Sales - Key Business Questions
The questions below are grouped by the persona who typically asks them. Each question is answered either through a ready-made standard report or through an ad-hoc, self-service analysis you build yourself on the semantic model by combining the listed measures with the listed dimensions.
Head of Sales
Steer top-line revenue, margin and growth; monitor targets vs. actuals.
How are revenue and margin developing versus the previous year?
Answer with the report: Overview
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Profit Margin, Invoice Amount YoY %
Which customers drive the most revenue and margin?
Answer with the report: By Customer
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Profit Margin
How large is the current order backlog and the expected revenue?
Answer with the report: Sales Pipeline
- Measures: Open Order Amount, Order Amount
Are we delivering to customers on time and in full?
Answer with the report: Delivery Reliability
- Measures: # Orders In-Time In-Full, ITIF %, Late Shipment Order %
Which new customers did we win, and how much revenue do they contribute?
Answer ad-hoc (self-service): build this on the semantic model yourself.
- Measures: # New Customers, New Customer Revenue
- Break down by: Order Customer, Calendar
Sales Manager
Manage team and territory performance, customer and item mix.
How do my salespeople and teams perform against each other?
Answer with the report: By Employee
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Profit Margin, Ø Order Amount
Which items and product groups sell best and are most profitable?
Answer with the report: By Item
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Sales Qty, Invoice Profit Margin
Which items and customers are our top and flop performers?
Answer with the report: Items & Customers (Top/Flop)
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Profit Margin, Open Order Amount
Which customers are buying less than before and may need attention?
Answer with the report: By Customer
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Amount YoY %
What is the typical deal size, and how does it differ by representative?
Answer ad-hoc (self-service): build this on the semantic model yourself.
- Measures: Ø Order Amount, Average Invoice Amount
- Break down by: Employee, Calendar
Executive (GF / CEO)
Company-wide revenue and profitability at a glance, YoY development.
What is our overall sales performance this period versus plan and last year?
Answer with the report: Overview
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Amount Plan, Invoice Amount YoY %
How profitable is the business and how is margin developing?
Answer with the report: Overview
- Measures: Invoice Profit Margin, Invoice Profit Margin %
Where is revenue concentrated across companies and customers?
Answer with the report: By Customer
- Measures: Invoice Amount
How is customer acquisition developing over time?
Answer ad-hoc (self-service): build this on the semantic model yourself.
- Measures: # New Customers, New Customers YoY %
- Break down by: Calendar, Client
Controller
Margin quality, discount leakage, currency effects and budget variance.
How much margin is lost to discounts, and where?
Answer with the report: By Item
- Measures: Invoice Line Discount, Invoice End Discount, Invoice Profit Margin
Which customers or items have high revenue but weak margins?
Answer with the report: By Customer
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Profit Margin %
What is our true profitability once cost adjustment runs and revaluations are reflected?
Answer ad-hoc (self-service): build this on the semantic model yourself.
- Measures: Cost Adj., Profit Adj., Profit Margin Adj. %
- Break down by: Item, Calendar
How does actual revenue compare against plan / budget?
Answer with the report: Overview
- Measures: Invoice Amount, Invoice Amount Plan
Are customers churning, or are we retaining them?
Answer ad-hoc (self-service): build this on the semantic model yourself.
- Measures: Churn Rate, Retention Rate, Lost Customers
- Break down by: Order Customer, Calendar
Which orders are overdue and how much delivery value is at risk?
Answer with the report: Overdue Orders
- Measures: Outstanding Order Amount, # Order Line (Late Delivery), Late Shipment Rate % (Sales Line)