You Aren’t Getting the Types of Reports You Want — Or Need

Previously, you learned that not getting fresh data out of your current system is a sure sign that you need to do something about your BI budget.

Users need what they need, when they need it. If they request a line graph for a critical client presentation, that’s what they expect to get. However, when they are beholden to developers to create their reports, they may get stuck with something different than what they asked for. The developers may think they are doing the user a favor by providing a more detailed report, when in fact they are actually complicating matters.

Perhaps that report included sensitive information that the user did not want the client to see. If the incorrect report doesn’t come in with enough lead time to make corrections, the user can find himself in a jam when it comes time to meet with the client. When developers are responsible for providing data, they often generate the wrong reports. Not because they aren’t good at their jobs.

Quite the contrary. Many think they are going above and beyond by either simplifying a request or offering more information than they were asked to provide. Others are just too overworked to generate precise reports 100 percent of the time. If your employees complain about reports, you owe it to them – and to your bottom line – to investigate a new BI solution that will allow your team members to access the exact information they need, giving them the power to easily generate the types of reports they require.

In the next chapter, learn how having spies on your team can break you for real.