Best Reporting Software

Explore and invest in the best reporting software to create customized business intelligence reports.  
Your business needs data-driven decision-making competencies, analytics-led discovery and innovation, and reporting-based real-time planning capacities to stay ahead of the competition. However, your business may suffer setbacks without accurate and reliable reporting tools. This is where the best Reporting software can help enterprises identify new opportunities, detect trends, and improve performance with powerful business intelligence reports. Reporting software with inbuilt visualization tools enhances the competencies of managers and business leaders to make informed business decisions.

What is a Reporting Software?

Reporting software is a set of application tools that assist businesses in creating insightful business intelligence(BI) reports, automates reporting functions, and integrates with all channels critical for fetching valuable data. Granular data analyzed with sophisticated reporting software integrated with machine learning can lead to winning analytics for companies. Reporting software tools also possess the functional expertise to complement the analytical talent of the organizations' data scientists, BI executives, and managers. It comes with other features such as tracking KPIs, building customized dashboards, enterprise reporting, data blending, visual analysis, and many more. 

How to Select the Best Reporting Tools? 

To find the most suitable reporting software, one needs to analyze the types, usability, average pricing, key aspects, and essential features against one's business type and size. Doing all this on your own can be an overwhelming and time-consuming task. This is where GoodFirms can help you to pick the best reporting system software for your business. GoodFirms' software product listing platform is a reliable source for B2B buyers to browse and unearth some of the world's best reporting tools. Compiled by GoodFirms' experienced software research team, the list of top reporting software allows you to choose from the best reporting tools. Check the features, reviews, and pricing,  apply filters, compare various software applications on this page, and select the best one that fits your business needs. 

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List of Reporting Tool | Best Reporting Software

  • datapine

    Data Visualization & Business Intelligence Tool
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    datapine helps people to turn data into actionable insights and make data-driven decisions in real-time. A user-friendly drag & drop interface empowers everyone to make sense of complex data by asking important questions and receiving answers immediately. It offers a wealth of innovative BI 4.0 features like intelligent alarms and interactive dashboard features for modern, KPI driven businesses. ... read more about datapine

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • Intervals

    Discover a better way to track time and get work done.
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    Intervals is simple, yet powerful time tracking and task management software with intelligent reporting. It provides collaboration, tracking, and reporting tools teams use to turn successful projects into a successful business. It is fully featured with the right features small teams need. Budget tracking, timesheets, document sharing, email integration, productivity reports, and other project man ... read more about Intervals

    Entry Level Price
    $29 Per Month
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • Tableau

    Changing the way you think about data.
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    Tableau Software helps people see and understand data. Offering a revolutionary new approach to business intelligence, Tableau allows you to quickly connect, visualize, and share data with a seamless experience from the PC to the iPad. Create and publish dashboards and share them with colleagues, partners, or customers—no programming skills required. ... read more about Tableau

    Entry Level Price
    $70.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • Zoho Analytics

    Transform your business with powerful insights.
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    Zoho Analytics is powerful Business intelligence software that helps to extract actionable insights from your data to make better decisions and devise successful strategies. By using a BI tool like Zoho Analytics for your business, you can gain better business visibility. The key features of Zoho Analytics are gathering data from multiple sources, Visualizing data and discovering hidden insights, ... read more about Zoho Analytics

    Entry Level Price
    $30.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    15 Days
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • Zoho Projects

    The best project management software for any business.
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    Zoho Projects, our cloud-based project management software, helps you plan your projects, track work efficiently, and collaborate with your team, wherever they are. Zoho Projects is loaded with functions that improve team collaboration, making project monitoring easy, and enhancing productivity and output. Plan your project activities, assign work, manage resources and collaborate with your team l ... read more about Zoho Projects

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    15% in Reporting Software
  • Teamwork Projects

    Project Management Software for Professionals.
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    Teamwork Projects has everything you need to track project management from start to finish. The flexibility, combined with the intuitive features the app offers mean your team will not only become better collaborators but they will massively increase their productivity on a daily basis. ... read more about Teamwork Projects

    Entry Level Price
    $10 Per Month
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    25% in Reporting Software
  • Bitrix24

