Quick Answers Lead To Quick Decisions

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Businesses thrive on data; it is the foundation for every decision that propels them forward. And with the pace at which the world around them is changing and evolving, the ability to access, interpret, and pull insights from data defines where they stand.

It is no surprise then that ad-hoc reporting and analysis tools have become one of the cornerstones of enterprises. They ensure the democratization of data so that employees with technical and non-technical skill sets are on the same page, empowering businesses to act promptly and stay ahead of the curve. 

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What Is Ad-hoc Reporting?

Ad-hoc reporting refers to a BI process used to create data-based reports on an as-needed basis - usually to find the answer to a specific question or isolate specific data. These are developed through Structured Query Language (SQL), which allows users to access and manipulate information from available data. These reports offer real-time insights, are easy to manipulate, and evolve as per the data source. They are concise, precise, and intuitive, can be used for personal consumption, and/ or easily shared with different team members and departments, fostering collaboration and enabling swift decision-making.

They make it easier to decipher insights quickly and effectively. The best reporting tools allow anyone with authorized access, irrespective of data expertise, to create reports from scratch on demand without relying on assistance from developers. Ad-hoc reporting empowers organizations to access and analyze data in real-time, allowing them to make timely, data-driven decisions.

Why Do Businesses Need Ad-Hoc Reporting?

Ad-hoc reporting can be used in different ways to meet additional requirements. Its prime goal is to offer customized reports on demand to help businesses grow by enabling them to get the most out of their data. It achieves this by offering:

Flexibility: Users can select specific data they want to work with and how they want to preset it. It allows them to create customizable graphics like charts and tables that can be manipulated and adjusted to offer answers to data-based queries as required.

Empowerment: Employees across the board, from executives to managers to staff - regardless of technical expertise, can access and report findings as required.

Speed: With reduced reliance on developers or IT teams, reports can be accessed quicker by those who need them. It allows key people to be able to make data-backed decisions promptly.

Real-Time Decision-Making: The ability to create reports in real-time and isolate data sets allows organizations to stay on top of trends, monitor moving threads, and adapt instantly to remain competitive.

Encouraging Collaboration: It is also easier to organize and share reports with team members or managers to view on demand. 

Ad-hoc reporting is essential for organizations where diverse users with varying technical expertise need to access and analyze data independently. It facilitates faster decision-making, empowers users to gain insights tailored to their needs, and reduces the burden on developers.  ‍

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On The Cloud

According to a McKinsey report, organizations will invest 80% of their IT budget in cloud solutions by 2024. A tall claim? Not at all, as cloud-based applications and systems are steadily proving their worth as an indispensable resource for organizations to thrive. Transferring operations from on-premise applications to cloud-based applications, like moving from Oracle E-Business Suite to Fusion Cloud Applications, is the path most businesses are on, and with good reason.  Cloud-based applications offer numerous advantages, including:

• Flexibility and scalability 
• Efficient collaboration
• Advanced data security
• Cost-effectiveness 

While this migration offers a host of advantages for a business, it also creates the need to adapt to a new system to seamlessly improve the gathering, processing, and distribution of Oracle Fusion Cloud data.

The Challenges With Ad-Hoc Reporting For Oracle Fusion Cloud Data

No technology is without its challenges. While cloud-based systems like Oracle Fusion Cloud are proving their worth as efficient data management systems, there are a few complications that arise with regard to ad-hoc reporting, especially for organizations that prefer to stick with familiar software like Excel. Let’s take a closer look.

Multiple Data Sources & Limited Access: Data is often divided between different sources during the transition phase. This makes it challenging to run SQLs. OTBI does offer an avenue to get the job done; however, the process is extremely tedious. Furthermore, data silos also prevent users from attaining a holistic perspective, compromising the efficacy of ad-hoc reports. 

Data Inconsistency: The nature of cloud-based systems and their restrictions can lead to data discrepancies. For instance, duplications or missing data sets. Thus impacting the accuracy of ad-hoc reports. 

Data Security:  Advanced security and access control are crucial for cloud-based systems, as in the case of Oracle Fusion Cloud; they contain sensitive enterprise data that must be protected. Unauthorized users and files can easily access software like Excel. On the other hand, it can be shared without any hassle. Directly connecting Excel to the cloud system potentially exposes data to risks. 

Data Retrieval With Standard SQL Scripts: Because of the restrictions on data accessibility and the complexity of integrating Excel with Oracle Fusion Cloud, fetching specific data with standard SQL scripts is limited. Pulling contextually relevant data and generating complex queries and reports may require advanced SQL and data analysis skills. It limits users that can effectively fetch data independently and increases dependency on developers, data analysts, or IT teams.

Data Volume:  Cloud-based systems store enormous amounts of data, and reporting software may be unable to handle the large data sets pulled into it. Especially when dealing with complex queries or tasks. Forcing it can hinder or slow down performance, leading to data loss or a complete crash. 

Data Structure: Oracle Fusion Cloud stores data in a structured manner using specific data types, different from that of on-premise data systems. Data integration and transformation might be required if the reporting tool does not support these structures. Data transformation capabilities, however, may be limited, and complex data transformations may require manual intervention. This could potentially lead to loss and/ or misinterpretation of data.

Ad-Hoc Reporting With AirQuery

AirQuery is a one-stop solution for reporting and analytics needs, providing easier access to data, better organizational insights, and, most importantly, reliable security. It offers efficient packaged data management and BI solutions, including real-time operational reporting, drill-to-detail, comprehensive dashboards, and ad-hoc inquiry capabilities. 

Since our focus is on ad-hoc reporting for Oracle Cloud Fusion Data, let’s take a look at how AirQuery simplifies and enhances the process:

Unified Platform: AirQuery data pipelines are designed to pull data from multiple sources into one unified data warehouse, reducing the loss of legacy data and/ or real-time data and ensuring that users have access to all the data they need, even within specific data sets. 

Built-in pipelines: AirQuery seamlessly integrates with any application and data source, automating end-to-end processes and centralizing management. The prebuilt adapters negate the need for new coding and simplify data migration to data warehouses. 

User-Friendly: One of the hallmarks of AirQuery ad-hoc reporting tools is that they do not require extensive additional training. Employees across the board can utilize tools to generate ad-hoc reports and share that information within a select team or an organization without relying on IT teams. 

Excel Add-Ins: The familiarity of Excel makes it the preferred computing software for most organizations. AirQuery facilitates the seamless integration of Oracle Fusion Cloud data and Excel with various add-in tools directly integrated with Excel and does not require additional desktop downloads. This tool set includes Excel SQLEdge, allowing users to run custom SQL queries directly from Excel and generate ad-hoc reports without complex data import and export processes. Thus allowing users to gain insights and answers to crucial business questions with ease. 

Advanced Security: AirQuery leverages identity and access management, enabling role-based access controls to prevent leaks and ensure that only authorized personnel may access relevant data. 

Must Read: Multiple Data Sources, One Reporting Solution

The Way Forward

There is no doubt that real-time ad-hoc reporting is the key to answering questions and making quick business decisions, unlocking an organization's potential for innovation, efficiency, and consistent success. And cloud-based systems are consistently proving why they are the best choice for enterprise data management. 

With cloud-based data systems like Oracle Fusion Cloud becoming the norm, reporting and analysis tools need to evolve to overcome any gaps or challenges that may arise. AirQuery’s range of tools, specifically the Excel reporting tool, offers businesses a simple and easily accessible way to generate ad-hoc reports, manage and process enterprise data, and answer critical business questions with just a click. 

Learn more about how AirQuery can help your business grow and get a demo of the tools that best suit your organization’s needs at www.airquery.com