5 best practices of Management Reporting

Management reporting is an essential process for any organization. It involves the collection, analysis, and presentation of information to help managers and other decision makers to make informed decisions. In our previous article, we discussed the distinction between management reporting and financial reporting and highlighted the importance of management reporting for businesses of all sizes, especially SMEs. In this article, we delve into the best practices that organizations can adopt to improve their management reporting process. By implementing these best practices, while having the right mechanisms in place, businesses can ensure that their management reporting is effective, efficient, and valuable to their decision-making process.

1. Clear business requirements

The first step in creating effective management reports is to clearly define the business requirements. This includes identifying the key metrics and information that are important to your organization, as well as defining the target audience and the desired outcome of the report. Of course, no requirements will be essential if they are not aligned with the business strategy and objectives. For that reason, in the process of requirements formulation, people with business background, like business analysts, must also be involved. This will help ensure that the reports not only provide the right information to the right people, but also in the right format, which leads us to our next best practice.

2. Formatting and storytelling

The way that information is presented in a management report is just as important as the information itself. An effective management report should not only provide the data, but also provide context and insights. A report that is well formatted and uses storytelling techniques will be more engaging and easier for decision-makers to understand. Complicated reports with tens of visuals and filters, indicate that either business requirements were not correctly set, or that the report structure does not follow best practices. At the end of the day, decision-makers only care about getting relevant information with the most straightforward possible way.

3. Timely delivery

One of the main benefits of management reporting is its ability to provide real-time information. In order to maximize its impact, it is essential that the report is delivered in a timely manner. With modern technologies such as business intelligence tools, it is now possible to automate the reporting process, eliminating the need for manual analysis and ensuring that the information is available in real-time.

4. Company culture

In order for management reporting to be effective, it must be embraced by the entire organization. Company culture plays a key role as it represents the way decisions are made. This means that the company culture must be supportive of data-driven decision-making. This can be achieved by continuous improvement trough goal setting and by encouraging data-driven decision-making along with open communication and collaboration between departments.

5. Continuous adaptation

Management reporting is not an one-time process. It is a cycle that requires constant adaptation and improvement. This is because the needs and requirements of an organization can change over time due to various factors. For example, if a company chooses to expand into new markets, it will need to adapt its reporting to this new situation and incorporate new information into existing ones, such as market share, cost of customer acquisition, customer lifetime value, return on investment etc.

In conclusion, it is important to note that these best practices are just the foundation for success. Organizations should also strive to continuously innovate and improve their management reporting process by exploring new technologies, data sources, and techniques for analysis and presentation. By embracing a culture of continuous improvement, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and make the most of their management reporting process.

As consultants we know that small and medium enterprises face challenges when it comes to reporting due to shortages such as specialized personnel, time, funds or even the data itself.

For that reason, we created a Business Intelligence as a Service solution, which eliminates all these obstacles. We undertake the entire reporting process of your business, from data management to the creation of personalized management reports accompanied with reporting consulting on your specific industry. We provide a dedicated team of experts to handle all technical aspects so you can focus on using new knowledge to benefit your business.

This article intends to inform the reader and in no way substitutes the specialized consulting services. For more information, please contact MDC Stiakakis SA (Monis Kardiotisis 49, Heraklion | +30 2810 280985)