Reporting automation services
Reports that update themselves.
Reporting automation services free up teams that rebuild the same report by hand every week. We connect your CRM, database or spreadsheets, calculate every metric the same way each time and set up automated reports that refresh on schedule, show when they were last updated and flag missing data before anyone reads the numbers.
What our reporting automation services include
Purpose and definitions
We look at the decisions the report supports and how it is calculated today, then agree definitions, filters, periods and the source of each key number.
Source connections
We connect sources through an API, a database or files and describe how records are combined, cleaned and checked before they reach the report.
Refresh and alerts
We set a refresh schedule and data checks. If an input is missing or an update fails, the people responsible see it straight away.
Format and delivery
A dashboard, a spreadsheet or a scheduled email, depending on who reads it. We agree access, delivery and how the calculation is maintained.
What you get
- A report specification and a dictionary of the metrics it uses.
- An automated refresh with data checks and alerts.
- The finished report in the agreed format, with simple maintenance instructions.
Automate Excel reporting or move to a dashboard?
If your managers live in Excel, forcing a new tool on them rarely works. Often the best step is to automate the Excel report itself: data loads from the sources on schedule, formulas are replaced by checked calculations, and the file arrives ready.
A dashboard makes more sense when several people need different views, filters or fresher data. We decide by who reads the report and how, not by which tool is fashionable.
Automated reports we set up most often
Weekly sales report
New enquiries, deals and revenue by manager and channel, straight from the CRM.
Monthly management pack
Revenue, costs, margins and key operating figures, assembled from accounting and operations data.
Stock and orders
Stock levels, open orders and late deliveries, sent to the team every morning.
Marketing results
Spend, enquiries and sales by channel, combined from ad platforms, analytics and the CRM.
What this can look like
Every Monday a manager merges CRM and order exports into a spreadsheet. We write down the calculation, connect the sources and set up a checked report that shows when it was last refreshed and who looks after it.
Who reporting automation is for
A good fit
- Teams that rebuild the same report by hand every week or month.
- Companies where a report depends on one person who knows “how it all fits together”.
- Managers who want reports on time and an alert when something is missing.
Not the right fit
- A report whose purpose and calculation nobody can explain yet: start with a short consultation or a dashboard brief.
- Sources that offer no export or API at all. We check this first and suggest a realistic option if a source can’t be connected.
What affects the cost of reporting automation services
We quote cost and timing in EUR after a first look at your report and sources. It depends on:
Sources
Systems with an API are quick to connect; manual exports and email attachments need extra steps.
Calculation logic
Simple totals are easy; allocations, currency conversion and adjustments take longer to agree and test.
Number of reports
One report, or a set of reports that share definitions.
Refresh and checks
How often it updates and how many data checks it needs before sending.
We’ll quote cost and timing in EUR after a short brief.Discuss reporting automation
What makes an automated report trustworthy
- It runs side by side with the manual version until the numbers match.
- Every report shows when data was last refreshed.
- Missing or late sources trigger an alert instead of a quiet gap.
- The calculation is written down, so it does not depend on one person.
How a manual report becomes automatic
Each stage ends with something you can check before we continue.
Brief
We study the current report: who uses it, how it is calculated and where every number comes from.
Data review
We check each source for access, update frequency and data quality, and agree the definitions in writing.
Build and check
We build the automated version and run it side by side with the manual report until the numbers match.
Handover and review
We switch off the manual version, hand over the instructions and check the first few automated runs with you.
What we need from you
The latest manual version of the report, a description of how it is built, read access to the sources and the name of the person who checks the numbers today.
One person on your side should know how each number is used and who acts on it. Without that person, a report quickly becomes another file nobody opens.
We don’t change live data or delete records without a written plan, a backup and your approval. Reports show what your sources contain; where data is missing, we say so instead of filling the gap with guesses.
Reporting automation: common questions
Can we keep working in Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. The data can load into your spreadsheet automatically on schedule, so people keep their familiar file while the copying and pasting disappears.
Does this always require a BI dashboard?
No. A maintained spreadsheet or a scheduled email summary may suit the readers better. We choose the format from who reads the report and how they use it.
How often can the report update?
As often as the sources allow and the business needs, from once a day to every hour. We agree the schedule and show whether the latest update succeeded.
What happens if a source changes?
The data checks catch most changes and send an alert. The maintenance instructions describe what to update, and we can support the report as a separate agreement.
Read before you start
Short practical guides on the same subject.
- Since 2006
- Written scope before work starts
- One contact person
- Reply within 24 hours
Which report do you rebuild every week?
Tell us where the figures come from and who receives the report. We’ll reply with questions and a suggested first step.
The first conversation is free, with no obligation.