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Frequently Asked Questions

The Answers You Need

WHAT SERVICES DOES IBIS PROVIDE? 

IBIS Reporting Tools 

  • IBIS acts as an agent for the client to establish and manage the client’s Microsoft Power BI Account. 

  • IBIS provides business intelligence reporting by using the Microsoft Power BI Platform, which is a part of the Microsoft Cloud Services offerings. 

  • We connect our clients’ POS Databases to their Power BI Account, using a gateway, which allows for seamless ongoing refreshes of the client’s data every 24 hours. 

  • Our Reporting Suite is created using our internally developed data models, which are customized where necessary for each clients’ database. 

  • The client connects to and uses their IBIS Reporting Suite Tools over the internet by logging into their secure, branded Store App (created by IBIS) using Power BI and hosted from the Microsoft Datacenters. 

  • Each client can access the IBIS Reporting Suite from anywhere with an internet connection. 

Categorization 

  • IBIS organizes your data and gives you the best information without changing anything in your POS system.  

  • IBIS categorizes every item in every department in your store including Food Service, Produce, Meat, Seafood and Bulk.  

  • With enhanced reporting and categorization, IBIS gives store managers new tools to make category management easier and more attainable.  

HOW WILL I RECOVER MY INVESTMENT (ROI) WITH IBIS TOOLS? 

IBIS Tools give retailers access to their data, which allows for greater visibility, leading to improved measurement, tracking and benchmarking of performance.  Clients gain ROI in multiple ways with IBIS Tools through:

 

  • Access to real-time, actionable insights (decisions can be made with current, not stale info). 

  • Instant visibility of positive and negative trends (lean into opportunities and minimize risks). 

  • Reduction in labor costs (less data entry, more analysis and action). 

  • Productivity gains (Optimal use of managers’ time). 

 

Base Retailer Labor Cost Savings is approximately $7200 per year* 

*Cost savings estimate above represents the minimum labor cost per year for a manager to run & collate POS and other third-party system reports calculated at 1 hour per day times the going rate for store management. 

WHAT ARE THE BASIC TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CLIENTS TO RECEIVE THE SERVICE? 

  • Dedicated On-site Computer - A computer with access to the store’s POS with at least a Quad Core Processor and a minimum of 8GB of RAM for hosting the Microsoft On-Premises Data Gateway and kept online each night. 

  • ODBC Connection - POS System built on a relational database management system that is accessible via Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)  

  • Transactional History – Database storage with a minimum of 24 months of transaction data. 

WHAT IS THE ON-PREMISES GATEWAY?

  • The Microsoft On-Premises Data Gateway (personal mode) is a client agent to refresh data from on-premises data sources such as SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, Files, etc. It empowers business analysts to securely keep their data in Power BI synched with their on-premises data. Once the On-premises Data Gateway is running on the computer, data refresh is seamless.

WHAT ARE THE SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR THE MICROSOFT ON -PREMISES DATA GATEWAY?

  • Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2

  • .Net Framework 4.5.2 or greater

HOW DOES THE USER GAIN ACCESS TO THEIR REPORTING?

  • IBIS creates and manages the Power BI Account on behalf of the client. Immediately after installation, new user credentials are sent to the client with instructions for accessing their new reporting app and updating their password.

WHAT POINT-OF-SALE (POS) PLATFORMS ARE CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY IBIS?

IBIS currently provides reporting tools to support:

  • ECRS

  • BR DATA (with onsite SQL Server Instance)

  • LOC

DOES IBIS MAKE CHANGES WITHIN MY POINT OF SALE SYSTEM

  • No, IBIS makes no changes within a client’s POS System.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT PRODUCTS OFFERED BY IBIS?

  • Daily Dashboard+

    • The Daily Dashboard+ includes both summary level as well as department level sales metrics. The Dash allows users to see multiple data points and incorporates charts, grids, and rollover views of the core metrics in a quick-view format. Daily refreshes ensure the Dash stays current (within 24 hours).

  • Ops View & Insight Tree

    • Ops View and Insight Tree are a collection of tools designed to allow the user to seamlessly move from the Daily Dash to a more in-depth review of the recent performance metrics for the business. Ops View and Insight Tree are designed as current year performance tracking tools.

  • TrendSpotter

    • The TrendSpotter is an interactive, multi-layer tool designed to identify macro to micro level sales trends and their sources quickly. The TrendSpotter's drill-through feature allows users to navigate up or down at each level between department and item levels to find root causes of negative or positive trends.

  • Rapid Pricing Tool with Margin Managment

    • The Rapid Pricing Tool (RPT) was designed to make management of pricing, promotions and retail margins quicker and easier.  RPT helps you efficiently manage all digital invoices (e.g. distributors) and those of your local vendors. Set up your Case Stacks & EDLP's and RPT will highlight any items that do not receive the correct pricing from your suppliers.  RPT also lets retailers easily set up and manage their margins by department, brand, or item. â€‹


HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET STARTED WITH THE IBIS REPORTING SERVICE?

    • Each client’s project timeline varies according to the number of stores they operate and the client’s ability to satisfy the basic requirements for the service.

    • IBIS’ general ETA for a single store from the project start date (defined by when the client satisfies the basic technical requirements and executes the IBIS Service Agreement) is the following:

    • ECRS

              30 business days.

            BR Data & LOC

               45-60 business days. ​

  • A retailer’s project start date will also be influenced by the number of other client installations already in progress.

HOW MUCH TIME DOES IBIS REQUIRE FROM EACH CLIENT FROM START TO FINISH?

    • From start to finish, IBIS requires just 1-2 hours of a client’s time for initial gateway setup, mapping confirmations and audit and reporting validations. Each client or client’s team involvement is managed efficiently to create no added burden for the client's organization.

WHO OWNS THE DATA IN THE REPORTING MODELS?

    • Each client owns their data.

    • All Data Models and internally developed algorithms, processes, custom designed interfaces, product names and marks belong to IBIS.

WHERE IS MY BUSINESS REPORTING DATA STORED?

    • Each client’s data is being stored and refreshed directly through the Microsoft Data Centers which support the Power BI Service and the On-Premises Gateway to allow for the client’s seamless data refreshes.

DOES IBIS SELL MY DATA?

    • No. IBIS does not own; therefore, cannot sell any client’s data.

HOW DOES IBIS USE MY DATA?

    • IBIS manages each client’s data for the explicit purpose of delivering the Service (IBIS Reporting Suite) as agreed per the IBIS Services Agreement.

    • IBIS retains all rights to high level aggregated and anonymized data, per the IBIS Services Agreement for the purpose of research, the creation of various analytics models, the development of added reporting and insights or as it deems fit for advancing its goals of leveraging technology for the benefit of independent retailers.

HOW SECURE IS THE IBIS REPORTING SERVICE?

    • The IBIS Reporting Service is built on and supported by the world class Microsoft Cloud Services Platform. All the security protections available to any Microsoft client, regardless of size, is available to each IBIS client. Clients’ data are stored on Microsoft Data Centers and are subjected to best-in-class security protocols.

HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH IBIS REPORTING?

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