    Your company. United. Free. Unlimited. Online.
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    Highly secure, turnkey intranet solution for small and medium-sized businesses designed for effective collaboration, communication, social networking, business process, and knowledge management. Allows better knowledge continuity by moving data from network silos and local drives to a well-protected centralized repository. Wikis, blogs, and forums ensure social-enabled knowledge bases for improved ... read more about Bitrix24

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    5% in Reporting Software
  • QuickBooks Commerce

    Top Rated in Inventory Management and Order Management
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    Quickbooks Commerce is a cloud-based inventory management software for small to medium-sized businesses that want effortless commerce. The QuickBooks commerce platform allows you to sell, ship, grow, and manage your multi-channel and wholesale business in one place. It is a powerful automated inventory management software for wholesale and multichannel eCommerce with a b2b ordering platform, and m ... read more about QuickBooks Commerce

    Entry Level Price
    $15 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    10% in Reporting Software
  • iVisit

    Field Staff reporting Tool
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    A mobile app to help employer & field staff report attendance, field visits, security guard's beat patrols etc. ... read more about iVisit

    Entry Level Price
    $5 Per Month
    Free Trial
    7 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in Reporting Software
  • Whatagraph

    One platform to connect, visualize, and share your marketing data
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    Whatagraph is an intuitive all-in-one marketing data platform that removes data-related manual work and hassle from a marketer's day-to-day. Unlike others on the market, Whatagraph is easy-to-use, reliable, and makes working with data swift and easy for anyone in a team: 🚀Connect all your marketing data in a single hub without third-party tools and connectors. 🚀Manage and organize unstructur ... read more about Whatagraph

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    7 Days
    Category Focus
    25% in Reporting Software
  • Nifty

    All your project work in one place.
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    Nifty is one app to manage projects, tasks, goals, docs, calendars, and chats in one place. Maintain organizational oversight and stay on top of your team, projects, clients, and workloads with our automated progress reporting. Nifty lets you manage everything from development sprints and product launches to delivering client projects and executing your marketing campaigns from one collaborative p ... read more about Nifty

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    10% in Reporting Software
  • ActiveCollab

    Powerful, yet simple project management tool.
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    ActiveCollab is a perfect project management tool for SMEs and large enterprises. The software gives full control over the project from start to finish with features like project management, reporting, collaboration, task management, time tracking, team communication, etc. Besides standard project management services, the tool enhances user experience with features such as in-app chat, project tem ... read more about ActiveCollab

    Entry Level Price
    $9.5 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    12% in Reporting Software
  • Scoro

    End-to-End Work Management Software for businesses.
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    Scoro is a CRM & work management software that allows companies to control their entire workflow from one place. You'll get everything needed to manage your business: project/work/task management, contact database & CRM, customer cards & activity logs, sales pipeline, quoting and billing, advanced reporting, real-time dashboards, and more. Comprehensive work management software for consultancies, ... read more about Scoro

    Entry Level Price
    $26 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    10% in Reporting Software
  • Klipfolio

    The top rated dashboard on Earth.
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    Klipfolio is the new way everyday people and their teams make informed decisions. We believe in empowering you to make better decisions by eliminating the unknown. Take control of your data and be stronger, better, and more competitive every day. Klipfolio is the way to make data analysis possible for your entire team. Connect the data sources you use every day and get everybody on the same page w ... read more about Klipfolio

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    34% in Reporting Software
  • Project Insight is award-winning work & project management software that centralizes all of your work, tasks, and projects into one easy to use online platform. Project Insight is a business management software providing a better way to manage your business, projects, and team. Aggregate your data and connect your teams in one centralized platform. From project management software to smart system ... read more about Project Insight

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    33% in Reporting Software
  • Google Data Studio

    Your data is beautiful. Use it.
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    Google Data Studio turns your data into fully customizable informative reports and dashboards that are easy to read and share. Unlock the power of your data with interactive dashboards and beautiful reports. ... read more about Google Data Studio

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    25% in Reporting Software
  • ReportGarden

