Halco Lighting Technologies Case Study - Enhanced Reporting with Power BI Integration
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#PowerBiReportingSuite

Halco Lighting Technologies, a leader in lighting solutions, faced a familiar challenge: data was abundant, but unlocking actionable insights proved difficult. Their Adobe Commerce Cloud (Magento) platform lacked the reporting capabilities needed to streamline operations and provide external users with data access. Thats when they partnered with InsightsReady to implement a customized solution that transformed how they managed and analyzed their data.

The Challenge

As Halco expanded, so did the complexity of their reporting needs. They required a seamless way to integrate Power BI into their Magento platform to provide both internal teams and external users with tailored reports. Key challenges included:

  • User Experience: Halco needed Power BI reports embedded directly into Magento, so users wouldnt have to log in to multiple systems. The process had to be frictionless.
  • Security: With sensitive data in play, Row-Level Security (RLS) was crucial to ensure that users could only access information relevant to their roles.
  • Scalability: The system needed to handle peak reporting periods, especially during month-end, without crashing or slowing down.

Halco needed a reliable solution that could scale with their needs while keeping user experience and security at the forefront.

Agent Reporting Tools Menu
Picture: Agent Reporting Tools Menu

The Solution

InsightsReady provided a comprehensive solution that addressed these requirements with the following services and customizations:

  1. Power BI Integration Plus Package Setup
    InsightsReady guided Halco through the installation and configuration of the Power BI Integration Plus package, which was essential for embedding Power BI reports into Magento. Our team ensured the package was correctly configured with the Power BI API, allowing for seamless embedding of reports within Magento without requiring users to authenticate separately.

  2. Custom Magento Development
    A configurable Magento block was developed, enabling Halco to embed Power BI reports on the Magento front end. The block was customizable, allowing adjustments to the styling, width, and height of the embedded reports. It also included support for Row-Level Security (RLS), mapping user roles to their Magento accounts based on email addresses. This ensured that users only saw data relevant to their roles.

  3. Security and Access Control
    Security was a top priority. InsightsReady implemented measures to ensure that non-logged-in users could not access the reports. The system was designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data by ensuring that reports were only visible to the appropriate users.

  4. Capacity Management and Performance Testing
    Understanding Halcos concern about peak usage times, especially after month-end, our team advised using Power BI Embedded capacity to efficiently manage the load. We provided instructions on setting up and testing Power BI Embedded with free tokens. Additionally, a system was created to manage Power BI Embedded capacity, allowing it to activate only when needed, optimizing license costs.

Sales Year over Year Report
Picture: Sales Year over Year Report

  1. Row-Level Security (RLS) Configuration and Testing
    InsightsReady assisted in configuring RLS within Power BI, ensuring that users only accessed data they were permitted to see. Detailed instructions and examples were provided on configuring RLS mappings between Power BI and Magento. A prototype was developed and tested in the clients staging environment to validate the RLS setup and ensure it met Halcos requirements.

  2. Ongoing Support and Customizations
    InsightsReady provided ongoing support during the testing phase, addressing issues such as configuration resets within Magento. We also offered additional customizations, including combining scheduled and automatic capacity management for Power BI Embedded to ensure the system remained future-proof and scalable.

Agent Reporting Menu
Picture: Agent Reporting Menu

The Results

The solution delivered by InsightsReady didnt just meet Halcos needsit exceeded them. The integration of Power BI into their Magento platform resulted in:

  • Frictionless Reporting: Users now access Power BI reports directly from their Magento dashboards without needing to log in separately. This streamlined process saved time and reduced frustration.

  • Enhanced Security: With RLS in place, Halcos internal and external users can confidently access data, knowing that only relevant information is displayed. This level of control ensured data privacy and compliance.

  • Scalability for Peak Periods: By optimizing the system with Power BI Embedded capacity management, Halco could handle high-demand reporting periods without system slowdowns or increased costs.

  • Ease of Use: The customizable Magento block allowed Halco to maintain control over the look and feel of their reports, giving them the flexibility to adjust as their needs evolve.

Conclusion

Halco Lighting Technologies success with Power BI integration into Magento showcases InsightsReadys ability to provide tailored, future-proof solutions for businesses in e-commerce. Whether you need enhanced reporting, security, or scalability, InsightsReady delivers custom integrations that grow with your business.