# SyteLine Reporting and BI Maturity Assessment > Source: https://netray.co/tools/syteline-reporting-and-bi-maturity-assessment > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer A short assessment that scores how reliably SyteLine data reaches reports, dashboards and decision makers. ## Category syteline ## Erp Infor SyteLine ## Audience - SyteLine admin - Controller - IT manager ## Tool **Kind:** assessment **Questions:** #### How do most people get the numbers they need from SyteLine? **Options:** ##### Export screens to Excel and rework them by hand **Score:** 0 ##### A mix of standard reports and manual exports **Score:** 1 ##### Mostly maintained reports and dashboards **Score:** 2 ##### Self-service on governed, documented data **Score:** 3 #### How many versions of the same KPI exist across spreadsheets and reports? **Options:** ##### Many, and people argue about them **Score:** 0 ##### A few for key KPIs **Score:** 1 ##### One definition for most KPIs **Score:** 2 ##### One documented definition, owned by someone **Score:** 3 #### How do reports run against the production database? **Options:** ##### Heavy reports run in business hours and slow users **Score:** 0 ##### We schedule some reports off-peak **Score:** 1 ##### Most reporting runs on a replica or a copy **Score:** 2 ##### Reporting is separated, monitored and tuned **Score:** 3 #### How well is the reporting layer documented? **Options:** ##### Not documented, known by one or two people **Score:** 0 ##### Partly documented **Score:** 1 ##### Most reports have owner and purpose recorded **Score:** 2 ##### Full catalog with data sources and refresh times **Score:** 3 #### How trusted is the data in dashboards by senior management? **Options:** ##### Rarely used because numbers are doubted **Score:** 0 ##### Used with a lot of caveats **Score:** 1 ##### Mostly trusted **Score:** 2 ##### Trusted and reconciled to the ledger regularly **Score:** 3 #### How are custom reports built and changed? **Options:** ##### Ad hoc by whoever has access **Score:** 0 ##### By a few developers without formal control **Score:** 1 ##### With a request process and testing **Score:** 2 ##### Version controlled, tested and reviewed **Score:** 3 #### How do you handle access to sensitive data in reports (cost, price, payroll)? **Options:** ##### Not controlled **Score:** 0 ##### Controlled for some reports **Score:** 1 ##### Role-based for most reports **Score:** 2 ##### Role-based, reviewed and logged **Score:** 3 #### How do reports behave after upgrades or customization changes? **Options:** ##### Some break and we find out from users **Score:** 0 ##### We test only the most critical reports **Score:** 1 ##### We test a defined list of reports **Score:** 2 ##### Automated before and after comparisons **Score:** 3 #### How much data from outside SyteLine (MES, CRM, spreadsheets) is combined in reporting? **Options:** ##### Combined by hand in spreadsheets **Score:** 0 ##### Some manual loads on a schedule **Score:** 1 ##### Automated loads for key sources **Score:** 2 ##### A governed data layer across systems **Score:** 3 #### How often does the business ask for a new report that takes more than a week? **Options:** ##### Constantly, there is a long backlog **Score:** 0 ##### Often **Score:** 1 ##### Occasionally **Score:** 2 ##### Rarely, most needs are met quickly **Score:** 3 **Bands:** #### Ad hoc reporting **Min:** 0 **Max:** 34 **Verdict:** Reporting depends on individuals and spreadsheets. Numbers are hard to trust and slow to produce. **Recommendations:** - List the ten reports the business actually uses and name an owner for each - Agree one definition for the five most disputed KPIs - Move heavy reports out of peak hours #### Developing **Min:** 35 **Max:** 59 **Verdict:** Basic reports exist, but control, documentation and performance are uneven. **Recommendations:** - Create a report catalog with source, owner and refresh time - Introduce a request and test process for report changes - Separate reporting load from the transaction database #### Managed **Min:** 60 **Max:** 79 **Verdict:** Reporting is largely controlled and trusted, with room to improve automation and self-service. **Recommendations:** - Automate before and after report tests for upgrades - Review access to sensitive data on a schedule - Reduce backlog with governed self-service on common datasets #### Governed **Min:** 80 **Max:** 100 **Verdict:** You have a well-run reporting layer. Focus on keeping it current as data sources and needs change. **Recommendations:** - Keep reconciliation to the ledger in the routine - Review unused reports and retire them - Evaluate where natural-language access could shorten the request backlog ## Content **Intro:** Most SyteLine users can get data out, but fewer trust what comes out. This ten question assessment scores your reporting and BI setup on sources, definitions, performance, control and change management, and suggests the next step for your level. **Sections:** #### How to use the assessment **Body:** Answer based on what actually happens, not what the policy says. If you are unsure, ask the people who build and use the reports. The score is a percentage of the maximum, which maps to one of four levels. Use the result as a conversation starter with finance and IT, and repeat it a year later to see whether you moved. **Bullets:** - Involve a report developer and a business user - Answer for the typical month, not the best one - Export the result and the recommendations for your plan #### What the questions measure **Body:** The questions cover five themes: how people reach data, whether KPIs have a single definition, whether reporting load harms transaction performance, whether reports are controlled and documented, and whether they survive change. These matter because reporting problems usually come from process and ownership more than from tools. A new tool on top of unclear definitions simply produces more dashboards that disagree. #### Interpreting your level **Body:** A low score is not a failure. It means a few inexpensive steps, like a catalog, a KPI glossary and off-peak scheduling, will pay off quickly. A high score means the work shifts to maintenance and to reducing the time it takes for new questions to get answers. Where the vendor's own reporting tools meet your needs, there is no reason to add more. **Cta:** If your SyteLine backlog is mostly requests for new reports, Netray can discuss natural-language access over your ERP data, read-only and with the query shown. **Faq:** #### What reporting tools does SyteLine use? **Answer:** SyteLine environments typically use built-in reports and tools from the Infor stack, SQL Server based reporting, and third-party BI products over the database. The right mix depends on your release, licensing and skills. #### Should we build a data warehouse for SyteLine? **Answer:** Only if you have cross-system reporting, heavy analytics or performance problems that a replica cannot solve. For many mid-sized manufacturers, a well-governed set of reports and a reporting replica is enough. #### How accurate is a ten question assessment? **Answer:** It gives a directional view, not an audit. Use it to find where to look first, then verify with a review of your actual reports, queries and user feedback. #### Why does reporting slow down transactions? **Answer:** Large reports can lock or scan big tables the application also needs. Running them off-peak or on a copy of the data reduces contention and gives users a more stable system. ## Search terms syteline reporting, syteline bi, syteline dashboards, syteline reports slow, syteline ssrs reports, syteline data warehouse, syteline reporting assessment, erp reporting maturity --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json