Top BigQuery Reporting Tools for Paginated Reports

Google Cloud's best-in-class data warehouse solution, BigQuery, has seen rapid adoption. In 2021 alone, BigQuery accounted for over $1.5 million of revenue for Google Cloud.  The real power of BigQuery lies in its ability to quickly analyze vast amounts of data and generate insights. As organizations continue to migrate their data into BigQuery, they need reporting tools to meet legacy requirements such as delivery of compliance reports, account statements, and other formatted document outputs.

With the increasing popularity of BigQuery, the demand for comprehensive and high-performing reporting tools has also risen. While there are numerous dashboard solutions available with support for BigQuery, the question remains: what about paginated reporting needs? In this article, we will delve into various possibilities for accomplishing multi-page, print-ready reporting on top of BigQuery. We will assess multiple solutions currently utilized by teams.

With the exponential growth of data in organizations, there is an increasing need for a scalable, efficient, and user-friendly reporting solution. Whether you're an experienced data professional or new to the world of data reporting, this guide offers valuable insights to assist you in making informed decisions.

Looking for a quick solution? Look no further than ConnectReport

ConnectReport empowers users to effortlessly create and schedule reports using BigQuery data, unlocking valuable insights and driving informed decision-making. Reports can be securely distributed via a portal, email, or integrated directly into applications. With ConnectReport, teams have access to the reporting features they need, backed by the reliability, scalability, and security of BigQuery. The modern platform ensures maximum performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Users can design precise reports using BigQuery data and distribute them to thousands of users quickly and securely. ConnectReport provides a robust solution for reporting on BigQuery, supporting multiple file formats such as Excel, PDF, and PowerPoint. This flexibility offers users a wide range of options for creating, distributing, and presenting reports, effectively harnessing data to meet their needs.

What's the difference between Reporting vs. Business Intelligence & Analytics?

Reporting tools and business intelligence/analytics tools serve unique purposes in data analysis and reporting. Reporting tools are specifically designed to generate well-structured and organized reports. They offer features like report bursting, which allows users to generate reports in bulk for different audiences. These tools also provide scheduling capabilities for automated report generation. Additionally, reporting tools support various output formats like Excel, PDF, and PowerPoint, facilitating easy sharing with stakeholders. They may also offer pixel-perfect design capabilities for precise layout configuration. Reporting tools excel in addressing regulatory and compliance reporting requirements, executive and management reporting, operations reporting, and data sharing. They are particularly useful for presenting data from internal systems in a structured and visually appealing manner.

On the other hand, business intelligence and analytics tools focus on interactive data exploration. These tools enable users to analyze and visualize data to uncover insights and make data-driven decisions. While reporting tools concentrate on structured reports, BI/analytics tools emphasize data exploration and analysis. They allow users to create interactive dashboards, perform advanced data visualizations, and apply various analytical techniques. Unlike reporting tools, BI/analytics platforms may not support report bursting or pixel-perfect outputs, as their primary focus is flexible and interactive data exploration.

In summary, reporting tools efficiently generate well-structured reports with features like report bursting and pixel-perfect design capabilities. They are ideal for specific reporting requirements and data sharing. On the other hand, business intelligence and analytics tools prioritize interactive data exploration and analysis, empowering users to uncover insights and make informed decisions. While both tools are vital for different workflows, they have distinct features and functionalities to meet requirements.

ConnectReport: The #1 Solution for Reporting on BigQuery

ConnectReport is widely recognized as the leading solution for BigQuery reporting, backed by numerous compelling advantages. What sets it apart is its complete independence from developers, making it stand out from other tools. ConnectReport empowers end-users, eliminating the need for developer intervention. This significantly speeds up the reporting process and mitigates any potential bottlenecks related to technical expertise.

In addition, ConnectReport excels in its simplicity and user-friendly interface, making it incredibly easy to learn and manage. Regardless of technical proficiency, users can quickly grasp its operation. The intuitive design requires minimal training, reducing onboarding time and increasing user productivity.

Moreover, ConnectReport is a fully self-service solution, giving users the autonomy to independently generate, modify, and distribute reports. This level of self-sufficiency expedites decision-making processes and enables real-time data-driven insights.

With its developer-free approach, user-friendly interface, and self-service capabilities, ConnectReport is the unparalleled choice for unlocking the full potential of BigQuery for reporting.

Developer Focused Reporting Solutions

Developer reporting solutions like DevExpress enable teams proficient in technologies such as .NET and C# to automate report generation on BigQuery. However, as these solutions heavily rely on developers, organizations must possess the necessary technical expertise to implement, maintain, and adapt them to evolving business requirements. For companies with a robust internal technical team, these tools offer extensive customization options, allowing tailored reports that precisely meet their needs. Conversely, organizations lacking in-house technical expertise may find developer-focused solutions less ideal, as they heavily depend on external support for implementation and maintenance. When choosing between developer-focused reporting solutions and user-friendly, self-service tools, organizations should consider their internal resources and technical capabilities as a guiding factor.

