Different Reporting Options in Penelope Case Management Software

There are a lot of different reasons why someone would be looking for case management software. Some of the more common reasons include, being unhappy with their current system, making the move from paper to software, or wanting a more collaborative system to tie together multiple access type/excel databases. Whatever the reason, most organizations have a few key components they would like to see in a new software system. Outcomes tracking and information management is usually a big one, collaboration and visibility across work is another one, as is reporting on this information. Reporting tends to be a large reason why an agency would choose a new software system. 

Depending on what Country, Province or State you’re working from, your reporting needs can vary drastically. There are reports you need for funders (and these are changing constantly). There are reports you need for an annual report, for government bodies…the list goes on. If these reports were static and consistent, this would make it somewhat easier. But they never are. They can change quite often, and it leaves you and your team with the difficult task of sifting through the data in your software system to find the right nuggets you’re looking for. Instead of focusing on your organizational work and improving the service you deliver, you often find yourself waste deep in data every month trying to pull together your reports. 

I want to take a moment and explain the three basic ways of building reports out of Penelope. I’m sure you were already well aware of these options, but I thought a refresher is always worthwhile. Please keep in mind that these are options are not mutually exclusive, meaning you can use one or a combination of these options.

Option 1 are the 130+ pre-configured reports that come with every instance of Penelope. These range from reports on your individual clients, funders, group classes, scheduling and staff, program details, billing & accounts, and document/assessment breakdowns. Access to these reports can be granted to all staff or just to select groups depending on what they need. The reports are easy-to-use and can be pulled out in a PDF which can be printed with your agency logo or sent over an e-mail.

Option 2 is the ability to pull out your raw data. We give you this option as part of your software package through an ODBC driver, which is basically a connector to the raw data that you’re bringing into the system through a variety of ways. Some organizations prefer this method for a few reasons. Perhaps you have someone on staff who is proficient in Excel manipulating data and creating reports. Or perhaps you are already using a report building program that you’re comfortable with, and you want to continue using. Either way, the ODBC connection is a small but very powerful feature set in Penelope. Giving you access to the data allows you to pull data in custom queries for report building or uploading to other software systems such as financial or payroll software. The custom queries to pull out the data you need in the format you need can be done with help from our Professional Services team who can build the connection at a cost that is derived from the time and materials required.  

Lastly, Option 3 is to use Tableau Reporting with Penelope. Tableau is a leading online reporting and dashboard building tool that helps people see and understand their data. You have two options when you’re purchasing Tableau. You can use our annual SaaS subscription where we host your data and you can build your own custom reports or outsource them to our team here at Athena. The other option is if you purchase Tableau Desktop directly from Tableau which allows you to build your own reports on your own server.

With Tableau you’re able to set up online dashboards where you can consistently monitor metrics crucial to your organization. These reports can be generated and distributed to a list of your choice automatically through e-mail as well. 

Between all these options; our pre-configured suite, your ODBC connection and Tableau, your reporting needs can be more than satisfied. From our experience, it makes a large difference if you have a clear idea of what your reporting needs are now and what changes could happen in the future. This way we can address your pain points right from the get-go and ensure you and your team have the tools and resources at your fingertips to pull the right information from the system quickly and efficiently.