Modernizing Reporting & Reducing Licensing Costs Through Microsoft Power BI
How Spectrum Control eliminated Qlik licensing, achieved $90K–$120K in annual savings, and built a scalable, future-ready analytics framework aligned with Microsoft 365.
About Spectrum Control
Spectrum Control is a global leader in RF/microwave technologies, microelectronics, and security-centric electronic components serving aerospace, defense, industrial, and advanced manufacturing markets. Headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the company operates across the United States and United Kingdom and employs approximately 1,600 professionals. Their environment includes multiple ERP systems, a centralized SQL Server database, and a diverse reporting community spanning operations, engineering, supply chain, and finance.
The Business Challenge
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Rising Qlik Licensing Costs
Escalating Qlik licensing costs with a March 2025 renewal deadline created urgency to find a more cost-effective analytics solution.
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Reporting Fragmentation Across ERPs
Multiple ERP systems created siloed data and fragmented reporting, making it difficult to achieve a unified view of business operations.
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Limited Microsoft 365 Alignment
Existing analytics tools were not aligned with their broader Microsoft 365 investment, missing opportunities for integration and efficiency.
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Manual Data Workflows
Manual data workflows caused delays, inconsistencies, and rework, impacting analyst productivity and decision-making speed.
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Difficulty Scaling Analytics
Scaling analytics to new teams across the business was challenging, limiting the organization's ability to democratize data insights.
Ovatio's Strategic Solution
Ovatio Technologies partnered with Spectrum Control through a two-phase engagement approach aligned with the company's modernization goals, combining structured discovery with hands-on BI expertise and flexible staff augmentation.
MOaaS Assessment & Discovery
- Understanding current reporting usage and pain points
- Interviewing stakeholders across departments
- Identifying underutilized Microsoft 365 capabilities
- Assessing data flows, ERP integration points, and Qlik dependencies
- Developing a prioritized Power BI roadmap and governance framework
Staff Augmentation for BI Modernization
- Dedicated BI consultant working 20–30 hours per week
- Rebuilding Qlik reports in Power BI
- Designing scalable data models and dashboards
- Standardizing analytics across business units
SQL Server & Data Warehouse Support
- Optimizing SQL queries, stored procedures, and views
- Improving database performance and reliability
- Supporting ETL processes and third-party data integrations
- Establishing semantic models for multi-ERP reporting
Collaborative Embedded Support
- Working directly with business users to validate requirements
- Conducting regular working sessions and backlog reviews
- Providing recommendations for long-term BI scalability
- Supporting governance, standards, and best practices
Additional Capabilities Delivered
Power BI Development
- Qlik-to-Power BI report migration
- Scalable data model design
- Interactive dashboard development
- Cross-business unit standardization
SQL Server Optimization
- Query and stored procedure optimization
- Database performance tuning
- ETL process support
- Third-party data integrations
Reporting Architecture
- Semantic models for multi-ERP reporting
- Data refresh reliability improvements
- Governance and standards implementation
- Long-term scalability planning
Technologies & Platforms
Transformative Results
The strategic partnership delivered significant financial, technical, and organizational outcomes, positioning Spectrum Control with a cost-efficient, future-ready analytics framework.
Annual Savings
Qlik licensing eliminated, generating substantial annual cost savings
Faster Reporting
Accelerated report development cycles, speeding up decision-making
Monthly Time Saved
Key analysts freed from maintaining Qlik workflows each month
Data Refresh Reliability
Improved data refresh reliability supporting consistent reporting
Key Outcomes Achieved
- Qlik licensing eliminated, generating an estimated $90K–$120K in annual savings
- 30–45% faster report development cycles, accelerating decision-making across the organization
- 20+ hours per month saved for key analysts previously maintaining Qlik workflows
- Data refresh reliability improved to 99%, ensuring consistent and dependable reporting
- Modernized reporting architecture fully aligned to Microsoft 365 ecosystem
- Improved SQL Server performance supporting downstream reporting and analytics
- 40–60 additional internal users now adopting analytics across the organization
- Clear roadmap for future Power BI expansion with unified standards and governance
- Unified standards and governance established across all reporting teams
Strategic Value
Through a combination of structured discovery, hands-on BI expertise, and flexible staff augmentation, Ovatio has become a trusted analytics partner for Spectrum Control. The engagement not only replaced Qlik, but elevated the company's reporting maturity, reduced costs, and created a long-term foundation for data intelligence across the organization. Spectrum Control now operates with a cost-efficient, future-ready analytics framework built to scale with their growing operational and data needs.
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Let's discuss how Ovatio's expertise can help you achieve similar transformative results for your business.