Reporting can be defined as gathering of data from one or more source systems and presenting it to end-users in a way that supports their activities and decision-making. Every report developed by UBC units and shared with the community must provide enough information to enable users to understand the information presented, the source of the data, and the intended usage of the data included in the report.
This is achieved by implementing governance over reports, including defined roles and responsibilities, and compliance with standards, processes, and guidelines. Report Governance creates a culture that decisions can be confidently made based on trusted data, and duplicated reports, report chaos, and confusion are eradicated.
To avoid misinterpretation of data, and to ensure all reports shared across the UBC community clearly articulate the source, meaning, and purpose of the report, the following is recommended:
- A descriptive title using naming conventions
- The date the report was produced
- The author of the report
- Data is sourced from an approved System of Record, or System of Reference
- Labels for axis / columns and header rows
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Use of governed calculations
- Use of shared and approved terminology that can be found in the University Glossary
- Additional metadata that gives further information or annotations about the report, following a defined metadata standard
- Reports are secured, and access can be requested following the Data Access Framework