As you consider the engagement of Bookwood Systems for implementing custom reports based on QuickBooks data using QReportBuilder, let me explain the comprehensive, professional implementation performed by Bookwood Systems associates.
Before engaging Bookwood Systems to implement custom reporting solutions, it is important that you conclude that your issues and challenges are significant enough to justify the cost. If not, we recommend that you continue utilizing QuickBooks modified reports or exports to Excel. However, if you are unable to get QuickBooks data reported in a meaningful way to support management decisions or someone is spending hours each time the data is converted into an Excel report, Bookwood Systems can provide an automated solution. It can be delivered to one or more executives or knowledge workers and provide the capability to get reports on demand with a few clicks of the mouse.
The implementation of even one simple QReportBuilder report requires the following steps involving both you as the client and Bookwood Systems as the solution provider.
1. Objective of report and preliminary requirements definition by client.
2. Statement of feasibility by Bookwood Systems.
3. Estimate by Bookwood Systems.
4. Acceptance of estimate by client and payment for half of the project in advance.
5. Provide a copy of the QuickBooks portable company file or selected files as determined by client and Bookwood Systems.
6. Client installs an evaluation copy of QReportBuilder on same computer where QuickBooks resides. Or Bookwood Systems can install the application using remote software access. When the project is complete, it will be necessary to register the product for the license fee of $299.
7. Bookwood will determine which fields and records are needed from each QuickBooks source data files. If wanted or needed, Bookwood will set up transfer methods for refreshing the data in the most efficient manner. This can be essential if there are large files in QuickBooks, as this will save potentially hours of data refresh time.
8. Bookwood will evaluate additional filtering parameters to ensure that only the correct data, i.e., active customers, active inventory items, selected customer types, etc., is utilized to minimize the quantity of data being transferred during the refresh process.
9. Bookwood can also set up data transfer procedures for integrating data from external systems such as Salesforce, ACT, ERP systems and/or Excel spreadsheets.
10. Bookwood will work with client to verify that the data in the custom reports matches corresponding QuickBooks data to ensure the credibility of the reports.
11. Bookwood will develop the requested reports and modify them as needed to ensure client satisfaction with the results. Generally, there will be at least one pair of reports, both detail and summary, in the simplest implementation.
12. Bookwood will perform troubleshooting and analysis as needed to solve technical problems that generally arise (due to the continued presence of Murphy’s Law, of course).
13. Bookwood will normally provide an instruction document to assist in making the client independent from additional Bookwood training after the initial startup. This document is helpful in cross training additional people.
14. Bookwood will provide a technical project summary that can be used by anyone else that may be called upon to support the reporting solution should the client wish to develop in-house expertise or use an alternative support vendor.
As is evident from the implementation procedure described, the writing of the report or reports is only a small part of the project. As a solution provider of advanced reporting capabilities, it is important to Bookwood Systems to provide the highest professional level of services, without shortcuts, to ensure client satisfaction. Any estimates that will be provided by Bookwood Systems will cover the comprehensive services described above.
Should the severity of your challenge not be sufficient to merit the investment in Bookwood Systems services, it is certainly possible to use in-house expertise to learn how to develop and implement custom reports in QReportBuilder. As in the learning of Excel or Access, an investment of a significant amount of learning time is required to become proficient. Bookwood Systems provides group webinar training for QReportBuilder or customized one-on-one training on a fee basis.
Sample Reports: As you consider the implementation of QReportBuilder for developing custom reports based on QuickBooks data, reviewing a series of management oriented reports may be helpful in the decision making process. The following reports are presented individually or in groups that demonstrate the value of reviewing the same data in multiple dimensions to enhance decision management through better business intelligence reporting. Frequently, the development of operational reports can provide the basis for generating valuable summary reports that provide additional insights that are not obvious without summarization and dimensional reporting.