How I Created a Reporting Strategy That Transformed Enterprise Decision-Making

TL;DR

In this blog, I outline how I designed and implemented a transformative reporting strategy to enhance enterprise data analytics and decision-making. Drawing on my experiences across global sectors retail, manufacturing, utilities, and finance—I reveal the actionable framework used to eliminate redundant reporting, increase efficiency, and align analytics with business goals.

Creating a Reporting Strategy

Introduction: The Cost of Bad Reporting

As a Global CIO and transformation leader, I’ve seen countless organisations struggle with disjointed, over-complicated reporting processes. Poor reporting strategy creates a fragmented view of business performance, leading to misinformed decisions, operational blind spots, and wasted resources.

My mission was to reverse that by crafting a reporting strategy that offered clarity, consistency, and business alignment.

Building the Foundation for a Reporting Strategy

The first step in creating an effective reporting strategy is understanding the why. Too often, reporting exists as a legacy of outdated systems or duplicated efforts across departments.

Step 1 - Audit Everything

At a utilities organisation, I led a comprehensive audit of 2,500 reports across business functions. We discovered that 35% of these reports were never used. That’s thousands of hours wasted.

Action Taken:

• We removed redundant reports

• Automated the rest using Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

• Created centralised dashboards through Power BI

This resulted in a 75,000-hour annual time saving, and the elimination of over 50 FTE roles, purely by optimising how data was reported.

Step 2 - Embed Reporting in the Business Strategy

Reporting isn’t a standalone activity. It must align with business objectives.

At MiDickson, where I led a global ERP transformation, we realigned reporting with financial goals, logistics KPIs, and customer success metrics. The goal was to offer real-time insights that empowered decisions.

We implemented:

• A single source of truth via a Global ERP

• Integrated reporting across NetSuite, CRM, and product lifecycle tools

• Standardised financial and operational dashboards

The impact? We cut technical debt by £2.5 million annually, with actionable analytics for every department.

Step 3 - Design for Usability and Scale

The best reports are the ones people actually use.

During my advisory role at M.I. Dickson, we introduced user-centric reporting tailored for HR, Finance, and Operations. We migrated to Power BI, enabling stakeholders to access and drill into data without IT dependency.

Key outcomes included:

• 40% operational improvement in HR and Finance

• 29% reduction in supplier invoice delays

• £0.7 million reduction in tech debt

This reinforced a key principle: A good reporting strategy must be intuitive, scalable, and self-serve.

Step 4 - Embed Governance and Continuous Improvement

Governance is often overlooked, but it’s the backbone of any enterprise reporting strategy.

At a global engineering organisation, I implemented a global IT operating model spanning 13 business units. We aligned reporting structures across the UK, UAE, US, Australia, India, and China.

We standardised:

• KPIs across territories

• Reporting templates and data sources

• Change management procedures for dashboard enhancements

The result was a uniform reporting structure across the group, enabling better cross-territory decision-making and over £2 million in technical debt reduction.

Embedding AI and Automation in Reporting

Automation was a game-changer. At multiple clients, including utility and retail sectors, I introduced AI-driven analytics and automated invoice scanning.

Using machine learning, we processed 1,500 invoices daily with higher accuracy and less headcount. We built a Centre of Excellence for RPA to scale these initiatives across the enterprise.

Results You Can Measure

Across all engagements, my reporting strategy delivered:

• 50+ FTE reductions via automation

• £2M+ in reduced technical debt

• 35%+ fewer redundant reports

• 40%+ improvement in operational efficiency

FAQs

What is a reporting strategy?

A reporting strategy is a structured approach to delivering consistent, accurate, and business-aligned data insights across an organisation.

Why do businesses fail at reporting?

Because they treat reporting as a technical task, not a strategic function. Without governance, clarity, and alignment, reports become noise.

What tools are best for enterprise reporting?

Power BI, Tableau, NetSuite, and Oracle SaaS are leading tools, but success depends more on implementation and strategy than the platform itself.

How often should a reporting strategy be reviewed?

Every 6–12 months. Continuous improvement ensures it evolves with your business needs and technology landscape.

Final Thoughts: Strategy Before Tools

Creating a robust reporting strategy isn’t about tools—it’s about mindset, governance, and business alignment. Whether leading transformation at a utility giant or advising startups, the principles remain consistent.

Data is only valuable when it leads to better decisions.

Richard Keenlyside is the Global CIO for the LoneStar Group and a former IT Director for J Sainsbury’s PLC.

Call me on +44(0) 1642 040 268 or email richard@rjk.info.

Follow me on X @cioinpractice & LinkedIn.