VBI
VANTAGEBI™ & VANTAGEBRIDGE™
🚀 Launch VantageBI →
VantageBI™ Cloud v4.0 + VantageBridge™ Hybrid ETL • Epicor Eclipse • Prophet 21 • Infor CSD • NetSuite • SQL / ODBC

Official Step-by-Step User & Administrator Guide (v4.0)

Every section in this manual is organized into clear Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3 → Step 4 workflows so executives, CFOs, territory directors, branch managers, purchasing buyers, and ERP administrators can connect data streams, build custom SQL views & fx measures, run Excel-formula FP&A forecasts, customize dashboard data grids, and govern users via reusable Territory State Roll-Ups and Custom Role Templates.

Governed Enterprise Suites
8 Suites + 10 Studios
Wholesale Scorecards
18 Boards + Custom Grids
CFO & Excel FP&A
P&L, BS, CF, TB & fx
Composable Governance
Territories + Role Blueprints
Chapter 1

Platform Architecture, Streamlined Header & Initials Avatar Menu

Open VantageBI Workspace ↗

Built By Data delivers an end-to-end enterprise intelligence ecosystem hosted on a global edge network with strict multi-tenant subdomain isolation and a distraction-free workspace layout:

1. Public Sandbox vs. Dedicated Customer Subdomains

Prospects can test drive builtbydataanalytics.com/app using curated wholesale distribution benchmark data, while each production customer receives an isolated subdomain (<customer>.builtbydataanalytics.com) gated by token authentication, edge dataset protection, and Row-Level Security.

2. Standard (5 Cubes) vs. Enterprise (All 8 Governed Suites) (⊞ Menu)

VantageBI Standard includes the 5 Core Operational Cubes (📊 Sales, 🏭 Purchasing, 📦 Inventory, 💵 Accounts Receivable (AR), 🧾 Accounts Payable (AP)). VantageBI Enterprise unlocks all 5 operational cubes plus 📑 Financial Statements, 🎯 Budget & Forecast, and 💰 Vendor Rebates & SPAs (all 8 Governed Suites) alongside Price Override Audit, 18 Executive Scorecards, Database Designer, and SQL Studio.

3. Streamlined DB Selector, Initials Avatar Circle (TP) & Branded Dialogs

The top dark bar stays ultra-clean with a compact DB Selector (Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable) on the left and a space-saving Initials Avatar Circle (e.g., TP) on the far right. Click your Initials Circle anytime to view your full Name, Title, Role, active Territory/Branch RLS badge, 1-Click Switch Role, 🔒 Lock Session, and ⚙️ Settings / Theme Switcher (☀️ Daylight, 🏛️ Exec Navy, 🌙 Dark Mode). Every note, working line, favorite, and formula studio uses native branded VantageBI™ modals—zero browser system popups.

Chapter 1 • Header, DB Selector & Avatar Menu
Open Workspace ↗
Chapter 1 • Header, DB Selector & Avatar Menu
Visual Walkthrough: Top-left ⊞ Menu opens all 8 Governed Suites; compact DB Selector switches cubes; top-right Initials Avatar Circle (AM) reveals full profile, Cloud Workspace Sync, Role Preview, Subscriptions & Settings.
Chapter 2 • Implementation Blueprint

Day-1 Customer Onboarding Playbook (End-to-End in 4 Steps)

Start at Step 1 in App ↗

Follow these four sequential steps whenever provisioning a new distributor or manufacturer onto VantageBI™:

Step 1 Connect VantageBridge™

Point the On-Premises Sync Studio (or Cloud Connector)

📸 Step 1 Preview: VantageBridge™ Data Sync Click to Zoom
Step 1 Preview: VantageBridge™ Data Sync
to the customer's ERP SQL/ODBC/CSV extracts for Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, AP, and General Ledger, and schedule 15-minute delta syncs.

Step 2 SQL Views & Xref Joins

Use the SQL Workbench (#sql) for any custom ERP table joins or

📸 Step 2 Preview: SQL Workbench & Views Click to Zoom
Step 2 Preview: SQL Workbench & Views
CASE WHEN logic, and attach Customer, Vendor, Buy-Line, and Branch State/Region master tables in Designer Xref.

Step 3 Map Cubes & COA

Verify Dimensions, Properties, Custom Formula Measures

📸 Step 3 Preview: Designer & COA Architect Click to Zoom
Step 3 Preview: Designer & COA Architect
(fx), and Fiscal Dates in Database Designer (#designer), import their Chart of Accounts CSV, and route GL categories in COA Architect (0ms).

Step 4 Territories, Roles & Go Live

Group US States into Territories

📸 Step 4 Preview: Territories, Roles & Governance Click to Zoom
Step 4 Preview: Territories, Roles & Governance
(North/South/East/West), configure Role Templates across all 7 Suites, provision users in seconds in Users & Governance (#users), and verify 100% penny tie-out.

Chapter 3

VantageBridge™ Hybrid Multi-Source Data Sync (Data Sync)

Open Data Sync Console ↗

VantageBridge™ combines the reliability of an on-premises Windows Task Scheduler desktop GUI utility with zero-agent cloud API connectors across SQL, ODBC, Pick/Universe, SFTP, and flat files.

