Analytical reports as a key indicator dashboard

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Another option for representing analytical reports is a key indicator dashboard, a tool for analyzing the state and forecasting development of a company based on the values and changes of key indicators.

The dashboard is a value table whose rows display current, previous, and planned key indicator values as well as the state and dynamics calculated based on these values.

At the top of the dashboard you can see the main parameters for calculating key indicators: a company, a currency, a scenario (plan), a scenario (actual), a previous period offset.

You can filter the report lines by indicator state and their dynamics. Filters by state complement each other. The report displays the lines that match any selected filters.

Filters by indicator dynamics complement each other the same way.

You can set the report period relative to the current period with the required frequency (current year, past month, and so on) or select a specific value from the Periods catalog if the Arbitrary period check box is selected.

The previous period is a period of the same frequency as the selected current one and separated from it by the number of periods specified in the Previous period offset field.

Key indicator dashboard contains the following values for each indicator:

• Current value is calculated for the period specified in the period filter and the scenario specified in the Scenario (actual) field.
• Previous value is calculated for the previous period and the scenario specified in the Scenario (actual) field.
• Planned value is calculated for the period specified in the period filter and the scenario specified in the Scenario (actual) field.

Key indicator dashboard indicators

Each line of the key indicator dashboard corresponds to one indicator. On the Main settings tab, you can specify data sources for the current indicator, the planned indicator, and the indicator for comparison. Data sources for calculation catalog items are used as a source.

You don't need to specify all sources for the indicator. If any of the sources is not specified, you will see a dash in the key indicator dashboard cell whose value is obtained using this source. The cell will appear shaded.

Note that you need the current and planned indicator values to determine the indicator state, as well as the current indicator value and the comparison period value to determine the dynamics. If any of the required indicators is not defined, the indicator state or dynamics is not calculated.

Besides sources, on the Main settings tab, you can specify the indicator name, the person responsible for the indicator and the analysis area, to which the indicator belongs, as well as attributes for setting up display. You can assign an icon to the indicator from the icon gallery or import it from file. We recommend that you use 32x32 icons. To display the indicator dynamics, specify frequency, a period display depth, and a chart type.

On the Set up indicators tab, you can specify how the obtained indicators will be interpreted when calculating the indicator state and dynamics.

The Improvement treatment can be positive and negative. If the treatment is negative, the excess of the current value over the comparison period value is considered as a negative dynamics. If the treatment is positive, such excess is considered as a positive dynamics.

Materiality threshold. If the difference between the current value and the comparison value does not exceed the materiality threshold, it is considered that there is no indicator dynamics.

The indicator state is considered good if the variance of the current value from the planned value does not exceed the allowed plan variance.

The indicator state is considered satisfactory if the variance of the current value from the planned value does not exceed the maximum plan variance. If the maximum plan variance is exceeded, the indicator state is set to alarm.

You can test the configured indicator on the Testing tab.

Setting up key indicator dashboard

To open the edit form, double-click the Analytical dashboards catalog item.

Specify the dashboard content in the Key indicators table. If you use an external infobase to calculate the indicator values, specify it in the appropriate cell. To bulk edit an external infobase for several table rows, select the rows, click External infobase and select the external infobase in the opened dialog box. To fill the key indicator table from the Key indicators catalog selection form, click Select.

You can group key indicator dashboard indicators by responsible persons and an analysis area. Select how to group indicators in the Group field.

To enable target management, select the Display targets check box. In this case, indicators will be displayed by targets. If the Display targets check box is selected, you can display the key indicator dashboard not only as a table but also as a tree whose nodes contain targets. Select how to display the dashboard in the Display dashboard field.

Balanced scorecard

In the configuration, you can take advantage of a balanced scorecard for strategic planning. In addition to key indicator dashboard indicators, which are key performance indicators of the system, the following catalogs are used in the balanced scorecard:

• Analysis areas
• Targets

Analysis areas

Analysis areas are components used to decompose the strategy to implement it.

Strategic targets

Strategic targets determine how to implement the strategy.

For each target, specify an Analysis area and a Responsible person.

To assess the target achievement, use a key factor table. Key factors include both key indicator dashboard indicators and sub targets.

For each factor, specify Weight, the degree of its influence on the target state. The lower the weight, the less the factor state affects the target state.

Initiatives

Initiatives are activities aimed at achieving a given target. You can specify the initiatives for targets on the Initiatives tab.

For the Initiatives catalog item, you can specify the activity start and end dates, progress percentage, person responsible for the activity, planned and actual costs, and activity parties.

When you display the key indicator dashboard as a diagram (strategy map in BSC terms), the target item displays the number of initiatives for this target. To drill down this number using the initiative report, double-click the target.

The report allows you to estimate total costs of achieving the target, activity progress percentage, and people responsible for the activities.

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