    Marketing Agency Software for Management and Reporting
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    ReportGarden helps Digital Marketing Agencies prepare analysis and performance reports for their clients. We came up with the idea when trying to find an alternative to the excel reports provided by google and bing. Most agencies face an issue in the beginning of the month trying to create reports. They take a long time to prepare and don’t convey the message to the client properly. ... read more about ReportGarden

    Entry Level Price
    $74 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • OpenProject

    Open Source Project Management Software.
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    OpenProject GmbH is a leading provider of open source project management, collaboration and issue tracking software for teams. OpenProject supports classic, agile as well as hybrid project management along the entire project life-cycle. Besides providing a comprehensive project management tool, OpenProject is highly committed to data privacy and information security. They take care of the privacy, ... read more about OpenProject

    Entry Level Price
    $7.25 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    11% in Reporting Software
  • Helical Insight

    A business intelligence framework.
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    Helical Insight software is the world’s first open source developer friendly business intelligence framework which helps you to make sense out of your data and make well-informed decisions. ... read more about Helical Insight

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in Reporting Software
  • Kanbanchi

    Agile project management, and team collaboration made for Google Workspace.
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    Kanbanchi for G Suite is the only online project management / task management / collaboration software with Kanban Board, Gantt Chart and Time Tracker. Build a transparent workflow and collaborate on tasks in real time. See how tasks relate in time and visually adjust the sсhedules. Track the time spent on tasks and gauge your team’s productivity. See how you cope with tasks and learn what may ... read more about Kanbanchi

    Entry Level Price
    $13.97 Per Month
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • Taskworld

    Everything you need to organize your work. Easy-to-use from Entrepreneur to Enterprise.
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    Taskworld is one of the world's leading project management software. Taskworld project management software has been in the market for over a decade. The major features include project planning and management, task management, analytics, team communication, security, file management, time tracking, performance reporting, team messaging, and project timelines. ... read more about Taskworld

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    20% in Reporting Software
  • ConceptDraw PROJECT is a full-featured project management tool that delivers a full complement of features needed to successfully plan and execute projects. Features supported include task and resource management, reporting, and change control. The integration with other ConceptDraw OFFICE products helps improve project management by leveraging the power of mind mapping and data visualization. Con ... read more about ConceptDraw PROJECT

    Entry Level Price
    $299 One-time
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    33% in Reporting Software
  • SharePoint Vitals

    SharePoint analytics the easy way.
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    SharePoint Vitals gives you instant answers to the who, what, when, and where of your SharePoint farms and Office 365 tenants. It tracks and analyzes SharePoint user activity, then gives you the insights you need to optimize your environments better. ... read more about SharePoint Vitals

    Entry Level Price
    $800 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    33% in Reporting Software
  • Airbase

    Airbase is the leading spend management platform for small and midsize companies.
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    Airbase is the top-ranked modern spend management platform for businesses with 100-5,000 employees. It’s the best way to control spending, close the books faster, and manage financial risk. Airbase software combines accounts payable automation, expense management, and corporate cards. It guides procurement for all purchases — from initial requests to payment and reconciliation. Bring efficienc ... read more about Airbase

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    14% in Reporting Software
  • ScaleXP

    Automated Financial Reporting for Smarter CFOs
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    ScaleXP simplifies reporting by providing an all-in-one dashboard for data analysis, eliminating the need for manual calculations and time-consuming data organization. With over 100 customized automated KPIs and seamless integration with Xero and Quickbooks accounting software, reporting becomes effortless and budget-friendly. The interactive system allows easy sharing of insights, saving valuable ... read more about ScaleXP

    Entry Level Price
    $100 Per Month
    Free Trial
    7 Days
    Category Focus
    60% in Reporting Software
  • Databox

    Business Analytics Platform & KPI Dashboards.
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    Databox pulls all your data into one place, so you can track performance and discover insights in real-time. At Databox, we practice what we preach when it comes to company culture. We believe in providing an environment that’s more than just a great place to work, but rather a place where each individual is inspired and has the resources to grow their potential. This is why we’re passionate a ... read more about Databox

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    50% in Reporting Software
  • Mode

