You're a high-profile decision-maker at a firm, constantly on the move to attend business meetings, vacations, and company events. You know that data analytics is a big part of your business's success, but carrying around a big device to check and report your real-time analytics is a logistical nightmare. Sound like a problem you've encountered?
We have a solution.
Mobile reporting is an emerging tool for decision-makers that are constantly on the move. Instead of making calls to your IT team to generate reports, cloud-based embedded analytics platforms now offer the ability to generate reports straight from your mobile device. For example, Toucan's mobile application allows a user to instantly export their data to a PDF or other desired file type instantly.
Let's explore some of the benefits and features of mobile reporting before diving into some examples of how it can be used by a variety of professionals.
Why Use Mobile Reporting?
The conveniences of mobile reporting are heralded by its adopters. Here are some of the most essential benefits that mobile reporting offers its users:
- KPI Monitoring
A mobile reporting platform allows its users to keep constant tabs on KPIs and adjust decision-making on the fly with the help of data and visualizations. By utilizing mobile reporting, you are putting your business's health in your pocket and decreasing the probability of poor decision-making. - Location Versatility
For many years, viewing and generating analytics reports was limited to a single desktop workstation at a firm's HQ. Cloud-based analytics platforms have outgrown this traditional arrangement, making reports accessible on every device with an internet connection. - Quicker Time to Information
Tying closely with location versatility, mobile reporting gives you much quicker access to relevant information. Instead of calling an IT team and waiting hours or days to generate reports, decision-makers can pull out their mobile device and generate reports with only a few taps on their screens. - Increased Performance
Reliable and instant access to data insights creates a culture of ownership and accountability. Decision-makers can no longer excuse a decision made without data-driven insights, and the accessibility to instant reports allows employees to view the goals and targets in real-time, increasing performance.
- Real-time Data
Because mobile reporting solutions are cloud-based, data inputted into a platform updates in real-time. Real-time updates allow firms to swiftly mitigate risks, act on trends, and gain a competitive edge.
Features OF Mobile Reporting
A plethora of mobile reporting solutions exist, but not all fit the necessary requirements for a seamless and effective experience. Here are the most important features that decision-makers should expect from their mobile reporting solution:
- Mobile Optimization
Your embedded analytics platform must perfectly optimize its platform for mobile devices. Many solutions exist that claim to offer mobile reporting, simply resizing their desktop versions to fit a smaller aspect ratio. This approach limits the functionality and usability of an application, and users should be able to access all promised features efficiently. - Integration
Integration is key. Your mobile reporting solution should seamlessly integrate with other devices such as desktops. - Constant Access
Uninterrupted access is a crucial feature of mobile reporting. For example, highway data can be spotty and the reliability of connections can differ depending on location. Mobile reporting solutions must offer an offline mode to give users access to their data wherever they may be. - Security
All solutions should abide by the best possible security standards to secure confidential information.
3 Examples of Mobile Reporting
1. Finance
Mobile reporting is especially useful in finance. Because the financial world is moving at a rapid pace, CFOs and financial firms can harness the benefits of mobile reporting to keep their employees informed of changes.
Risk management is key for many finance professionals. The benefit of real-time analytics can be especially useful for investment professionals who need to manage their portfolios daily in real-time. With mobile reporting, finance professionals can stay on top of their investments wherever they may be.
Another useful feature of mobile reporting for finance professionals occurs in the meeting room. Instead of drawing on an already busy IT team, decision-makers can take matters into their own hands, generating the relevant report needed to present insights.
2. HR
Mobile reporting in HR has seen astronomic growth in recent years. Time punching and approvals are used by almost every major corporation, streamlining reporting for HR professionals. Mobile time punching allows firms to keep time reports accurate without any backlogs created by physical punch stations.
Besides managing employee time requests, mobile reporting allows HR professionals to manage the following from the mobile devices:
- Payroll Administration
- Employee Access to Compensation and Benefits Information
- Expense Report Submissions
The most important role mobile reporting plays in HR is the convenience it provides to decision-makers within the department. By connecting their HR data to a mobile reporting platform, HR professionals can approve time off and perform administrative tasks right from their phones or tablets.
3. Supply Chain Management
Especially throughout the COVID pandemic, supply chain management has seen a revolution. Supply chains across the globe have been disrupted, leaving decision makers to source new suppliers and solve existing problems.
Because of the delicate nature of the industry, supply chain management professionals must be alert to real-time updates. By using a mobile reporting solution and tracking KPIs in real-time, supply chain decision makers can reverse course on a potentially disastrous event.
The Reporting Solution
Though many mobile reporting solutions can perform essential functions, what sets Toucan apart is its dedicated mobile integration. By including features such as a comments section, instant report generation, and designing a dedicated mobile interface, Toucan's platform is designed to be used on mobile devices.
Not only can you gather actionable insights sitting on the train, but you can also share them with the team without leaving Toucan. If you need to highlight certain areas of point-out mistakes, you can just as easily annotate and share with the team on Slack, via PDF, or email before you even get to your stop and pick up that morning coffee.
These are just a few ways our clients and I have found uses for mobile reporting. Check out the Toucan mobile analytics experience to see how it could help you improve your analytics reporting, making it more accessible, easily available, and enjoyable.
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