Technology

InterReport - Hosted Business Intelligence

InterReport is a secure, Internet-hosted business intelligence solution that is able to support all of your users and allow them to analyze, share, and report on business information. Simply put, you provide us with your data from multiple disparate sources, and we provide a process that extracts the updated data daily, aggregates it in one central location, and distributes meaningful information in the form of live reports to users via a web browser. With Dimensional Insight's hosted business intelligence solution, users access business data quickly and securely, in an easy-to-use and intuitive format. All applications are live on the Web, so users will be able to access them with any device that supports a browser. IT departments will no longer have to maintain large databases or expensive desktop software. InterReport not only takes the burden off of your IS/IT staff, it empowers users with a portable, "always there" source for business intelligence.

InterReport reports present on-demand analytics and key performance indicators in a familiar web-based format. Live reports are intended to reduce inventory, increase fill rates, and reduce order cycle time through supply chain optimization and internal collaboration between corporate sales, finance and marketing. Timely sales and distribution information from InterReport provides production and supply chain efficiencies. Your business information, and the way it is presented to users, is highly customizable to meet the unique needs of your business.

Better Service at Lower Costs

Until now, business intelligence solutions were delivered and implemented on-site. This required IT resources, time, experience, and business knowledge to deploy and maintain the system. Over time, company data increases exponentially, more users want access to the reports, and users request increasingly complex reports. As usage and needs increase, so do the levels of support and training. InterReport relieves this burden by delivering business intelligence technology and support for one low monthly fee. Now, you can obtain all the benefits of a business intelligence solution while alleviating many of the costs associated with purchasing this type of system.

With InterReport, upgrades are easy. Using web computing, Dimensional Insight updates the application once, and all users get the new version the next time they log on. Also, because there is no software to purchase, implementation consulting and time frames are reduced. Fewer technologists are required to manage the system.

Deploying and managing a complex information system detracts from core business initiatives. InterReport provides a cost-effective way to connect all types of users with enterprise information without introducing new software, hardware, or technical expertise. We combine your data sources and provide daily updated reports so you can stay focused on core competency.

Users may download data at any time, for any purpose. Reports are presented in an extremely intuitive format, and the underlying details are accessible online and offline in formats such as Word, Excel, PDF and more.

Applications: Pick and Choose the Applications You Need

Gone are the days of packaged ERP systems that have hundreds of functions you'll never use. InterReport allows you to pick and choose the reports and data access levels the users in your company need.

Based on the input of your data, and your business rules and reporting requirements, InterReport provides the framework for the integration of source data, the development of DI's database, and the delivery of "live reports." Business analysts, sales executives, marketing executives, corporate management, and others use these reports as the starting point for their analysis and decision-making process. The information contained within the reports is generated automatically as your data is updated, and the elements in the reports are "live," meaning the user can click on an actual bar in a graph or cell in a spreadsheet to see the underlying information. This framework is the result of years of experience in transforming transactional data into actionable business information. InterReport enables you to provide information, reports, and data analysis capabilities to your user community to improve visibility into your data and make better decisions every day.

Inventory:

• Distributor-Average # of days of inventory
• In House-Average # of days of inventory
• In House-Inventory value
• All by item and brand group
• Inventory turns analysis

Shipments:

• Shipments YTD vs. LYTD to distributor by SKU (showing variance in cases and percent)
• Shipments to distributors by month versus last year
• Shipments to distributors vs goals
• Shipments to distributors by region
• Shipments to distributor YTD vs. LYTD, revenues YTD vs. LYTD (shows variance in cases/dollars and percent) by SKU
• Shipments by month vs. last year by month, showing cumulative for each and variance in cases showing cumulative, to distributor by SKU
• Shipments to distributor by month vs. goals showing cumulative and variance by SKU

Depletions:

• Depletions by YTD vs Goal
• Depletions by Distributor YTD vs LYTD
• Depletions by month by distributor
• Depletions for top ten distributors
• Depletions and retail account level data by distributor and by distributor sales people by SKU YTD vs. LYTD (variance in cases and percent)
• Depletions by distributor this year by month vs. last year by month (variance and cumulative)
• Depletions YTD vs. shipments YTD, 12 month rolling totals of each and variance
• Depletions by month versus shipments by month (variance and cumulative)
• Depletions by account sold by month
• Depletions rolled up by region and division

Retail Account Data

• Sold/unsold accounts volume and number of accounts sold
• Sales from the distributor to accounts YTD vs LYTD
• Chain sales by month
• Sales by license type
• Sold/Unsold reporting
• Lost business alerts
• Brand/Label performance by premise and market
• Sales performance by brand, customer, region, sales group/person
• Sales scorecards
• Seasonality by product class
• Promotion tracking: Goals by product/brand/team
• Detailed reports by market, brand, SKU, class of trade
• Detailed reports by product groups (e.g. by brand, variety, vintage, etc.)
• Summaries of information (e.g. total market, by region, by state)
• Retail account level data by channel, chain, state, zip code etc.
• Revenues by month vs. last year (variance and cumulative)
• Gross profits by month vs. last year (variance and cumulative)
• Gross Profit YTD vs. LYTD

Access to Data - Information the Way You Want To See It

InterReport offers various access levels for advanced, general, and casual user levels. Users who have a high need for an analytical tool-set, such as analysts, administrators, or developers, are provided with access to our most powerful interface, ProDiver, and are also capable of developing and administering the DivePort portal interface. They receive all possible features and functionality to manipulate information contained in Models.

