Business intelligence reporting tools using data cubes

Data cubes and reporting software - Analyse your data with bisTrack’s data cubes

Data cubes (or OLAP* cubes) are an excellent visual tool for looking at your data. The data cube builder can be used whenever you need to filter and aggregate your bisTrack data and build a business intelligence report.

Visual tools make all the difference when looking at KPIsA simple wizard guides you through the data cube building. For example, you could select sales and margin by branch, by rep and by major product group.

You can then build the cube. Further on, you can work with the results in Excel, or any familiar reporting and analysis tool. Date cubes are a terrific way of presenting your sales data visually. Every copy of bisTrack’s business management software ships with the data cube creator and viewer.

Working and reporting with data cubes

You can sort the data in your cubes in as many ways as you like. The query you first build is just an initial view — you can ‘slice and dice’ the data any way you like, once the cube has been built.

Cubes give you new insights into your trading patterns. Because it is so easy to look at the figures in so many ways, this means you can quickly pick up patterns that would take a very sharp mind to spot with traditional printed reports.

Extended reporting

Your unique needs demand flexible analysis and reporting. bisTrack gives you access to well-structured tables for custom reporting and queries. We use standard SQL database tables, so your data is all fully accessible. It’s your business data – do what you like with it!

Example ways you might report your data:

  • Rep by product group
  • Customer by product group
  • Branch by product group
  • Branch by customer by product group
  • Area by product group
  • and so on...

Data structures

Product group coding can be up to five levels deep, and is not limited to a simple product analysis code. Analysis measures may be sales value, cost and margin. For timber, total cubic metres can be reported on, whilst for steel a tonne measure is used.

Analyse ALL your business data

Any other bisTrack table can be used as source data for reports or queries. For example, stock movements, sales order header/lines, purchase order header/lines and invoice lines, to name a few. Reporting on business trading patterns and performance is all the more easily communicated to people in your business.

Your choice of reporting tool

Typical reporting tools might be Crystal Reports, Microsoft Access, iSQL Query Analyser, Excel pivot tables, or Cognos. bisTrack uses meaningful names for tables and fields to make querying easier. The whole data architecture is as open as possible.

Reports library or custom — you choose

bisTrack ships with a huge library of standards reports. The chances are there’s a standard report for your needs, but you always have the option of building your own – customise an existing report or start from scratch with bisTrack’s using open data policy.

Benefits: Examine your data in novel ways, query it, graph it, flip it. New ways of slicing the data are achieved instantly, revealing new patterns to your figures without costly overhead. High-level business intelligence reports and understanding are now at your finger tips with the help of bisTrack’s data cubes.

*What is an OLAP data cube?

OLAP cubes – OLAP stands for Online Analytical Processing, and the cube reference is the 3-dimensional cross-referencing of the data in question. A spreadsheet is a good example of a 2-dimensional representation of data . The 3rd dimension comes from an additional matrix of data behind that layer.

Testimonials

  • "I'm happy bisTrack will grow with us. If we find we need something which isn't already incorporated, I'm confident Progressive will work with us to fill the gap."

    Operations Director, CF Anderson

  • "We saw benefits straight away, particularly with the time we saved on monthly stock takes and sourcing information for management reports."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "The reporting capabilities of bisTrack really help the sales department answer day to day enquiries. It gives them instant access to information about purchasing volumes and when timber is due to come in."

    Wayne Abrams, Project Leader, Arbor Forest Products

  • "One reason we chose Progressive was because their team was so approachable. It wasn’t just because the software was better. We really felt we could work with them.”

    Director, Ridgeons

  • "I was working with 2.7 in our test environment and looking at all the work you have done. Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all you do to make this a great technology partnership."

    Brian King, Lumber USA

  • "We have a responsibility to the environment. That’s why we’re trying to lower our carbon footprint. We introduced e-commerce, cut down on paper receipts & are introducing electronic billing for customers."

    Director, building materials supplier

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "Performance across the system is continuously enhanced too. Since our last release, finding products is now significantly faster ...by up to 30%."

    Gary Brookshaw, Product Director, Progressive Solutions

  • "bisTrack is a terrific system and its potential is incredibly exciting. I have absolutely no regrets over choosing bisTrack and great confidence that we have something we can build on."

    David Bryan, Director, Ridgeons

  • "With bisTrack we now have real-time information on our profitability, which allows us to continually optimise and make decisions on our business plan."

    Stuart Hall, General Manager, Lawcris Panel Products

  • "Our computer system impacts on every aspect of the business. Buying, selling, importing, transport planning, as well as accounts. If you install the wrong software, without the right level of performance or functionality, it will cause significant problems throughout your business."

