Ad Hoc Reporting: A Smart Solution for Time-Strapped Business Owners

Most small business owners live in a “need it yesterday” world—I know I do. There’s no time to email your bookkeeper and wait for a custom report when a quick decision needs to be made. That’s where ad hoc reporting comes in. It gives you the power to create customized, on-the-fly reports in just minutes.

What Is Ad Hoc Reporting?

Ad hoc reporting is a tool many small business owners overlook...but shouldn’t. It lets you generate custom reports anytime, tailored to your exact question or data need. No waiting. No wading through irrelevant information.

Why It Matters for Small Businesses

Here are a few key benefits of using ad hoc reports:

• Quick Answers: Wondering if that marketing campaign paid off? Pull numbers from your sales platform and get your answer in minutes.

• Custom Focus: Look at only what matters to you such as sales by product line, expenses tied to a specific vendor, or anything else...without digging through irrelevant reports.

• Smarter Decisions: Spot trends early and make changes fast—instead of realizing months later that something’s gone off track.

Practical, Everyday Uses for Ad Hoc Reports

Not sure how this applies to your business? Here are a few common, real-world examples:

1. Customer Behavior: See who’s buying again and who’s not. Use this data to build targeted offers, like a discount code for one-time buyers or a free shipping reward for repeat customers.

2. Expense Breakdowns: Wondering why your office supply bill keeps climbing? Or if that subscription really got cancelled? Run a report and get the details without waiting for month-end.

3. Customer Sales: Review sales by customer to identify your top clients. This can help you reward loyalty or adjust your marketing focus.

4. Accounts Receivable: Are your clients paying on time? Run a report to see what’s overdue. Then follow up with a quick email or call—no digging required.

5. Project Profitability: Is a project starting to run over budget? Check mid-way using a job costing report. You can address issues before they become expensive surprises.

How to Start Using Ad Hoc Reporting

You don’t need fancy software or an IT department. Most modern bookkeeping platforms (like QuickBooks Online or Xero) already have these tools built in.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Explore Your System: Spend an hour getting familiar with your reporting dashboard. Most platforms include templates for common reports right out of the box.

2. Identify Your Top 3 Metrics: Pick the data you need most often—sales by product, overdue invoices, expense summaries, etc.

3. Create and Save Custom Reports: Both QuickBooks and Xero let you create and save custom reports. Set them up once and reuse them whenever you need. For example, if you want to check outstanding invoices every Tuesday, schedule that report to hit your inbox automatically.

4. Work With Your Bookkeeper: Not sure how to create a specific report? Ask your bookkeeper to walk you through it, or create it for you and share it, so you have access anytime. The goal is to eliminate delays when you need answers fast.

Final Thoughts

Ad hoc reporting takes your bookkeeping from basic compliance to real-time business intelligence. Instead of waiting days or weeks for answers, you get the insights you need—exactly when you need them.

And if you’re unsure where to start or which reports are worth your time, we’re here to help! Our team of accountants and CFOs can help set up custom reports and identify the tools that will save you time and reduce stress.

Let’s make decisions easier for today and every day after!