How to choose between custom lists or custom reports in Sage Intacct?

With Sage Intacct software offering so many resources for financial experts, users might wonder whether to use a “custom list” or a “custom report” to get the most precise insights for a particular project. That question was the topic of Laura Sloan’s speaking session at the Sage Transform 2022 Conference.

During her presentation, titled “Custom Lists or Custom Reports – Which Should You Use?” Sloan discussed the strengths of each software feature, based on her years of experience as a senior consultant and CPA for Baker Tilly.

Sloan advised her audience that custom lists (also known as custom views) are the best choice for master lists and other “flat” lists of basic details. Custom lists, she said, are easy to create and to export and are especially appealing to beginners because of the five-step, built-in wizard that guides users through the process of building a list.

By comparison, Sloan described custom reports as better matched to more experienced or “power” users of Sage Intacct. Custom reports are more customizable and do a better job of giving end users who need maximum detail all the information they need, which is important when reviewing transaction data. Custom reports can also link to more information of interest.

One of the key differentiators between custom lists and custom lists is the presentation of dimension detail present on transactions. If you need to view or export information that includes dimensions, like Location or Department, then custom reports are the way to go. Custom lists will not show specific dimensions nor line-item details.

Sloan is knowledgeable about all facets of Sage Intacct accounting ERP system design, project implementation and operational support. She emphasized that both the custom lists and custom reports features of Sage Intacct software offer report readers valuable additional insights.

The cloud-based Sage Intacct software integrates with existing tools to automate routine and time-consuming processes, including accounts payable and receivable, billing, cash management, general ledger, order management, purchasing and reporting.

Creating custom lists and reports with Sage Intacct can help your business get more precise insights. To learn more about how you can create custom lists and custom reports, contact Baker Tilly today.