iPads are popping up everywhere. Now the focus is shifting to HOW do I get useful information onto the device. This presentation covers one process - developing key dashboard reporting for the iPad. A sample dashboard report is highlighted, using Panera Bread as an example. BI is a BIG opportunity!
2. Why Dashboards?
Typical Business Challenges
Disparate processes
Poor visibility into information and key
metrics
Lack of consistent reporting among
executives monitoring business
Technology challenge – multiple
systems/platforms that generate reporting
information
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3. Why Dashboards?
Well designed executive dashboards can help
you monitor business performance and key
metrics
Eliminates the “clutter” from financial reports,
enabling an executive or management team to
quickly keep a pulse on the business
Enables easy report view and standardization of
management information, simplifying report
digestion
Easy to distribute across multiple platforms –
iPad is ideal due to interface
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4. iPad Considerations
Planning is important!
Dashboard reporting should be customized
for screen size
Navigation considerations – should be tap
driven
Bigger fonts and larger objects are preferred
Less is More – key metrics and data. Resist
the urge to include everything!
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5. MS Office For Executive Dashboards?
Numerous applications exist to simplify creation
of dashboards – determining which is best for
your purpose is cumbersome
Microsoft Office provides great tools for
developing and reporting beautifully presented
dashboard information – AND already available
Techniques needed to create quality dashboard
are straight forward and relatively easy to use.
However, they may not be obvious
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6. MS Office For Executive Dashboards?
If you are reasonable proficient in using Excel
and Powerpoint, you can develop a
sophisticated model fairly quickly
The opportunities to leverage this capability
will expand as you work through the process
– very flexible
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7. Getting Started – Steps to Success
Identify project
Define goals and key metrics
Operational reporting, as well as summary
reporting
Build model, review, and refine
Distribution and user adoption
Model maintenance and keeping content
current
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8. Identify Project
Determine data to include in dashboard
reporting?
Start simple; create executive “buy-in”
Identify audience and key users of
dashboard?
Identify parties responsible for maintaining
and refining dashboards going forward
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9. Define Goals and Key Metrics
Visualize the project
A brain storming session is great for this
Determine what you want to measure
Short-term metrics to monitor business?
Longer term metrics for strategic business
analysis?
What processes need to be put in place?
Information flow to streamline effort
This can be a time consuming effort
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10. Build Model, Review, and Refine
Dashboards DO require upfront time to
setup, but, if properly built, require little
time to maintain and use long term
Leverage Excel’s advanced capabilities to
streamline the data and chart updating
Data input in Table format
PivotTables to simplify chart data development
Macros to streamline worksheet updating and
navigation
Automate dashboard “printing” – directly to PDF,
etc.
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11. Build Model, Review, and Refine
Powerpoint is useful to provide flexibility in
sizing objects and properly arranging and
formatting on a page. Objects should be
linked from Excel and navigation hyperlinks
included for easy iPad use
“Publish” to PDF. Make sure that links “stick”
in final documents
Review and test process – mistakes can
happen!
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12. Dashboard Distribution and User Adoption
Set up a seamless distribution process – cloud
file synchronization services are perfect for this
On mobile platform, user should access files
directly from the device
GoodReader app works well and we highly
recommend!
Educate users – accessing reports, navigation
and annotation capabilities
User adoption will be greater if it is SIMPLE!
Ease of use is very important
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13. Case Study – Panera Bread Co.
Public company – data is largely pulled
directly from the internet (Yahoo, Google
Finance, MSN Money). Web queries can be
used to simplify.
Key company financial data is accumulated
and entered into an Excel spreadsheet - pivot
tables, charts, macros, etc. help simplify
ongoing maintenance effort
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14. Case Study – Panera Bread Co.
Formatting is next - develop objects for
Dashboard report
Take the time to do this right – it will save you
hours each month on maintaining the effort!
Sample report images are on following
pages. Report is comprehensive and
updating is easy
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15. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Touch
navigation
buttons
Report date
updates
automatically
based on when
report is
generated
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16. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Button format
changes
based on
current screen
– easy to
identify!
Website links
open up directly
in browser – tap
to access
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17. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Highlights key SEC
filings for quick
access – list
ALWAYS current
Links open up
document directly
– easy to navigate,
etc. – see slide 15.
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18. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Hyperlinked Table of
Contents – just tap to
navigate to desired section
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19. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Flexible
navigation
menu – in this
case, when
“Financials”
are selected,
the top
navigation
menu changes.
Charts easily
accommodated
– updating is
automatic as
underlying data
changes
Additional navigation
buttons provide more
flexibility
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20. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
Rolling data
(Table and
Chart) updates
automatically
as underlying
Excel
spreadsheet
changes.
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21. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
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22. Case Study – PNRA (Report Pages)
In this case,
direct links to
website data is
connected to
Objects.
Tapping object
opens up report
from Panera
Investor
Relations
website.
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23. Dashboards – Key Considerations
Design and proper development is key!
Spend the time up front to do it right.
Distribution to users (Board, executives,
management) can be seamless if received on
the iPad
Update and Review is essential – mapping
errors, etc. may occur.
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24. Dashboards – Key Considerations
Start with a small project to develop and
understand process. Executive buy-in will
lead to bigger wins and fuller understanding
of potential.
Payoff for report users is huge – easy to use,
always available, always current!
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25. Dashboards – Last Thoughts...
The example reviewed in this presentation was a public
company, but there are numerous instances where this
process is relevant –
Private company monthly reporting – high level report
containing summary information, key metrics, charts, etc.
Peer analysis review – easily compare and analyze other
companies that operate in your industry. Identify key
performance metrics and compare to your company.
Professional services firms – easily monitor your public
company clients and have updated information always at
your fingertips!
Asset Management firms – easily monitor performance
of key metrics of companies invested in
The potential is significant….
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26. If additional information is desired or you would like to better understand our
firm’s capabilities, please contact me:
Don Tomoff, CPA, MBA
Principal, Business Advisory
drtomoff@thornhillcpa.com
Thornhill Website (http://www.thornhillcpa.com)
LinkedIn Profile (http://www.linkedin.com/in/dontomoff)
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