Modern Reporting for Microsoft Dynamics AX, Part I: Elements of an Advanced Reporting Strategy

Having been in this industry for a long time, it is amazing to me how we still have so much trouble getting information out of ERP systems. Maybe the methodology most of us use is outdated: The classical report writing that most of us can relate to is as difficult now as it was 30 years ago. And it is outdated, as report writing tools have gotten more sophisticated as the databases themselves have become much more complex.

No matter, say ERP providers, because "With the advanced capabilities of this new ERP system, we have made it much easier to get data out of the system. So much so, that the average user can do this." How is that working out for you?

An advanced reporting strategy includes easier ways and realistic approaches to get to the critical information you need. It takes some changes in thinking, some changes in technology, and an overall business reporting strategy. None of these elements are new, but if you can't get at your data, then you've likely ignored them.

Our goal is always to produce useful information as efficiently as possible. But all information is not the same; some is static data (like phone numbers), some historic (e.g., sales figures), some production (or real-time).

As we'll see below, because information types are different, we need to look at them differently; access them differently; even store them differently.

Types of reporting

Let us examine the three major reporting types, each with its own usages and limitations.

Execution Time. These are reports we use to perform our daily business (e.g., open sales order reports, shipment planning reports, production planning reports, and item requirement reports). Execution time reports ...