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Dashboards vs Reports
The term reporting has often been used to describe both dashboards vs reports, with users commonly referring to simple tables placed within dashboards, as reports.
The question is, what’s the difference between the two? Many organizations view them interchangeably but ignore the distinct advantages and disadvantages each offer.
Understanding each and what they bring to the table can help you determine which one fits your organization’s needs best.
What is a Report?
Reports are built based on datasets where each dataset can be viewed from the multi-perspective view. Reports are based on one dataset or one business unit data.
Reports are static documents that contain data in text and table form. They sometimes include visuals such as basic graphs and charts but are mostly organized to highlight specific raw numbers or relevant data sets.
One of the attributes of reports is that they allow the creator to build full narratives with data and optimize its presentation. Additionally, they feature data that is already cleaned, sorted, and parsed.
What is a Dashboard?
Dashboards are collections of stories or business cases from different reports containing only most important elements from reports. Dashboards contain or displays high visible so something user wants to monitor regularly which may include real-time or batch data processing.
Dashboards are business key performance indicator view where it displays key values which can change business profits and can be glanced at one screen. A dashboard will focus on visual, interactive features and will allow users to physically ‘drill’ into the information.
What Are the Differences Between Reports and Dashboards?
- Dashboards are used to tell a user story or a business story in a page layout normally called as Dashboard. Dashboards are collections of stories or business cases from different reports containing only the most important elements from the reports.
- Reports are based on one dataset or one business unit data. Reports and dashboards are dependent on each other because of any operational value or from a metric value report have a feature that they can be drilled down to report level detail granularity.
- Dashboards are one placeholder to display most important decision-making facts to run a business. But reports are more detailed data displayed in many formats like chart, graphs list and in tabular etc.
- Dashboards have business key performance indicator view where it displays key values which can change business profits and can be glanced at one screen.
- Reports can be exported to any format and can be downloaded to a local desktop for further analysis. Reports can be published in web and subscribed through email.
- Dashboards have same features of reports, but dashboards can be exported to limited formats, so dashboards are used to visualize the important data rather than analyse data which can only be done with reports.
So, Which Do I Need? Dashboards or Reports?
The answer to this question depends on what your specific data needs are. Both reports and dashboards offer key benefits, and each is accompanied by their own limitations.
| DASHBOARDS | REPORTS |
| – The first major area where each offers a different advantage is in scope. Dashboards can really include any number of data points and sets, though they are best employed when they focus on specific aspects of an organization. Some dashboard examples include tools that track help desk tickets, relative market share, investment portfolios, and other specific metrics. | – Reports, on the other hand, have the benefit of a broader scope. Because they’re not live and can be curated, reports can offer a better high-level view of an organization. A Manager or a CEO may not need to see specific dashboards for customer support, but he would benefit from understanding how the entire customer service department is operating. |
| – Dashboards are organizing data in a real time and built to visualize data. They can be modified to alert users when specific metrics change, or thresholds are met. | – Reports tend to be broader and feature historic data. Because they must be delivered periodically, they represent a snapshot of a specific area or organization rather than its real-time situation. |
| – Dashboards also allow users to manipulate and interact with data dynamically. | – Reports show a static picture of the existing data. |
| – Dashboards are optimal for everyday analytics and BI needs | – Reports are useful to capture static data. |
| – Dashboards are unique in their dynamic and interactive abilities, as well as their timely updates. | – Reports provide a clearer high-level view of the cost of live data. |
Epilogue
A report is a more detailed collection of tables, charts, and graphs and it is used for a much more detailed, full analysis while a dashboard is used for monitoring what is going on. Report delivery makes sure that the right people get the insights they need at the right time. Dashboards give key stakeholders real-time visibility into the daily metrics on your brand, products, and audience in order to make important decisions faster. Knowing when to use reports vs. dashboards will help you get powerful consumer insights the visibility they need to impact strategic decisions.
Brijesh Sharma
MIS Executive
Brijesh is working as MIS Executive at EzDataMunch. He is responsible for maintaining and generating all the reports of organization. He is also involved in Marketing related activities such as E-mail Campaign, Lead Generation and Video Marketing for our organization.