Case Study eplus

CASE STUDY
Controlling Instruments
in a Turbulent Market
“With CUBUS ABC we have introduced
a web-based, multi-user system in only
6 weeks, which has stabilised our planning
and made crucial improvements to our
forecast quality.”
Ulrich Coenen
E-Plus
E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH & Co. KG,
established in 1993, has 7.6 million
customers in the German mobile
phone market and innovates to such
a degree that in many business areas
it is the pioneer for the entire industry.
They also use the best new technologies
and creative solutions in-house.
In order to supply sales, marketing
and financial controlling with current
information around the clock, a
reliable database was created,
on which numerous solutions for
evaluation and analysis were
established. In the controlling
(oversight) department, they rely
on ABC from CUBUS for their planning
and forecasting.
The basis for the information retrieval for
the strategic and operational controlling of
E-Plus is the Enterprise Data Warehouse.
Here terabytes of data from all areas of
the enterprise are collected, linked and
processed. The analysis data is held in
Oracle OLAP database, Essbase.
At present 27 OLAP models are available
daily and/or monthly for evaluation.
In addition models facilitate the analysis
of subscriber growth, air time and i-mode
use. Fast access times to the data make it
easy for the users to work with the
models.
Controlling with a Data Mart
In 2001, encouraged by good experiences,
a model was developed tailored to the
controlling department’s requirements.
For these controlling models, data from
the data warehouse and SAP are
integrated. They support analysis and
reporting systems as well as planning and
budgeting processes. Since the individual
models are linked to each other and
regularly exchange data, the users work
with a consistent database across
department borders.
In contrast to the data warehouse, the
controlling data mart is maintained by
users from the controlling department.
These ‘power users’ work hand in hand
with the IT department.
The custom-made models have clearly
lowered the expenditure for data retrieval
and processing during the budgeting and
in the month-end closing processes.
The controllers now use the saved time for
additional analysis and simulation.
Planning and Forecasting
with CUBUS ABC
Investment control is an important
component of the controlling process.
Each month over 200 users are involved
with the CAPEX forecasting process
(CAPEX = Capital Expenditures).
Before the introduction of CUBUS’ ABC
planning software this process was
accomplished using Microsoft Excel.
Within only 6 weeks a web-based system
was implemented, which made multi-user
access possible, stabilised the planning
process and critically improved the
forecast quality. In each case, the actual
and prior forecast data is used to populate
each successive forecast. The project
managers then enter their new forecast
and the results are consolidated and
evaluated at the push of a button.
Because of the intuitive prompting and
familiar, Excel-like interface of CUBUS
ABC, the new solution received very high
acceptance from the outset.
The controllers particularly appreciate
that they can accomplish all changes and
extensions independently.
CUBUS provides made-to-measure
Performance Management software
and consulting.
With our product ABC from CUBUS
we provide a Business Performance
Management (BPM) solution for
planning, analysis and reporting.
Strategic Project Performance
Management (SPPM) fills a gap in
strategy execution with the focus on
initiative management.
Dedicated international partners
support customers all around the world.
The project was accomplished using the
“Coaching Consulting” method: After a
short product training session, the E-Plus
workers went through all the
implementation steps with the CUBUS
advisor. This allowed for the important
transfer of knowledge and offered another
level of security as they could make
changes and extensions during the process
without third party assistance. The E-Plus
controlling department is very satisfied
with its solutions. Since then, the
controlling department has supplied their
power users with a new application for
OPEX planning (Operational Expenses)
which CUBUS ABC provided, tested and
took into production. This success story is
sure to continue.
CUBUS AG headquarters
Bahnhofstraße 29 I 71083 Herrenberg (Germany) I Phone +49 70 32 94 51- 0 I Fax +49 70 32 94 51-30 I info@cubus.eu www.cubus.eu
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Microsoft, Microsoft Excel, Exchange, Internet Explorer, Outlook, SQL Server, Word, Windows and Windows NT are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. CC-008-082008-E