Partner Success: Build scalable Reporting-as-a-Service

Edgar de Wit

So many accounting and advisory firms already deliver excellent quality reporting to clients. Nicely tailored dashboards, management reports, and periodic insights are part of the offering. But what happens when demand grows? What works well for a handful of clients can become challenging to sustain across dozens, mainly when each setup relies on manual work and individual expertise.

At the same time, client expectations are evolving. Near real-time insight, tailored dashboards, and sector-specific reporting are increasingly standard. Meeting these expectations consistently requires more than strong financial knowledge; it requires an operational model that supports scale.

The operational tension behind reporting services

Reporting-as-a-service often starts as a project. A client requests better insight, a reporting model is built, and the outcome is well received. Over time, similar requests follow from other clients. So what's needed is a shared delivery model; each new client adds setup work, maintenance effort, and dependency on specific consultants.

This creates pressure in several areas:

1. Reporting logic exists per client instead of per client type or sector
2. Manual exports and adjustments return each reporting cycle
3. Knowledge sits with individuals rather than in reusable options

Growth is excellent, of course, but it also increases the workload. The service remains valuable, but it can have a knock-on effect of tightening margins. Therefore, it can be harder to control the delivery.

Lean CPM is the engine behind scalable delivery

Lean CPM tooling provides the operational layer that turns reporting into a repeatable service. It does not replace a partner's expertise or client relationships; it structures how that expertise is delivered.

Within a Lean CPM setup:

1. Reporting models, templates, and integration logic are defined once
2. Accounting data is integrated automatically from supported systems (learn about integrations)
3. Client-specific differences are handled through configuration settings
4. Reporting follows a consistent workflow rather than a recurring project

Partner example: InfoAction

InfoAction, one of XLReporting's implementation partners, supports clients with different reporting preferences and delivery formats. One client wanted interactive pivot table reports in XLReporting while still using Excel for distribution and archiving.

InfoAction solved this by combining XLReporting's reporting logic with Excel output. Using a central Excel template, dozens of reports are generated in one run and exported directly to PDF.

This setup is powered by report queries in XLReporting. A report query is a secure connection between XLReporting and Excel or Power BI. The connection is cleverly designed so you can also pass filters and selection fields. The selection fields are essentially the same as your XLReporting report. The same underlying reporting logic drives dashboards and document-based output, but without the unwanted duplication. For partners, this means client workflows remain intact, even though reporting logic stays centralised and controlled.

Where scaling usually breaks down

1. Excel-heavy workarounds maintained per client
2. Separate reporting logic for similar client profiles
3. Manual interventions for each reporting cycle
4. Individual consultants are the single source of knowledge

Lean CPM addresses these points by moving logic, structure, and integrations into shared, maintainable models (learn more about scalable Q1 reporting).

Partner enablement as operational support

Scaling delivery also requires reliable backup. Partner support in XLReporting means that you will get operational assistance. With direct 1-to-1 email support, setup questions are resolved quickly, allowing partners to keep client delivery moving without interruptions. This reduces risk during onboarding and updates, especially when rolling out changes across multiple clients.

The commercial outcome

1. Serve more clients with the same team
2. Deliver consistent quality across the client base
3. Reduce dependency on individual consultants
4. Build predictable, recurring revenue streams

The service itself does not need to be redesigned. The delivery model does :)

Take the next step

For partners considering how to scale reporting profitably, a Quick Scan provides a practical starting point. It identifies where standardisation, integrations, and workflows can unlock capacity and margin within existing services.

Perform a Quick Scan to see how Lean CPM can support scalable reporting-as-a-service delivery.