Acumatica web-based ERP provides the robust dashboard capability that most Clients demand. Dashboards provide access to real-time information in consumable bites. You can view dashboards when you log into Acumatica through your web browser or view them on the Mobile App.
So how do you move away from reporting and make this powerful tool work for you? Here is my number one tip that may help. Are you ready?
Keep it simple – I know you are thinking, “That’s your tip!” Yes absolutely. Most people that convert from legacy systems to Acumatica start out thinking that they need to replicate every report they have in their former system. This is a mistake. You are moving from your old system for a reason, so why not rethink how you consume information. Spending hours producing lengthy reports may still have its place for some specific presentations. However, for day to day consumption of data, dashboards are a powerful tool.
Think of how much time you take to read a report. If this report is a document that you constantly refer to and the data is relevant for more than a week, then keep it as a report. But if that report needs to be reproduced everyday for it to be relevant than this should be on a dashboard.
We have found that once people make the switch to dashboards, they love it. Now the challenge is having too much information. My answer is again keep it simple. Yes. You don’t want clutter on your desk (well many people don’t) so don’t clutter your dashboard with information that is nice to have but it is not critical to how you plan your day.
So where do you start? Consider what is critical for your success. Is it seeing a list of to do items? If so then add a Data Table widget (which is a dashboard item) connected to Sales Activities, for example. This way you can drill into this activity, update it and move on to the next task.
Other information you need however, may just be to alert you about changes in your business that would require your immediate attention. Add this to your dashboard in the form of a KPI. Customers on Credit Hold is an example. Whether it is one account of 50 accounts, you can set the colors and alarm levels that suite your business.
Acumatica Dashboards also now allow you to modify the information you are consuming on the fly. For example. If you create a widget on your dashboard that provides a chart with segmented data, like sales by sales person, you can pick and choose which sales associate’s numbers you want to temporarily eliminate from that chart view.
Again, whether it is a list, a chart, or a KPI. Keep it simple. Create a dashboard that is meaningful to your role and your business. For more information about how Acumatica Dashboards can work for your business contact your Crestwood Account Manager and sign up for our Crestwood Blogs.
