Turning Vantagepoint Data into Real Insight

Most firms have more data than ever before — but far fewer answers than they expected.
That was the thread running through our recent LinkedIn Live with RTM Engineering Consultants.
We sat down with Ben Sermersheim and Andrew Slivka to talk about what it actually takes to turn Deltek Vantagepoint data into something people actually use — not just something that exists.
And if there was one thing that became clear quickly, it’s this: most firms don’t have a data problem. They have a clarity problem.
When “Reporting” Becomes the Work
RTM’s starting point wasn’t that unusual. Like many firms, they had access to the data they needed — it just wasn’t working as hard as it could.
Reporting meant pulling data out of Vantagepoint, rebuilding it in Excel, and recreating dashboards again and again. Over time, that process became less about insight and more about maintenance.
And as that cycle repeated, a few things started to happen. Reports didn’t always align. Teams spent more time preparing data than using it. And perhaps most importantly, trust in the numbers began to erode.
As Ben described it, different teams were often working from slightly different versions of the truth.
Why They Looked Beyond Vantagepoint
This wasn’t about replacing Vantagepoint. It was about making its data more accessible across the business.
RTM needed a way to connect data more flexibly, explore it more dynamically, and deliver it in a way that made sense for different users across the firm. Power BI opened that door — not as a standalone solution, but as a way to extend what Vantagepoint already does well.
But getting there wasn’t immediate.
The Moment Things Got… Complicated
RTM didn’t jump straight into outside support. They started where a lot of firms do — by trying to build it internally.
And to their credit, they made real progress.
They built early reports, created a working model, and proved that better reporting was possible. But as the system grew, so did the complexity. Manual refreshes started taking up more time. The underlying data structure became harder to navigate. And maintaining what they had built began to outweigh improving it.
That’s the point where many firms stall out.
Instead, RTM made a different decision: bring in the right support to move forward more effectively.
Building the Foundation First
When Full Sail Partners joined the effort, the focus wasn’t on dashboards or visuals. It was on the foundation.
Before anything else, the data itself had to be structured, validated, and made reliable.
That meant pulling Vantagepoint data into a centralized environment, organizing it into a consistent model, and ensuring that every metric tied back to a trusted source. It also meant removing the need to rebuild that structure every time a new report was created.
This kind of foundational work is what ultimately makes business intelligence scalable — and it’s the same approach we take across our broader Full Sail Partners offerings.
Once that foundation was in place, everything else became easier.
Andrew described the shift simply: instead of spending weeks preparing data, they could open Power BI, connect to a trusted dataset, and start building immediately.
Just as importantly, it created a clear division of strengths. Full Sail handled the complexity behind the scenes, while RTM focused on shaping reports around how their teams actually work.
Why Starting Small Made a Big Difference
One of the smartest moves RTM made was resisting the urge to do everything at once.
Instead of trying to connect every dataset, they focused on a few key areas first — employee data and high-level project financials. That smaller scope made it possible to validate the data quickly, fix issues early, and show progress right away.
That progress mattered.
Because trust in reporting tools isn’t built all at once — it’s earned over time. And for technical teams especially, even small inconsistencies can derail adoption.
By building incrementally, RTM gave their users something they could start using — and believing in — right away.
Turning Data Into Something People Use
Even with the right data in place, adoption doesn’t happen automatically.
RTM was intentional about how they introduced their new reporting environment. They validated every dataset against Vantagepoint before releasing it. They walked users through how metrics were calculated. They trained teams across the firm and created space for feedback.
They also identified internal champions — respected team members who could help bridge the gap between finance, leadership, and technical staff.
That combination made a difference.
Instead of pushing out reports and hoping people would use them, they built something that felt collaborative — something users could understand and trust.
What Changed
Once that foundation and trust were in place, the role of reporting shifted.
Instead of rebuilding reports or double-checking numbers, RTM’s team could focus on asking better questions. What used to take weeks now takes minutes. And the conversation moved from “Is this right?” to “What does this mean?”
Looking Ahead
RTM is now expanding their reporting environment into planning, forecasting, and CRM data — building on the same foundation they established early on.
It’s a natural next step. Once teams trust the data, they start asking for more of it — more context, more specificity, more ways to use it in their day-to-day decisions.
Advice for Firms Getting Started
A few takeaways that came through loud and clear:
Think long-term from day one
It’s much harder to retrofit a data structure later.
Don’t overbuild early
Start with what matters most and expand from there.
Design for the end user
If it’s not intuitive, it won’t get used.
Final Thought
This wasn’t just a conversation about Power BI.
It was about what it takes to move from:
data → to trusted data → to decisions.
And more often than not, that shift happens when the right tools are paired with the right foundation — and the right expertise.

