Yara set out to modernise the way it managed its project portfolio and invoicing.
Until then, the Technology and Projects department had relied on an internal Microsoft Access database. As part of Yara’s commitment to continuous improvement and leaner ways of working, the Systems and Tools department joined forces with IT to explore a more efficient and future-proof alternative.
Together with Teal Partners, they developed a tailor-made web application that streamlines processes, improves accessibility, and delivers better performance.
Yara Technology & Projects carries out projects for Yara production facilities. A well-functioning portfolio tool is essential to streamline work. Invoices are issued via the portfolio tool based on the data from that tool.
The Microsoft Access tool also has the additional disadvantage that it is not accessible worldwide.
Scheduling and, especially, approving projects require a lot of manual work. For example, documents had to be printed for approval and then scanned again. This caused a lot of email traffic and copy-paste work.
Functionalities of the old tool were incorporated into the new one. The Portfolio Management Team and the specialist who developed the original Microsoft Access Database were closely involved in integrating knowledge and experience into the new tool.
Development started in November 2020, and the tool went live six months later, in April 2021.
When the tool was put into use, it seemed that some new functionalities could be easily integrated, so it was soon decided to add some add-ons, such as timesheet approvals. Users can approve imported timesheets in the tool.
Carine Delbecque, YTP Systems and Tools Manager, looks back on the collaboration with satisfaction.
"Teal Partners took the time to truly understand our business. The team brought fresh ideas to the table, which we combined with our own. It's a great example of how working together as one team leads to the best solutions.
They genuinely listened to our needs. It's a real added value to work with a partner who doesn't just execute what you ask, but actively thinks along with you.
Improvements are picked up quickly, and new features are added flexibly, so the tool has ended up doing even more than we originally envisioned."
Lean management is not an empty concept for Teal Partners. They, like us, strive for greater efficiency.
Teal Partners delivers on budget and on time. We were working to a tight deadline, and thanks to Teal Partners' commitment, we met it. Communication was always transparent. In the weekly budget meetings, we could clearly follow their estimates alongside the actual hours logged.
Since delivery, there haven't been any issues. The tool works flawlessly and the rollout went very smoothly. We were on the same page throughout, and priorities were always respected."
Yara is a global producer of fertilizers and provides environmental solutions for emission reduction, with activities in more than 60 countries. The company was founded in 1905 in Norway and currently has approximately 17,000 employees.
www.yara.com
