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A global tech leader in content management and automation sought to simplify and modernize analytics workflows to better support business needs. Their setup relied on a range of tools for data transformations, which led to added complexity – slowed processing, added manual effort, and limited visibility into lineage. Business logic wasn’t documented, tests were missing, and debugging broken workflows became a time-consuming challenge.
To accelerate their modernization, the company partnered with Indicium to streamline transformation logic and increase operational efficiency. Together, we replaced legacy Alteryx workflows with modular, version-controlled models in dbt. This improved speed, governance, and transparency at every step, with transformative results: 40x faster pipelines, $54 saved annually, and 80% ROI projected over 5 years.
From Complexity to Control
Prior to the partnership, the team executed daily Alteryx workflows in sequence. These processes took over 6 hours to complete, and any failure meant rerunning the entire chain. Key challenges included:
- Overlapping tools: SQL stored procedures, Tableau Prep, Power BI, and Alteryx, were all used for transformations, which created duplication and a fragmented toolchain.
- No single source of truth: Business logic was spread across platforms, which reduced visibility.
- Manual lineage tracking: Teams dedicated time to mapping downstream dependencies manually.
- High platform costs: Alteryx required significant investment and didn’t support shared documentation.
The tech stack had grown to meet evolving needs, but the organization recognized the opportunity to shift to a more unified, scalable, and collaborative platform.
A Modular, Transparent Workflow Built for Scale
Indicium led a full rebuild of the marketing team’s Alteryx workflows into dbt models. We started with simple flows to validate outputs and built momentum, then moved to the most critical workflows. Each transformation was rebuilt as modular, testable code.
Here’s what we delivered:
- Defined migration priorities with the client to focus on high-impact workflows
- Migrated both Alteryx workflows and SQL stored procedures into models in dbt
- Mapped Alteryx logic to equivalent SQL-based transformations
- Used dbt’s audit_helper to validate outputs against legacy results
- Replaced BI data sources with refactored models for direct comparisons
- Built modular models to reduce duplication, increase reusability, and simplify maintenance
The result: a cleaner, scalable architecture with fewer tools and greater visibility. The company gained full control over their data workflows.
Faster Pipelines. Lower Costs. Higher Impact.
By consolidating transformation logic and modernizing workflows, the organization improved performance, reduced cost, and gained full transparency over data processes.
Business outcomes:
- Cost-efficiency: Saved $53,830 annually by reducing licensing and optimizing processes
- 40x faster pipelines: Runtime dropped from 6 hours to 9 minutes
- Greater scalability: Built 150+ modular models to support long-term growth
- High ROI: 80.5% return on investment over five years
- Improved governance and traceability: Clear documentation, tests, and lineage views for faster issue resolution
- Workflow simplification: Refactored logic increased clarity and accelerated iteration
Their team now manages all transformations in one place. It’s easy to manage, reduces risk, supports faster decisions, and grows with the business.
Built to Scale, Backed by Expertise
This global tech leader needed a structured modernization plan anchored in clear governance, modular architecture, and sustainable delivery practices. That’s why they chose Indicium. We brought the strategic insight and technical rigor to make the shift successful, powered by our IndiMesh framework. We embedded automation, governance, and training into every phase of the engagement.
Indicium worked side-by-side with their team to transfer knowledge and build confidence. Through hands-on workshops, clear documentation, and a simplified platform, they now run faster, scale smarter, and meet business goals with precision.
About Indicium
