Business user self service (parameterized) reporting

Listed below is a brief video clip (4 minutes 26 seconds, no audio) demonstrating an example of business user self service reporting. This video is not intended to be a "complete" presentation of the Pentaho BI Suite or it's soluions, but to paint a vision and provide an example of self service reporting and it's capabilities. The UI represented can create numerous report combinations and perspectives based on the user's input. You will find that almost 80% of end user reporting can be delivered in this fashion. Please see our website at www.pentaho.com for more information about our products and value added services.

Parameterized reporting focuses on the notion of substitution. Just like in algebra where letters can be substituted for numbers and formulas, report parameterization is defined by creating dynamic queries/report definitions and substituting columns, logic, formats, filters and more. The combination of these elements are the key to creating a custom and comprehensive reporting environment with a slick, easy to use interface that any novice user can understand.

Parameterized reporting can often be described as "Ad hoc".  Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means "for this purpose". Parameterized reporting can be a form of Ad hoc in which the user interface and query are presented in a predefined structured manner as opposed to using a blank canvas with direct access to a table or business view. Please keep this in mind as you evaluate what type of reporting your organization will need. With parameterized reporting a developer can design one or more templates that can serve many business users, answering many of their questions. The templates can reduce the effort on IT and therefore put the power in the business user's hands. "Telephone Ad hoc", where a business user calls IT asking for a report to be made, will begin to decrease as the power of parameterized reporting proliferates throughout the organization.

Parameterized reporting is one of many ways to meet the needs of your user community, but what if your users need a bit more flexibility? Maybe they need to create a query from a list of tables or business views. Enters the Pentaho Ad hoc Reporting Interface. In the current version of Pentaho, the Pentaho Ad hoc Reporting Interface, allows users to create a simple report from available business views using a web based interface. They can perform some basic functions such as summarizations, filtering, exporting and formatting. With each release of the Pentaho Ad hoc Reporting Interface, more capabilities will be added. For more information on the Pentaho Ad hoc Reporting interface click here or see a demonstration of the Pentaho Ad hoc Reporting Interface along with the Pentaho Metadata Editor here.

The graph below (Fig. 1)  represents business user empowerment, IT effort and 3 types of reporting needs. (1) Static, which can consist of dashboard, alert based, printed, published or distributed reports, (2) Parameterized and (3) Ad hoc as previously described. You will see in this graph that there is a significant reduction in IT effort and an increase in user empowerment as you move towards a complete Ad hoc solution. Note there is a overlap of the curves around parameterized reporting, here is where a perfect balance of customization and desired output can be delivered.

  (Fig. 1)

• Business User Self Service Reporting

• Advanced and even novice web users can select report elements such as columns, measures, sort groups, filters, drill paths, style thresholds,
  and output formats to customize a report to meet their individual needs.
• Drill-through to any other report, program, location, or application allowing users to navigate to any information online
• Bursting allows you to break a large task, like delivering reports to department managers, into a simple process that is repeated for each individual case.
• Output to the most commonly used formats such as PDF, HTML, CSV, XML and Excel
• Schedule and distribute content to Email, FTP and file systems