Step-by-Step: Connecting & Scheduling Customer Data Sources

1
Select Your ERP Connector Profile or Add a Multi-Source Stream: Open Data Sync (/app.html#connectors) or launch the VantageBridge™ On-Premises ERP Sync Studio GUI on the customer's server. Click + Add Data Stream and pick the exact source format for each feed:
SQL Server (T-SQL) ODBC DSN (64-bit) Pick / Universe UV Export PostgreSQL / MySQL Cloud REST / OData / SuiteQL CSV / TSV / SFTP Watch Folder
📸 Step 1: Select ERP Connector Profile & Multi-Source Streams Click to Zoom
Step 1: Select ERP Connector Profile & Multi-Source Streams
2
Set Watermark Key & Sync Mode: Assign the incremental date/timestamp column (Invoice_Date, Recv_Date, Posting_Date) with Incremental Append for transactional streams (Sales, Purchasing, AP, GL Postings) or Nightly Snapshot for balances (Inventory On-Hand, Chart of Accounts Master).
📸 Step 2: Set Watermark Key & Incremental/Snapshot Mode Click to Zoom
Step 2: Set Watermark Key & Incremental/Snapshot Mode
3
Push Now & Register Automated Schedule: Click ⚡ Push On-Prem Data to Web Portal Now to verify TLS 1.3 outbound transfer (port 443 only—zero inbound firewall rules) and check the signed receipt control totals to the penny. Then click ⏰ Register Windows Task Scheduler Job (e.g., Every 15 Min Delta + 2:00 AM Full Reconcile). Any future schema updates saved in the web console push down automatically via .vantagesync.json without needing to RDP into the server!
📸 Step 3: Push Now, Verify Control Totals & Schedule Click to Zoom
Step 3: Push Now, Verify Control Totals & Schedule
Chapter 4

VantageStudio™ — Power-User SQL & Warehouse Views (SQL Warehouse)

Open SQL Workbench ↗

When an implementation architect or technical controller wants to write custom SQL joins, union historical ERP tables, or pre-aggregate complex logic before mapping a cube in Designer, the built-in SQL & Views Workbench (accessed via the left ⊞ Menu → Admin → SQL Studio) provides a complete browser IDE.

Step-by-Step: Writing SQL & Saving Reusable Designer Views

1
Inspect Customer Tables in the Right-Hand Schema Panel: Open SQL Studio (/app.html#sql). Expand VantageRaw (raw synced customer ERP tables/files) and VantageStandard (curated views) on the right panel. Click any table or column name to insert it into the SQL editor or preview its columns.
📸 Step 1: Inspect VantageRaw & VantageStandard Schema Panel Click to Zoom
Step 1: Inspect VantageRaw & VantageStandard Schema Panel
2
Write SQL & Run Live Results Preview: Write standard SQL (SELECT, LEFT JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, CASE WHEN, ORDER BY)—or click one of the 1-click starter templates—and press ▶ Run Query to inspect row counts, execution speed, and live tabular results immediately below the editor.
📸 Step 2: Write SQL & Run Live Results Preview Click to Zoom
Step 2: Write SQL & Run Live Results Preview
3
Save as a Warehouse View for Database Designer: Enter a view name (e.g., vw_sales_rebate_enriched), pick the target warehouse schema, and click 💾 Save as View. The saved view immediately appears in the right-hand schema catalog AND inside Database Designer's Stream Selector so you can build or extend cubes directly on top of your SQL view!
📸 Step 3: Save as Reusable Designer Warehouse View Click to Zoom
Step 3: Save as Reusable Designer Warehouse View
Chapter 5

VantageStudio™ — Cube Builder, Kits/BOM/Recipes, UOM & Custom fx Measures

Open VantageStudio™ ↗

VantageStudio™ gives administrators unified control over SQL Warehouse Views and every operational and financial cube (Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, Accounts Payable, Financials GL, plus unlimited + New DB custom cubes)—including native Kits, Assemblies & Recipes (BOM), Multi-UOM / Catch-Weight Conversions, and 6 Universal Industry Vertical Profiles.

Step-by-Step: Mapping Streams, Xrefs, Custom fx, Kits/BOMs & Cross-Industry Verticals

