Building faster, more efficient reporting with Tugger®

Who is James Ramsay Ltd?

Established in 1920, James Ramsay Ltd has grown to become one of Scotland’s most respected specialists in industrial and commercial pipework, heating, and process systems. With a reputation built on quality workmanship, customer service, and a commitment to health and safety, the company offers a full range of services – from major plant installations to emergency repairs.

Their team of highly skilled engineers serves key sectors, including the NHS, food and beverage, local authorities, and industrial manufacturing. Over the years, James Ramsay has continued to develop, providing end-to-end solutions for clients across multiple industries while staying committed to innovation and continuous improvement.

The challenge: Time consuming reporting with limited access to data

Before Tugger entered the picture, reporting was a major bottleneck for James Ramsay’s finance team. Simpro®, the job management software they relied on, was effective for their operations, but when it came to reporting, it fell short. Accessing the necessary data was time-consuming and often frustrating. Each report required pulling multiple separate documents, and the information was not always current.

"Reporting in our business before Tugger was like working through a maze,” Campbell explains. “We had to pull together multiple reports just to get all the information we needed. Simpro gave us some basic data, but we often had to deal with data that was a few days old, which made it hard to make timely, informed decisions.”

The lack of live data was a critical issue for Campbell and his team. Their reporting process was complex and laborious, relying on numerous sources of information, which slowed down their ability to analyse monthly job performance and other key financial metrics.

"One of the biggest problems we faced was not being able to access live data. Our reports were already outdated by the time we got them. It really slowed us down," he says.

James Ramsay’s finance department, tasked with overseeing the company’s financial health and ensuring operational efficiency, knew they needed a more efficient solution.

The Solution: Pre-built, visual dashboards from Tugger

Why Tugger? Campbell began his search for a reporting tool by looking at Simpro add-ons and conducting internet searches, but there were limited options available. Most tools either didn’t fully integrate with Simpro or didn’t provide the level of data access that was needed.

"There weren’t many other options available. Tugger stood out because it was the simplest and most direct way to connect with Simpro and get the data we needed," Campbell recalls.

While Tugger seemed like the right solution, Campbell still had concerns before committing. "The main obstacle for us was wondering if we’d get the right information we needed. We weren’t just looking for the out-of-the-box reports – those weren’t enough for us. We needed access to the tables so we could get much more specific information.”

Despite these concerns, Campbell decided to move forward with Tugger, trusting that the system’s ability to access live data would outweigh any initial hesitations.

What’s it like working with Tugger? After implementing Tugger, the transformation in James Ramsay’s reporting process was immediate. No longer constrained by outdated or fragmented reports, Campbell and his team were able to streamline their monthly job analysis reports and pull data directly from Simpro in real time.

"The biggest change has been the access to live data," Campbell explains. "With Simpro alone, the data could be days old, but with Tugger, we’re working with up to-date information. That’s made a huge difference in how quickly we can complete our reports.”

One of the most significant improvements was in the time it took to prepare the monthly Work in Progress (WIP) reports, which were previously a major time sink. Tugger enabled Campbell to build his own inquiries, giving him the flexibility to pull the exact data he needed without waiting on pre-packaged reports that didn’t meet all his requirements.

The Results: Transforming business reporting and decision making

With Tugger, James Ramsay’s finance team has been able to dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of their reporting. Monthly job analysis reports, which used to take significant time to compile, are now completed much more quickly, allowing the team to focus on analysis rather than data collection.

“It’s transformed the way we operate,” Campbell says. "Before, reporting was a maze of multiple reports and delayed data. Now, we’re working with live data, and it’s given us the ability to make informed decisions faster. We’re always a few steps ahead." Campbell also highlights that while Tugger has delivered exactly what he expected, the benefits are no less significant. "It hasn’t exceeded my expectations because it’s done exactly what I hoped it would – but that’s a good thing. It does what it says on the tin.”

The ability to generate custom reports from live data has not only improved internal processes but has also allowed James Ramsay to better serve their clients by ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting

Would they recommend Tugger?

For Campbell, the reasons to recommend Tugger are clear: live data access and a wide range of customizable reports that far surpass what Simpro alone can offer.

"The reporting is far superior to what other systems can offer," Campbell says. "If you’re considering Tugger, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s a useful tool, especially if you need access to real-time data for decision-making.”

When asked to rate Tugger on a scale of 1 to 10, Campbell gave it a solid 10.

Overall, Campbell reflects really positively on the experience of working with Tugger, noting that it’s made his job significantly easier and his reporting much more efficient. Campbell concludes

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