Such an abstraction layer is vital for ad hoc reporting tools to remain easy to use and is key in helping users combine data efficiently. The flexibility of the queries fired is facilitated by a well-defined and curated semantic layer that shields users from underlying technology and offers the available objects in an accessible form. For this, ad hoc reports and analyses play a critical role. In a nutshell, they are created by business users to quickly gather required information instead of providing it in a highly formatted and standardized way – here speed trumps perfection. While recurring and predictable information needs are sufficiently covered by standard reports and dashboards, there are situations that warrant a specific investigation and interest. As such, they still comprise the backbone of information distribution in many organizations as laid out in the recent BARC study on “ The Future of Reporting”. In principle, reporting tools are a popular choice to satisfy consistent and recurring information needs. Dynamic reports allow filtering and aggregations that give users greater control to focus on their distinct information needs. Static reports are often used to conveniently distribute information to many users who may not even have direct access to the BI tool. The interaction level for the recipients depends on the nature of the report (type) as they can be static or dynamic. Standard reports are supplied in numerous ways: through interactive portals, via mobile devices or email as PDF, Excel or other formats. They can be distributed based on events or schedules or they may be retrieved on demand. They often contain detailed information that does not fit the one-screen approach of dashboards.Īdditionally, reports are typically page-oriented and often compiled into report books. Standard reports present information in a predefined format, making it easy to compare results over time. The difference lies in how the information is communicated and its density. Like dashboards, standard or formatted reports inform the reader about the status of the enterprise with the help of specific KPIs.
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