General Consultant Discussion

How many of you know that the **Battle of the Reporting Tools** Pre-Summit session is **NOT** a class? The 90 Minds Event Committee would like to clarify - **THIS IS NOT A CLASS**. This is a software shoot-out between three competing reporting tool vendors. Each of them has to produce the same two reports that we chose from our member's suggestions. To make it realistic, we have provided them with a unique data set from a former Sage 100 customer that has years of transaction history. We are also giving them a third report option of their choosing to highlight what sets them apart. You might be thinking, ""We already have a reporting tool we sell to or use for our customers. Why would I need to look at anything else?"" Well, how do you know if that tool is the right one for every customer - or even for your consultants?? What if a customer finds out about another tool? Wouldn't you like to be the one to advise them on the best choice? Come find out which reporting tool is best for both your customers and for you!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/battle-of-the-reporting-tools-tickets-25586563099?ref=estw Password: seewhowins Remember, the **Early Bird discount** expires Friday, June 24th!

Underlining Therese's point: The presenters will spend about 1/2 hr on each of 3 reports, showing how it is designed and built. Students don't touch the tool - This is mainly a class in feasiblity, possibilities, architecture and design aimed at expanding consultants' understanding what might be possible. The focus on these reports is NOT traditional financial reporting. It is meant to spark your thinking in ways that will let you go to your customers and say, ""we should talk about how you can get more useful information out of your Sage 100 and to a broader audience in your company.

This has been published before on SC, for those that may have missed it: **Report 1** The busy purchasing department is demanding a stock replenishment report with a slew of information from multiple modules including Bill of Materials, Sales Order, and Inventory. With the heavyweight data set, let's see what reporting tool can roll with the punches or ends up languishing on the ropes. **Report 2** Sales, Sales, Sales all the stats, all the numbers, drill-down, and dashboard for the demanding Sales VP. They want key performance stats, customer ratings, payment info, accounting for returns, the big picture, and the mind-dazzling details. And that's not all, they want to view it by rep and by customer, and it had better be fast! This report may lead to a knockout. **Report 3** They are the stars of this epic battle and in true fighting sprit, we let them show us how they shine with a report of their choice. The electrifying finish will have us all on our feet waiting to see whose left standing!

Report writing is an area we outsource."" This was a reason given in our recent poll for why the respondent wasn't going to attend. Outsourcing is fine and appropriate. However, we hope that students to this event will come away with a memorable illustration of the various ways **information** can be created from a customer's data in Sage 100 and related databases. What sort of information could be useful customers on day-to-day and week-to-week basis, far beyond just financials. I think of this part as ""strategic information vision."" It is hard to do, it requires a consultant to be proactive, it is where the true value to the customer is created. Of course, a consultant wouldn't outsource this. The problem is that too many consultants don't offer it. If you want to expand your thinking beyond just financials that customers ask you for, I hope you'll attend.