Sage 100

PTQs, Pivot Tables and Dynamic Reporting. My discussion with Jeff about pivot tables and PTQ started last Summit. We attended a session where I expressed my desire for a single reporting tool that was intuitive, dynamic, and so easy to use and compelling that a prospect would purchase the ERP system just to have the reporting tool. I was also ranting about the plethora of current reporting options that are all good in a limited sense (ALE,BIR,Dashboards,Crystal), but all lacking multi-database capabilities, linking limitations and performance. Sage Intelligence may someday meet this challenge, but in the meantime, the market surrounding Sage is full of 3rd party product to fill the gaps. After our session at Summit Jeff introduced my team to Access PTQs which we later coupled with Excel Pivot Tables. We call it a poor man's Business Intelligence. I am not claiming Pivot tables are the reporting solution we are all looking for, but it is a quick answer to a lot of questions. Here are the plusses: Limited cost to the customer; Customers understand Excel; PTQs accelerate the data refresh for a pivot table; Quick development cycle; Generous reporting flexibility with just a single data set; The Excel pivot table is self-contained and can be distributed freely; Drill down to the detail on every cell and subtotal; Works with legacy modules and JobOps; Works with large databases (1.3 million records is largest we have encountered); Once the data is loaded report results are instantaneous; Customers feel empowered to mine their own data. Nearly everyone on our staff can build PTQs and Pivot Tables in response to a customer's request. We have delivered 20 or 30 pivot tables for various reasons, here are some of them: Payroll Perpetual History. General Ledger Transaction Detail Sales Tax Schedule / Rate audit A/R Invoice History Detail Salesperson Commissions A/P Invoice Detail History Inventory Assigned to Sales Orders Inventory Allocated to Work Tickets (JobOps) Various Troubleshooting Roles (Like DFDM on steroids). Is anyone else working with PTQs and Pivot Tables?

Oh, don't get them started on pivot tables.....................

LOL - you know my answer - CROSS TABS

Doug, it is nice to have another TRUE BELIEVER in the group now.

Do you feel better Jeff?? You now have a PTQ/Pivot Table brotherhood!

Yes, do I feel some envy emanating??? Just remember, original thinkers are usually belittled by non believers due to lack of understanding! I will stay the course. Now there are TWO! The ball is rolling, we can't be stopped.

Doug, is the address that I have for your company the one to use for your check? Or would your prefer cash at Summit?

woops. looks like the new guy stepped in the middle of something. to be fair i should research CrossTabs.

Not hardly, Doug. Everybody (Ok, TL in this post) KNOWS that I talk about Pivot Tables being even better than white bread and apple pie. It is all in what you like using. Beth and Therese are the Cross Tab queens, several people swear by Access databases and one person (now perhaps two) talk about PTQ's and Pivot Tables all the time. This is just some of the good natured bantering that goes on at times in SC. As you have found out, pivot tables are quick and easy to learn (if you try TL) and are excellent ad hoc data mining tools.

Guys this is still all 'McGyver' BI for cheap clients. Real businesses need solutions like QlikView or Tableau, not this circa 1990's scotch tape and gum wrappers... :)

Maybe. But most of our clients are cheap.

By that definition, I have to wonder how ""real"" businesses are using MAS. I have one or two in my base, but the rest are even challenged by Excel. Guess I will pull out my Sage scorecard and start contacting all 15 companies that Sage has determined to be ""High Value"" targets for Inventory Advisor.......

And it's gum and duct tape. No self respecting MacGyver would be using Scotch tape.

@JeffSchwenk - don't just look at Sage's scorecard, look through your customer list and decide for yourself. Not sure what their formula is, but it includes some it shouldn't and misses some it should.

@PhilMcIntosh - As Sheldon would say ""Bazinga - That was sarcasm""........

Well...I have one customer who is already signed up and happy with Inventory Advisor, and several others actually want to look at it...

Jeff is correct Doug. Beth and I appreciate a Crystal Sisterhood which is why I was congratulating Jeff on a PTQ/Pivot Table Brotherhood with you. I just attending a tech conference and sat in on a pivot table session. I talked to the instructor afterwards (who also teaches Crystal) and he said it comes down to whatever you are used to. If one knows Crystal, it would be hard to switch to pivot tables and vice versa. He totally understood the ""bantering"" that goes on here. Someday, I'll utilize it (perhaps)...