This past week, we attended the CSIA (Control System Integrator Association) meeting in San Diego California.  This is an annual event, and since Dream Report is a popular solution for automation industry system integrators (SIs), the event is a valuable way for Ocean Data Systems (ODS) to stay connected and informed.

In informal interviews with System Integrators that are not yet standardized on Dream Report, we were able to identify their number one pain point in report generation.

Survey Says – Automated Report Generation is Difficult and Costly!

Here are some of the challenges:

  • Reports are the representation of system results.  Typically, the system must be complete and operating, to fully develop and test the reports.  That means reports are done at the end of a project, often at a time when funding is at its limits, and there is little time left.  As a result, the reports are limited to the few that are an absolute necessity.
  • The leading report tools in business (often the chosen solution for industrial reporting – Excel, SAP Crystal Reports, Microsoft SSRS or BIDS), are not an optimal fit for these applications for many reasons.  1) They do not integrate well with industry data sources (HMI/SCADA, Historians, MES solutions, proprietary protocols, etc.)  2) They are not aware of typical industry analytic needs (OEE, Setpoint Analysis, Run-times, Percent Utilization, etc.)  3) They are not designed for speed of development and ease of use (they typically require a high degree of scripting and code development to perform all the features required in an industrial application.)  4) and they certainly don’t meet the needs of specific vertical markets such as Life Sciences, Heat Treating, or Water and Wastewater.  As a result, skilled developers are required, development costs are high and again, report projects are limited to those that are absolutely necessary.

Survey of Dream Report System Integrators also Says – Dream Report changes this paradigm.

Every Challenge listed above, highlights a strength of Dream Report:

  1. Dream Report is quick and easy to implement.  There is little risk in getting reports done at the end of a project as Dream Report makes it so simple.
  2. Dream Report understands Industry data sources.  There is no expense in developing data connectivity in a project.
  3. Dream Report includes a broad array of industry statistical functions, even those for specialized industries and vertical markets.  There is no expense in developing and debugging calculations needed in a report project.
  4. Dream Report is a Configured Tool.  The Dream Report Studio, the report building environment, is designed for ease of use.  Anyone can create reports.  No coding, no scripting.  Programming Free Report Generation.  Reports can be created at any time, even after project final commissioning.

In short, with Dream Report, “You can have your Cake, and eat it too!”

Dream Report lets you have the reports you need, and is so quick and easy to use, that you can also have any report that you want.

So, Let Your Mind Wander…  What are the Reports you would like to have?