2. Why do you think the company was using Access and Excel for its intelligence and reporting requirements?

McNICHOLS (mcnichols.com/) is a worldwide leader in the custom fabrication of a wide variety of perforated and mesh metal products. (Visit the Web site to better understand the business.)
Its customers are universities, government agencies, municipalities, commercial construction, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Dino DePaolis, finance director at McNICHOLS, described the pressures the company was under by stating: “Customers want everything right now or they need things yesterday, and we have to ensure that we have the right inventory at the right time.” Real-time metrics showing profitability, sales success, and inventory availability are critical to success because McNICHOLS guarantees 24-hour turnaround time.