1
Select Database Tab & Classify Raw Stream Columns: Choose a database pill at the top of Database Designer. In the Raw Stream Preview Table, assign any column dropdown to 🔵 D Dimension (sliceable sidebar group), 🟡 P Property (descriptive attribute displayed alongside a dimension), 🔴 M Measure (summed/calculated grid metric), or 🟣 ● Date.
📸 Step 1: Classify Raw Stream Columns into D / P / M / Date Click to Zoom
Step 1: Classify Raw Stream Columns into D / P / M / Date
2
Load Cross-Reference (Xref) Lookup Tables & Bind Dimension-Scoped Properties: Open 🔗 2. Cross-Ref (Xref) or Bucket 2: P Properties inside Designer. Every Property is scoped to its owning Parent Dimension (or All Dimensions)—for example, joining Branch Listing attaches Branch City / State / Zip / Phone / Operating Region to Price Branch, while Outside Sales Rep carries Home Branch / Role / Work Email / Direct Phone / Commission Plan, Bill-To Customer carries Trade Segment / Terms / Credit Limit / Assigned Rep, and Product SKU carries Buy Line / Manufacturer / Stocking UOM / Avg Unit Cost & Price. Use the Filter by Dimension dropdown in Bucket 2 to inspect, add, or reassign properties for any dimension!
📸 Step 2: Join Xref Lookups & Dimension-Scoped Properties Click to Zoom
Step 2: Join Xref Lookups & Dimension-Scoped Properties
3
Write Custom Calculated Formula Measures (fx) in Bucket 3: Click 🧮 + Formula Measure (fx) inside Bucket 3: Measures (or inside the Grid Measures dropdown) to open the Custom Measure Formula Studio. Write any mathematical or conditional formula—including Wholesale Pocket GM %, Automotive Avg RO Ticket $, Net Margin After Core/Warranty %, Food Margin After Spoilage/Shrink %, or Catch-Weight Realized $/Lb—rolling up with exact weighted Grand Totals across Grid rows, Charts, Custom Grids, and CSV exports!
📸 Step 3: Custom Calculated Formula Measures (fx) Click to Zoom
Step 3: Custom Calculated Formula Measures (fx)
4
Configure Kits, Assemblies, Food Recipes (BOM) & Multi-UOM (📦 4. Kits / BOM & UOM): Switch to the 📦 Kits / BOM & UOM sub-tab in Designer to solve header-priced kits vs. component costing across industries:
  • 3 BOM Roll-Up Modes: Choose 1) Header-Priced Kit Cost Roll-Up (rolls component costs up to the Parent Kit SKU so neither parent nor child shows distorted 100% / -100% margins), 2) Component / Recipe Explosion (allocates kit revenue & Trim / Cooking / Scrap Yield Loss % down to raw ingredients/parts), or 3) Dual Parent + Child View.
  • Live Buildability & Bottleneck Detection: Automatically computes Max Buildable Kits/Cases right now and flags the exact Limiting Bottleneck Part + Multi-UOM & Catch-Weight Factors (Master Case ↔ Each, Subprimal ↔ Scale Lb, 55-Gal Drum ↔ RO Quarts, Flat-Rate Flag Hr ↔ Clock Min).
📸 Step 4: Kits, Assemblies, Food Recipes (BOM) & Multi-UOM Click to Zoom
Step 4: Kits, Assemblies, Food Recipes (BOM) & Multi-UOM
5
1-Click Universal Industry Vertical Profiles (🌐 5. Industry Profiles): VantageBI™ serves any company in any industry. Select 🏗️ Wholesale Distribution (default), 🔧 Automotive / Auto Repair & Performance, 🥩 Food & Beverage / Cold-Chain / Restaurant, ⚙️ Manufacturing & Kitting, 🛍️ Multi-Store Retail & E-Com, or 🚚 Field Service & Contracting to inspect ERP connectors, KPIs, and relabel cube Dimensions & Measures in 1 click!
📸 Step 5: 1-Click Universal Industry Vertical Profiles Click to Zoom
Step 5: 1-Click Universal Industry Vertical Profiles
Chapter 6 • Complete GL Onboarding Guide

How to Set a Customer Up with Financial Statements & COA Architect

VantageBI™ makes customer General Ledger onboarding completely self-service across Data Sync, Database Designer, and the Split-Canvas COA Architect & Category Router—while guaranteeing a $0.00 Trial Balance variance from minute one.

Step 1 Sync ERP GL Streams

In VantageBridge™ Data Sync (#connectors), enable the two standard General Ledger feeds from the customer's ERP:

  • GL_Postings_YTD.csv: Journal_Doc_No, GL_Account_No, Branch_ID, Posting_Date, Debit_Amt, Credit_Amt.
  • GL_Chart_Of_Accounts.csv: Account_Code, Account_Description, Account_Type.
  • Optional: GL_Budget_2026.csv for 12-month approved budgets by GL & Branch.
📸 Step 1: Sync ERP GL Postings & Chart of Accounts Streams Click to Zoom
Step 1: Sync ERP GL Postings & Chart of Accounts Streams
Step 2 Configure GL in Designer

Open Database Designer and select the 🏛️ Financials — General Ledger & COA tab (or click 🧩 GL Setup (Designer) inside Financials):

  • Fiscal Year Start Month: Choose Jan (Calendar), Apr, Jul, or Oct fiscal calendar.
  • Credit Polarity & Carry-Forward: Automatic 1000–3999 cumulative Balance Sheet carry-forward vs. 4000–7999 periodic P&L reset.
  • Bulk COA CSV Import: Click ⬇ Sample COA CSV Template or 📂 Import Customer COA / TB CSV to load all customer GL accounts in seconds!
📸 Step 2: Configure Fiscal Calendar, Polarity & COA CSV Import Click to Zoom
Step 2: Configure Fiscal Calendar, Polarity & COA CSV Import
Step 3 Route Categories (0ms)

Click 🧭 Step 3: Route Categories in COA Architect → to open the side-by-side Split-Canvas Studio:

  • Auto-Prefix Classification: 4000s → Revenue, 5000s → COGS/Rebates, 6000s → OpEx, 1000–3000s → Balance Sheet.
  • Automatic 9999-SUSP Suspense Safety Net: Any unfamiliar or newly created ERP GL account lands in Suspense with a warning badge so books never go out of balance.
  • Side-by-Side Blueprint + Router: Edit Waterfall Category Buckets & KPI Equation Bridges ([2] - [3]) on the left while bulk-routing GL accounts on the right with zero rebuild lag!
📸 Step 3: Route Categories in Split-Canvas COA Architect (0ms) Click to Zoom
Step 3: Route Categories in Split-Canvas COA Architect (0ms)
Chapter 7

