OUR WORK

At Focused Forward, we take pride in delivering top-notch consulting services to businesses of all sizes. With over 30 successful projects under our belt, we have the experience and expertise to help your business grow and thrive. Browse our projects below and discover how our team can help your business reach new heights.

ERP to Amazon Logistics Website Automation

Developed 3 amazon desktop automations.
First automation would add all the drivers (3rd party as well) and equipment to the sites database.
Second automation, placed the drivers, and equipment into the trip.
Third automation would replace the driver who completed their leg of the trip for the next driver.

Routing Efficiency

Analyzing the distribution routes for all McDonald’s stores in SK, AB, BC, YK, and NWT, and resulted in reducing the number of routes, driver and equipment required and drove $700K+ in savings for one distribution centre.

Loading and unloading trailer safety

Objective was to reduce trailer loading/unloading safety issues by 55% per week; the project resulted in an increase of safety communication, signage, and documentation and achieved an 81% reduction to safety issues.

HR Employee Awards Recognition Automation

The Power Automation emails an invitation to the employees receiving years of service awards through an MS Form and then organized through a power query; once all the information was gathered, an automated email would be sent out to the bookstore to let them know all the information has been gathered and they may proceed with ordering gifts and track associated information; this automation also received recognition in UMToday news for the efficiencies it created.

National Purchasing Program

Implemented a centralized national purchasing program by consolidating the procurement plans of 25 divisions. This initiative facilitated enhanced visibility into suppliers across divisions, enabled the sharing of excess inventory, and optimized transportation costs by coordinating product orders among divisions located in the same region. Resultantly, the program yielded savings exceeding $4 million within a year.

Process Mapping & SOp's

As two long-serving staff members approached the conclusion of their tenures in administrative roles at the College of Dentistry, their extensive experience spanning over two decades posed a potential knowledge vacuum in the event of staff turnover. To mitigate this risk, an initiative was undertaken to develop over 30 process flows and standard operating procedures (SOPs). This comprehensive approach not only preserved crucial institutional knowledge but also facilitated efficient training processes and reduced administrative costs.

Work breakdown Structure Tool

In overseeing curriculum development projects, the estimation process typically involved projections in increments of 30, 60, and 120 hours. However, this approach frequently led to inaccuracies, resulting in either underutilization of resources or budget overruns. To address this challenge, I devised a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) tool within Excel. This tool systematically dissects each element of curriculum development, enabling us to generate precise estimates. Consequently, the implementation of this tool not only optimized resource allocation but also yielded cost and time savings while enhancing risk management by identifying potential challenges proactively.

CRM Tool

Developed and implemented a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool tailored for a prominent transportation company, facilitating the meticulous tracking of all client interactions. In addition to capturing essential client information, the CRM system integrated data from our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This integration enabled the visualization of key metrics such as client revenue, payment terms, and outstanding balances. The tool's functionality resulted in significant time and cost savings while furnishing invaluable analytical insights, empowering the company to make informed and timely decisions.

Course Scheduling Automation

The existing process, spanning over 6 weeks for completion, demanded meticulous attention to detail and effective communication. Following a thorough process mapping exercise, bottleneck areas were identified, prompting the decision to automate the workflow. The automation solution was designed to extract data from an Excel table containing staff and course information. Subsequently, it executed a mail merge operation to deliver detailed course information to individual instructors via email. In cases where a response was not received within a specified timeframe, automated reminder emails were sent, with direct reports copied for visibility. Remarkably, the implementation of the automated process reduced the completion time to just 5 days, signifying a significant enhancement in efficiency and throughput.

SharePoint site

Designed and deployed a comprehensive SharePoint intranet site to cater to the needs of an entire company. The central hub provided seamless navigation, enabling users to effortlessly access divisional and departmental pages. This hierarchical structure facilitated efficient organization and retrieval of documents, Excel spreadsheets, presentations, and recordings. The implementation of this intranet site significantly enhanced accessibility to essential resources, thereby streamlining workflow processes across the organization.

Logistics Trip Calculator Tool

Developed an Excel-based logistics trip calculator tool designed to efficiently compute trip mileage using a PC Miler Excel extension and fuel consumption. Enhancing its functionality, I integrated a SQL script to dynamically incorporate weekly fuel prices and exchange rates, ensuring real-time accuracy. By leveraging this tool, the company realized substantial cost savings, circumventing the need for expensive subscription-based websites while maintaining precision and reliability in trip cost estimations on a week-to-week basis.

Timesheet Power app & automation

The HR administrator traditionally handles weekly timesheets submitted by department workers in PDF format via email. To streamline this process, an automation solution was implemented utilizing Power Apps. A user-friendly interface was developed within Power Apps, allowing employees to input their weekly time directly. Subsequently, a Power Automate flow captures this data and processes it into an Excel sheet, ready for use by the administrator. This automation has significantly reduced the time and resources expended by HR in processing incoming timesheets, enhancing overall efficiency.

Process improvement: Root cause analysis

Implemented initiatives to streamline the review process of academic appointment files, resulting in a notable 20% reduction in effort expenditure. Previously, the process consumed 60% of the workday for the two individuals involved, with 36% attributed to rework. Through a comprehensive root cause analysis (RCA), a refined standard of error checking was devised to mitigate variations and enhance accuracy. This enhanced standard yielded an efficacy rate exceeding 70% upon its initial implementation, signifying a significant improvement in process efficiency and productivity.

Internal Quality Tracking Automation

An analysis of quality issues and their resolution time within the manufacturing facility revealed a significant impact on operational efficiency. Time studies highlighted a common occurrence wherein assembly operators interrupted their tasks to address quality issues. In response, a comprehensive quality tracking system was established leveraging Power Apps and Power Automate. This system enables real-time monitoring and management of quality concerns throughout the assembly process. Additionally, a dashboard was created to provide insights into the costs associated with quality issues, aiding in strategic decision-making and continuous improvement efforts.

Nil Salary Power App & Automation

Previously, the hiring process for unpaid employees was protracted, spanning 6-8 weeks due to its intricate nature, necessitating extensive data collection, review, and approval across multiple administrative levels. Following a comprehensive process mapping exercise to pinpoint inefficiencies, an innovative solution was devised. An application and automation system were developed to streamline the process, facilitating the seamless collection of pertinent information regarding the prospective hire. Utilizing conditional statements, the application guided users through the necessary steps, enhancing usability and efficiency. Further acceleration was achieved through the integration of an Approver tool, expediting the approval process. Ultimately, the automated system expedited the turnaround time for nil salary applications, significantly reducing the overall duration of the hiring process.

HR Support Staff Learning Exchange

Developed a Microsoft Forms automation system tailored for collecting information from prospective candidates interested in participating in the learning exchange program. This automation efficiently gathers candidate responses and seamlessly integrates them into a designated spreadsheet for centralized data compilation. Additionally, automated email notifications are generated and distributed to both the user and the client to signify successful processing of the submitted information. The implementation of this automation solution has significantly enhanced time management, minimized errors, and optimized the effectiveness of data collection procedures within the learning exchange program.