Analytics and Reporting Transformation

UIC - Chicago, IL

Sep 2024 - May 2025

Introduction

At the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) - College of Business Administration, the reporting infrastructure was fragmented and outdated, relying heavily on Excel sheets and SAP Web Intelligence (Webi). This setup limited interactivity, delayed decision-making, and hindered cross-departmental collaboration. The objective was to build a modern, scalable, and unified analytics ecosystem to support strategic initiatives—especially around enrollment growth and academic operations.

Problem Statement

The existing reporting tools were:

  • Manual and static, with limited automation or interactivity, with reports scattered across departments and systems.
  • Inefficient, leading to duplicated effort, inconsistent KPIs, and delayed insights. These limitations negatively impacted stakeholder visibility, operational efficiency, and agility in responding to institutional goals.

Product/Project Analysis

  • Led initiatives across multiple departments (Admissions, Finance, Student Affairs) to consolidate reporting systems.
  • Migrated legacy SAP Webi and Excel reports to interactive Tableau dashboards.
  • Designed a centralized data access layer using Denodo, enabling secure and reusable data views across teams.
  • Implemented Google Sheets automation using Apps Script for real-time data refreshes directly linked to Tableau.
  • Established KPIs, governed data dictionaries, and standardized report templates for consistency.

Architecture

Architecture Flow: UIC Analytics Modernization

📁 Data Sources
SAP Webi, Excel Files, Google Sheets, Admissions Systems
➡️
📊 Google Sheets (Apps Script)
Auto-refresh pipelines for live dashboards
➡️
🔌 Denodo (Virtual Data Layer)
Unified access to 10+ data sources
➡️
📈 Tableau
Centralized dashboards with real-time KPIs

Flow: Data Sources → Denodo → Sheets API → Tableau

Impact

  • Reduced reporting time by 35% through automation and centralized dashboards.
  • Increased cross-functional visibility, enabling data-driven decisions across 5+ departments.
  • Boosted enrollment by 7%, attributed in part to timely insights from newly deployed dashboards.
  • Eliminated data silos, and established a culture of collaborative analytics with governed access.
  • Reduced reliance on manual spreadsheet consolidation and static SAP reports.

Conclusion

This transformation positioned UIC for long-term success by establishing a modern, self-service analytics ecosystem. By driving this initiative as a program lead and strategic enabler, I helped unlock institutional agility, fostered data culture, and built a scalable foundation to support ongoing operational and academic goals.

Let's Connect!

I enjoy connecting with like-minded professionals passionate about technology, strategy, and impact. Feel free to reach out!

Chicago, IL
(312) 871-8022
k.teckchandani1703@gmail.com