    Interactive data science meets modern BI
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    Mode is an analytics platform designed to help data analysts and data scientists analyze, visualize, and share data. Run fast, advanced analysis by seamlessly switching between a cloud-based SQL Editor, Python & R notebooks, and interactive visualizations. Focus on analysis, while stakeholders self-serve. ... read more about Mode

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    33% in Reporting Software
  • DBxtra

    EASY-TO-USE AD-HOC REPORTING SOFTWARE
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    With DBxtra – Reporting Software, even inexperienced report designers can create and distribute interactive business intelligence web reports and dashboards in a few minutes without the knowledge of SQL, programming or web technologies. Designing, deploying, and managing ad-hoc reports is quick & easy. ... read more about DBxtra

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    100% in Reporting Software
  • Pentaho

    Minimize Risk and Costs With Pentaho
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    Pentaho data integration and analytics at Hitachi Vantara is an open-sourced based, enterprise-class platform for big data deployments. The unified data integration and analytics platform is comprehensive, completely embeddable and delivers governed data to power any analytics in any environment.  ... read more about Pentaho

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    50% in Reporting Software

Buyer’s Guide

Buyer’s Guide to Reporting Software

Reports areincredibly important in the day-to-day functioning of any enterprise or unit. Whether made in detail or summarization of events, reports form the basis for crucial decision making and action.

They are utilized by a variety of institutions and industries, from - medical and software to national security establishments. 

Reporting software has gained prominence and followers with its ability to automate report production, accurate analytics tools, and multi-platform uniformity. 

The buyer's guide detailing the reporting software elucidates the features and advantages to potential buyers of these digital tools, helping them choose the right fit for their business.

What is a Report?

  • A report is a set of information furnished regarding a topic in a particular format as decided.  
  • A report’s information is presented with due importance given to its granularity and analysis, often decided by a guiding authority. A report suggests courses of action and expected results.      
  • Reports deliver key insights to personnel, irrespective of designation, within an organization, keeping in mind the specific or general purposes they are generated for.  
  • Reports are presented in written formats though, oral reports are not uncommon.

What are the different types of reports?

Reports are of various types as detailed below –

  1. Formal and Informal reports – Formal reports espouse a certain structure and language. The information conveyed is very detailed, often presented to persons of significant authority. Informal reports are produced with casual language and with a lack of high detailing in their presentation.
  2. Short and Long Reports – Short reports are usually one-pagers with a focus on summary than significant details. Long reports are generally far more detailed and thus have no page limit on their presentation. Long reports are usually formal.
  3. Informational and Analytical reports – When it comes to publishing several aspects of an entity, presenting an overall view of data is necessary. We call it an informational report. For e.g., Annual Reports. Analytical reports usually focus on a particular element or aspect of the entity, with in-depth data insights. (E.g., Workflow reports).  
  4. Proposal Reports – Better known as Request For Proposal (RFP) in business lingo, proposal reports explain how one organization may fulfill the business goals of another, through adequate use of resources and cooperation. E.g., Governments issuing RFPs.  
  5. Vertical Reports and Lateral Reports – Vertical reports foster management coordination by traveling up and down a hierarchy. E.g., division performance reports. Lateral reports usually contain information necessary for inter-departmental cooperation. E.g., Status of a commonly shared IT resource.
  6. Internal and External Reports - Internal reports are distributed to personnel within an organization only. E.g., Employee appraisal reports. External reports contain facts that are to be distributed to recipients outside the organization, e.g., Annual reports.    
  7. Periodic Reports – Just as the name suggests, periodic reports are formal and maintain a set structure, which contains information that needs to be presented over a specific time repeatedly. E.g., Economic performance of a company presented quarterly.
  8. Functional reports – These reports consist of data relevant to a particular function, for which they are used. E.g., Marketing and Sales Reports, etc. Functional reports are classified as –
    • Pre-printed forms 
    • Letters
    • Memos
    • Manuscripts

What is the importance of reporting in business?

Business reports carry crucial information about the health and facets of the organization. Some of their critical contributions can be listed as follows –

Performance Improvement - Business reports present an overall and/or detailed view of the organization’s performance. These reports are compared to previous editions or set objectives. Any inefficiency identified is quickly resolved. 