  • "bisTrack is an excellent piece of software and getting better. Their approach to meeting our needs is excellent. eBusiness is not going to be big for another 12 months but PSI are there already, which means we’re ahead. They're very open to ideas and keep getting better at turnaround."

    Adam Myers, Beesley & Fildes

  • "Inventory accuracy is higher because everyone is more focused and our staff can see the benefit of getting it right."

    Ian Murchie, Operations Director, Howie Forest Products

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "bisTrack is an excellent piece of software and getting better. Their approach to meeting our needs is excellent. eBusiness is not going to be big for another 12 months but PSI are there already, which means we’re ahead. They're very open to ideas and keep getting better at turnaround."

    Adam Myers, Beesley & Fildes

  • “A member of our buying group told us about bisTrack, although we looked at four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the people we dealt with.”

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves (Plumbers Merch)

  • "The time was right for a change of software at Alsford's and we selected bisTrack from a shortlist of three. The key criteria was 'business fit'. We wanted a Microsoft Windows, intuitive solution which would best serve our claim to be 'The Timber Experts' in all our 20 branches."

    Neil Fuller, MD, Alsford Timber

  • "We chose bisTrack because we needed to move on to the next generation of software."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "We saw benefits straight away, particularly with the time we saved on monthly stock takes and sourcing information for management reports."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "bisTrack is an excellent piece of software and getting better. Their approach to meeting our needs is excellent. eBusiness is not going to be big for another 12 months but PSI are there already, which means we’re ahead. They're very open to ideas and keep getting better at turnaround."

    Adam Myers, Beesley & Fildes

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "Good customer service is easier to achieve with good IT to back up our staff. bisTrack gives provides an efficient system for dealing with customers. Good management tools enable us to concentrate our efforts in the right direction."

    David Dunmow, Group FD, James Latham plc

  • "Our computer system impacts on every aspect of the business. Buying, selling, importing, transport planning, as well as accounts. If you install the wrong software, without the right level of performance or functionality, it will cause significant problems throughout your business."

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • “Hargeaves are ideally placed to take advantage of the offer – whilst we plan to continue using e-Xact to update our product file we also want much better control over special product sales and purchases."

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves MD

  • "bisTrack is a terrific system and its potential is incredibly exciting. I have absolutely no regrets over choosing bisTrack and great confidence that we have something we can build on."

    David Bryan, Director, Ridgeons

  • "We saw benefits straight away, particularly with the time we saved on monthly stock takes and sourcing information for management reports."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "The reporting capabilities of bisTrack really help the sales department answer day to day enquiries. It gives them instant access to information about purchasing volumes and when timber is due to come in."

    Wayne Abrams, Project Leader, Arbor Forest Products

  • “Hargeaves are ideally placed to take advantage of the offer – whilst we plan to continue using e-Xact to update our product file we also want much better control over special product sales and purchases."

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves MD

  • “There are other systems of course, but none have had the development time that’s behind bisTrack. I can’t believe there’s a better system out there. I’m convinced there’s nothing that can deliver better what we need.”

    Peter Buttle, md, Buttle plc

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "Our computer system impacts on every aspect of the business. Buying, selling, importing, transport planning, as well as accounts. If you install the wrong software, without the right level of performance or functionality, it will cause significant problems throughout your business."

  • "I can export information into Excel by right-clicking and manipulate it to my heart's content."

  • "Our relationship with PSI has been transformed this year. This is due almost entirely to having an Account Manager as a single point of contact, who knows our system and our business."

    Eric Jones, IT Manager, Alsford Timber

  • "We saw benefits straight away, particularly with the time we saved on monthly stock takes and sourcing information for management reports."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • “There are other systems of course, but none have had the development time that’s behind bisTrack. I can’t believe there’s a better system out there. I’m convinced there’s nothing that can deliver better what we need.”

    Peter Buttle, md, Buttle plc

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "Inventory accuracy is higher because everyone is more focused and our staff can see the benefit of getting it right."

    Ian Murchie, Operations Director, Howie Forest Products

  • "It's a very nicely laid out system with easy to follow structural menus and taskpads which, even if I haven't used a particular function before, I find relatively simple to complete."

    Chris Pratt, Pratts Timber and Builders Merchants Ltd

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "We were drowning in paper and, as a business turning over £2.2 million, the time had come for us to invest in business management software."

    David Biddle, MD, Huntingdon Timber & Roofing

  • "The great thing is we can always export information to Excel and produce any report we need — such as aged debt by sales rep, or a bespoke exposure report, which assesses potential credit risk & protects us."

