This document summarizes the results of a survey of 432 Microsoft Dynamics customers regarding their use of reporting and analytics. Key findings include: - Many respondents felt they need to improve analytical capabilities to remain competitive. - Common challenges included a lack of understanding available reporting tools, complex data from multiple systems, and reports being done manually in Excel. - Reporting in offline Excel spreadsheets was causing issues with data accuracy and integrity due to separate data sources and human error in updates. - Areas identified for improvement included inventory management, supplier performance evaluation, and achieving growth from existing customers.

1. The Truth About
Analytics
A Presentation for Microsoft Dynamics Customers

2. MSDynamicsworld.com Survey
» Conducted in April 2010
» Online survey of Microsoft Dynamics AX,
NAV, CRM & GP customers
» 432 respondents globally
» Examined current status and trends in
using reporting and analytics

3. Industry
Please specify the industry in which you work

4. Country
What country do you work in?

5. Need to improve analytical capabilities to remain competitive
Does your organization need to improve its analytical capabilities to remain competitive?

6. What respondents said
» “Lots of information but no formal way to report and analyze.”
» “We need to leverage our data better, identifying trends and
correlations to improve forecasting.”
» “Not so much competitive as trying to stay afloat in this economy.”
» “We have to better manage our cost structure at the lowest level
possible.”
» “The recent downturn highlighted that relying on instinct does not
always work.”
» “Business needs on demand info to remain competitive. If a sales
manager cannot pull out necessary details for analysis, the business
suffers!”
» “We want information faster and more accurate so that we can
remain the leader in the market and not be forced to react to
issues.”

7. Challenges in analyzing and reporting on
Microsoft Dynamics data
What challenges do you face in analyzing and reporting on Microsoft Dynamics data?

8. What respondents said
» “We are slim on resources and fully don’t
understand what is available to us and what would
make the most impact with the least investment.”
» “Quantity of data vs. speed of accessing the data.”
» “Some manufacturing data is in another system -
disparate database create challenges.”
» “Too complex for my users to understand.”
» “Most of our reporting is done manually using
Excel.”
» “Not sure what tools to use for different analysis
needs.”

9. The use of offline spreadsheets
Is reporting and analysis performed using offline spreadsheets that are not connected to the
original Microsoft Dynamics data source?

10. Offline spreadsheets causing accuracy and data issues
Does offline reporting and analysis cause any issues with accuracy and data integrity?

11. What respondents said
» “Human intervention = higher chance for human error.”
» “Separate spreadsheets generally mean separate data. No way to integrate
the offline analysis back into the data set.”
» “Had an Excel spreadsheet tracking leads, but it takes so long to update at
remote locations that they cannot use it. It shows old data until it updates
and not everyone is aware what’s happening.”
» “Data accuracy and integrity is critical and needs to be reviewed and tested
before it’s ready for wide scale usage.”
» “Since it is offline, each user may have different version of the so called
‘true data’, hence the data integrity problem.”
» “Absolutely. We goof up a pivot table link, fail to capture all the data, or fail
to understand how underlying data has changed thereby making our
spreadsheet obsolete.”
» “Difficult to update reports without downloading new data, which takes far
too long.”

12. Rate your current organizational
performance
» Managing inventory
Highest number of “Very Poor” votes
» Managing supplier performance
Highest number of “Poor” votes
» Evaluating performance
Highest number of “Average” votes
» Achieving growth and recurring
business from existing customers
Highest number of “Effective” and “Very
Effective” votes

13. Top areas where improvement would have the
biggest impact on organizational performance

14. Tools and solutions used to report on and analyze Microsoft Dynamics data

15. Barriers to Business Intelligence

16. What respondents said
» “Trying to decide whether it should be NAV specific or
a more general solution because of the mass of legacy
data.”
» “Not setup to utilize properly.”
» “Hard to work with internal IT dept to implement.”
» “Yet to decide on what toolset meets our needs and
even what our needs are as we are somewhat stuck in
a culture of printed reports.”
» “Working on creating one that addresses our
measurement points.”
» “We have solution but we don’t have the skilled
persons to implement.”

17. Who is Zap?
 Global business intelligence software company
 Provides SQL Server based business intelligence
solutions to mid-market businesses
 Has a range of solutions specifically for Microsoft
Dynamics AX, NAV and CRM customers that
dramatically reduce the time and cost of
implementing and maintaining BI solutions
 Award-winning and Certified for Microsoft Dynamics
 www.ZapTechnology.com