CFO 4-Statement Suite, Excel-Formula fx FP&A Workbook & Cash Simulator

Open CFO Financials Suite ↗

Step-by-Step: Analyzing Statements, Auditing GL Vouchers & Building Multi-Sheet Excel Forecasts

1
Switch Across the 4 Standard Statements & Territory / Branch Entity Filter: Use the full-width header and sub-tabs inside Financials (#financials) to view Income Statement (P&L), Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Waterfall, and Trial Balance. Select Consolidated Company, a Territory State Roll-Up (automatically scaled to that territory's revenue share!), or any individual Branch 4-Wall Profit Center across MTD, QTD, YTD, or Full-Year 10+2 Forecast.
📸 Step 1: 4 Standard Statements & Territory/Branch Entity Filter Click to Zoom
Step 1: 4 Standard Statements & Territory/Branch Entity Filter
2
Audit Account-Specific GL Sub-Ledger Journal Batches ($0.00 Tie-Out): Click any GL account or category row across P&L, Balance Sheet, OR Trial Balance to inspect authentic account-specific ERP journal batches (JNL-AR-..., JNL-DS-..., JNL-COGS-..., JNL-SPA-..., JNL-ADP-..., JNL-INV-..., JNL-AP-...) with Debit, Credit, and Net Posting $0.00 tie-out, or click 📐 Drill in Grid → to jump straight into the operational cube backing that account.
📸 Step 2: Audit Account-Specific GL Sub-Ledger Journal Batches Click to Zoom
Step 2: Audit Account-Specific GL Sub-Ledger Journal Batches
3
Excel-Formula Multi-Sheet FP&A Workbook (📅 12-Mo Budget & 10+2 Forecast): Open 🎯 Budget & Forecast from the left navigation (or the sub-tab) to plan in a live spreadsheet grid with cell coordinates (C1..N28):
  • Live fx Formula Bar & → Fill to Dec: Click any open forecast cell and type values or real Excel formulas—such as =K5*1.05, =AVERAGE(C5:L5), =SUM(C5:L5)/10, =IF(...), or cross-sheet links like =Headcount!M4 * 6250. Click → Fill to Dec to auto-shift column letters across remaining months!
  • Multi-Tab Driver Sheets & + Working Line: Switch between Operating P&L, Headcount & Payroll, or click + Add Tab / + Working Line to model custom driver rows via branded VantageBI™ modals.
  • Notes, Approval Workflow & Audit Trail: Attach cell assumption notes via 💬 Note, advance rows through Draft → Submitted → Approved, use ↶ Undo / ↷ Redo, apply Top-Down % Spreaders, and Import/Export CSV budgets.
📸 Step 3: Excel-Formula Multi-Sheet FP&A Workbook Click to Zoom
Step 3: Excel-Formula Multi-Sheet FP&A Workbook
4
CFO Working Capital & Cash-Unlock Simulator (🎛️ CFO What-If & Cash Unlock): Simulate Volume %, Price/Margin bps, Rebate bps, OpEx %, and Working Capital Cash-Conversion-Cycle days (DSO / DIO / DPO) and push your scenario directly into the FY27 Plan!
📸 Step 4: CFO Working Capital & Cash-Unlock What-If Simulator Click to Zoom
Step 4: CFO Working Capital & Cash-Unlock What-If Simulator
Chapter 8

Dimensional Drill-Down Grid, Laptop-Safe ✕ Reset & 2D Matrix Drill

Open Dimensional Grid ↗

Engineered for instant ad-hoc operational slicing across Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, and Accounts Payable—with responsive laptop-friendly controls, 2D Matrix intersection drilling, and persistent back navigation.

