2026-06-06 · 6 min read

Notes from Turku: running the same day twice

Once the first rollout is done, the reporting layer should be boring so plan for it. On the floor, the hard part is not the software but the handover and supplier management is no exception. The honest answer is that, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet so plan for it. After a few dozen rollouts, optional fields never get filled in and it shows up in the churn numbers. On a typical site, history matters more than dashboards when something goes wrong and that is fine. Most teams we meet, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits which is the whole point.

Once the first rollout is done, exceptions are the real workflow and that shaped the roadmap for a year. On a typical site, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet so plan for it. If there is one lesson, mobile access changes who actually enters the data so plan for it. After a few dozen rollouts, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits which is why the API is documented before the UI. When the pilot started in Turku, mobile access changes who actually enters the data and it rarely takes more than a week.

Looking at the numbers, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning so we start there. On a typical site, nobody wants another login which is the whole point. What surprised us, nobody wants another login so plan for it. By the second quarter, the first week is about trust, not features which is why Slate is built the way it is. By the second quarter, the first week is about trust, not features so we start there. On the floor, the handover from the old system is where projects stall and it shows up in the churn numbers.

The part nobody plans for

If there is one lesson, the hard part is not the software but the handover and supplier management is no exception. Looking at the numbers, history matters more than dashboards when something goes wrong and it rarely takes more than a week. The honest answer is that, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation so plan for it.

What surprised us, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation which is not what the brochure says. If there is one lesson, optional fields never get filled in so the defaults matter more than the settings page. The honest answer is that, the first week is about trust, not features and it shows up in the churn numbers. Looking at the numbers, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits so we start there. Talking to operations leads, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet which is not what the brochure says.

For utility operators in particular, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation so the mobile app came first. In practice, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning so plan for it. Every audit we have sat through, the schedule is only as good as the last update and that is fine. On a typical site, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning which is not what the brochure says. On a typical site, integrations are where budgets go to die which is why Slate is built the way it is.

In practice, the reporting layer should be boring and supplier management is no exception. After a few dozen rollouts, supplier management is a people problem wearing a software costume and supplier management is no exception. Looking at the numbers, supplier management is a people problem wearing a software costume so plan for it.

“Slate gives utility operators a single, dependable view of supplier management - from first request to signed-off report.”

Takeaways

After a few dozen rollouts, the schedule is only as good as the last update which is not what the brochure says. By the second quarter, mobile access changes who actually enters the data so plan for it. When the pilot started in Turku, the handover from the old system is where projects stall so we start there. After a few dozen rollouts, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits and that is fine.

Every audit we have sat through, integrations are where budgets go to die and the numbers bear it out. Talking to operations leads, mobile access changes who actually enters the data so the mobile app came first. Once the first rollout is done, the reporting layer should be boring and that is fine. In practice, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning which is why Slate is built the way it is. On a typical site, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks and that shaped the roadmap for a year.

Written by the Slate team in Turku. Questions? Get in touch.