What Client Reporting Tools Are
Written by MSP Outpost.
In Short
A client reporting tool pulls data from the PSA, RMM and security tools and turns it into reports a client understands, usually for a quarterly business review. The PSA already has reports, but they are built for running the MSP, not for showing a client what they pay for. Some tools here also add a client portal, device lifecycle planning or budget forecasting.
What It Does
- Dashboards. Live views of tickets, SLA performance and alerts, for your team and for clients.
- Review reports. A document per client built from real data, with room for your account manager's commentary.
- Lifecycle planning. Shows which devices are out of warranty or due for replacement, with a budget for the years ahead.
- Recommendations. A running list of projects and risks to raise with the client, each with an estimated cost.
- Client portal. A place clients sign in to see their reports, tickets and assets without having to ask.
- Scheduling. Sends reports on a schedule, so nobody has to build them by hand each month.
When You Need One
The reports inside your PSA and a simple template are enough. Hold reviews with your largest clients by hand before paying for a tool to automate them.
Regular reviews become how you keep clients and sell projects, and building each one by hand takes hours. A tool that assembles the data lets the account manager spend that time on the conversation.
Reviews run on a calendar with dedicated account managers, and lifecycle and budget planning drive much of your project work. Pick a tool that pulls from every system you run and that the whole account team uses the same way.
What to Look For
Must Have
- PSA Integration
- RMM Integration
- Branded Report Templates
- Scheduled Delivery
- Per-Client Data Separation
Worth Having
- Client Portal
- Device Lifecycle Planning
- Budget Forecasting
- Security Tool Integrations
- Recommendation Tracking
How It Is Priced
Pricing in this category takes several shapes: some tools charge a flat monthly fee, others charge per client, and some offer a free plan with the most useful parts paid. Watch for annual terms, which some vendors require, and check whether the portal or lifecycle features cost extra.
Switching
Reports are easy to rebuild, so leaving mostly costs the time to recreate templates and the history of past reviews. If clients sign in to a portal, moving also means retraining them and changing links. Before you sign, check you can export past reports as documents, along with any recommendations or budgets you entered by hand.
Questions to Ask a Vendor
- Which fields from my PSA and RMM can you report on out of the box, and which need custom work?
- Is it priced per client or flat, and how does the price change as I add clients?
- Can each client see only their own data, and can I choose which reports each one sees?
- How often does data sync from each source, and how old can a figure in a report be?
- Which features from the demo are on the entry plan, and which cost more?
- Can I export past reports and the recommendations I entered if I leave?
