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How to properly ask for a reporting server? [closed]
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I took a new job to help with work place productivity. I am finding it very difficult to ask for more efficient methods to be enacted. The major issue is creating dashboards. Hours and hours are spent gathering data and placing the data in excel. With a report server those hours could be spent elsewhere. How can I request (nearly demand) something new (like a report server)?
- New job creates and stacks excel reports to create dashboards.
- Very, very unproductive.
- All data comes from SQL (SSMS).
- I have SQL and report building
experience (SSRS). - We have SSRS and hundreds of servers, but no local report server to place the SSRS reports.
- How can I request a report server to automate some of these horribly time consuming excel reports?
- (they seem to be stuck in their old ways or possibly worried about something???)
professionalism management communication colleagues productivity
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
closed as off-topic by The Wandering Dev Manager, Chris E, gnat, Roger, IDrinkandIKnowThings Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Real questions have answers. Rather than explaining why your situation is terrible, or why your boss/coworker makes you unhappy, explain what you want to do to make it better. For more information, click here." – Chris E, gnat, IDrinkandIKnowThings
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I took a new job to help with work place productivity. I am finding it very difficult to ask for more efficient methods to be enacted. The major issue is creating dashboards. Hours and hours are spent gathering data and placing the data in excel. With a report server those hours could be spent elsewhere. How can I request (nearly demand) something new (like a report server)?
- New job creates and stacks excel reports to create dashboards.
- Very, very unproductive.
- All data comes from SQL (SSMS).
- I have SQL and report building
experience (SSRS). - We have SSRS and hundreds of servers, but no local report server to place the SSRS reports.
- How can I request a report server to automate some of these horribly time consuming excel reports?
- (they seem to be stuck in their old ways or possibly worried about something???)
professionalism management communication colleagues productivity
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
closed as off-topic by The Wandering Dev Manager, Chris E, gnat, Roger, IDrinkandIKnowThings Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Real questions have answers. Rather than explaining why your situation is terrible, or why your boss/coworker makes you unhappy, explain what you want to do to make it better. For more information, click here." – Chris E, gnat, IDrinkandIKnowThings
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I took a new job to help with work place productivity. I am finding it very difficult to ask for more efficient methods to be enacted. The major issue is creating dashboards. Hours and hours are spent gathering data and placing the data in excel. With a report server those hours could be spent elsewhere. How can I request (nearly demand) something new (like a report server)?
- New job creates and stacks excel reports to create dashboards.
- Very, very unproductive.
- All data comes from SQL (SSMS).
- I have SQL and report building
experience (SSRS). - We have SSRS and hundreds of servers, but no local report server to place the SSRS reports.
- How can I request a report server to automate some of these horribly time consuming excel reports?
- (they seem to be stuck in their old ways or possibly worried about something???)
professionalism management communication colleagues productivity
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
I took a new job to help with work place productivity. I am finding it very difficult to ask for more efficient methods to be enacted. The major issue is creating dashboards. Hours and hours are spent gathering data and placing the data in excel. With a report server those hours could be spent elsewhere. How can I request (nearly demand) something new (like a report server)?
- New job creates and stacks excel reports to create dashboards.
- Very, very unproductive.
- All data comes from SQL (SSMS).
- I have SQL and report building
experience (SSRS). - We have SSRS and hundreds of servers, but no local report server to place the SSRS reports.
- How can I request a report server to automate some of these horribly time consuming excel reports?
