choosing the right reporting tool - velosio · •native gp: no, no standard report exists...

Choosing the Right Reporting Tool

Chris Liley, Consulting ManagerJeff Smith, Senior Client Success Manager

Agenda

•Reporting Trends

•Decision Factors

•Reporting Options

•Compare and Contrast

Trends in Reporting

Self Service Reporting•Development Standpoint•Report Generation Standpoint

Reporting through all levels of the organization

Where do we Begin?

How do I know which reporting tool is the right one?

1. Determine the report decision factors

2. Have knowledge of all available options

3. Understand the strengths and benefits of each option

Decision Factors

•Audience

•Data Source

• Latency

• Layout

• Interaction

• Security

• Infrastructure

•Proficiency

Audience

• Financial

•Operational

• Executive

• External

Data Source

•GP SQL tables

• Separate SQL database• CRM• Data Warehouse

• Excel / txt file

•Web Server

•Custom SQL table or view

Latency

Real Time• No latency, Immediately

Near Time• Refreshed at regular intervals (ex. every 30min)

Some Time• Refreshed at set intervals (ex.nightly)

Layout

•GP Window

• Formatted • Lines • Boxes• Shading

• Subtotals

•Visuals• Charts• Graphs

•Grid of data

Interaction

• Drill-through

• Filters

• Data Refresh

• Chart / Graph creation

Security

• GP

• Windows Authentication

• Outside Licensing

Infrastructure

• Inside GP

• Reporting Server

• Analysis Services

• ODBC

• Web Services

Proficiency

• End User

• Power User

• Developer

Reporting Tools

•Native GP• Inquiries• Reports• Word Templates

• SmartList• Smartlist Designer

• Smartlist/Excel Report Builder

• Management Reporter

• Analysis Cubes for Excel

• SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

• Business Analyzer

• Power BI

• Dashboards

15

Native GP - Inquiries

16

Native GP - Inquiries

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Native GP - Reports

18

Native GP - Reports

19

Native GP – Word Templates

20

Native GP – Word Templates

21

Smart List Designer (or Builder)

Demo

22

Smart List Designer (or Builder)

23

Management Reporter

Demo

24

Management Reporter

25

Analysis Cubes for Excel

26

Analysis Cubes for Excel

27

SQL Reporting Services

Demo

28

SQL Reporting Services

29

Power BI

Demo

30

Power BI

Corporate Performance Management

What if I need to do budgeting also?

• Adaptive Insights Suite – Adaptive Insights

• BI360 – Solver

• deFacto – deFacto Global

32

Adaptive Insights

33

BI360

34

deFacto

Corporate Performance Management

Bringing it together • Now that we know our challenges and the strengths of each tool, we can now make good decisions on which tool will be the best choice for each situation.

•Receivables Historical Aged Trial Balance•Which customers owe me money?•Have my customers paid on time?

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Compare 1 - HATB

•Native GP: Yes, format is ugly

•SmartList: No, doesn’t have totals per customer

•Excel Report Builder: No, doesn’t have totals per customer

•Management Reporter: No, doesn’t have subledger information•ACE: Yes, but you cannot pick a different aging date (tied winner if

you want a visual summary first)

•SSRS: Yes – winner if you want all the details first•Power BI: Yes, but you cannot pick a different aging date (tied winner

if you want a visual summary first)

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HATB Solutions

38

HATB – SSRS Solution

39

HATB – Analysis Cubes Solution

40

HATB – Power BI Solution

•Department based expenses•Which department is spending the most•Which expenses are the highest?

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Compare 2 – Department Expenses

•Native GP: No, no standard report exists•SmartList: No, doesn’t have totals per department•Excel Report Builder: No, doesn’t have totals per department•Management Reporter: Yes, as long as your department is a segment

of the account•ACE: Yes, fastest way to a chart or graph. Easy to transpose data to

view in a different way•SSRS: Yes, but it will need to be created by an SSRS creator or

developer•Power BI: Yes, but it will need to be created by an SSRS creator or

developer

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Department Expenses Solutions

43

Department Expense –Analysis Cubes Solution

44

Department Expense – SSRS Solution

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Department Expense –Management Reporter Solution

Thank You!

Chris Liley cliley@socius1.com

Jeff Smith jsmith@socius1.com

Use these decision factors to decide the right reporting tools for your business:• Audience

• Data Source

• Latency

• Layout

• Interaction

• Security

• Infrastructure

• Proficiency