In a company running Netsis or Logo, the ERP systems widely used in Türkiye, the sentence the general manager hears most is "let's ask accounting for the report." The report does arrive, but usually a few days later, as an Excel file, and without answering the next question. Yet almost all the data needed for a management report is already inside the ERP. In this article we explain in plain terms the common ways to get management reports from Netsis and Logo data, what each is good for and where it gets stuck.
A management report is not the same as an accounting report
The ERP's own report screens are largely built for accounting and operations: the trial balance, customer/supplier account statements, stock movement lists, invoice listings. These are correct and necessary, but a manager's question is different. A manager asks, "Why do we have less cash this month than in the same month last year?", "Which customer has started paying late?", "Which product group is sitting in stock?"
So a management report needs three things: comparison (last month, last year), summary (a few meaningful figures instead of thousands of rows) and speed (an answer the moment the question is asked). Evaluating the methods below against these three criteria makes the choice easier.
Option 1: The ERP's own report screens and report designer
Both Netsis and Logo include ready-made reports and tools that let users design their own. Using these as a first step makes sense; they need no additional software and the data never leaves the ERP.
The limitation is this: these tools usually work with a single-period, single-company view, their charting and comparison capabilities are limited, and preparing a report often depends on a user who knows the ERP well. If the manager can't open the report themselves, this path in practice leads straight back to the "let's ask accounting" loop.
Option 2: Exporting to Excel and combining by hand
This is the most common method. A list is exported from the ERP, summarized with pivot tables in Excel, and several tabs are combined. It starts fast and is flexible. But the same effort is repeated every month, it becomes unclear which version of the file is correct, and when formulas break nobody notices. We covered the hidden costs of this approach separately in our article on the hidden cost of Excel reporting.
Option 3: Direct database queries and a business intelligence tool
Netsis and Logo keep their data on SQL Server. An IT specialist can connect to the database, write queries and feed the results into a business intelligence (BI) tool. It is a powerful approach, but it carries three risks:
- The person writing the query must know the ERP's data structure very well; a single wrong join silently corrupts the numbers.
- If the connection is made with a user that has write permissions, the ERP data is put at risk.
- The project stays dependent on one person; if the query author leaves, nobody can update the report.
We explained step by step which permissions should be granted when connecting to the database in our article on data security when connecting a reporting tool to your ERP.
Option 4: An ERP-specific, read-only reporting layer
The fourth option is to use a ready-made reporting layer that already understands the ERP's data structure and works by reading only. The aim here is to get the power of the third option without the effort of the second. The manager doesn't design reports; they look at ready-made views and ask whatever question comes to mind.
Comparing the four options
| Criterion | ERP report screen | Excel | Direct query + BI | Read-only reporting layer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to get started | Immediate | Immediate | Weeks | Short |
| Recurring effort | Medium | High | Low | Low |
| Year-over-year comparison | Hard | Manual | Depends on the query | Built in |
| Risk to ERP data | None | None | Depends on permissions | None (read-only) |
| Dependence on individuals | Medium | High | High | Low |
None of these is the single right answer for every company. For a small business with a few users, the ERP screens and a well-kept Excel file may be enough. For a company with several entities, several years of data and several managers, manual collection methods soon fall short.
Checklist before you decide
- Write down the 5-10 questions management asks again every month
- How many of these questions require data from more than one year or company?
- Who prepares the report today, and how long does it take?
- Is it known who accesses the ERP database, and with what permissions?
- Who checks that the numbers are correct, and do different reports give the same result?
- Is the reporting need at period-end, or every day?
Filling in this list often shows on its own which option suits you.
How we do it at Globya
We start by listening to management's questions; the choice of tool comes afterward. READERP, which we built for needs like these, connects read-only to Netsis and Logo and to other common ERP and finance platforms, is set up the same day and never writes a single line to the ERP. Views for Cash, Receivables, Revenue, Stock, Payroll, Cash cycle and Confirmation come ready-made, and you can ask your question in plain Turkish. For needs beyond the ready-made views, we prepare custom financial reports. Broader work, such as data flow between the ERP and an e-commerce site or dealer portal, falls under our ERP and reporting and integration services. Pricing follows a written proposal after the discovery call. Describe your needs now in 3 minutes
Frequently asked questions
Aren't the built-in reports in Netsis or Logo enough?
For single-period, single-company, accounting-focused questions they usually are. When you need year-over-year comparisons, a combined view of several companies and the ability for managers to ask questions on their own, an additional layer makes things easier.
Does a reporting tool slow down the ERP?
It depends on how the queries are written and how often they run. A well-designed connection that only reads and doesn't needlessly scan entire tables has no noticeable effect on daily use.
Can we get management reports without changing our ERP?
Yes. You don't need to change your ERP to get management reports; a layer that reads and summarizes the existing data is enough. No settings or records in the ERP are changed.
The Globya assistant is online 24/7; it answers right away and passes your question to the team if needed.