Power BI for ERP Platforms

Power BI Customer Enablement Data Literacy

Customers had pixel-perfect Crystal Reports — but they were asking for interactive dashboards they could filter and explore in real time. I built Power BI training from the ground up for both ERP platforms, covering the full pipeline from raw database connection to finished dashboard.

ERP Platforms

8-Hr

2-Day ILT Format

Full

ETL to Dashboard Pipeline

90%+

CSAT Score

Project at a Glance

Client: Trimble — Spectrum and Vista ERP customers
Audience: ERP customers with zero Power BI experience
Format: Two-day (8-hour) instructor-led course, adapted per platform
My role: Built both courses from the ground up — one framework, two platform variants
Outcome: 90%+ CSAT; customers go from zero to a functional dashboard connected to their own ERP data

The Shift: From Reports to Dashboards

Crystal Reports handles pixel-perfect, printable outputs well — but customers wanted interactive dashboards they could filter, slice, and explore without generating a new report for every question. These courses give them the skills to connect directly to their ERP data and build dashboards that work for how their teams operate.

Two Platforms, One Framework

Trimble's ERP products serve two different customer segments. Spectrum is built for small to mid-size construction businesses. Vista is designed for larger enterprise operations. Different database structures, different customer profiles, same goal: get their data into Power BI and make it useful.

One curriculum framework serves both. Only the connection setup differs — ODBC configuration and schema structures vary by platform — so each course is adapted for the system customers are actually on.

What the Course Covers

The goal was to take customers from zero Power BI experience to a finished, functional dashboard — no assumed knowledge, no skipped steps. The course covers the full pipeline:

Connecting to ERP data: ODBC connection to the ERP database and understanding what you're looking at when the data comes in.
Power Query and ETL: Cleaning, shaping, merging, and normalizing raw data so calculations are accurate and reports don't lie.
Basic DAX: Measures vs. calculated columns, explicit vs. implicit measures — the formulas that turn raw numbers into metrics you can trust.
Time intelligence: Proper date tables for period-over-period comparisons and trend analysis.
Reports vs. dashboard design: How to design each one for the people who will actually use it.

Interested in working together?

Whether you're building out technical training, enabling customers on a new platform, or just want to talk shop — I'm always down to connect.

Let's Connect

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