    Damien Cosgrove, Credit Control Mgr, Noyeks Newmans

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "Good customer service is easier to achieve with good IT to back up our staff. bisTrack gives provides an efficient system for dealing with customers. Good management tools enable us to concentrate our efforts in the right direction."

    David Dunmow, Group FD, James Latham plc

  • "Good customer service is easier to achieve with good IT to back up our staff. bisTrack gives provides an efficient system for dealing with customers. Good management tools enable us to concentrate our efforts in the right direction."

    David Dunmow, Group FD, James Latham plc

  • "There’s no doubt that bisTrack is a good tool. We’ve a fantastic record for growth and we’re getting a lot out of bisTrack now, particularly over the control of our business."

    Mike MacLellan, MD, GPH Builders Merchant

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "With bisTrack we now have real-time information on our profitability, which allows us to continually optimise and make decisions on our business plan."

    Stuart Hall, General Manager, Lawcris Panel Products

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "We chose bisTrack because we needed to move on to the next generation of software."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "The decision to go with bisTrack was based on the relationship we were developing with the Progressive team, a confidence in deliverability and their aggressive approach to overall cost."

    Stephen Mulhall, FD, McMahon

  • "We have a responsibility to the environment. That’s why we’re trying to lower our carbon footprint. We introduced e-commerce, cut down on paper receipts & are introducing electronic billing for customers."

    Director, building materials supplier

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "We improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "Performance across the system is continuously enhanced too. Since our last release, finding products is now significantly faster ...by up to 30%."

    Gary Brookshaw, Product Director, Progressive Solutions

  • "The decision to go with bisTrack was based on the relationship we were developing with the Progressive team, a confidence in deliverability and their aggressive approach to overall cost."

    Stephen Mulhall, FD, McMahon

  • "Once we started building up information we could trust, we started seeing real benefits. If stock accuracy was the main benefit, then quality of management information was next."

    Peter Kerr, FD, Palmer Timber

  • "I was working with 2.7 in our test environment and looking at all the work you have done. Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all you do to make this a great technology partnership."

    Brian King, Lumber USA

  • "Performance across the system is continuously enhanced too. Since our last release, finding products is now significantly faster ...by up to 30%."

    Gary Brookshaw, Product Director, Progressive Solutions

  • "We helped ourselves by getting bisTrack on board quickly and painlessly while business was slow, so we won't have disruption as we start to implement a very aggressive three year strategic plan."

    Neil Fuller, Managing Director, Alsford Timber

  • "We were drowning in paper and, as a business turning over £2.2 million, the time had come for us to invest in business management software."

    David Biddle, MD, Huntingdon Timber & Roofing

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "bisTrack was a big investment for us but it's the best change we've ever made. We've grown so much over the last four or five years, we simply couldn't have carried on using a manual system."

    Gerwyn Thomas, partner, TL Thomas (builders' merchant)

  • "I can drop-down and drill into any business information easily, which enables me to analyse a situation very quickly. It gives me complete control."

    Mark Congdon, Financial Director, Noyeks Newmans

  • “There are other systems of course, but none have had the development time that’s behind bisTrack. I can’t believe there’s a better system out there. I’m convinced there’s nothing that can deliver better what we need.”

    Peter Buttle, md, Buttle plc

  • "Inventory accuracy is higher because everyone is more focused and our staff can see the benefit of getting it right."

    Ian Murchie, Operations Director, Howie Forest Products

  • "The decision to go with bisTrack was based on the relationship we were developing with the Progressive team, a confidence in deliverability and their aggressive approach to overall cost."

    Stephen Mulhall, FD, McMahon

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "bisTrack was a big investment for us but it's the best change we've ever made. We've grown so much over the last four or five years, we simply couldn't have carried on using a manual system."

    Gerwyn Thomas, partner, TL Thomas (builders' merchant)

  • "It's a very nicely laid out system with easy to follow structural menus and taskpads which, even if I haven't used a particular function before, I find relatively simple to complete."

    Chris Pratt, Pratts Timber and Builders Merchants Ltd

  • "Once we started building up information we could trust, we started seeing real benefits. If stock accuracy was the main benefit, then quality of management information was next."

    Peter Kerr, FD, Palmer Timber

  • "I'm convinced there's no other system that can deliver better what we need. Apart from its Windows architecture and its powerful functionality, it now has ten years of development behind it."

    Peter Buttle, Buttle plc

bistrack Customer Portal | Progressive Solutions UK

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