Planning – Reports can point business in the way forward. Analyzing reports can help firms identify and outline the strategy in the New Year. E.g., Financial reports will help companies decide on a take-over or cash dividends, etc.    

Compliance and control – Ensuring business follow correct protocol in all their activities, ranging from financial to environmental issues. Business reports guarantee quick decision making in course correction.

Cost reduction – Reports help to benchmark costs incurred over specific periods and ensure streamlining of performances to meet financial goals.

Stakeholder Management – Reports aid stakeholders in understanding the health of business and operations. These reports also play a pivotal role in estimating the value of the firm. These inputs to important decisions ensure businesses remain profitable.

Influencing Investors – Whether it be determining the stock price or the amount of funding to a startup, reports dominate investor sentiments, playing a pivotal part in the projection of the firm.

Business Intelligence - Reports help businesses map competition. They also help reveal market trends, patterns, and unaddressed needs, which present themselves as unchartered opportunities.

What is Reporting Software?

Reporting Software automates the entire process of report generation. Collating and compiling data from a central database or from multiple sources (as required), the software makes it possible to represent complex information in multiple and insightful formats for a variety of purposes. This includes analytical as well as general publishing reports.    

Reporting tools reduce the manual element in report synthesis, making the process faster and highly accurate. This increases overall efficiency. Reporting systems now also make use of revolutionary techniques such as Artificial Intelligence-based as well as geo-location-based reporting.

A combination of business intelligence and visualization techniques have increased the patronage of Reporting Software.

Visualization ensures reports can be presented in multiple formats - or a mixture of them - and not text-only. These make reports beautiful and exciting to parse through. 

Reports can be made on an ad-hoc basis using real-time data or can be spread over periods as specified by the user. A majority of report generator software today are online reporting tools.

How does Reporting Software Work?

Despite the complexities involved in their implementation and functioning, Reporting Software readies reports in just a few steps.

With advanced data-linking techniques, the reporting software is initially “paired” with single or multiple databases as per demands. 

The databases and warehouses contain “raw data”, which must be processed by the online reporting software.

Every reporting system has an interface, which executes a set of functions, as per the decision of the user. The function or set of functions requested by the user is called a “query”.

Once a query is an input, the reporting tool scans multiple databases online. It tries to match the queries provided by the user to the exact dataset(s).

Once the raw data is found, the data is extracted by the online reporting system and presented to the user on the interface, in the format specified. This can be charts, tables, and other visualizations.

Why do businesses need Reporting Software?

Reporting usually presents information that is vital to an organization’s functioning. Reporting software, therefore, is necessary for the following reasons.

Time Efficient – Manual reports are time-consuming and consist of flaws which may run undetected. Reporting software rapidly reduces the time taken to query and publish the reports and is incredibly accurate, aiding business decision making.

Course correction – With data extracted from multiple sources and represented cohesively, the organization has a detailed view of their functioning, from multiple perspectives. They can be used to ensure the business remains nimble in different scenarios.

Compliance – Reports published on reporting platforms usually have a high level of granularity in them, which can highlight deviations from standard operating procedures. Investigation of the causes of the deviations is conducted to ensure businesses remain in the ambit of financial, environmental and other regulations.  

Business Intelligence – Online reporting can help depict industry as well as organization-specific data from reliable sources. Businesses then derive decisions by re-engineering these reports, based on multiple market scenarios.   

Maintaining Financial Fluidity – Financial reporting software helps businesses stay abreast of several financial ratios, cash burn equations as well as remittances and payments that the firm must maintain for smooth operation.

Security -  Ensuring select users may attain access to sensitive data and dashboards.

What are some of the Features of reporting software?

Presentation – Online reporting tools can visually present data in multiple forms for enhanced analysis. These are not limited to bar graphs, charts, line graphs, etc., but also other visual formats. 

Automation – This feature is useful when reports need to be generated within certain periodic intervals on when an event is triggered. Reporting systems also publish reports after completing complex operations on data, without human intervention, thereby increasing business efficiency.    