Step-by-Step: Multi-Dimension Slicing, Matrix Intersections & Navigation

1
Top Summary Dimension, Default Summarized Mode & 2-Tier Date-Grouped Measures: Every database (Sales, Purchasing, AP, AR, Inventory, Budgets) opens in Summarized mode (Summary at the top of the Dimensions sidebar), rolling up monthly/period totals across Current, Current Cumulative, Previous, Previous Cumulative, % Variance, and % Variance Cumulative for both the Grid and Live Chart. Click any operational Dimension (Price Branch, Ship Branch, Master State Roll-Up, Outside Rep, Inside Order Writer, Product Buy Line, Price Line, Vendor, Bill-To Customer, Ship-To, SKU, Manual Override, or Date) to group measures under a 2-Tier Date-Grouped Header (Total, Jan 2026, Feb 2026...) and auto-switch the 🏷️ Properties dropdown to that dimension's attributes!
📸 Step 1: Slice Dimensions & Auto-Switching Dimension Properties Click to Zoom
Step 1: Slice Dimensions & Auto-Switching Dimension Properties
2
Laptop-Safe Single-Dimension Isolate Reset (✕): Whenever you isolate in multiple dimensions (e.g., Price Branch = Br 21 AND Buy Line = Purge), each isolated dimension displays a green badge with a pinned, non-clipping ✕ clear button—guaranteed visible even on compact 13"–14" laptop screens! Click that dimension's ✕ to clear only that single dimension without wiping out your other isolated filters.
📸 Step 2: Laptop-Safe Single-Dimension Isolate Clear (✕) Click to Zoom
Step 2: Laptop-Safe Single-Dimension Isolate Clear (✕)
3
2D Matrix Pivot Cell Intersection Drill-Through (Matrix View): Switch the Grid View Mode dropdown to Matrix (e.g., Rows = Price Branch × Columns = Product Buy Line). Clicking any cell in the matrix (such as Branch 30 × Buy Line PURGE) drills exclusively into the exact ERP invoices matching BOTH that Branch AND that Buy Line!
📸 Step 3: 2D Matrix Pivot Cell Intersection Drill-Through Click to Zoom
Step 3: 2D Matrix Pivot Cell Intersection Drill-Through
4
Persistent ← Back Analysis Breadcrumb Bar: Whenever you click a KPI card (such as Purchasing COGS or AP Sub-Ledger), switch databases, or pivot views, VantageBI™ pushes a snapshot onto the top Analysis History Bar. Click ← Back (or press Alt + Left Arrow, or click any breadcrumb pill) to return to your exact prior slice in 1 click!
📸 Step 4: Persistent ← Back Analysis Breadcrumb Bar Click to Zoom
Step 4: Persistent ← Back Analysis Breadcrumb Bar
Chapter 9

Full-Screen Live ERP Line-Item Drill-Through (Transactions)

Launch from Grid ↗

Instead of cramming wide ERP invoice and purchase order tables into a tiny modal popup, VantageBI™ opens transaction drill-throughs in a dedicated full-width workspace (#module-transactions) so every column fits cleanly across your screen.

Step-by-Step: Auditing Raw Invoices, POs & Exporting Vouchers

1
Click 🔍 Invoices (N) on Any Row, Any Matrix Cell, or 🧾 Raw Lines in the Toolbar: In the Dimensional Grid, the number inside 🔍 Invoices (N) represents the exact count of underlying ERP invoice/PO lines aggregated into that slice. Clicking opens the clean, non-redundant full-screen Line-Item Drill-Through view.
📸 Step 1: Launch Full-Screen Drill via Invoices (N) or Raw Lines Click to Zoom
Step 1: Launch Full-Screen Drill via Invoices (N) or Raw Lines
2
Select Properties & Measures Columns + Inspect Line-Level Audit Flags: Use the toolbar's 🏷️ Properties and 📊 Measures pickers right inside the Raw Data / Transactions workspace to toggle exactly which columns appear, and search or filter by Customer/Vendor, SKU, Branch, Rep/Writer, or Override status (🚨 Manual Override vs. ✓ Matrix Standard).
📸 Step 2: Search, Filter & Inspect Manual Override Audit Flags Click to Zoom
Step 2: Search, Filter & Inspect Manual Override Audit Flags
3
Export All Lines, Export a Single Line, or Return Instantly: Use ⬇ CSV on the right end of any individual transaction row to export just that single voucher, or use ⬇ Download Transactions CSV and ← Back to Grid / ✕ Close—always pinned in the top-right header—to return immediately to your exact grid query.
📸 Step 3: Single-Line CSV, Full Export & Pinned ← Back Controls Click to Zoom
Step 3: Single-Line CSV, Full Export & Pinned ← Back Controls
Chapter 10

17 Wholesale Scorecards, Interactive Visual Studio & Custom Grid Widgets (Dashboards)

Open Executive Command Center ↗
📊 17 Built-In Executive Boards & Unified Dashboard 📅 Period Slicer

With a full-width header, unified 📅 Period dropdown (synced live with the Grid for All Dates, Year to Date, Previous Year, Rolling 12 Months, Last 3 Months, saved custom periods, and inline Custom Date Range), and stacked action bar, switch instantly across Executive Sales & Margin, Branch KPI Scorecard, Branch Review (360° Ops), and all 12 domain scorecards: Scorecard - Budget, Scorecard - Budget Ranked (#1..N Leaderboard), Scorecard - Customer, Scorecard - Deadstock (18% Carrying Cost), Scorecard - Inventory (GMROI & Turns), Scorecard - Price Line, Scorecard - Product (SKU Unit Economics), Scorecard - Purchasing, Scorecard - Sales Rep, Scorecard - Sell Group, Scorecard - Transfers (Ship Br ≠ Price Br), Scorecard - Vendor, and AP & Rebates—plus unlimited Blank Canvas boards.

🎨 Interactive Measure Chips, Smart Chart Grey-Out & Clean Bubble Scatter

Toggle 1, 2, or 3+ measures (including Ext Sales, GP $, GM %, Manual Override $, Override %, Shipped Qty, or any Custom Formula Measure fx) directly in the Live Interactive Visual Studio. Incompatible chart styles grey out automatically while compatible styles light up across Combo, Pareto 80/20, Area, Waterfall, Treemap, Sunburst, Funnel, Bubble (with automatic anti-overlap label de-cluttering, hover emphasis, and zoom/pan controls), Rose, Donut, Radar, H-Bar, and Gauge.

