Power BI for CPG companies that sell through retailers
Power BI for CPG companies lines up shipments, retailer point of sale data and trade spend, so brand and sales teams see what reached the shelf and what left it. A consumer goods maker ships to a retailer, but the shopper decides the outcome. Therefore both views have to sit on one page. Our consultants build that model online, inside your own Microsoft tenant.
- Sell-in against sell-out
- Trade spend return
- Retailer scorecards
Last updated
Why does Power BI for CPG companies start with two sales views?
A brand has two kinds of sales. Sell-in is what the company ships to retailers and distributors. Sell-out is what shoppers buy at the register. However, the first sits in the ERP and the second arrives in files from each retailer.
When a team watches sell-in alone, a strong quarter can hide a weak shelf. The retailer may simply hold more stock. Then orders drop later, and the forecast misses. So the account manager needs both lines on one chart.
Trade promotion adds a third view. The company funds price cuts and displays, yet the results sit in a separate tool or a spreadsheet. A shared model ties each deal to the weeks and stores it covered.
Brand and account dashboards for consumer goods teams
Each page serves a named role, so nobody scrolls past charts meant for someone else.
Sell-in and sell-out
Shipments and register sales run together by retailer and item. As a result, stock building at the customer shows early.
Trade promotion results
Volume during a deal compares with a baseline the team agrees. Then spend and lift appear side by side.
Retailer scorecard
Sales, distribution and service level sit per account, so a joint review starts from shared facts.
Distribution gaps
Stores that carry an item meet stores that should. That list also gives field reps a plan for the week.
Price and mix
Revenue change splits into volume, price and mix, because a rise in dollars can hide a fall in units.
Deductions
Retailer chargebacks rank by reason and age, while finance tracks which ones the team disputes.
How does retailer data reach a CPG model in Power BI?
Shipments, invoices and item masters come from the ERP. Retailer sales come from each customer's supplier portal or from files they send. Many brands also buy syndicated market data, and some run a trade promotion tool. Every source names products in its own way.
Portals differ widely. Some allow scheduled downloads or a feed, while others need a person to fetch a file. So we review each retailer's method before the quote and never assume a direct connector. Files usually land in a staging database, where we give them one shape.
Item matching decides whether the model works. For example, one retailer reports by its own item number and another by the case code. Therefore we build a cross-reference table that your team owns. New items then need one row rather than a change to the model. Joining retailer files with your own shipments is the core of our power bi data integration services.
Signs a brand needs Power BI for CPG companies
Growing brands feel these as soon as they add a second major retailer.
- Each retailer file has its own spreadsheet
- Trade spend lacks a measured return
- Forecasts rely on shipments alone
- Account reviews take days to prepare
- Deductions pile up without reasons
- Item codes differ in every report
How we deliver Power BI for CPG companies
We begin with one retailer, because a narrow start proves the model before it grows.
Free assessment
First you show us the reports your sales team prepares for one account. The call costs nothing.
Written scope
Then the quote names the retailers, sources and pages. Since it is fixed, you know the full cost.
Item and store keys
Next we build the cross-reference tables and test totals against invoices and retailer files.
Add accounts and hand over
More retailers follow the same pattern. Finally your analysts receive the files and notes.
CPG reporting in Power BI: questions from sales and brand teams
Can Power BI for CPG companies measure trade promotion lift?
Yes, with an agreed baseline. The model compares sales during the deal with what the item sold in normal weeks at the same stores. The method is simple, so everyone can follow it. However, it depends on clean deal dates and store lists. We therefore check the promotion calendar with your team before any lift figure appears.
Does Power BI connect to retailer supplier portals?
There is no single answer, because each retailer runs its own portal. Some offer scheduled files or a data feed, and others need a manual download. We check every account on your list during the assessment. The quote then states how each file arrives and how often the report can refresh.
Can a CPG company share Power BI pages with its brokers?
It can, if your tenant settings allow guest users and the licensing fits. Row-level security then limits each broker to their own accounts or regions. We explain the options and point you to Microsoft's documentation on external sharing. After that, your IT team decides what suits your policy.
What about syndicated market data?
Many brands license it, and it can join the model when your contract allows that use. It usually arrives at category and market level, not store level. So we relate it through shared product and period tables. Then market share sits beside your own shipments without any mixing of the two grains.
Who will we work with?
One of our consultants leads your project from start to finish. Power BI Agency is a division of Sataware Technologies and is independent of Microsoft. The team is small and works online. Call (480) 485-7373 to book the free 30-minute assessment. We reply within 2 hours.
Let's build your first dashboard together.
Tell us what you report on today. A consultant replies within 2 hours with next steps.
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