Dashboards – Every Reporting platform has dashboards set up to ensure data granularity for key performance indicators (KPIs). They track and analyze data to specify variations, while ensuring the business remains in the best of health. Data dashboards are customizable and dependent on the user.

Analytics Engine - With such a large amount of data to trawl through, it is obvious most online reporting software arrives with a pre-installed analytics engine. These custom engines help drill down to the most granular pieces of data to arrive at suitable conclusions regarding multiple business division decisions.

Reporting APIs – Reports are required on-the-go. APIs provide web applications with the capability to produce reports using various platform features, on various aspects, with consistency.  

Third-party app integration – All reporting tools now have integrations of external applications to help perform additional functions. E.g., Statistical tools are now integrated with reporting platforms.    

User Management – With a focus on security, online reporting systems only allow select personnel from an organization or department to view sensitive and business defining reports or dashboards. 

Report Sharing – Whether by mail or intra-organizational chat services, most online reporting software help in the rapid sharing of data by converting reports into pdf or word documents that are sent to addressees. It can also be printed with functions on the toolbar so that a hard copy is available to read.

Report Editing features – Users can edit fields within reports, even after report generation, and include only those fields necessary for decision making. The tools to enable the same are present within the software and don’t need third-party integration.  

Alerts and Notifications – Online reporting software generates an alert every time a report is published, and when it is shared.

What are the Advantages of Reporting Systems?

Quick and Easy data retrieval – Online reporting tools are fast with data retrieval, processing, and display. This helps users spend more time in analysis and decision making.

Data accuracy – With no data loss in processes or incorrect functions performed - as was the case with manual reports -  reporting tools set the bar high for data accuracy.

Data Granularity – Online reporting software can extract, process and present data with as much detail as required, fulfilling deep-diving requirements. Analysts can drill-down to minute details, ensuring accurate decisions.

Data Management and Security – Reporting systems ensure sanctity is maintained in the databases which it operates on. Rules for data manipulation are strictly defined such that no operation may be allowed to completely change the structure of the database or the fields within. 

Similarly, access to specific data is protected against unauthorized access. Alerts prevent theft by promptly informing security personnel of possible breaches.   

Visualizations – Data presented in visual formats, and not just text alone, helps those. Visualizations present data from different perspectives, using different parameters, functions and rule sets - bringing forth details generally missed in the plain analysis.      

Integrations and add-ons – Numerous third-party applications, or in-house add-ons, help reporting software execute a variety of functions. Be it enhanced security, analytical tools or multiple formats for reports, the integrations are very helpful

Platform independence – Reporting software can be used on multiple operating systems, irrespective of the platform being Android, iOS or Windows. Its multi-platform usability is an asset.

What are the disadvantages of not implementing reporting Software?

Inefficient manual reports – Manual reporting is time-consuming, prone to human errors, and does not generate enough in-sight for business to ensure accurate decision making. This robs businesses of competitive insight.

Lack of Business Intelligence – Reporting tools enable business intelligence. Their absence severely decapitates businesses. Progressive business development decisions and other key industry insights are aspects that become severely limited.

Data Plurality Problems – An online reporting system can fetch data from multiple sources instantly. Comparing that to manual reporting, the scope, scale, and depth of data extracted are exhaustive. Not implementing reporting software can lead to businesses becoming stagnant.  

Visualization impediments – Visualizations bring out patterns, aspects, and discrepancies in decision making and business operations that organizations may miss otherwise. The absence of this capability, prevalent in reporting systems, may stunt business growth.

Automation deficiencies – Reporting software enables automation of reports, which saves time and improves the efficiency of those in charge of decision analysis and strategy. Forgoing the software increases the load on human personnel, thereby increasing inefficiency.  

Lack of inter-departmental coordination – Reporting software generates reports which are easily distributable between divisions for their analysis. A common reporting format, sharing capability and dashboard analysis helps departments in coming to a common strategy to increase business efficiency.

How can businesses improve productivity with reporting software?

Online reporting tools have taken the stress off manual reporting. With features such as automated reports and in-depth analytical capabilities, managers and dashboard analysts can focus on strategies to implement data insight to better use for the organization.

