Some people request them from the IT department. Others lock themselves in their offices for a day or two and go crazy with spreadsheets. Others delegate the task. Whatever the method, everyone has a process for creating business reports.

But, what if your process wastes time? What if the hours you spend running reports or analyzing data are unnecessary?

Here’s a good test: Does it take longer than 5 minutes? If so, you’re wasting time. Within a matter of seconds, you should be able to see any piece of data you wish to see. For example, applications like this interactive report or this web pivot table report give you a high level view of data, but let you “slice-and-dice” it however you want.

If your reporting isn’t that simple, maybe it’s time to examine your options. All of the reports above were created with m-Power, which lets anyone create web apps without programming. If you want to try it out for yourself, sign up for a free trial right here.