Power BI Report Development

Overview

The client is responsible for planning, building, and maintaining the state’s transportation system, supporting public safety, infrastructure investment, and operational efficiency across Missouri. Data plays a critical role in informing decisions related to claims management, payments, and operational accountability.

To further its adoption of modern analytics, they sought to expand its use of Microsoft Power BI to better analyze and visualize claims and payments data. The department engaged Oakwood Systems Group to design and develop a set of Power BI reports and dashboards that would demonstrate Power BI’s capabilities while delivering immediate analytical value to key stakeholders.

Business Challenge

The client maintained claims and payments data that was valuable but difficult to analyze efficiently using existing reporting approaches. Stakeholders needed clearer visibility into payment trends, claim locations, causation, and historical comparisons, while ensuring reports were accurate, performant, and easy to use.

In addition, they required a structured approach to report development that accounted for data quality, security, and governance considerations. Reports needed to be designed with future scalability in mind, supporting broader Power BI adoption without creating performance or maintenance challenges. The department needed reports that balanced analytical depth with usability for a diverse audience.

Solution

Oakwood partnered with them to deliver a fixed scope Power BI report development engagement focused on enabling actionable insights from claims and payments data. The engagement began with stakeholder collaboration to understand reporting goals, key users, and decision making needs. Oakwood reviewed existing Power BI licensing and environment configuration while assessing data sources, data quality, and refresh requirements to establish a clear foundation for report development.

Based on this understanding, Oakwood designed a structured data model and reporting approach optimized for performance and usability. Report designs addressed multiple analytical perspectives, including payment amounts, claim locations, and causation and action data. Wireframes were developed to define layout, navigation, and user interaction patterns, and were reviewed with stakeholders to ensure alignment before build activities began.

Oakwood then developed three Power BI reports and a consolidated dashboard in a pre-production environment. Reports incorporated defined calculations, filters, and visualizations to support trend analysis, comparisons across time periods, and detailed drill-down by claim. Data accuracy, performance, security roles, and accessibility considerations were validated through structured quality assurance activities. Following user review and refinement, Oakwood deployed the reports and dashboard to the production Power BI environment. Deployment activities included configuration of data refresh schedules, application of security permissions, and post-deployment validation to ensure reports functioned as expected. Documentation and validation artifacts were delivered to support ongoing use and future enhancements.

Outcome

The Power BI reports and dashboard provided the client with improved visibility into claims and payments data, enabling stakeholders to analyze trends, identify patterns, and compare performance across time periods and categories. Standardized visualizations and consistent design improved usability and made insights easier to access for a broad audience.

The engagement also established a repeatable approach to Power BI report development that they can build upon as analytics needs evolve. With validated data models, tested calculations, and documented designs in place, they strengthened its foundation for broader Power BI adoption while gaining immediate analytical value from the delivered reports.

About Oakwood

Our Team of seasoned professionals delivers unparalleled expertise in consulting and implementation services across the Microsoft Azure stack, ensuring our clients harness the full potential of their technology investments. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for driving business success, Oakwood Systems stands at the forefront of technological innovation, helping businesses navigate and excel in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.