ProDiver users have intuitive access to data with point and click speed to obtain immediate answers to business questions. Data is centralized and securely distributed to users via the Internet. It’s often difficult to see trends in columns of numbers, but ProDiver offers interactive tabular, multi-tabular and cross-tabular spreadsheets, graphs, charts, and maps that make significant changes stand out, and then lets users explore the detail behind the summary data. In all ProDiver reports and graphs, every data-point is "live," meaning users may click on the actual table contents, pie chart, bar graph, or report line to "dive" into more detailed levels of information. Also, ProDiver users are able to create and save their own reports to share (in addition to the standard InterReport reports), which are updated each time the data is refreshed.

General users have a high need for access to reports, and a moderate to low need for analytical tools. These users require access to reports and graphs with basic "diving" or analytical capabilities. This level of functionality is delivered via the Web and provides access to reports and charts with "diving" capability either within DivePort or via NetDiver.

NetDiver is zero-footprint browser interface that allows general business users to access and analyze their data, as well as create .pdf views for printing and sharing. It requires no maintenance on users' machines, and presents information entirely within the browser. There is no need to open a separate application.

DivePort delivers information within one cohesive web-based browser interface. It provides a web-based, executive view of multiple key performance indicators for fast and proactive decisions. DivePort is fully integrated to all information sources, providing a methodology that balances the need for rapid assimilation of key metrics by senior executives, with quick and intelligent access to lower level data by supporting analytical staff. Each user ID can be customized to present the data and reports that are relevant to each individual user. DivePort allows external business partners to gain access to the information they need within a customized environment that contains just the information that is pertinent to them.

Casual users have a high need for report access, but no analytical need. Many remote and external users, such as your sales staff, customers, suppliers and business partners, require only a minimal amount of functionality. They want to see the report and be able to print it or download the contents into MS-Excel. For casual users, reports are presented in an organized format for easy access. Emails may also be generated automatically to casual users based on changes within the data. As data is updated, exceptions or thresholds will trigger a report or tabular view to be sent automatically in an email, or as a .pdf, .html, or .xls email attachment. Information can be filtered to the individual or group level. This broadcast system within InterReport immediately gets information in the hands of those who need it.

Hosting Facility Benefits

InterReport servers connect via high-speed lines directly to the Internet. User performance is limited only by users' local connection to the Internet.

Dimensional Insight has partnered with a secure Internet hosting facility that maximizes the performance of business-critical applications across the Internet through proprietary wide area network (WAN) technologies - creating LAN-like performance over any WAN. The facility provides easy access to patented technologies such as route control, acceleration, and caching. All servers are in a secure environment with limited access, and Dimensional Insight uses an isolated Linux environment. All communication with the system is encrypted, and each company server has firewalls (i.e. Dimensional Insight will "talk" only to that company's IP address to receive data). Data is backed up on a daily basis.

The service offers:

• IP connectivity (from 1Mb - GigE)
• Off-hours support via our 24 x 7 x 365 Remote Hands service
• Locking cabinets
• Fully redundant high-capacity power feeds
• Battery UPS back-up to generator power
• Fully redundant HVAC system
• Controlled temperature and humidity
• Fire-threat detection and suppression (including pre-warning systems)
• 24 x 7 x 365 critical monitoring/disaster prevention
• 24 x 7 x 365 manned facilities
• 24 x 7 x 365 security access to facilities
• Role Based Visibility and Security

Implementation

DI's expert consultants manage the entire process from start to finish. Our comprehensive implementation methodology assures that your information goals will be met within a fast start-up time frame. If your infrastructure is in need of faster connection speeds or hardware, Dimensional Insight will provide the appropriate products and include them in the low monthly fee.

DI first extracts data from your transactional systems and loads it onto the InterReport Linux server. We then build data marts and make them accessible through a secure extranet and develop scripts to control data transfer from your organization to the InterReport Linux Server. The information is then delivered via web-enabled interfaces. Users have a wide range of access options, from Email reports to powerful analytical tools.

Security will be configured so that users will have access to Model information, limited by hierarchy or sales structure, as determined by your company's provided listing. DI defines users' logins, home directories, etc. Groupings of users are also identified for determining appropriate restrictions on access to data.

Support and Training

Supporting your users has never been easier. InterReport provides an automated solution to the challenges of supporting and training both internal and external users. Immediate benefits are realized through the following features:

• Automatic technology upgrades - New technology is implemented to immediately upgrade the functionality of your system.
• Pro-active support - As system events occur, Dimensional Insight support technicians are alerted and immediately work to resolve problems, often before you are aware they exist.
• Pro-active training - As new product enhancements are introduced, training is made available, at your convenience and schedule.
• InterReport Help Desk - Your users connect directly with our help desk, reducing the strain on your internal IS/IT department.
• External User Support - Users, such as customers, suppliers, and business partners, can be added to the system and supported without incurring additional support requirements.

Click on the graphics below to view an enlarged version:

Customer Analysis

Inventory Analysis

Sales Performance

Shipment Analysis

Supplier Reporting