HOW EPICFORCE TECH TURNS UNDERUSED BAQS INTO ACTIONABLE DASHBOARDS

How Epicforce Tech Turns Underused BAQs into Actionable Dashboards

How Epicforce Tech Turns Underused BAQs into Actionable Dashboards

Blog Article

Introduction: From Raw Queries to Real Decisions

Epicor’s Business Activity Queries (BAQs) are powerful tools that unlock real-time data from your ERP. But too often, they’re buried in the system—used for one-off reports, misunderstood by users, or disconnected from actual decision-making.

At Epicforce Tech, we help clients transform these underutilized BAQs into dynamic, role-specific dashboards that drive visibility, action, and business results.

In this post, we’ll break down:

  • Why most BAQs go underused

  • What makes a BAQ valuable

  • How Epicforce Tech turns static queries into real-time insights

  • Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Why BAQs Are Often Underused

Despite being one of Epicor’s most valuable reporting features, BAQs often fall short of their potential. Here’s why:

  • ❌ Too technical for non-IT users

  • ❌ Not tied to key performance indicators

  • ❌ Used once, then forgotten

  • ❌ Lack of documentation or version control

  • ❌ Not embedded in any workflow or dashboard

???? 80% of companies only use 30% of the BAQs they’ve created, leaving valuable data unused.

What Makes a BAQ Truly Actionable?

At Epicforce Tech, we believe a good BAQ is more than a data pull—it’s a building block for business visibility. To be actionable, a BAQ should:

✔️ Align with a business goal or KPI
✔️ Be filterable by the end user
✔️ Update in real-time or on schedule
✔️ Be embedded in a dashboard or workflow
✔️ Include formatting that makes interpretation easy

Whether it’s sales pipeline visibility or inventory forecasting, we start by aligning the BAQ to a business outcome, not just a dataset.

Epicforce Tech’s Transformation Process: BAQs to Dashboards

Here’s our structured, proven process for converting underused BAQs into high-value dashboards.

1. ???? Audit & Prioritize Existing BAQs

We begin with a complete audit of your BAQs to:

  • Identify duplicates, broken queries, or outdated logic

  • Tag queries by department, data source, and owner

  • Score each BAQ by usage frequency and business relevance

???? Result: A categorized BAQ inventory with prioritized opportunities for visualization.

2. ???? Align BAQs with Business Roles and KPIs

Next, we match each BAQ to:

  • A specific user persona (e.g., Sales Manager, CFO, Inventory Planner)

  • A defined KPI or operational metric

  • The frequency and format needed for monitoring (daily, weekly, monthly)

This helps ensure every BAQ serves a clear purpose—and someone is actually using it.

3. ???? Build Visual Prototypes (Wireframes)

Before building dashboards, we sketch visual layouts:

  • Bar/line charts, tables, scorecards, or heatmaps

  • Filter options (e.g., date range, region, status)

  • Mobile-friendly and print-ready layouts

???? This “design-first” step saves time and ensures usability.

4. ⚙️ Connect and Embed BAQs into Dashboards

We use Epicor’s built-in tools or external platforms (Power BI, SSRS, or Excel add-ins) to:

  • Link BAQs to visual elements

  • Apply security and role-based access

  • Automate refresh schedules

  • Embed dashboards into Kinetic home screens or user landing pages

⚡ Users see relevant data the moment they log in—no extra steps needed.

5. ???? Test for Accuracy, Usability, and Performance

Before going live, we test:

  • Data integrity across filters

  • Load speed and performance

  • Real-time updates and visual formatting

  • End-user interpretation and feedback

We adjust the layout, filters, or logic based on feedback to ensure adoption.

6. ???? Monitor Usage and Improve Continuously

Our dashboards aren’t just deployed—they evolve. Post-launch, we:

  • Track usage metrics

  • Collect monthly feedback

  • Recommend enhancements

  • Add new BAQs or remove outdated ones

???? One Epicforce Tech client reduced redundant reports by 42% and boosted dashboard usage by 60% in 90 days.

Real-World Example: Inventory Visibility Makeover

A manufacturing client had 100+ BAQs across departments. After our audit:

  • We retired 40 unused queries

  • Consolidated 12 inventory BAQs into a real-time dashboard

  • Added alerts for stock-outs and overstock thresholds

Result: Procurement decision time dropped by 35%, and warehouse cycle time improved by 28%.

Common Pitfalls in BAQ-Based Dashboards (and How We Avoid Them)

???? BAQs built without knowing the business question
???? Visual overload—too many charts, not enough focus
???? Poor filter logic leading to misinterpretation
???? No training for non-technical users

✅ Epicforce Tech designs dashboards with clarity, context, and control in mind.

Best Practices We Recommend

  • Build BAQs with visualization in mind from the start

  • Always document the business question and output format

  • Use standard naming conventions

  • Schedule a BAQ clean-up every 6 months

  • Train teams to interpret dashboards—not just view them

???? Dashboards are only powerful if users trust and understand them.

Conclusion: From Query to Clarity

Your data holds the answers—but only if it’s surfaced in ways users can act on.

At Epicforce Tech, we specialize in turning underused BAQs into dynamic dashboards that drive decisions, reduce friction, and improve performance. Whether you’re just starting with Epicor or want to unlock more value from your reporting, we’re here to help.

Ready to Bring Your BAQs to Life?

If you're sitting on dozens of queries that never get used—or dashboards that nobody opens—it’s time to act. Let Epicforce Tech help you build reporting tools that actually work.

???? Call us: (888) 280-5585
???? Email: info@epicforcetech.com
???? epicforcetech.com

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