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Solution Blueprint · Reporting & Automation

From Spreadsheets To Governed Enterprise Reporting

Fixed-format reports, online data entry and self-service analysis on one platform, with one definition for every metric.

Layers
VisualiseAnalyse
Reading time
4 minutes
Last reviewed
October 2026
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The Problem

You’ll recognise this if:

Monthly management packs are rebuilt by hand in Excel.

Branches and frontline teams send figures by email for someone to consolidate.

Departments report different numbers for the same metric.

Regulators or head office require reports in a fixed format.

BI licences priced per viewer limit who can see the numbers.

What Good Looks Like

We agree these measures with you as the exit criteria of the PoC. We report what we measure; we do not promise a figure in advance.

  • Hours spent preparing each recurring report, before and after
  • Reports consolidated or retired
  • Metrics with one agreed definition and owner
  • Data submissions made through forms instead of email

Reference Architecture

The Kepro data ecosystem from Foundation upwards, with the layers this blueprint uses highlighted. Product names link to their pages.

  1. Visualise

    FineReport produces fixed-format, multi-level-header and print-ready reports, scheduled and distributed automatically. Its online forms validate entries, route them for approval and write back to the database. FineBI gives large numbers of viewers self-service analysis, with ChatBI for questions in plain language.

    With FanRuan

  2. Analyse

    StarRocks serves as the fast source when report volumes or user numbers are large; smaller estates query existing databases directly.

    With StarRocks

  3. Prepare (Not Used In This Blueprint)
  4. Connect (Not Used In This Blueprint)
  5. Foundation (Not Used In This Blueprint)

Data flows bottom → top

Data sourcesERP, finance and HR systems, databases, and the spreadsheets you are replacing.

Technology Stack

Technology stack for this blueprint
LayerProductEdition / ModelRoleKey Specification
VisualiseFanRuanFineReport 11.5Formatted reports and data entryMulti-level headers; print and export; forms with validation and approval; scheduling; mobile
VisualiseFanRuanFineBI 7.0Self-service analysisSemantic layer; Metrics Hub; Data Catalog; ChatBI
AnalyseStarRocksPhoenixAI Anywhere (optional)Query accelerationMaterialised views; high concurrency

How We Deliver

Five steps, each with a clear exit before the next. The timeline is agreed with you in the Design step.

  1. 01

    Data Readiness Assessment

    A report census: who uses which report, how it is built and how long it takes. We propose which reports to rebuild, merge or retire.

    From youCopies of current reports and their owners.

  2. 02

    PoC

    One or two of your reports rebuilt, including a data-entry form where relevant.

    From youSource data access and one report owner.

  3. 03

    Design

    A metric dictionary (owner, formula, level of detail) agreed before building, plus permissions and distribution.

    From youSign-off from metric owners.

  4. 04

    Implementation

    Reports rebuilt in waves, forms replace email submissions, spreadsheets retired, report owners trained.

    From youReport owners to test and accept each wave.

  5. 05

    Support & Optimisation

    Development and annual support for new reports and changes.

    From youA queue of report requests, ranked by the business.

Standards And Controls

  • Data Quality At Entry

    Forms check completeness, validity and consistency when figures are entered.

  • Maker-Checker Approval

    Submitted figures are approved before they reach reports, with an audit trail.

  • Access Control

    Row- and column-level permissions by role and branch.

Before You Start

Readiness Checklist

  • A list of recurring reports and their owners.
  • Agreement on who owns each key metric.

Risks And How We Handle Them

  • Rebuilding reports nobody usesThe census retires unused reports before any are rebuilt.
  • Disputes over metric definitionsDefinitions are signed off in Design, before building starts.

Sources

  1. FanRuan: FineReport (opens in a new tab)
  2. FanRuan: FineBI (opens in a new tab)
  3. PhoenixAI Anywhere (formerly CelerData Enterprise) (opens in a new tab)

Last reviewed October 2026. Vendor facts change; the linked sources are the reference.

Related

Products In This Blueprint

FanRuan
Formatted reports, data entry and self-service BI for many users.
StarRocks
Real-time analytics and AI serving engine.

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Data Readiness Assessment

Talk To Our Architects About This Blueprint

Start with a Data Readiness Assessment: we map your data sources, pain points and risks, and recommend what fits your situation, not a preset product.

Book a Data Readiness Assessment
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