QuickBooks is the go-to accounting system for many businesses, but when it comes to QuickBooks analytics, it’s not built for flexible reporting. If you need deeper insights from your QuickBooks data—use Metabase to explore, combine, and analyze your QuickBooks data.
Focus on the right QuickBooks data
Start with the essentials: customers, sales orders, invoices, and payments. These are the foundation of your business—and of QuickBooks analytics. Some businesses might also need purchase orders, but resist the urge to pull in every available data point (there’s a lot). Instead, structure your QuickBooks data in Metabase using a local database and ETL/ELT to create a clear, query-ready model.
Track trends and changes over time
QuickBooks reports make it difficult to analyze historical trends, making it hard to see long-term patterns in revenue and expenses. With Metabase, you can:
- Build sales dashboards that compare sales orders and invoices across different timeframes.
- Identify key trends like rising unit costs or shifts in customer purchasing behavior.
- Track performance changes over months and years to understand business growth.
Catch anomalies in your QuickBooks data early
A sudden drop in revenue from a key customer is a problem—especially if you catch it too late. Metabase lets you monitor customer revenue trends and flag slowdowns before they impact your business. If a customer’s spending drops, your QuickBooks data won’t tell you why, but it will show you who to reach out to. Sometimes, a quick conversation can save a business relationship before it’s too late.
Don’t just duplicate QuickBooks reports
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make? Trying to recreate QuickBooks’ Profit & Loss report in Metabase. While it’s important to validate data, Metabase isn’t meant to replace QuickBooks—it’s meant to enhance your QuickBooks analytics.
Use Metabase to:
- Track customer slowdowns and revenue shifts.
- Identify top-performing products and services.
- Analyze revenue trends beyond the constraints of standard QuickBooks reports.
The more you rely on pivot tables, the more you’re just replicating what QuickBooks already does. Instead, focus on unlocking new insights from your QuickBooks data to drive smarter business decisions.
Watch this video to see Dan walk through his QuickBooks data dashboard in Metabase.
Here is the dashboard Dan showcased.
