Libra’s 3-month transformation: Disconnected Excel-based planning to real-time insights

When Libra Industries welcomed Charlie Gaddis as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in February 2024, the company’s Finance operations were heavily reliant on Excel, which posed significant challenges. Historically, Libra managed its financial data via large, cumbersome files—filled with LOOKUPs and SUMIFs—that made for static, error-prone processes.

Inconsistent data combined with a frustrating inability to efficiently scale or gain meaningful insights hindered Libra’s ability to make informed decisions. And Gaddis quickly realized that Excel, as the backbone of Libra’s Finance operations, was insufficient for supporting Libra’s growth.

Furthermore, the disjointed data structure posed a significant roadblock, limiting Libra’s ability to analyze information dynamically or to adapt to its evolving needs.

To overhaul Libra’s Finance function and turn it into a source of trustworthy insights, a more robust and scalable solution was necessary—one that could transform raw data into actionable information while fostering a culture of financial savviness across the organization.

Libra also needed a solution that could integrate seamlessly with its data infrastructure, improve data accuracy, and enable dynamic reporting to support growth and future-readiness. That’s where Jedox came in.

After recognizing the limitations of its existing Excel-based processes, Libra Industries sought a comprehensive solution to overhaul its Finance operations. Leveraging his extensive experience with online analytical processing (OLAP) tools, Gaddis pitched Jedox to the company’s CEO. Presented alongside other options in a competitive evaluation, Jedox emerged as the clear winner due to its robust capabilities and alignment with Libra’s needs.

With the support of a Jedox consultant, Libra quickly embarked on its transformation journey, starting with a thorough restructuring of financial data. From differentiating cost centers to combing through legacy data, the goal was to create a structure that allowed for enhanced visibility and dynamic reporting.

The team worked efficiently, achieving a remarkable transformation within just three months—from signature to go-live. Jedox enabled Libra to redesign its financial reporting processes, moving from static, error-prone Excel files to a dynamic, integrated system.

This new structure allowed the organization to seamlessly compare forecasts and estimates with actuals, empowering Finance to provide actionable insights.

Within just three months of implementing Jedox, Libra Industries achieved a comprehensive transformation of its financial operations—achieving Gaddis’ vision of taking Finance from a “necessary evil” into a strategic business asset.

The organization restructured its financial data and reporting processes, enabling dynamic comparisons of forecasts, estimates, and actuals. By leveraging Jedox’s capabilities, Libra dismantled and rebuilt its data framework—from account-level details to cost center roll-ups—to generate meaningful, actionable insights.

This transformation was not just about technical improvements; it marked a shift in how Libra viewed and utilized its financial data. Jedox’s dynamic reporting provided a clearer, more accurate view of the business—positioning Finance as a strategic asset rather than a back-office function. The integration of variable costing principles into this new framework further enhanced the organization’s ability to plan and forecast with precision.

Thanks to the high level of creative problem-solving the Jedox platform allows, Libra is now well-positioned for future growth—equipped with a system that delivers clarity, scalability, and strategic insight.

There’s a lot of creative problem solving that our partner did for us to allow us to reassemble this. It’s really going to give us a nice way to evaluate the business.

Charlie Gaddis, Chief Financial Officer