How We Automated an €50K/monthly Business and Saved Them 280 Hours/Month

TL;DR

PrepMe was buried in manual order processing: spreadsheets, CSV files, and document generation that consumed 300+ hours monthly. We built a custom automation platform using Astro, React, and Node.js that automated their entire workflow. Result: 80% time reduction, $280k annual savings, and a business that scales without adding staff.

The Mission

PrepMe needed an automation tool that would save 4 hours per day of manual work. Their process involved parsing large Excel files, combining subscriptions with new orders, creating review tables, and generating custom delivery formats, all done by hand.

The Challenges We Solved

Challenge 1: Parse Large Excel Files

PrepMe received large Excel files (often 10,000+ rows) containing order data, subscription information, and customer details. Manual parsing was error-prone and consumed 2 to 3 hours daily.

We built an automated Excel parsing system using Node.js:

• Automated file processing detecting and importing new Excel files
• Data extraction parsing complex Excel structures with multiple sheets
• Error handling identifying and flagging data inconsistencies
• Validation ensuring data quality before processing
• Logging system tracking all processed files and errors

The automated parsing system reduced processing time from 2 to 3 hours down to 5 minutes, eliminating human error. This is part of our automation service capabilities.

Challenge 2: Combine Subscriptions with New Orders

PrepMe needed to merge subscription data with new one-time orders, creating a unified view for processing. Manual combination was time-consuming and prone to errors.

We built an intelligent data merging system:

• Subscription matching automatically linking subscriptions to customer accounts
• Order consolidation combining one-time and recurring orders
• Conflict resolution handling cases where subscriptions and orders overlap
• Deduplication preventing duplicate entries
• Audit trail tracking all merges for transparency

The automated merging system, built with our automation expertise, eliminated manual data combination and reduced errors by 98%.

Challenge 3: Create a Review Table with All Merged Orders

After merging subscriptions and orders, PrepMe needed a comprehensive review table showing all processed items, so staff could verify accuracy before final processing.

We built an interactive review dashboard using React:

• Real-time data display showing all merged orders in a searchable table
• Filtering and sorting helping staff find specific orders quickly
• Visual indicators highlighting potential issues or conflicts
• Bulk actions allowing approval or rejection of multiple orders
• Export functionality generating reports for record-keeping

The review table, part of our SaaS development approach, reduced review time from 1 hour to 10 minutes while improving accuracy.

Challenge 4: Parse into Custom Format for Delivering

PrepMe needed to transform merged order data into a specific format required by their delivery system. Manual formatting was tedious and error-prone.

We built automated format conversion:

• Template system defining custom output formats
• Data transformation converting merged data to required structure
• Format validation ensuring output meets delivery system requirements
• Batch processing handling multiple orders simultaneously
• Error reporting flagging any conversion issues

The automated formatting, following our automation methodology, eliminated manual data entry and ensured 100% format compliance.

Challenge 5: Excel Custom Functionalities for Calculating

PrepMe needed complex calculations (pricing, discounts, shipping costs, taxes) that were previously done manually in Excel, taking hours and prone to errors.

We built a calculation engine:

• Pricing rules automating price calculations based on product, quantity, and customer type
• Discount application applying promotional codes and volume discounts
• Shipping calculation determining costs based on weight, destination, and service level
• Tax computation calculating taxes based on location and product type
• Total generation producing final amounts with breakdowns

The calculation engine, built with our automation capabilities, eliminated manual calculations and reduced errors to zero.

The Technical Implementation

We built PrepMe’s automation platform using:

• Frontend: Astro and React for the user interface
• Backend: Node.js for automation workflows and data processing
• File Processing: Custom Excel parsing and generation libraries
• Architecture: Modular system allowing easy expansion

This approach, following our automation and SaaS development methodologies, ensures the system can grow with PrepMe’s needs.

Results

• 80% reduction in manual processing time (300 to 60 hours monthly)
• $280,000 annual savings in labor costs
• Zero errors in order processing (vs. 5% error rate before)
• 4 hours saved daily as originally requested
• Scalable foundation for 10x growth without adding staff
• 5-star verified client satisfaction

Related Services

This project combined multiple services we offer:

• Automation Service - custom workflows eliminating manual work
• SaaS Development - scalable automation platform