📐 Custom Data Grid Widget Builder — Make Any Dashboard Grid Your Own

Click 📐 + Custom Grid on any dashboard header (or inside ✏️ Edit Dashboard) to place a fully customized data grid on your canvas. Pick your source cube & grouping dimension, toggle optional Xref attribute columns (City, State, Zip, Buy Line, Sample Invoice #), check & reorder any combination of standard measures and Database Designer fx formulas, or write new inline fx calculated columns (e.g., ([GP $ CoGS] + [Rebates]) / [Ext Sales]) with automatic weighted Grand Totals, live search, column sorting, and 1-click CSV export.

Chapter 10 • 18 Executive Scorecards, Dials & Custom Data Grids
Open Scorecards ↗
Chapter 10 • 18 Executive Scorecards, Dials & Custom Data Grids
Visual Walkthrough: Full-width Executive Scorecards featuring Branch KPIs, GM % & Override Dials, 🔔 Subscribe, 🔭 Churn & Gap Radar quick-jump, and user-built 📐 + Custom Grid widgets.
Chapter 11

Counter Price Override & Margin Leakage Audit (Profit Audit)

Open Profit Recovery Audit ↗
Step-by-Step: Recovering Unapproved Counter & Quote Discounts

1) Open Profit Audit (#recovery) to automatically separate System Matrix Sales (Manual_Ovr = N) from Manual Price Overrides (Manual_Ovr = Y). 2) Compare Invoice COGS Margin % against Replacement/Manual Cost Margin % by Branch, Inside Order Writer, and Outside Rep. 3) Drag the Margin Recovery Simulator Slider to model the exact annual EBITDA gain from reigning in unapproved overrides by 10%–50%, then drill straight to the offending invoices.

Chapter 11 • Counter Price Override & Margin Leakage Audit
Open Override Audit ↗
Chapter 11 • Counter Price Override & Margin Leakage Audit
Visual Walkthrough: Isolate System Matrix vs. Manual Override sales by Branch, Writer & Rep, compare Invoice Cost vs. Replacement Cost, model EBITDA recovery, and drill straight to overridden invoices.
Chapter 12

Multi-Level Vendor Rebates, Editable Pipe Caps & Back-to-Dollar-One SPAs

Open Rebates & SPA Studio ↗

Step-by-Step: Modeling Multi-Tier Rebate Cliffs, Commodity Pipe Caps & Preventing Double-Dipping

1
Load Manufacturer Contracts (3 Ingestion Paths): Add vendor rebate agreements via the Interactive Multi-Tier Wizard, Bulk Excel/CSV Bracket Upload, or Automated ERP Sync (contract creation tools automatically hide for view-only roles without reb_contracts rights).
📸 Step 1: Load Vendor Rebate Contracts (Wizard / CSV / ERP Sync) Click to Zoom
Step 1: Load Vendor Rebate Contracts (Wizard / CSV / ERP Sync)
2
Select from All 6 Calculation Engines (Including Pipe Caps & $/Case / $/Unit Allowances): Choose from 1) RETRO_DOLLAR_ONE (crossing a cliff retroactively steps up the rate back to Dollar $1.00), 2) STEPPED_MARGINAL, 3) MIXED_FAMILY_SPLIT (100% of vendor volume unlocks the tier gate while Fittings earn the full tier % and Commodity Pipe is capped at your directly editable Commodity Pipe Cap %), 4) YOY_GROWTH_GATE, 5) SPA_DEVIATED_COST, or 6) UNIT_CASE_ALLOWANCE (pays tiered $/Case or $/Lb Foodservice Deviated Billbacks and $/Tire or $/Battery Automotive Manufacturer Spiffs per shipped unit!). Enable No Double-Dip so discounted SPA/Override lines count toward the volume gate without double-paying rebate dollars.
📸 Step 2: 6 Cross-Industry Rebate Engines & Editable Pipe Cap % Click to Zoom
Step 2: 6 Cross-Industry Rebate Engines & Editable Pipe Cap %
3
Audit Dollar-One Math & Cliff Alerts: Click 🧮 Audit Math on any vendor row to verify Gate Volume, Net Payout Volume, Fittings vs. Capped Pipe Breakdown, Accrued Rebate (tied to GL 5120-00), and exact purchasing dollars needed before quarter-end to unlock the next cliff bonus!
📸 Step 3: Live 🧮 Audit Math Breakdown & Cliff Alerts Click to Zoom
Step 3: Live 🧮 Audit Math Breakdown & Cliff Alerts
Chapter 13 • Composable 3-Layer Security Studio

8-Suite Governance (Standard vs. Enterprise), Territory Roll-Ups & Custom Roles

Open Users, Territories & Roles Studio ↗

Instead of configuring every user from scratch, VantageBI™ separates security into three composable layers—1) Reusable Territory Roll-Ups, 2) Pre-Configured Custom Role Templates across all 8 Enterprise Suites (with 1-click Standard 5 Cubes vs. Enterprise All 8 Suites presets), and 3) Guided 5-Second User Provisioning.

