Sage Intacct report writer: Create a custom report

The Sage Intacct custom report writer allows organizations to design tailored, real-time reports with features like calculated columns, pivot tables, and transaction-level drill-downs, empowering users to gain deep financial and operational insights while ensuring secure data access and flexible formatting.

Sage Intacct offers over 150 built-in reports, but sometimes you need a report tailored with unique parameters for your business. Fortunately, Sage Intacct provides powerful, user-friendly tools that let you build your own interactive custom reports. No more waiting for system administrators or dealing with external tools that don’t integrate well—now you can generate accurate, real-time reports directly in your ERP environment.

Why create a custom report for complex reporting needs?

Custom reports in Sage Intacct allow you to drill down to transaction-level data within the system, helping users quickly investigate discrepancies or variances without leaving the ERP environment. The interactive custom reports feature empowers users to design and manage advanced reports for both financial and operational data, supporting more informed decision-making.

Whether you build a report from scratch using the Financial Report Writer or modify an existing one, you can utilize any General Ledger accounts or Dimensions as report rows. This flexibility enables you to gather data on critical metrics for your business, select which data populates rows and columns, set up calculations like variance percentages, and define specific filters and formatting. Administrators can also control access by user or user group, ensuring secure and appropriate data visibility. Additionally, you can leverage existing account groups and reporting periods to streamline setup and avoid repetitive configurations.

Introduction to interactive custom report writer

The Sage Intacct Interactive Custom Report Writer is a visual tool designed to meet complex reporting requirements across various industries. This modern solution enables users to develop sophisticated custom reports with advanced analytics, supporting both transaction-level drill-downs and high-level summaries. The tool’s flexibility ensures you can tailor reports to your organization’s specific needs and support strategic decisions with accurate, real-time data.

Key features and capabilities

Sage Intacct reporting provides a robust toolkit for custom reporting, including:

• Calculated columns: Create dynamic columns using date, calendar, and math functions.
• Rolling sums and aggregations: Track trends by summarizing data over rolling periods.
• Conditional logic: Add flexibility with if/then statements for intelligent reporting.
• Pivot tables: Reorganize and summarize data for enhanced analysis.
• Interactive elements: Drill, pivot, filter, sort, prompt, and expand reports as needed.
• Real-time reporting: Access up-to-date insights with real-time capabilities.

These features give users the control and flexibility to design reports that provide deep insights into organizational performance.

How to create a custom report using the interactive custom report writer in Sage Intacct

Interactive custom reports allow you to create detailed and tailored reports, helping you manage and analyze financial and operational data more effectively. Here’s an example of how to create a report showing the top ten customers’ month-to-date and year-to-date sales.

Step 1

In Sage Intacct, navigate to Reports and select “Financial Report Writer.”

Step 2

Go to the “Report Info” section.

Report name: Enter a descriptive name for your report.
Activate the report: Check the box for “This report is active.”
Report structure: Select which data appears in rows (Accounts or Dimensions).

• Choose “Accounts” for account data as rows.
• Choose “Dimensions” for rows like customers or departments.

In this example, “Dimensions” is selected to list customers as rows.

Go to the “Rows” section.

Under “Row Structure,” click “Select dimension structures” and pick the structure for your report, such as “Top Ten Customers.” You can also define additional structures for more flexibility.

In the “Columns” section, set column titles, display options, and parameters.

Dimensions: Choose the data to include.
Display: Customize presentation, including color and highlights.

Step 5

Go to the “Filters” section. Set filters to limit which data appears in the report.

As of Date: Set the reporting period.
Dimension filters: Filter by Department, Location, Project, Customer, Vendor, Employee, Item, Class, or User Defined Dimensions.

Options include hiding inactive entries and running separate reports by department or location.

Go to the “Format” section to define how the report appears on screen and in print.

General tab: Copy formatting from existing reports and set number display preferences.
Dimensions: Choose how to display departments, locations, and sort categories alphabetically.

Page setup & columns tab: Set header preferences, input footer text, and specify how report titles display.

Step 7

In the “Permissions” tab, configure access by user or group to ensure appropriate report security.

Step 8

In the “Next Steps” tab, finalize your report.

• Activate the report if not already done.
• Add the report to “My Favorites” or a dashboard.
• Schedule it to run automatically.
• Include it in a report group.

You can preview the report at any stage, making it easy to adjust and perfect your layout before saving.

Once satisfied, click “Save.” The report is now available in your Reports List.

Best practices for custom reporting

• Define clear objectives: Set clear goals for each report to guide design and ensure relevance.
• Use calculated columns: Add dynamic, data-driven insights with sophisticated calculations.
• Leverage conditional logic: Use if/then statements for smarter reporting.
• Utilize pivot tables: Summarize and reorganize data for better analysis.
• Test and validate: Regularly check reports for accuracy and data integrity.

Following these best practices helps ensure your custom reports deliver actionable insights and improve decision-making.

Getting help and support

• Rand Group support: Contact Rand Group for expert advice and assistance with Sage Intacct custom reporting.
• Online resources: Access blogs to deepen your understanding of Sage Intacct reporting features.
• Community forums: Engage with other Sage Intacct users and experts to share knowledge and solve challenges together.

Sage Intacct enables you to deliver faster, more detailed operational and financial analysis, using dimensions and custom reporting tools for superior insight.

Next steps

Ready to unlock the full potential of Sage Intacct’s reporting capabilities? Rand Group’s experienced team can help you design, implement, and optimize your reporting processes for actionable business intelligence. Whether you’re looking to develop custom reports, streamline existing processes, or train your team, we provide personalized guidance tailored to your needs. Contact Rand Group today to discuss your reporting challenges or schedule a consultation. For more insights into ERP reporting and analytics, visit our Insights hub.