Case Study: University of Tennessee achieves 99% faster data verification and unified real-time analytics with Microsoft Power BI

University of Tennessee builds a foundation for the future with a user-friendly data platform

The University of Tennessee, a statewide system of seven campuses with nearly 50,000 students, faced siloed data, inconsistent reporting, and slow verification processes that limited research collaboration and timely decision-making. To modernize its analytics stack and leverage existing investments (Office 365), the university adopted Microsoft Power BI together with SQL Server 2016 to build a unified, user-friendly data platform.

Using Microsoft Power BI and SQL Server 2016, UT implemented a consolidated repository, report verification, and data stewardship processes that enabled rapid sharing and analysis. The solution cut data verification time by 99% (from about 45 minutes to 10 seconds), moved audit/compliance updates from once a day to under 15 minutes, supported centralized BI with a six-person team, and produced public-facing dashboards and district-level maps to inform legislators and stakeholders.

University of Tennessee

Jay Eckles

Director of Business Intelligence