Less report assembly.
More useful review.
Separate collecting and formatting data from interpreting it. Map the sources, checks, and approval steps so your team can spend its attention on what the report means.
Make the handoffs visible.
An illustrative agency reporting flow. Adapt the roles, tools, and rules to the way your business works.
A reporting period closes for an active client with an agreed report format.
Define the reporting period
Select the client, date range, time zone, and required sources. Use the agreed reporting definition.
- Owner
- Account manager
- Tool or record
- Client brief and reporting schedule
Collect and check the data
Bring source data into the working report. Flag missing access, incomplete periods, and unexpected values.
- Owner
- Reporting owner
- Tool or record
- Analytics platforms and working sheet
Prepare the review draft
Populate the agreed report format. Keep commentary and recommendations subject to review.
- Owner
- Analyst
- Tool or record
- Dashboard, document, or slide template
Are the required sources complete and the draft approved?
YesDeliver the approved version and record the delivery.
NoHold delivery. Show the missing source or approval to the person responsible.
Approve and deliver
Have the account owner review the figures and narrative before sending. Record what was delivered.
- Owner
- Account manager
- Tool or record
- Report and delivery record
The client receives an approved report with the right data, context, and next actions.
Know what to check.
A useful build plan includes the cases that should stop, wait, or reach a person. Start with these.
Missing data does not become zero
Disconnect a required source in a test. The draft should flag the gap and stay out of the delivery queue.
Date ranges agree
Compare the report with its source for the same period and time zone. Check how partial periods are handled.
Approval belongs to this version
Change the draft after approval. Confirm a revised report cannot silently inherit permission to send.
Turn your process into a build plan.
Steve, your AI process designer, helps you decide whether this is a process worth automating. Then he maps your steps, people, tools, and decisions and creates a phased plan. You can keep building with his guidance.
Before you build.
Can clients use different report formats?
Yes. Map the common collection and checking steps first, then identify the format and source variations for each client. Keep the rule that selects a template explicit so one client’s format is not sent to another.
Which reporting tools should I connect?
Start with the sources your client report actually needs and the destination your team reviews. Record access requirements, field definitions, date ranges, and refresh timing. Check supported connections and limits during implementation rather than assuming every platform connects the same way.
Should client reports send automatically?
Only if that matches your approved process. This example keeps a human review before delivery. Define who checks the numbers and commentary, what approval means, and which changes require a fresh review.
Can the process include analysis as well as data collection?
Yes, but distinguish collecting a figure from interpreting it. Name the reviewer responsible for explanations and recommendations. If AI helps draft commentary, include checks against the source data before anything reaches a client.