Enterprise Reporting Software: Who, What, Where & How

Who Uses Enterprise Reporting Software?

Though you may call it by a different name, if you’re in business, you use some type of reporting tool none the less. Enterprise reporting software is used by banks, school systems, energy companies, healthcare providers, insurance agents, manufacturing industries, telecommunications, the transportation industry, and just about every other industry imaginable.

What Is Enterprise Reporting?

It’s simply the process of collecting business data and presenting it in some manner. An invoice or insurance policy would be an example of enterprise reporting. Sales or product usage reports also fall into that category.

How Does It Work?

The ability to easily create these reports is made possible because of enterprise reporting software, which allows you to create a template and insert the appropriate data. This type of reporting software is also referred to as document generation software or mail merge software.

How Can It Help Me?

Enterprise reporting software keeps you from having to recreate the basic document over and over again which saves you valuable time. And you never have to rekey any data because it is taken straight from your database or other source and the process guarantees accurate output.

Will Reporting Software Integrate?

Reporting tools will easily integrate with your current software and operating system. Reporting software integrates into Java or .NET systems, makes use of a wide variety of data sources, and produces reports in outputs you are already using, such as PDF files.

Where Should I Start?

There are many of these programs on the market to evaluate. You’ve probably heard of Crystal Reports, which is commercial software with a high market share. You may also have heard of BIRT, which is open-source reporting software. I would start with Windward Reports. It works with Java and .NET, and also allows you to use your data stored in Excel spreadsheets, SQL databases, XML files, as well as custom data sources. (Another advantage – reports are designed in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, which most businesses already use.) The price varies, depending on your business needs. The price can range from nothing up to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The good thing about Windward Reports is that you can use the Windward Reporting Free Trial to take your enterprise reporting software for a test drive.