subject: Why Excel-based Automated Reporting is Better by:John W. Kyle [print this page] You don't have to be a software engineer to create sophisticated Excel reporting. Employees at every level already have and know how to use Excel on their computers.
It makes perfect sense that Excel is the reporting tool of choice for business analysis. Employees at every level already have and know how to use it on their computers. Excel is easy to use and flexible for analyzing and sharing information enterprise-wide. Because it's so popular and useful, it's an excellent standard for exchanging information with colleagues, customers, and business partners.
However, most people don't use the full range of powerful features that Excel offers. Some users find Excel cumbersome when it comes to creating more sophisticated reports.
Some Excel-based reporting tools make using Excel even easier. Using this robust reporting software to design reports and to deliver Excel automation, companies can develop standardized reports to share critical information with key decision-makers. They can also deliver dashboard solutions, further simplifying Excel's complex features by pulling together data from various enterprise sources and packaging them into colorful reports, automated email alerts, and more. These dashboard reports display data in an easy-to-use format that's current, reliable, and relevant for particular users' needs.
Six reasons that Excel automation makes perfect sense:
1. Save on training costs: users are already familiar with Excel, so there's little need for training.
2. Save on software costs: unlimited licensing means no license costs per end user and no add-ins or plug-ins.
3. Save time by developing standardized Excel reports: users can reuse existing reports, avoiding repetitive manual tasks such as formatting and data validation.
4. Avoid errors from manual reporting: automated access pulls data from all sources into a unique information channel for business intelligence Excel reports.
5. Schedule auto-generated reports: run reports daily, weekly, or monthlywhenever decision-makers need the information.
6. Customize content: data are compiled and targeted to various departments and specific individuals.
About the author
John Kyle is the president of ApeSoft North America. Get a free live demo of ApeSoft's automated Excel reporting software and learn how you can get a cohesive dashboard view of your company.
