Dashboards and Analysis Tools

Distributed Dashboards and Excel Analysis Tools to assist departments with process management and assurance

Providing analysis ready for action

The Finance Division distributes three dashboards to departments on a monthly basis bringing together data from a number of key reports:

  • The Month-End Dashboard – provides Heads of Administration and Finance and Finance Managers with analysis of key Oracle reports to enable review of processes and assessment of month-end positions.
  • The User Access Dashboard – provides Heads of Administration and Finance and Finance Managers with a snapshot view of Oracle Financials and SAP Concur users within the department, with analysis of key reports needed to complete required checks.
  • The Expenses Dashboard – provides Heads of Administration and Finance and Finance Managers with analysis of key SAP Concur reports to enable review of processes and transactions.

The Finance Division also provides two analysis tools for use by departments:

  • P2P Analysis and Actions Tool – provides departmental finance staff with a straightforward way of analysing key reports involved in the ongoing management of Purchase to Pay processes.
  • Project Actions Tool – provides departmental grants staff with a method of accessing detailed analysis of their portfolio in respects to managing key risk areas. The tool can also be used to create and distribute reports to Principal Investigators and project managers as an alternative to the PSA report.

 

The Dashboards and Analysis Tools aim to save departments time by:

  • Providing analysis of data to save departments time in producing their own analysis.
  • Highlighting areas that need review or investigation, turning reports into actionable points.
  • Bringing multiple key reports together in one workbook to provide a more comprehensive picture.
  • Providing departments with assurance over their activities.

 

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Dashboards

The dashboards are run by the Financial Assurance Team and distributed monthly. Colleagues nominated to receive the dashboards will be notified each month when they are available.

Departments, via their authorised signatory for managing Oracle access, are responsible for managing who receives the dashboards. While no Oracle access is needed to use the dashboards, they provide access to Oracle data and therefore management of access is important.

To make changes to those that receive the dashboards, please go to the Requesting Access page where you can find the links to request or remove access.

When you are granted access to the dashboards you will be sent a link to your dashboards folder. Each month a notification email, also containing this link, will be sent to you to let you know when your dashboards are ready for review.

Please note, there is no training required to receive the dashboards.

 

Tips: Opening the Dashboards

Opening the dashboards in Excel Online will not give access to the full range of tools contained within the dashboard. Please select the file and open in the app (i.e. open using Excel on your pc or laptop) or download the file and then open. 

 

Analysis Tools

Unlike the dashboards, the analysis tools are available for departments to run themselves allowing flexibility over when they are used.

The tools can be downloaded using the links in the sections below.

To be able to update the tools users need to be able to run the relevant reports in SplashBI. Details of the reports required can be found in the 'Info' sheets of each tool.

Please note there is no training required to use the tools further to the training required to run reports in SplashBI.

If you have any difficulties accessing or using the dashboard or tools please contact the Financial Assurance team .

Financial Assurance is happy to provide one to one workshop sessions with departments to assist with both running and working with the dashboards and tools.

The Month-End Dashboard includes key reports to support month-end covering areas of activity including purchase to pay, research, key control balances, and debt. The analysis and underlying reports underpin key activities such as managing open purchase orders and invoices on hold, reviewing key balances, and checking outstanding debt.

The Month-End Dashboard is distributed by working day 10 after month close. It is intended for review by Heads of Administration and Finance and Finance Managers to provide assurance around the operation of the department, enabling understanding of any risks and areas of weakness.

Detailed guidance is available including details of what to review on the Month-End Dashboard and how to interpret the information on the cards.

Working with the Month-End Dashboard guidance

The User Access Dashboard includes key reports used by departments to support managing access to Oracle Financials.

Managing access appropriately is crucial to the safety and security of the University’s financial information and the integrity of its system of financial control. Oracle is not linked to other systems (e.g. single single-on) and therefore proactive management is needed. Departments have responsibility for managing access to fit with their staff and processes.

The User Access Dashboard is distributed by working day 3 each month. The dashboard is distributed monthly to allow departments flexibility in their review process. Review is only required quarterly, although some departments may wish to use the dashboard monthly.

 

Note: Quarterly review of user access is one of the controls around managing access, and it is important these checks are completed.

For more information on managing access please see the Managing User Access Process.

 

 

Detailed guidance is available including details of what to review on the User Access Dashboard and how to interpret the information on the cards. 

Working with the User Access Dashboard guidance

The P2P Analysis and Actions Tool provides users with detailed analysis of their SplashBI reports in relation to Incomplete Requisitions, Open Purchase Orders and Invoices on Hold. It designed for use by finance staff in charge of monitoring these processes throughout the month and when preparing for month end.

All the information required to run and use the tool can be found within the tool itself in the 'Info' sheet. Please be sure to read this information carefully before using the tool for the first time.

 

To download a ZIP file containing the Excel tool please use the link below:

P2P Analysis and Actions Tool v3.00 (ZIP) 

The Project Actions Tool is designed to assist post-award teams with the management of their portfolio of projects. It provides a straightforward way of analysing projects data, highlighting potential risks at each stage of a project's lifecycle. As an alternative to the PSA report, it can also be used to create reports for distribution to PIs and project managers.

To download a ZIP file containing the Excel tool and accompanying files please use the link below:

Project Actions Tool Files v2.12 (ZIP) 

 

Accompanying files:

  • A PDF guidance document providing information on interpreting the data within the tool, the risks being highlighted, and subsequent actions to take.
  • An Excel based Mailing List Tool to assist with the distribution of reports created by the Project Actions Tool.
  • A PDF document detailing how to add a macro to Outlook to allow the bulk sending of draft emails created by the Mailing list Tool.

Praise for the Dashboards

 

 

 

...the team are genuinely keen to see the data each month...

...the Dashboard is an excellent tool...

...(the Dashboard KPIs) highlight opportunities for improvement...

 

My team see the Dashboard as an invaluable means of continuing to improve the service we provide...

 

See full testimonials

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Contact us

 : Finance Division
      University of Oxford
      23-38 Hythe Bridge Street

      Oxford, OX1 2ET

 : financial.assurance@admin.ox.ac.uk

 : counterfraud@admin.ox.ac.uk

 : Financial Assurance and Counter Fraud Team