Minimum Version Required: 25.01
Pre-Conditions
Before you begin using the Data Insights feature in Encompass, ensure that the following conditions are met:
You can access the new Encompass Dashboard for Data Insights.
- If you do not have access to this dashboard, reach out to your local administrator to request access.
The Data Insights Beta feature is enabled on your dashboard, when first visiting the dashboard, the beta will need to be enabled.
- You have the necessary permissions to access the data you wish to query.
- If you do not have permission to see certain values in the system, such as laid in cost, then you will not be able to ask questions about this data on the data sets.
Steps
Steps:
Navigate to the Data Insights dashboard
Enable the Data Insights Beta (if not already enabled)
Choose the data domain you want to explore, which begins with the Cubes in Encompass reporting (future versions plan to have additional options added)
In the query input field, type your question using everyday language.
Data Insights will process your query and display the results.
If needed, ask follow-up questions or adjust your query for more specific information, at this time, Data Insights is not aware of your previous query when the next query is asked, so you will need to restate the premise of the question if refining your original results.
Example queries, for the Sales Cube:
Show me the top customers by revenue this quarter.
What's the average revenue per invoice?
What was the total dollar volume and number of cases sold for each brand family in the last quarter?
Which sales representatives achieved margins above 15% on their sales last month, and what was their total revenue?
What are the top 10 customers by gross profit?
Which chain accounts have increased their case equivalent purchases year-over-year while maintaining or improving their margin percentage?
For each supplier family, what is the ratio of full price sales to discounted sales, and how does their participation amount compare?
What is the average order size and frequency by customer type, focusing only on customers with at least 10 orders?
Which products have the highest buyer count but lowest placement count, suggesting opportunities for distribution expansion?
For each sales manager, what is the distribution of their team's sales across different product types, and how does their average margin compare to the company average?
Example queries, for the Accounts Receivable Cube:
Show me the total outstanding balance for accounts with payments more than 30 days past due, broken down by collection agent.
What are the top 5 AR accounts by total debit amount in the last quarter, and what percentage of their charges have been credited?
What is the average days to payment for each payment terms category, considering only fully paid transactions?
Which collection agents have improved their collection rate over the past 6 months compared to the previous 6 months?
Show me accounts where the total credits exceed the total debits by more than $1000, grouped by AR account and sorted by the largest discrepancy.
Example queries, for the Objectives Survey Cube:
What percentage of surveys were completed within the last month across each sales manager's team, and what was their average numerical response score?
Show me all survey questions in the "Product Placement" section where customers received an answer score below 3, grouped by delivery route
Which sales representatives have the highest completion rates for their assigned surveys this quarter?
For each objective, what is the distribution of text responses versus numerical scores, and how many included supporting images?
Show me a comparison of survey completion times between chain accounts versus independent customers, broken down by survey section
Example queries, for the Purchases Cube:
For each product, what is the variance between ordered quantities and received quantities in the last month, highlighting items with over 10% difference?
What is the average freight cost as a percentage of total laid-in cost for each destination location, considering only verified purchases?
Show me all purchases of wine products where the vintage is 2020 or newer and the expiration date is within the next 6 months
What are the top 10 products by total purchase value this quarter, including their average unit cost and total freight charges?
Example queries, for the Days Of Inventory Cube:
Which products have less than 7 days of inventory remaining across all locations, ordered by lowest DOI first?
What is the average daily consumption rate for each product location where the current on-floor inventory is above 1000 units?
Show me locations that have more than 30 days of inventory for products that are selling less than 10 units per day
What is the total on-floor inventory and estimated days remaining for our top 10 products by daily rate?
Which locations have the biggest mismatch between daily consumption rate and current inventory levels (high inventory but low daily rate or vice versa)?
*During the Beta phase, your feedback is crucial. Use the feedback option within the tool to report issues or suggest improvements.
Fields And Definitions
Data Insights: A conversational AI feature within Encompass that allows users to query business data using natural language.
Natural Language Query: A method of asking questions in everyday language without the need for specialized query syntax.
Data Domain: Specific categories of business data available in Encompass (e.g., Sales, Inventory).
Beta Feature: A pre-release version of a feature made available for testing and feedback purposes.
Best Practices
Be Specific in Your Queries:
Clearly articulate what information you are seeking.
Let it know what columns you want returned, what filters to include, etc.
Don't use specific 'names' of items, unless you plan to type out an exact match of the name.
For example: Searching for 'Top customers to purchase Fat Tire' will result in a product name search for exactly 'Fat Tire', if your product is called 'Fat Tire 2/12', it will not find it.
Use Simple Language:
Ask questions as if you are speaking to a colleague.
Avoid overly complex sentences or technical jargon unless necessary.
Understand System Limitations:
Remember that Data Insights operates within the scope of your permissions.
If data seems missing, verify your access rights or consult an administrator.
Maintain Data Security:
Do not share sensitive information obtained from Data Insights with unauthorized parties.
Follow your organization's data handling policies.
Explore and Learn:
Experiment with different types of queries to become familiar with the tool's capabilities.
Review the results to gain insights into your business operations.
Provide Constructive Feedback:
Report any bugs, errors, or issues encountered during use.
Suggest features or improvements to enhance functionality.
Stay Informed:
Keep an eye on updates or communications regarding the Beta feature.
Participate in any offered training sessions or webinars.
By following this guide, you can effectively leverage Data Insights to make informed decisions and streamline your data analysis processes within Encompass.