All 8 Databases & Enterprise Suites Governed Independently (5 Standard Operational Cubes + 3 Enterprise Finance & Rebate Suites):
📊 1. Sales (Standard) 🏭 2. Purchasing (Standard) 📦 3. Inventory (Standard) 💵 4. Accounts Receivable (Standard) 🧾 5. Accounts Payable (Standard) 📑 6. Financial Statements (Enterprise) 🎯 7. Budget & Forecast (Enterprise) 💰 8. Vendor Rebates & SPAs (Enterprise)

Key Distinction: Separating 💰 Vendor Rebates & SPAs from the View Cost & Margin capability lets a Sales or Branch Manager see GP $ / Margin % columns on invoices without exposing confidential Manufacturer Rebate Contracts—while AR/AP Specialists can manage Customer Collections & Vendor Payables without seeing company-wide Balance Sheets!

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Territories, Custom Roles & Multi-Branch Users

1
Define Territory & Geographic State Roll-Ups (🗺️ 2. Territories & State Roll-Ups): Start with the pre-seeded North, South, East, and West Territories—or click + New Territory to create custom regions (e.g., Gulf Coast, Central, DFW Metro). Click US State pills (TX, OK, LA, AR, FL, MO, KS, etc.) or choose Hybrid Mode (States + specific branch overrides). The live preview resolves every matched ERP branch automatically via your Branch State Xref, filters all cubes in O(1), and scales Consolidated Territory P&L & Budgets proportionally!
📸 Step 1: Group US States into Reusable Territory Roll-Ups Click to Zoom
Step 1: Group US States into Reusable Territory Roll-Ups
2
Create or Customize Role Templates (🛡️ 3. Custom Role Templates): Choose any built-in blueprint (CFO / Org Admin, Regional / Territory Manager, Branch Manager, Outside Sales Rep, Inside Counter, Purchasing Buyer, AP / Controller) or click + Create Custom Role. Pre-select which of the 7 Suites and capabilities (Create Dashboards, Save Favorites, Export CSV, View Cost & Margin) belong to that role once, and check ONLY which user-level slot(s) stay open when adding a user: Prompt Territory Roll-Up, Prompt Managed Branch(es), or Prompt Sales Rep / Buyer ID. Click Save & Sync Users in Role to update existing members in 1 click.
📸 Step 2: Configure Custom Role Templates Across All 8 Suites Click to Zoom
Step 2: Configure Custom Role Templates Across All 8 Suites
3
Provision Users in 5 Seconds (👥 1. Users & Guided Assignment): Enter Name & Email, then follow the 3 guided prompts: 1) Pick Role Template (e.g., Branch Manager—all suites & restrictions pre-select automatically!) → 2) Pick Territory Roll-Up (e.g., South Territory—narrows the branch list to South states) → 3) Click 1 or Multiple Managed Branch Check-Pills (e.g., Br 21 + Br 30) and click + Add User! Need per-user stream/measure overrides or AND/OR custom dimension rules? Click ⚙️ Configure Restrictions on any row.
📸 Step 3: 5-Second User Provisioning, Multi-Branch & Direct Passwords Click to Zoom
Step 3: 5-Second User Provisioning, Multi-Branch & Direct Passwords
4
1-Click Role Impersonation & ⭐ Saved Favorites: Click your top-right Initials Avatar Circle → Switch Role (or click 👁️ Preview next to any user in the directory) to verify exactly what that Territory Director, Multi-Branch Manager, Buyer, or Sales Rep sees across Nav, Grids, Charts, Financials, and AI answers. Click ⭐ Save Favorite on any Grid or Dashboard to bookmark slices for daily recall.
Chapter 14

Unified Plain-English Date Slicer & Live RLS-Aware AI Analytics Engine

Try Live in Workspace ↗
📅 Unified Period Popover Across Dashboards & Grid

A single, synchronized 📅 Period dropdown lives in both the Dashboards and Grid toolbars—across multi-year datasets (including the 3-year Midwest Supply Co. sandbox, Jan 2024 – Nov 2026)—letting users switch in 1 click between All Dates, Current Month, Last 3 Months, Previous Month, Previous Year, Rolling 12 Months, Year to Date, saved custom periods, or an inline Custom Start → End Calendar Range.

🤖 Live In-Memory OLAP AI Bar (Zero External Data Leakage)

The Ask BBD AI bar runs a deterministic, zero-latency in-memory OLAP query engine directly over your live permitted ERP transactions (never sending private customer rows to public third-party LLMs). Ask plain-English questions—"top 5 branches by margin", "manual price overrides by writer", "switch to purchasing top vendors", or "open budget forecast"—to get instant ranked KPIs, automatic grid/chart regrouping, and 100% enforcement of the active user's Territory, Branch, Rep, and Margin RLS rules.

Chapter 15

Built By Data Concierge Engineering™ — Same-Day Principal Architect Custom Builds

Request a Custom Build ↗

Whenever a CFO, Controller, or Designated BI Champion needs a specialized KPI formula, Executive Scorecard, multi-table SQL Warehouse View, or COA/Rebate rule without writing expressions themselves, click 🎯 Request Custom Build in the Left Navigation Drawer or Top-Right Initials Avatar Menu.

1. Designated Champion Access & Edition Credit Meter

Enabled by default for CFO / Org Admin and Controller / FP&A (and grantable per-user via 🎯 Designated Concierge Champion in Governance). VantageBI Standard (Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, AR, AP) includes 30-Day Go-Live Hypercare + $250 flat optional builds; VantageBI Enterprise (+Financial Statements, Budget & Forecasting, Vendor Rebates) includes 2 Monthly Build Credits; and Enterprise VIP includes 6 Priority Credits / Mo.

