Case Study April 8, 2025
Developing a Low-Cost Systemic Approach for Data Normalization
Trexin created an MDM-lite solution with process automation and faster data ingestion to enhance usability, accuracy, and workflow efficiency.
Business Driver
The data analytics team at a global medical device company engaged Trexin to assess various data-driven initiatives. During the assessment, Trexin identified a high-value opportunity to automate the supplier data normalization process. The existing process relied on siloed data tables, inconsistent formats across systems, and manual interventions, making it difficult to standardize supplier names and track updates. When a supplier had multiple names across regions, branches, or systems, they were often grouped incorrectly, resulting in inaccurate reporting in evaluating revenue, supply chain impact, and overall business performance.
Approach
Recognizing that the introduction of a commercial master data management (MDM) system could be an option, Trexin conducted a high-level feasibility study to evaluate the approach. The study concluded that our Client was not yet ready to adopt a full MDM solution. Instead, a more focused, simple, and cost-effective solution was needed. Trexin suggested a custom “MDM-lite” approach, leveraging existing software such as Microsoft Power Apps, Power BI, and Snowflake. With a focus on improving data accuracy, Trexin developed an automated auditing system and a faster data ingestion method to efficiently handle large record selections. The team conducted a thorough analysis of the end-to-end process, documenting key workflows and creating recorded demonstrations for training and future reference. To ensure stakeholder alignment and clearly define business needs, Trexin facilitated requirements gathering sessions, which led to the development of detailed architecture diagrams serving as a strategic roadmap for future planning. Process improvement documentation streamlined operations and ensured long-term scalability, while end-user guides facilitated seamless adoption. Maintaining close collaboration with enterprise IT ensured both technical and business alignment, while multiple application review sessions gathered feedback crucial for driving continuous improvement.
Results
By partnering with this medical device company to develop the supplier data normalization application, significant improvements have been achieved in both performance and usability. Load times have been drastically reduced, minimizing delays and improving user experience. Navigation has been streamlined by reducing unnecessary clicks, enabling end-users to complete tasks more efficiently. A key enhancement is the ability to track change history, allowing users to review past edits, monitor modifications, and evaluate name changes before finalizing them. These optimizations have resulted in a smoother, more efficient workflow, driving higher user satisfaction, increased operational efficiency, and stronger data governance. The “MDM-lite” approach incurred no additional license fees, requiring only minimal new operational support.