- (they seem to be stuck in their old ways or possibly worried about something???)
professionalism management communication colleagues productivity
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
edited Mar 30 '15 at 15:04
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
asked Mar 30 '15 at 13:45
ColorfulWind
143
143
closed as off-topic by The Wandering Dev Manager, Chris E, gnat, Roger, IDrinkandIKnowThings Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Real questions have answers. Rather than explaining why your situation is terrible, or why your boss/coworker makes you unhappy, explain what you want to do to make it better. For more information, click here." – Chris E, gnat, IDrinkandIKnowThings
closed as off-topic by The Wandering Dev Manager, Chris E, gnat, Roger, IDrinkandIKnowThings Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Real questions have answers. Rather than explaining why your situation is terrible, or why your boss/coworker makes you unhappy, explain what you want to do to make it better. For more information, click here." – Chris E, gnat, IDrinkandIKnowThings
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
suggest improvements |Â
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43
suggest improvements |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
This is NOT simply a "dollars and cents" problem.
I think the other answers nicely make a case for justifying the expense of a server based on the amount of time it would save and ROI. This is perfectly logical, but there is another thing you need first: some form of "approval" from users.
What I mean is that you are proposing a switch over from one tool (in this case, excel) into another tool (a reporting system) which is quite different in what it can do.
Before jumping into buying a dedicated server, you will need to convince the end-users that your new system will meet their requirements and be worth the effort needed to change. You may not know what the users are doing with their spreadsheets right now and changing over to something different might interrupt a workflow that they've gotten acclimated to (for example, they might have invested a lot of time in writing macros, pivot tables, or who-knows-what else based on your spreadsheets). This is a change that really needs to be handled carefully, or you might face a lot more resistance than just the obstacle of getting a server up and running.
The core problem here before funding is how to tackle the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. In practice, one way you can do it is the following:
Find a very small number of "alpha users" who are open to trying a new reporting system as a "pilot program". Implement the reporting system using their feedback to give them something that works for their needs. Use this success as the basis for further dialogs about how the system would work and what problems it solves. You can, of course, just put the SSRS server on a non-dedicated machine (or whatever works in you environment).
If the pilot program successful, you can then mainstream the system to regular users. At this point the ROI arguments that the other answers gave will apply, and you can make a "dollars and cents" justification for the new reporting system. Not all users will go along, and you'll likely need to support some "legacy" reports.
The remaining stragglers can then be addressed individually over a longer time span with gentle pressure from their management.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
The simple answer is you have to justify the expense. If there is a business use case where it will save money by improving your productivity then you can sell it and get the approval.
The first step is to compile all the time you spend making these reports. The next is to identify how much that costs and what you are not doing because you compile the reports. What follows is a quick out of thin air example of what would go a long way towards getting approval.
Lets say for example you spend 10 hours a week just compiling reports along with your other duties. Lets also say your fully loaded cost is $100 per hour (a good rough estimate for an IT Knowledge worker). That is $1000 per week they are spending for you to compile reports. Its also 25% of your work week that you could be spending doing other things for the business. Lets put the other stuff with a $500 opportunity cost (the cost of you not doing things.) (your number may vary).
A new server will cost some where between $5k to $25K depending on software and such but lets take the smaller side and go with $7.5K for the new server. In order to have the new server you will need to save 10 hours per week for 5 weeks to recoup the cost of the server (an ROI of 5 weeks on the hardware its self). There are also more benefits, business users not having to wait on you to compile reports. Lets say there are 10 users that wait 1 hour each week for you to compile your reports. Add their time in as well since they can just log on to the server and get their report.
When you start putting numbers down the business decision becomes clear. If the return is greater than the cost then it makes sense for the business to make the decision to buy something. If after figuring out the costs is actually makes sense for you to keep doing the reports then thats what the numbers say.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The management team is interested in dollars and cents, so give that to them. Show them the dollars and sense of a new set up (sorry, couldn't help myself). Pair up with someone who can create a cost-benefit analysis regarding your needs.
Find out how much the current process costs the organization now, both quantitatively and qualitatively. (Labor hours, labor dollars, organizing file structure for finding reports, etc)
Find out how much your new set up will cost the organization (hardware, software, your time building reports and setting up the new report server)
Figure out how long it will take to pay off the new configuration. (By saving $X per day, week, month, this will pay itself off in Y weeks, months, years).