This leads to productivity improvements. Likewise, different business divisions can focus on a common source of data insights generated by reporting software. The common and easily shareable reports generated facilitate inter-departmental cooperation, which increases overall business cohesion and efficiency.

Functional reporting software such as financial reporting software, marketing, and sales reporting systems, etc., make it easy for division-specific business decisions when necessary. These reports can then be shared/analyzed by concerned authority instead of collating single reports and pouring over them, decreasing efficiency.

Reporting software solves all prevalent problems of manual reports, especially in cases where quick retrieval and visualization of data is necessary.

What is the average price of reporting software?

The cost of reporting systems varies on the size of the business. Greater the number of operations that require business reporting, the greater is the need to set up accounts and costs incurred.

Price also depends on the kind of reporting software demand – E.g., a Marketing reporting software or a financial reporting software, alongside the integrations.

Prices also depend on the type of plans utilized by organizations. Whether it is a free version followed by additional paid features or a premium version, prices depend on company chosen products.   

Several free and open-source online reporting systems are present in the market, such as Eclipse BIRT and JSReport. Databox allows users to begin with a free version with basic functionalities. Staggered pricing levels based on additional functionalities demanded are provided. LogicMonitor functions on a quotation price system, after analyzing business needs and requirements.  

Zoho Analytics and the super popular Tableau charge a monthly recurring fee of $22.50 and $70, respectively. Most of the reporting software is priced within this range. 

SharePoint Manager Plus by Manage Plus charges a premium of $945 per user per year.   

What are the factors to consider before buying a reporting software?

Price – The reporting software must be affordable for the organization to deploy, especially when there is a necessity to renew subscriptions and employ unique features.

Support – Customer support is crucial when it comes to complex software implementation.  Whether it is a simple installation or training of advanced features, necessary support must be forthcoming from the reporting software company.  

Features – Besides common reporting functionalities, reporting software should have additional features. Extra analytical tools and functions, report conversions, database extraction parameters, etc., are some of the most important features reporting systems must espouse.

Data Visualization formats – Online reporting systems must be able to represent data in a multitude of formats. These visualizations are what separate reporting tools from reporting tools like Microsoft Excel. These visualizations aid businesses in assessing problems from different angles, converging in an umbrella solution.   

Data Security – Data protection is a vital aspect of reporting software considering the swathes of data accessed by it. Security personnel must ensure that the right security protocols will be implemented in place to prevent unauthorized access and theft from online databases.

User Interface – The online reporting software must have a decluttered and easy to maneuver interface that facilitates quick learning and usability. Simplification of report display and other necessary features must be easy to navigate to on the interface, with all necessary information dashboards displayed as well.

How to choose a reporting software for your business?

Reporting software for your firm must depend, firstly, on the size of your organization. If you are a multi-national company with many business streams, it makes sense to purchase and implement reporting software on a large scale.

Smaller firms need not require the same brass of reporting software used in big firms. They can make do with specific analysis requirements and features but not on the scale of bigger firms.

A similar train of thought specifies the future growth of the organization determines the scale of reporting systems purchased. The higher the ceiling of growth, the faster your enterprise clocks revenue and market share growth – the more detailed your reporting function must be.

This leads us to our second point- budget. Budgetary restrictions play a key role in determining your online reporting tools capabilities.

Thirdly, you need to decide upon the function for which the online dashboard is needed. Reporting tools for marketers will have marketing specific reporting capabilities included. Similarly, sales reporting tools have functionalities to process data specifically related to sales. So understanding the needs of different parts of the business concerning reporting software must be a priority.

Lastly, it is important to understand if your present hardware configurations can match those of the system requirements specified by the reporting system’s requirements.

Age and version of the operating system, database resources, etc., must be considered.

It is also important to consult key Information Technology and administrative staff on the purchase decision.

Why consider Goodfirms' list of top reporting software?

Goodfirms has pioneered to present probable buyers of reporting software a rigorously researched, exhaustive, and demand a fulfilling list of reporting tools. Prospective buyers should ensure they consider all possible factors before finalizing reporting software.

By listing down the features, benefits as well as cost structures of many reporting software, Goodfirms has sought to reveal some of the best free and open-source, subscription-based, freemium as well as premium online reporting systems.