2. $0.00 Variance Control-Total Audit

Every custom measure, SQL view, and scorecard is validated against your live ERP control totals with NULLIF divide-by-zero protection and zero customer data exfiltration.

3. 1 Included 48-Hour Refinement + Self-Serve Ownership

Every published build includes 1 free refinement within 48 hours of publish, plus 1-click 🛠️ Edit Free in Designer ownership so your team can clone or customize variations free forever.

4. Scoped SOW Engineering Projects (0 Credits Deducted)

Connecting a brand-new external ERP, building custom connectors, or post-acquisition M&A consolidation is automatically routed as a fixed-fee Statement of Work quote without consuming monthly quick-build credits.

Chapter 15 • Built By Data Concierge Engineering™ Queue
Open Concierge ↗
Chapter 15 • Built By Data Concierge Engineering™ Queue
Visual Walkthrough: Designated BI Champions submit custom formula, SQL view, or scorecard requests for same-day delivery—schema-metadata-only, $0.00 control-total audited, and 1-tap published.
Chapter 16

Customer Retention, Churn & White-Space Cross-Sell Gap Radar (#insights)

Open Sales Insights Radar ↗

Designed universally for any company's live sales dataset across any industry vertical, Sales Insights & Gap Radar automatically benchmarks every customer's recent ordering velocity and product-category breadth while strictly respecting the active user's Territory, Branch, Rep, and Margin RLS rules.

1. Churn & Declining Velocity Radar

Automatically partitions active date windows to compare early-period vs. recent-period run-rate velocity—flagging At-Risk / Churn (≤-30%) and Declining (-10% to -30%) accounts alongside Growing and Steady customers.

2. White-Space Cross-Sell Matrix (Top 6 Categories)

Dynamically identifies your organization's top 6 revenue categories and highlights high-volume accounts buying $0 or near-$0 in adjacent categories, quantifying estimated cross-sell upside per account.

3. Cloud-Synced CRM Action Notes & 1-Click Drill

Sales reps and managers click 📝 Log Action to save follow-up call notes and statuses synced to the tenant's cloud workspace, or click any account/gap cell to drill directly into Dimensional Grid & Raw Invoices.

4. Monday-Morning Rep Call Sheet CSV Export

Filter by Permitted Branch, Sales Rep, or Account Health Status and click ⬇ Export Call Sheet CSV to generate prioritized retention & cross-sell call lists in 1 click.

Chapter 16 • Customer Retention, Churn & White-Space Cross-Sell Gap Radar
Open Sales Insights ↗
Chapter 16 • Customer Retention, Churn & White-Space Cross-Sell Gap Radar
Visual Walkthrough: Automatically detects declining accounts and compares each customer against your company's top 6 product categories to surface high-value 🎯 GAP cross-sell targets & cloud-synced CRM notes.
Chapter 17

Cloud Workspace Sync, Per-User Direct Logins, Scheduled Alerts & Proposal Builder

Open Subscriptions & Alerts ↗
☁️ Multi-Device Cloud Workspace Sync

Custom Dashboards, Saved Favorites, Database Designer fx formulas, Territories, Role Templates, Provisioned Users, CRM Notes, and Alert Rules sync automatically to your isolated tenant cloud store (storing sanitized metadata only—zero raw ERP dollar rows).

🔑 Per-User Password Login & Strict Non-Admin Role Lock

Org Admins assign individual login passwords when provisioning users in Governance (#users). When a Branch Manager, Buyer, or Rep signs in directly with their own email and password, Switch Role is strictly locked out—while Org Admins can still preview any role and click 👑 Exit Role Preview anytime.

🔔 Scheduled Scorecard Digests & Live Exception Guardrails

Click 🔔 Subscribe in any Dashboard or Grid toolbar (or open #alerts) to schedule Daily, Weekly, or Monthly RLS-scoped scorecard digests and real-time exception triggers (Branch GM % below floor, Manual Override % spike, 90+ Day Past-Due AR, Customer Churn drop) with ⚡ Send & Preview Now.

📄 Interactive 1-Page Executive Proposal & TCO Calculator

Open /one-pager.html (or /proposal) to tailor a print/PDF-ready 1-page executive overview for any prospect, industry vertical, user count, and edition—dynamically calculating annual & 3-year TCO savings with shareable personalized links.

Chapter 17A • Scheduled Scorecard Subscriptions & Live Exception Guardrails
Open Subscriptions & Alerts ↗
Chapter 17A • Scheduled Scorecard Subscriptions & Live Exception Guardrails
Visual Walkthrough: Schedule Daily/Weekly/Monthly RLS-scoped scorecard digests and real-time operational threshold rules with ⚡ Send & Preview Now.
Chapter 17B • Interactive 1-Page Executive Proposal & TCO Builder
Open Proposal Builder ↗
Chapter 17B • Interactive 1-Page Executive Proposal & TCO Builder
Visual Walkthrough: Tailor Prospect Name, Industry Vertical, User Count ($0 Seat Tax), Edition & Current BI Spend to compute 3-Year TCO Savings and print/share a 1-page PDF proposal.