The more details you include in your analysis the better.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
suggest improvements |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
This is NOT simply a "dollars and cents" problem.
I think the other answers nicely make a case for justifying the expense of a server based on the amount of time it would save and ROI. This is perfectly logical, but there is another thing you need first: some form of "approval" from users.
What I mean is that you are proposing a switch over from one tool (in this case, excel) into another tool (a reporting system) which is quite different in what it can do.
Before jumping into buying a dedicated server, you will need to convince the end-users that your new system will meet their requirements and be worth the effort needed to change. You may not know what the users are doing with their spreadsheets right now and changing over to something different might interrupt a workflow that they've gotten acclimated to (for example, they might have invested a lot of time in writing macros, pivot tables, or who-knows-what else based on your spreadsheets). This is a change that really needs to be handled carefully, or you might face a lot more resistance than just the obstacle of getting a server up and running.
The core problem here before funding is how to tackle the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. In practice, one way you can do it is the following:
Find a very small number of "alpha users" who are open to trying a new reporting system as a "pilot program". Implement the reporting system using their feedback to give them something that works for their needs. Use this success as the basis for further dialogs about how the system would work and what problems it solves. You can, of course, just put the SSRS server on a non-dedicated machine (or whatever works in you environment).
If the pilot program successful, you can then mainstream the system to regular users. At this point the ROI arguments that the other answers gave will apply, and you can make a "dollars and cents" justification for the new reporting system. Not all users will go along, and you'll likely need to support some "legacy" reports.
The remaining stragglers can then be addressed individually over a longer time span with gentle pressure from their management.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
3
down vote
This is NOT simply a "dollars and cents" problem.
I think the other answers nicely make a case for justifying the expense of a server based on the amount of time it would save and ROI. This is perfectly logical, but there is another thing you need first: some form of "approval" from users.
What I mean is that you are proposing a switch over from one tool (in this case, excel) into another tool (a reporting system) which is quite different in what it can do.
Before jumping into buying a dedicated server, you will need to convince the end-users that your new system will meet their requirements and be worth the effort needed to change. You may not know what the users are doing with their spreadsheets right now and changing over to something different might interrupt a workflow that they've gotten acclimated to (for example, they might have invested a lot of time in writing macros, pivot tables, or who-knows-what else based on your spreadsheets). This is a change that really needs to be handled carefully, or you might face a lot more resistance than just the obstacle of getting a server up and running.
The core problem here before funding is how to tackle the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. In practice, one way you can do it is the following:
Find a very small number of "alpha users" who are open to trying a new reporting system as a "pilot program". Implement the reporting system using their feedback to give them something that works for their needs. Use this success as the basis for further dialogs about how the system would work and what problems it solves. You can, of course, just put the SSRS server on a non-dedicated machine (or whatever works in you environment).
If the pilot program successful, you can then mainstream the system to regular users. At this point the ROI arguments that the other answers gave will apply, and you can make a "dollars and cents" justification for the new reporting system. Not all users will go along, and you'll likely need to support some "legacy" reports.
The remaining stragglers can then be addressed individually over a longer time span with gentle pressure from their management.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
This is NOT simply a "dollars and cents" problem.
I think the other answers nicely make a case for justifying the expense of a server based on the amount of time it would save and ROI. This is perfectly logical, but there is another thing you need first: some form of "approval" from users.
What I mean is that you are proposing a switch over from one tool (in this case, excel) into another tool (a reporting system) which is quite different in what it can do.
Before jumping into buying a dedicated server, you will need to convince the end-users that your new system will meet their requirements and be worth the effort needed to change. You may not know what the users are doing with their spreadsheets right now and changing over to something different might interrupt a workflow that they've gotten acclimated to (for example, they might have invested a lot of time in writing macros, pivot tables, or who-knows-what else based on your spreadsheets). This is a change that really needs to be handled carefully, or you might face a lot more resistance than just the obstacle of getting a server up and running.
