The Three Masters of Report Writing
As consultants we’re generally in situations where things are not staffed in a “textbook” way, so from our perspective it’s less important to think about job titles then about the particular skills needed to get the work done. In order to build perfect reports, you’re going to need three individual “Masters” – the Business Master, the Data Master, and the Tool Master — as well as non-technical end users who will be receiving the final product. Remember, it’s not about what somebody’s business card says their title is – it’s about what they can do.
The Business Master – This is the person who needs the report built (if you’re reading this White Paper, this very well may be YOU!). They know what they want – either because they’ve seen what’s being laboriously produced in Excel or because they know in what direction the business is going. The Business Master needs to know some of the basics of the application used to produce the data, but need not be an expert with the report-building software. This person is often someone like a Controller or Assistant Controller.
The Data Master – This is the person who can find the data in the existing system that’s needed to build the report the Business Master needs. They need a good knowledge not only of Sql – the common language of databases – but also of the particular software application that’s being utilized to build the report. Modern ERP systems are very complex –knowing how to join tables doesn’t mean you know the correct tables to join.
Of the three “Masters” you need, the Data Master is probably the hardest to find. A basic DBA (or Database Administrator) may have the skills to fill this role, but they may not. While the title indicates a familiarity with data, DBA’s are often focused on technical issues involving speed and backup. If they do focus on queries, they often don’t understand the underlying business requirements. It’s definitely worth investigating whether your DBA has the skills necessary to be your Data Master, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that he or she will.
The Tool Master – This is the person with extensive experience and expertise with the particular reporting tool you’ve chosen, be it Excel, Crystal, Oracle Discoverer, QlikView or any other reporting software. Once the Data Master contributes the accurate data, the Tool Master builds all the variations of the report.
The Tool Master can sometimes be found in IT but more often people try to take a “super user” (such as a Senior Accountant) and train them in the tool. Frequently IT people have other priorities. Most important is that the Tool Master make regular use of the particular software tool that’s being used to build the report. Mastery of any tool requires practice – at a minimum the Tool Master should spend a couple weeks up-front doing nothing but building reports, and then they should spend at least one or two days a month tweaking existing reports or building new ones. If they don’t look at the tool for six months, most of their training will be lost.