Goodfirms’s tranche of information for those seeking a great set of options for their reporting needs, based on their size of business and capabilities, is second to none.

Conclusion

The decision to buy the correct online reporting software depends on a business’s size and scope and the budget. Generally, users consider features of the software, life-time of expected use, customer support, etc., before finalizing a purchase.  

Goodfirms presents prospective users with a chance to compare and contrast different reporting tools, based on specification, to finalize a set of options for further testing.

Feel free to peruse through Goodfirms’ dedicated software pages and visit vendor sites for further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the Best Reporting Tool?

Analytics has changed the way Corporates work today. Businesses can easily recognize patterns in the data ecosystems with the help of next-generation technologies such as reporting software solutions that generate, aggregate, analyze and represent data in an insightful manner. The best reporting software tools provide organizations with all tools to set up a high-quality, unfailing, automated, and self-managed reporting system. It is easy to implement and provides maximum return on investment. The best reporting software assists businesses in accelerating and streamlining their reporting workflows. The best reporting software unleashes accurate analytics and reliable insights about business performance and leads businesses in improving their overall processes. GoodFirms has listed the best reporting software solutions such as datapine, Tableau, Zoho Analytics, Helical Insight, etc. For the complete list of best reporting tools, see our products section on this page.

What is the Role of Reporting Software for Small Businesses?

Reporting solutions help small businesses in capturing vital business information and analytics regarding their financial data, employee performance, sales, inventory demand, utilization of assets and resources, customer preferences, etc. Such reports coupled with key analytics lead small businesses in making the right decisions, improve their management effectiveness, and gain control of business activities. Accurate reporting tools help small businesses in reviewing their current position and make necessary adjustments or find alternate solutions for mitigating all types of business challenges.

What Key Performance Indicators for Your Business can be Tracked Using Reporting Software?

Data reporting tools can track and report various critical business key performance indicators:  Sales KPIs such as Sales representatives’ performance,  deals in the pipeline, conversions, deals won and lost, etc. Marketing KPIs such as website traffic, CTR, marketing ROI, conversion rate, marketing event analytics, etc. Social Media analytics such as SEM, engagement rates, funnel reporting, etc. Financial KPIs such as cash flow analysis, invoiced amount, financial ratios, liquidity ratios, budget vs. spending, profit analysis, etc. Project Management KPIs such as on-time delivery metrics, resource capacity, number of canceled or delayed projects, successful project rate, etc.

How Does Reporting Software Complement Market Research?

When companies undertake market research, next-generation reporting platforms provide objective insights, actionable points, and accurate market analytics that lead to faster business decisions. It also allows market researchers to present survey data on customized market research dashboards. It can segregate reporting based on multiple market research parameters such as separate reports for brand awareness, customer demand, product analysis, etc. Users can easily compare findings and visualize research findings on a captivating dashboard.

What is Geo-Visualization in Reporting System?

Geo-visualization is a technique of analysis of data spread across various geospatial locations. Businesses use the geo-visualization feature of reporting software to understand trends, patterns, and complex business information spread across geographic locations. Reporting software tools represent the critical business insights in the context of time and location using maps, graphs, and cartograms. Geo-visualization reporting can solve various business issues and provide optimal solutions. For instance, businesses can decide the most profitable route for transportation of their goods from point A to point B by logistics visualization on a map. Airlines can visualize geospatial weather data to reroute their flights. Retailers can use geospatial analysis for targeting audiences across international boundaries.

Are there any Free and Open Source Reporting Software?

Yes, there are some best free and open source reporting tools available in the market. Some of the best free and open source reporting software solutions are Eclipse Birt, JSreport, Helical Insight, KNIME, Metabase, Knowage, SQL Power Wabit,  etc. These open source reporting tools can be customized to add your business-specific features. You can also find some free reporting software on GoodFirms’ reporting software product page.

What are the Valuable Software Integrations Options Available with Reporting Software?

Popular software solutions that integrate with reporting tools are CRM software, Project Management software, Data visualization software, Business intelligence software, Data Analysis software, etc.

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