The core problem here before funding is how to tackle the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. In practice, one way you can do it is the following:
Find a very small number of "alpha users" who are open to trying a new reporting system as a "pilot program". Implement the reporting system using their feedback to give them something that works for their needs. Use this success as the basis for further dialogs about how the system would work and what problems it solves. You can, of course, just put the SSRS server on a non-dedicated machine (or whatever works in you environment).
If the pilot program successful, you can then mainstream the system to regular users. At this point the ROI arguments that the other answers gave will apply, and you can make a "dollars and cents" justification for the new reporting system. Not all users will go along, and you'll likely need to support some "legacy" reports.
The remaining stragglers can then be addressed individually over a longer time span with gentle pressure from their management.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
This is NOT simply a "dollars and cents" problem.
I think the other answers nicely make a case for justifying the expense of a server based on the amount of time it would save and ROI. This is perfectly logical, but there is another thing you need first: some form of "approval" from users.
What I mean is that you are proposing a switch over from one tool (in this case, excel) into another tool (a reporting system) which is quite different in what it can do.
Before jumping into buying a dedicated server, you will need to convince the end-users that your new system will meet their requirements and be worth the effort needed to change. You may not know what the users are doing with their spreadsheets right now and changing over to something different might interrupt a workflow that they've gotten acclimated to (for example, they might have invested a lot of time in writing macros, pivot tables, or who-knows-what else based on your spreadsheets). This is a change that really needs to be handled carefully, or you might face a lot more resistance than just the obstacle of getting a server up and running.
The core problem here before funding is how to tackle the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. In practice, one way you can do it is the following:
Find a very small number of "alpha users" who are open to trying a new reporting system as a "pilot program". Implement the reporting system using their feedback to give them something that works for their needs. Use this success as the basis for further dialogs about how the system would work and what problems it solves. You can, of course, just put the SSRS server on a non-dedicated machine (or whatever works in you environment).
If the pilot program successful, you can then mainstream the system to regular users. At this point the ROI arguments that the other answers gave will apply, and you can make a "dollars and cents" justification for the new reporting system. Not all users will go along, and you'll likely need to support some "legacy" reports.
The remaining stragglers can then be addressed individually over a longer time span with gentle pressure from their management.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
edited Mar 30 '15 at 14:49
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:43
teego1967
10.3k42845
10.3k42845
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
suggest improvements |Â
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
Pretty sure OP is talking about the product Report Server that comes with SQL and does not require a dedicated server.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:53
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
@Blam, whether the reporting server is a dedicated physical machine, or virtual, or sharing a machine with other apps, it still requires resources and I am saying that those resources are a consideration which is secondary to the user requirements.
– teego1967
Mar 30 '15 at 15:09
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
The simple answer is you have to justify the expense. If there is a business use case where it will save money by improving your productivity then you can sell it and get the approval.
The first step is to compile all the time you spend making these reports. The next is to identify how much that costs and what you are not doing because you compile the reports. What follows is a quick out of thin air example of what would go a long way towards getting approval.
Lets say for example you spend 10 hours a week just compiling reports along with your other duties. Lets also say your fully loaded cost is $100 per hour (a good rough estimate for an IT Knowledge worker). That is $1000 per week they are spending for you to compile reports. Its also 25% of your work week that you could be spending doing other things for the business. Lets put the other stuff with a $500 opportunity cost (the cost of you not doing things.) (your number may vary).
A new server will cost some where between $5k to $25K depending on software and such but lets take the smaller side and go with $7.5K for the new server. In order to have the new server you will need to save 10 hours per week for 5 weeks to recoup the cost of the server (an ROI of 5 weeks on the hardware its self). There are also more benefits, business users not having to wait on you to compile reports. Lets say there are 10 users that wait 1 hour each week for you to compile your reports. Add their time in as well since they can just log on to the server and get their report.
