This report is a powerful tool for measuring business performance. This analytical tool compares projections with actual results from the data you collect in RMA. This portion of the program lets you enter the projected or planned values for new sales, equipment, etc.
What Is the Business Flash Report?
- A system of Goals vs. Performance
- Uses actual Route Manager Data
- Can be run any time during the month.
How It Can Help Your Business!
- Set Goals
- Compare Goals to actual
- Measure incremental progress each month
- Increase accountability.
With the increased visibility and goals, it will help your business be more successful. Now, on to the setup process.
Setup
With the Flash Report there is a lot of setup to get it to work properly. This involves several setup areas. This chapter will guide you through that process so you can get good data for your analysis. There are several setup areas:
- Customer Type Codes
- Product Class Codes
- Equipment Type Codes
- Start / Stop Reasons
Customer Type Codes
You will need to add a selection in each customer Type for the Flash Report to work properly. you can get to this screen by going to Lists > Customer Setup Codes > Customer type codes.
Product Class Codes
Enter a short description for the Business Flash Report. Shorter descriptions save room on the report.
Equipment Type Codes
Flash Report Options
Start / Stop Reasons
Because the Business Flash Report uses Start and Stop Reasons on the report, it is import to configure these. They can be found on the Lists> Customer Setup Codes menu.
Company Holiday Calendar
Even if not used. (Work days on report)
Setting up Budgets
In order to use the report, you must first set up budgets.
Product Class Setup
This option defines which Product Class Codes will be included on your Flash Report.
NOTE: Product Class Codes are created and maintained under Lists > Product Codes.
Fields:
Navigation Arrows: Use the navigation arrows to add or remove each Product Class Code to the ‘Selected’ column.
Plan Setup: Used to establish budgets for various departments and periods. These are used as baseline numbers to compare against actual performance.
Fields:
- Plan Type: You many enter projections for any of the following plans.
- Revenue: Gross sales in currency.
- Volume: Gross number of units of product sales.
- Customer Base: New customer starts and forecasted terminated accounts.
- Equipment Base: Accounts for new coolers placed or picked up.
- Hedge: This option will allow you to enter a value that will be used for offsetting price changes.
- Plan Period: You may establish forecasted amounts for any period you have created in your accounting calendar. If no dates appear here, then you will need to set up your information in Branch Setup.
- Product Class: All of the product classes you have in your software are displayed here.
- Category Heading: Depending on the category there will be different headings in this column.
- Revenue: Revenue
- Volume: Units
- Customer Base: Customers
- Equipment Base: Units
- Hedge: Amount
- Back: Move back one month.
- Next: Move forward one month.
- OK: Saves information entered and exits.
- Cancel: Exits without saving information entered.
How to run the report
Reports> Management Reports> Business Flash Reports
Choose a period
Choose a branch or branches
Business Flash Report – Equipment Base
Customer Base report
Displays the number of customers at the beginning of the month, the number added, the number of quits and the ending number.
Business Flash Report – Revenue
The Month-to-Date section displays actual and planned sales (in dollars) for the month, up to today.
The Month End Projections displays where the month will end with the current totals.
The Prior Year, Month section displays this time last year.
Business Flash Report – Customer Base
Display the number of customers that started and quit doing business.
Business Flash Report – Equipment Base
Displays the number of coolers installed or uninstall for the month.
Summary
The Flash Report is a powerful tool that can help you plan and execute better.