Auto Parts Manufacturer Unifies Disparate Data for Scalable Analytics and AI Readiness

Project Overview

A global manufacturer in the auto parts industry partnered with GOBI Technologies to address challenges caused by rapid growth and frequent acquisitions. By consolidating siloed ERP and CRM systems into Microsoft Fabric, the company established a unified data platform and transitioned all reporting into Power BI. The result: scalable analytics, reduced reporting overhead, and AI readiness across the business.

Business Goals

• Unify Data Across Acquired Entities: Standardize data from 10+ ERP systems into a centralized source of truth.
• Modernize Reporting: Migrate from fragmented Excel and legacy BI tools to Power BI.
• Establish AI-Ready Foundation: Improve data quality and structure to support future AI projects.
• Enhance Sales & Customer Service: Provide real-time access to performance, inventory, and service KPIs across teams.
• Govern Data Across Borders: Define consistent metrics and ownership for a global workforce.

Challenges

With more than a dozen acquisitions over the past decade, this auto parts manufacturer operated on multiple disconnected systems—leading to major reporting inefficiencies and poor data visibility:

• ERP and CRM Fragmentation: Each subsidiary ran on separate platforms (Dynamics GP, NAV, Salesforce, SAP, etc.), creating silos that hindered cross-company insights.
• Manual Reporting Bottlenecks: Analysts spent weeks compiling financial and operational reports using spreadsheets and exports.
• No Consistent Metrics or Governance: Business units had their own definitions for core metrics, leading to data discrepancies and eroding trust.
• AI Roadblocks: Lack of integrated, clean data prevented the launch of planned AI initiatives such as predictive maintenance and customer churn models.

Solution & Approach

GOBI Technologies designed and delivered a Microsoft Fabric-based solution that centralized data integration, modeling, and reporting:

1. Microsoft Fabric Implementation

We deployed Microsoft Fabric as a unified data foundation, ingesting data from multiple ERPs and CRMs into a single Lakehouse model—automating dataflows and ensuring consistency.

2. Power BI Modernization

Legacy dashboards and Excel reports were retired and rebuilt in Power BI, providing business users with real-time visibility and self-service analytics.

3. Semantic Modeling & Business Definitions

Using Fabric's semantic layer, we created standardized definitions for metrics like Gross Margin, Order Fill Rate, and On-Time Delivery, aligned across regions and business lines.

4. Data Governance with Microsoft Purview

Purview was used to classify sensitive data, define ownership, and create lineage visibility across systems, supporting compliance and data stewardship efforts.

5. AI Readiness Strategy

With cleansed and structured data in place, the organization began scoping machine learning use cases, such as predictive demand planning and warranty analytics.

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