When you start putting numbers down the business decision becomes clear. If the return is greater than the cost then it makes sense for the business to make the decision to buy something. If after figuring out the costs is actually makes sense for you to keep doing the reports then thats what the numbers say.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
The simple answer is you have to justify the expense. If there is a business use case where it will save money by improving your productivity then you can sell it and get the approval.
The first step is to compile all the time you spend making these reports. The next is to identify how much that costs and what you are not doing because you compile the reports. What follows is a quick out of thin air example of what would go a long way towards getting approval.
Lets say for example you spend 10 hours a week just compiling reports along with your other duties. Lets also say your fully loaded cost is $100 per hour (a good rough estimate for an IT Knowledge worker). That is $1000 per week they are spending for you to compile reports. Its also 25% of your work week that you could be spending doing other things for the business. Lets put the other stuff with a $500 opportunity cost (the cost of you not doing things.) (your number may vary).
A new server will cost some where between $5k to $25K depending on software and such but lets take the smaller side and go with $7.5K for the new server. In order to have the new server you will need to save 10 hours per week for 5 weeks to recoup the cost of the server (an ROI of 5 weeks on the hardware its self). There are also more benefits, business users not having to wait on you to compile reports. Lets say there are 10 users that wait 1 hour each week for you to compile your reports. Add their time in as well since they can just log on to the server and get their report.
When you start putting numbers down the business decision becomes clear. If the return is greater than the cost then it makes sense for the business to make the decision to buy something. If after figuring out the costs is actually makes sense for you to keep doing the reports then thats what the numbers say.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
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The simple answer is you have to justify the expense. If there is a business use case where it will save money by improving your productivity then you can sell it and get the approval.
The first step is to compile all the time you spend making these reports. The next is to identify how much that costs and what you are not doing because you compile the reports. What follows is a quick out of thin air example of what would go a long way towards getting approval.
Lets say for example you spend 10 hours a week just compiling reports along with your other duties. Lets also say your fully loaded cost is $100 per hour (a good rough estimate for an IT Knowledge worker). That is $1000 per week they are spending for you to compile reports. Its also 25% of your work week that you could be spending doing other things for the business. Lets put the other stuff with a $500 opportunity cost (the cost of you not doing things.) (your number may vary).
A new server will cost some where between $5k to $25K depending on software and such but lets take the smaller side and go with $7.5K for the new server. In order to have the new server you will need to save 10 hours per week for 5 weeks to recoup the cost of the server (an ROI of 5 weeks on the hardware its self). There are also more benefits, business users not having to wait on you to compile reports. Lets say there are 10 users that wait 1 hour each week for you to compile your reports. Add their time in as well since they can just log on to the server and get their report.
When you start putting numbers down the business decision becomes clear. If the return is greater than the cost then it makes sense for the business to make the decision to buy something. If after figuring out the costs is actually makes sense for you to keep doing the reports then thats what the numbers say.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
The simple answer is you have to justify the expense. If there is a business use case where it will save money by improving your productivity then you can sell it and get the approval.
The first step is to compile all the time you spend making these reports. The next is to identify how much that costs and what you are not doing because you compile the reports. What follows is a quick out of thin air example of what would go a long way towards getting approval.
Lets say for example you spend 10 hours a week just compiling reports along with your other duties. Lets also say your fully loaded cost is $100 per hour (a good rough estimate for an IT Knowledge worker). That is $1000 per week they are spending for you to compile reports. Its also 25% of your work week that you could be spending doing other things for the business. Lets put the other stuff with a $500 opportunity cost (the cost of you not doing things.) (your number may vary).
A new server will cost some where between $5k to $25K depending on software and such but lets take the smaller side and go with $7.5K for the new server. In order to have the new server you will need to save 10 hours per week for 5 weeks to recoup the cost of the server (an ROI of 5 weeks on the hardware its self). There are also more benefits, business users not having to wait on you to compile reports. Lets say there are 10 users that wait 1 hour each week for you to compile your reports. Add their time in as well since they can just log on to the server and get their report.
