App First Look at Spotlight Reporting

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Vendor Corner

Our App 'first look' series is not intended to be a comprehensive review of a particular software or product, they are simply designed to acquaint you with a product we consider worthy of further research on your part. Because almost all of these Apps offer free trials ranging from a week to a month (or in a few cases longer), we think you should definitely take the time to check them out if you or your clients are looking for a similar App. In addition, many of these Apps offer 'partner programs' that can benefit you and your clients.

Spotlight Reporting is a cloud-based reporting solution offering a range of comprehensive management reports, fully customizable dashboards, three-way forecasting, and franchise reporting. I especially like how this App combines typical report data and graphics into a single presentation which you can customize and rearrange so that it makes the most sense for your target audience, even if that's you.

Spotlight allows you to incorporate report dynamics and analysis as part of the reporting. Your Spotlight reports don’t just have to be ‘reports’, they can be detailed breakouts of the data reflected in the way that best illustrates your business performance.

Perhaps you need to highlight key performance measures as they relate to the specific divisions, departments, teams or individuals within your business. It’s easy to do with Spotlight, you can cast the light on the data the illustrates your points and point-of-view, allowing you to build an action plan that your team can clearly understand.

Obviously you know that you can import your spotlight from QuickBooks, or Xero, if I'm writing about this App, but Spotlight works with several other data sources as well, including Excel. In fact, you can import from these three sources into one Spotlight organization if you need to combine data. That’s because Spotlight allows you to consolidate up to 50 different organizations into one set of reports, even if those companies use different or multi-currency.

Connecting to either QuickBooks Online or Xero is easy.  From the Import tab simply click on QuickBooks or Xero, then follow the on-screen instructions. You will be prompted to enter your login credentials, then select the QuickBooks Company, or Xero Organization, you want to connect to and finally authorize your financial software to share data with Spotlight. And it’s just as easy to connect to other data sources like Google Analytics, WorkflowMax, Excel and MYOB.

Spotlight’s reporting features provide powerful management tools designed to help users make informed decisions to achieve better business outcomes.

Accountants and business consultants using Spotlight will find that the product’s integrated reporting and forecasting allows for the creation of insights for your clients to better inform them as to their business outcomes. With Spotlight you will turn accounting and consulting into 'trusted advising' that your clients clearly understand.

But Spotlight is more than just a reporting tool, it's also a great budgeting and cash flow forecasting tool. You can easily see the difference between business success and downfall when Spotlight 'casts the light' on your financial trends.

And when it comes to budgetary forecasting accuracy, Spotlight relies upon three-way forecasting methodologies coupled with their all-in-one budget creator to build your base-line numbers. Then Spotlight gives you a what-if scenario builder providing almost unlimited potential for seeing the future.

And if you thought reporting, budgeting and cash-flow forecasting were enough for one product to do, then you will be pleasantly surprised by the fact that you can create custom dashboards with Spotlight to give you an entry-level overview of your business that opens into a variety of views for your specific business needs. 

It’s easy to customize dashboards with drag-n-drop from a wide selection of pre-configured displays and charts. If you’re responsible for sales you will want to see not only your total sales and best-selling products, but your best customers and how each of your sales representatives are doing. You will want to see sales over time, and customer trends.

On the other hand, if you are the business owner or CFO you probably want a dashboard that gives you revenues over time, cash on hand, target measures compared and contrasted against key performance indicators, receivables and perhaps even your company’s web-traffic from Google Analytics. Spotlight gives you the data you need from all the sources you need it.

Spotlight makes turning your data into "their reports, forecasts and dashboards" simple with pre-configured templates, examples offering data plug-in features and step-by-step instructions. 

If you are like me and can hardly remember the difference between addition and multiplication, not to mention a square root or a cosign, you will appreciate how Spotlight has made it easy to achieve the results you are looking for without having to be a mathematician, programmer, and accountant wrapped into one.

And Spotlight even has a series of instructional webinars covering every aspect of their product.  Whether you are looking for advanced reporting, advanced forecasting or budgetary ‘what-if’ scenario training, Spotlight’s helpful webinars will teach you everything about using their product.

I know you are probably wondering if Spotlight is perfect. Well, no App is perfect, and everyone has things they like and dislike about everything App they try.  Finding the right App for your situation is like Lewis and Clark, you have to be willing to step beyond and explore the unknown. Thankfully most Apps give you a free trial with which to do your exploring.

If you are looking for a high quality reporting App that does way more than reporting, then be sure to check out Spotlight Reporting. And if you are ready to sign-up for a test drive then here is the link to their free trial.