Additionally, developer-focused solutions limit users' ability to customize reports once generated. This limitation necessitates businesses seeking updates to invest additional resources in report creation and maintenance. In contrast, self-service reporting tools offer a more dynamic user experience, granting users complete control over report customization.

Self-Service Reporting Tools

ConnectReport and similar self-service reporting solutions prioritize user-friendly experiences, allowing end users to customize reports according to their specific requirements. These comprehensive tools are particularly suitable for organizations lacking technical expertise, as they offer reliable reporting capabilities without the complexity of implementation or maintenance that legacy or developer-focused solutions require.

Moreover, self-service reporting tools empower business users to modify existing reports effortlessly, eliminating the need for technical assistance. For instance, users can easily personalize their reports by selecting specific data sets or fields, organizing columns, adjusting font size and colors, and incorporating charts and graphs. This high level of customization makes self-service reporting solutions ideal for businesses that frequently require report adjustments.

Additionally, these tools feature intuitive interfaces, requiring minimal training for business users. This makes them an excellent choice for businesses seeking to leverage their data without relying on dedicated developer or analyst teams.

As organizations transition away from manual processes, they must carefully consider the balance between cost, time savings, and technical capabilities when selecting reporting solutions. Self-service reporting tools, with their user-friendly interfaces, customizable features, and reduced dependence on technical resources, continue to be an appealing option for businesses in need of flexible and robust reporting

Legacy Reporting Solutions

There are various existing legacy reporting solutions, some of which have been around for over 20 years. Deploying and maintaining these solutions can be complex, and they often lack new features or active development. If your organization is accustomed to working with legacy systems or already has them in place, using a legacy solution might be feasible. However, investing further in outdated solutions may not align with your broader technical strategy.

In the realm of legacy solutions, products like Crystal Reports and Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) offer report bursting capabilities, but they do not have supported integrations with BigQuery. To integrate with BigQuery, you will need to utilize JDBC or ODBC drivers. It's important to note that integrating these legacy solutions with BigQuery can be a complicated process. Configuring them to work together using JDBC or ODBC drivers can be cumbersome and technically challenging. Furthermore, these integrations are not generally officially supported, which means you would be solely responsible for troubleshooting any issues or seeking assistance. This can place a significant demand on resources, requiring specialized staff knowledgeable in these areas.

Deploying these solutions in a cloud environment presents numerous challenges. They were not designed with the cloud in mind and their architectures are based on on-premises setups. This can result in increased operational complexity and hinder your organization's agility in responding to changes and opportunities.

Another significant drawback of legacy solutions like Crystal Reports and Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is the requirement for desktop software to generate reports. These systems rely on traditional software installations which have to be managed and updated on individual workstations. In contrast, modern self-service tools like ConnectReport can be executed entirely within a web browser. This means no software installations or desktop dependencies - offering a truly platform-independent solution. With tools like ConnectReport, you're not tethered to a specific workstation or software setup; you can generate, share, and interact with your reports from anywhere, on any device with internet access. This flexibility and ease of access are key advantages of using modern browser-based reporting solutions, and they significantly enhance the overall user experience.

Legacy, Self-Service, or Developer-Focused, which should I choose?

When comparing legacy, self-service, and developer-focused solutions, it's crucial to consider your organization's needs, future plans, and technical capabilities.

Legacy systems such as Crystal Reports and SSRS, while familiar, pose significant challenges in integration and cloud adaptation. They necessitate technical know-how, time, and resources for effective deployment. While they might be feasible for organizations with existing legacy systems, their nuances and outdated workflows, along with the lack of dedicated integrations for BigQuery, could cause hassles in long-term maintenance and troubleshooting.

Developer-focused solutions offer a high level of customization and control. They require an in-house team of developers with expertise in specific programming languages and tools. While this can lead to tailored solutions perfectly suited to your organization's needs, it also means higher costs in terms of time, resources, and ongoing maintenance.

Self-service solutions, such as ConnectReport, are designed with modern analytics practices in mind. They offer native support for BigQuery integration and are cloud-ready, avoiding the need for extensive system overhauls. They offer a balance of customization and ease of use, making them a robust choice for organizations aiming to build a modern analytics practice. They are user-friendly, requiring less technical expertise, thus empowering more team members to generate and use the reports.

In conclusion, while all three options have their merits, self-service reporting tools like ConnectReport offer a smooth transition and alignment with a modern analytics strategy, positioning your organization for agility and growth.

Conclusion

Given these challenges, it is obvious that traditional and developer-centric solutions are not the most efficient or cost-efficient for reporting with BigQuery. This is where ConnectReport comes into play - a cutting-edge, cloud-native solution specifically tailored for BigQuery. With ConnectReport, you can bypass the technical complexities and runaway costs associated with integrating and adapting legacy systems for the cloud. It provides seamless integration, and comprehensive support, and perfectly aligns with the broader technical strategy of modern organizations. Embracing ConnectReport not only streamlines your operations but also enhances your organization's agility in responding to changes and seizing opportunities. Opt for ConnectReport and embrace the modern, efficient, and fully supported approach to BigQuery reporting.