Turn dependable information into useful decisions
Reports are only helpful when people understand where the figures come from and can trust them. Stratiis helps Scottish organisations bring information from business systems into a clear reporting plan, with agreed definitions, ownership, access and checks.
What is a reporting and data project?
It is the work of defining the questions a business needs to answer, identifying the records that can answer them, improving their quality and presenting consistent measures to the right people. It can involve dashboards or regular reports, but the source, definitions, permissions and maintenance need to be agreed first.
Give teams a shared view of performance
When each team extracts and edits its own figures, meetings can become a debate about the numbers rather than the decision.
Trusted measures
Define what each figure means and where it comes from.
Timely insight
Make relevant information available at the pace decisions require.
Appropriate access
Show each audience the information it is entitled to use.
Less manual work
Reduce repeated extraction and spreadsheet consolidation where practical.
What should a reporting and data plan include?
Begin with the decision and trace every important measure back to its source and owner.
| Area | What to establish | Useful output |
|---|---|---|
| Business question | Who needs to decide what, how often and with what level of detail? | Prioritised reporting requirements. |
| Definitions | What does each measure include, exclude and count as complete? | Agreed metric definitions. |
| Source systems | Where do records live, how are they updated and which source is authoritative? | Source and ownership map. |
| Data quality | Are fields complete, current, consistent and suitable for comparison? | Quality checks and correction actions. |
| Access and protection | Who may view, share or change the underlying data and reports? | Permission and handling rules. |
| Integration and refresh | How will information move and how recent must it be? | Connection and refresh design. |
| Presentation | Which view makes the decision clear without hiding context or uncertainty? | Pilot report or dashboard. |
| Maintenance | Who validates figures, monitors failures and updates definitions? | Ongoing ownership and review plan. |
Document limitations and assumptions alongside a report so readers understand what the figures can support.
Address the causes of unreliable reporting
A new chart cannot resolve unclear definitions or incomplete source records on its own.
Business process
Find when information is created, checked and approved in everyday work.
Data and records
Review source quality, ownership, migration and retention.
Connections
Understand how systems exchange records and how failures are detected.
Identity and access
Match report access to roles and information sensitivity.
Workflow automation
Improve repeatable data capture and handoffs where they cause avoidable gaps.
Security and governance
Agree sharing, retention and review rules before widening access.
From a decision to a trusted reporting pilot
Start with a small set of questions whose answers can be checked with the people who use the information.
Define
Agree the audience, decisions, measures and current reporting baseline.
Trace
Map definitions and source records; assess quality, access and refresh needs.
Build
Create a limited report or dashboard and validate figures against the source.
Review
Test usefulness with decision-makers, fix gaps and assign ongoing ownership.
Automation, Data and AI Readiness provides the wider context for information quality and future use cases.
Give each measure a definition and an owner
Reports can change when source systems or business rules change. Named owners help keep them meaningful over time.
Business ownership
The business owner decides which questions matter and accepts the definitions. Data owners confirm how records are created, corrected and interpreted. Readers should know the period, filters and limitations of each view.
Technical and security ownership
Technical owners manage the agreed connections, refresh, availability and access controls. Sensitive information needs appropriate permissions and handling, including when reports are exported or shared.
Co-Managed IT Support can help share technical responsibilities with an internal team.
What should be tested before a report is relied upon?
Check both the figures and the decisions people make from them.
| Check | What it should show |
|---|---|
| Reconciliation | Totals and samples agree with approved source records for a stated period. |
| Definitions | Filters, calculations, dates and exclusions match the agreed meaning. |
| Missing or duplicate data | Quality gaps are visible, corrected or clearly explained. |
| Refresh and failures | Readers know when data was last updated and an owner sees failed updates. |
| Permissions | Each role can view only the information it should access. |
| Interpretation | The audience can answer its original question without a misleading chart or lost context. |
| Change control | Source or calculation changes are tested, documented and communicated. |
A pilot should compare the new view with the existing process and record differences before it replaces an established report.
Keep information useful after launch
A report becomes a service when people use it regularly and someone maintains the meaning behind it.
Monitor
Check data refresh, source changes and quality exceptions.
Explain
Show dates, definitions and caveats where readers need them.
Improve
Collect questions and refine views without adding unnecessary measures.
Review
Confirm the report still supports a real decision.
Technology Roadmaps can sequence larger improvements to source systems and reporting capability.
Connect reporting to the wider technology plan
Information quality often depends on systems, processes and support outside the report itself.
Reporting and data explained
What is the difference between a report and a dashboard?
A report presents information for a defined question or period, often in more detail. A dashboard gives a concise view of selected measures for ongoing monitoring. Both need agreed definitions and trustworthy sources.
Where should a business start with reporting?
Start with a decision that people struggle to make. Identify the few measures that would help, then trace their definitions and source records before designing the view.
Do we need to replace our systems to improve reporting?
Not necessarily. Existing systems may hold enough useful data. First assess quality, access and connection options; then decide whether a process or system change is needed.
How do we know the figures are accurate?
Define each measure, reconcile samples and totals to approved sources, test filters and date periods, and assign an owner to investigate discrepancies and monitor future changes.
Can data from several systems be brought together?
Often, subject to the applications, available interfaces and permissions. Agree matching keys, definitions, refresh timing and what happens when an integration fails before relying on combined figures.
How often should data be refreshed?
It depends on the decision. Some reports need daily or more frequent updates; others may be useful monthly. Choose a cadence based on the business need and show when the data was last refreshed.
How should sensitive information be protected in reports?
Use role-based access, limit personal or confidential detail to what is needed, review sharing and export routes, and agree retention and ownership. Test permissions before publication.
Can Stratiis work with our internal team and software suppliers?
Yes. Stratiis can help coordinate reporting requirements, source connections, access, testing and handover with your team and relevant suppliers. Product-specific work is agreed for each project.
Start with the question you need to answer
Tell us which figures are hard to trust or assemble. We can discuss the sources, owners and a practical reporting pilot.