When you start putting numbers down the business decision becomes clear. If the return is greater than the cost then it makes sense for the business to make the decision to buy something. If after figuring out the costs is actually makes sense for you to keep doing the reports then thats what the numbers say.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:17
WindRaven
1,792920
1,792920
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The management team is interested in dollars and cents, so give that to them. Show them the dollars and sense of a new set up (sorry, couldn't help myself). Pair up with someone who can create a cost-benefit analysis regarding your needs.
Find out how much the current process costs the organization now, both quantitatively and qualitatively. (Labor hours, labor dollars, organizing file structure for finding reports, etc)
Find out how much your new set up will cost the organization (hardware, software, your time building reports and setting up the new report server)
Figure out how long it will take to pay off the new configuration. (By saving $X per day, week, month, this will pay itself off in Y weeks, months, years).
The more details you include in your analysis the better.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The management team is interested in dollars and cents, so give that to them. Show them the dollars and sense of a new set up (sorry, couldn't help myself). Pair up with someone who can create a cost-benefit analysis regarding your needs.
Find out how much the current process costs the organization now, both quantitatively and qualitatively. (Labor hours, labor dollars, organizing file structure for finding reports, etc)
Find out how much your new set up will cost the organization (hardware, software, your time building reports and setting up the new report server)
Figure out how long it will take to pay off the new configuration. (By saving $X per day, week, month, this will pay itself off in Y weeks, months, years).
The more details you include in your analysis the better.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
The management team is interested in dollars and cents, so give that to them. Show them the dollars and sense of a new set up (sorry, couldn't help myself). Pair up with someone who can create a cost-benefit analysis regarding your needs.
Find out how much the current process costs the organization now, both quantitatively and qualitatively. (Labor hours, labor dollars, organizing file structure for finding reports, etc)
Find out how much your new set up will cost the organization (hardware, software, your time building reports and setting up the new report server)
Figure out how long it will take to pay off the new configuration. (By saving $X per day, week, month, this will pay itself off in Y weeks, months, years).
The more details you include in your analysis the better.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
The management team is interested in dollars and cents, so give that to them. Show them the dollars and sense of a new set up (sorry, couldn't help myself). Pair up with someone who can create a cost-benefit analysis regarding your needs.
Find out how much the current process costs the organization now, both quantitatively and qualitatively. (Labor hours, labor dollars, organizing file structure for finding reports, etc)
Find out how much your new set up will cost the organization (hardware, software, your time building reports and setting up the new report server)
Figure out how long it will take to pay off the new configuration. (By saving $X per day, week, month, this will pay itself off in Y weeks, months, years).
The more details you include in your analysis the better.
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
answered Mar 30 '15 at 14:14
Brian
1,408922
1,408922
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
As it stands, this question is very difficult to understand. I think there might be an on-topic question in there somewhere, but you need to reword the question using full sentences instead of a bulleted list.
– David K
Mar 30 '15 at 13:51
Okay, I edited the question.
– ColorfulWind
Mar 30 '15 at 13:56
Just do a cost benefit analysis. You already SQL Server you have the software. Surely there is a server out there it can be installed on.
– paparazzo
Mar 30 '15 at 14:35
Just to check my understanding of the question, not necessarily to plug my own employer's product: it sounds like you're looking for something like Rational Team Consort which can track relationships and progress on tasks and subtasks and render views of project status versus targets. The hard part is getting users to provided more detail than open/analyzing /developing/testiing/done. Can definitely be valuable; the largest challenge is convincing folks that it'll save them enough work that they "bbut in" to using it.
– keshlam
Mar 30 '15 at 19:38
If you remove the technical details and just explain that you believe you need a new server what is the most effective way to get one this would be on topic.
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Apr 5 '15 at 1:43