The Customer
CHS Inc. is a leading global agribusiness cooperative owned by farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives across the United States, providing a wide range of products and services including energy, agronomy, grains, and foods to businesses and consumers worldwide.
The Project
Data Warehouse Modernization On Snowflake
Overview
CHS Inc. engaged Improving to modernize their data warehouse infrastructure. With operations spanning various business units from agriculture to gas stations, CHS Inc. aimed to consolidate multiple ERP systems into a single, efficient SAP system. This project leveraged Snowflake as the core data platform, facilitating seamless data integration and transformation across their diverse operations. The modernization effort enabled CHS Inc. to streamline their processes, enhance data quality, and improve overall business efficiency.
The Business Problem
CHS Inc. faced significant challenges due to the presence of nine separate ERP systems acquired over the years through various business expansions and acquisitions. These disparate systems hampered operational efficiency, created data silos, and led to higher operational costs. The lack of integration among these systems made it difficult to achieve a unified view of their customers and business operations. This inefficiency impeded decision-making capabilities and hindered the company's scalability and growth prospects.
The Solution
Improving approached this complex issue by leveraging Snowflake as a unified data platform. The project involved consolidating data from all nine ERP systems into Snowflake, followed by data transformations using DBT (Data Build Tool) to align with SAP's central finance module. Our team developed a robust ELT (Extract, Load, Transform) process, ensuring that data from various sources met a common data contract before being synchronized to SAP. This approach enabled a seamless transition to a single ERP system, significantly enhancing data consistency and accessibility.
Technologies Used
Snowflake: Served as the core data storage and processing platform.
DBT (Data Build Tool): Utilized for data transformations and ensuring data met SAP's data contract requirements.
High Touch: Employed for reverse ETL processes to synchronize data from Snowflake to SAP.
Power BI: Developed dashboards for reporting and monitoring data quality and integration errors.
Azure DevOps: Used for project planning and agile management to ensure organized and efficient project execution.
ETL Processes: Implemented to ingest data from various ERP systems into Snowflake.
The Business Benefits
Operational Efficiency: Consolidation of nine ERP systems into one SAP system reduced manual processes and streamlined operations.
Single View of Customer: Achieved a unified view of customers, enhancing analytics and customer relationship management.
Improved Decision-Making: Centralized data and better reporting capabilities facilitated informed business decisions.
Cost Reduction: Reduced operational costs associated with maintaining multiple legacy systems.
Scalability: Modernized infrastructure provided a scalable platform for future growth and integration.
Enhanced Data Quality: Improved data quality and consistency across various business units.
Partnerships
While no external partnerships were involved, the close collaboration between Improving and CHS Inc.'s internal teams was pivotal. Our team worked as an integrated unit with the client’s finance, accounting, supply chain, and energy data ingestion teams. This close partnership ensured that business requirements were well understood and met, resulting in a smooth and successful project execution.
Lessons Learned
Test Automation Strategy: Prioritize understanding and implementing a test automation strategy early in the project to mitigate integration risks.
Data Quality Testing: Focus on data quality testing and ensure it is an integral part of the transformation process.
Daily Business Collaboration: Maintain daily interactions with business teams to foster better working relationships and reduce project tensions.
Agile Project Management: Organize project planning using agile methodologies to handle complex and high-pressure projects effectively.
Team Adaptability: Encourage team members to step beyond their usual roles and adapt to new challenges for successful project delivery.
Continuous Communication: Establish regular technical and collaborative meetings to ensure alignment and address issues promptly.
Conclusion
The Data Warehouse Modernization project on Snowflake for CHS Inc. exemplifies our ability to tackle complex, high-pressure projects with diligence and expertise. Our unique approach to integrating multiple ERP systems into a single, efficient SAP system significantly enhanced CHS Inc.'s operational efficiency and data quality. The success of this project underscores Improving's commitment to delivering innovative solutions through close collaboration and agile project management, making us a preferred partner for data modernization initiatives.
