflow
- GPA
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
A heavy industrial fabrication company required a detailed operational analysis to better understand production performance. Historically, this information lived in multiple spreadsheets owned by different individuals, creating delays and data inconsistencies. As part of a continuous improvement project, GPA manually completed the analysis to understand current-state challenges and demonstrate what a unified, real-time system could achieve.
The Challenge
The manual project highlighted major pain points the customer was already experiencing:
Critical information was spread across multiple Excel files.
Data was inconsistent, outdated, or missing, requiring extensive validation.
Significant time was spent tracking down updates from different departments.
The project required nearly two months of effort to compile, verify, and analyze the data.
This process underscored the customer's need for a centralized, reliable solution.
The Opportunity: A Unified, Real-Time Digital Approach
After completing the manual analysis, GPA demonstrated to the customer how their data—once centralized—could be transformed into a faster, more accurate, easily repeatable process.
The continuous improvement project served as proof of concept that:
Data consolidation is the key bottleneck, not the analysis itself.
Digital data, contextualized through MES, eliminates manual chasing and cross-checking.
Reporting could move from a long, manual compilation to an automated, on-demand process.
The customer recognized the value of this approach and trusted GPA to begin converting their existing data and processes into the MES framework.
Expected Results After Implementation
Based on GPA’s manual project findings, the customer can expect significant improvements once MES is fully deployed:
A process that previously took two months is expected to be completed in minutes.
Consistent, real-time data will replace fragmented spreadsheets.
Instant reporting will enable faster decisions and eliminate manual consolidation.
Complete visibility will reduce performance blind spots and prevent data gaps.
Higher data accuracy will allow teams to respond quickly and confidently.
These projected outcomes directly align with the inefficiencies identified during the manual project.
Customer Impact
By trusting GPA to transition their data and processes into MES, the customer is taking a strategic step toward:
Eliminating spreadsheet-driven bottlenecks
Reducing manual labor and follow-up
Improving data reliability and transparency
Gaining actionable operational insights in real time
The continuous improvement project demonstrated what is possible; MES implementation will make those improvements repeatable and scalable.
Conclusion
The manual continuous improvement project served as a clear indicator of the value a real-time MES will bring.
What once took two months of manual effort is projected to be reduced to minutes. Centralized data, real-time tracking, and instant reporting drive the change.
The customer’s commitment to converting their data into this new structure sets the foundation for faster, more accurate, and more efficient operations.
