Reports & Analytics

Overview

The Reports & Analytics system provides comprehensive insights into your inventory, sales, and procurement activities. LUStores offers two main reporting interfaces:

1. Reports Page - Detailed sales reports, filtering, and payment tracking

2. Sales Analytics Page - Visual dashboards and trend analysis

Key Capabilities:

• 📊 Sales reports by charge code, time period, and category

• 💰 Payment reconciliation (paid vs unpaid sales)

• 📈 Trend analysis and forecasting

• 📑 Excel export for external analysis

• 🔍 Drill-down into specific transactions

• 📅 Custom date range reporting

Prerequisites

Access Requirements:

• User Role: User, Superuser, or Admin

• Permissions: reports.view, sales.view

• Authenticated Session: Must be logged in

Data Requirements:

• Sales data must exist (completed transactions)

• Charge codes must be associated with sales

• Items must be categorized for category-level reports

Reports Page

The Reports page (/reports) provides detailed, filterable sales reports with payment tracking capabilities.

Accessing the Reports Page

Navigation:

1. Click Reports in the main navigation menu, or

2. Navigate directly to /reports

Page Layout

The Reports page consists of three main sections:

1. Filter Controls (Top) - Date range, charge code, paid/unpaid filters

2. Summary Cards (Middle) - Key metrics (total revenue, transaction count, etc.)

3. Data Table (Bottom) - Detailed transaction list with actions

Filter Controls

Date Range Filters

Select the time period for your report:

Quick Filters:

Filter	Date Range
Today	Current day (00:00 - 23:59)
Last 7 Days	Previous 7 days
Last 30 Days	Previous 30 days
This Month	Current calendar month
Last Month	Previous calendar month
This Quarter	Current fiscal quarter
This Year	Current calendar year
Custom Range	User-defined start/end dates

Using Custom Date Range:

1. Click Custom Range button

2. Select Start Date from date picker

3. Select End Date from date picker

4. Click Apply

5. Report updates with selected range

Tip

Keyboard Shortcut: Press Ctrl+D (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+D (macOS) to quickly open the date range picker.

Charge Code Filter

Filter sales by charge code:

1. Click Charge Code dropdown

2. Select specific charge code (e.g., “PROJ-2024-001”)

3. Or select “All Charge Codes” to show all sales

Use Cases:

• Track spending for a specific project

• Generate invoices per charge code

• Monitor charge code usage patterns

• Identify charge codes nearing budget limits

Paid/Unpaid Filter

Filter sales by payment status:

Filter Options:

• All Sales - Show both paid and unpaid transactions (default)

• Paid Only - Show only sales marked as paid

• Unpaid Only - Show only sales awaiting payment

Use Case:

Generate a list of unpaid sales to follow up with accounts payable.

Category Filter

Filter by item category (if items in sale belong to specific category):

1. Click Category dropdown

2. Select category (e.g., “Electronics”, “Chemicals”)

3. Or select “All Categories”

Note: Sales are included if any item in the sale belongs to the selected category.

Summary Cards

After applying filters, summary cards display key metrics:

Total Revenue

Total monetary value of all sales in the selected period.

Calculation:

Total Revenue = Σ (sale.totalAmount)

Includes: VAT if configured as VAT-inclusive pricing

Display Format: £12,345.67

Total Transactions

Count of individual sale transactions.

Calculation:

Total Transactions = COUNT(sales)

Display Format: 142 transactions

Average Order Value (AOV)

Average revenue per transaction.

Calculation:

AOV = Total Revenue ÷ Total Transactions

Display Format: £87.34

Interpretation: - High AOV: Customers purchasing more items per transaction - Low AOV: Frequent small transactions - Trends: Track AOV over time to identify patterns

Total Items Sold

Total quantity of items across all sales.

Calculation:

Total Items Sold = Σ (sale_item.quantity)

Display Format: 1,234 items

Note: Accounts for decimal quantities (e.g., 2.5kg counts as 2.5 items)

Unpaid Sales

Count and total value of sales not yet marked as paid.

Display:

23 Unpaid Sales (£1,456.78)

Color Coding: - Red: High unpaid value (>£1000) - Orange: Medium unpaid value (£500-£1000) - Gray: Low/no unpaid value

VAT Collected

Total VAT amount collected across all sales (if VAT is enabled).

Calculation:

VAT Collected = Σ (sale.vatAmount)

Display Format: £2,469.13

Data Table

The data table displays individual sale transactions with details and actions.

Table Columns

Column	Description
Sale ID	Unique sale identifier (S20250112…)
Date	Sale completion date and time
Charge Code	Associated charge code
Items	Number of line items in sale
Total	Sale total amount (inc. VAT)
VAT	VAT amount charged
Status	Paid/Unpaid badge
Actions	Mark as paid, view details, export

Sorting

Click column headers to sort:

• First Click: Sort ascending

• Second Click: Sort descending

• Third Click: Reset to default

Default Sort: Date (most recent first)

Pagination

Navigate through large datasets:

• Rows per page: 10, 25, 50, 100 (default: 25)

• Page navigation: Previous/Next buttons

• Page indicator: “Showing 1-25 of 142 results”

Marking Sales as Paid

Individual Mark as Paid

Mark a single sale as paid:

1. Locate the sale in the data table

2. Click Mark as Paid button in the Actions column

3. Confirmation dialog appears

4. Click Confirm

5. Status badge changes from Unpaid (red) to Paid (green)

6. Unpaid sales count updates

Confirmation Dialog:

Mark Sale as Paid

Are you sure you want to mark Sale #S20250112-1030-001 as paid?
Total Amount: £123.45

[Cancel]  [Confirm]

Note

Marking as paid is reversible. You can mark a sale as unpaid again if needed.

Bulk Mark as Paid

Mark multiple sales as paid simultaneously:

1. Select sales:

   • Check boxes next to sales in the table

   • Or click Select All checkbox in table header

2. Open bulk actions:

   • Bulk Actions button appears when selections exist

   • Click Bulk Actions > Mark as Paid

3. Confirm:

   • Confirmation dialog shows selected count

   • Click Confirm

4. Processing:

   • Progress indicator appears

   • Each sale processes individually

   • Success toast shows completion count

Bulk Confirmation Dialog:

Mark 15 Sales as Paid

Are you sure you want to mark 15 sales as paid?
Total Value: £2,345.67

This action will update all selected sales.

[Cancel]  [Confirm]

Best Practice: Filter for unpaid sales first, then select all to bulk update payment status.

Marking Sales as Unpaid

Reverse the paid status (useful for accounting corrections):

1. Filter for Paid Only sales

2. Locate the sale to reverse

3. Click Mark as Unpaid button

4. Confirmation dialog appears

5. Click Confirm

6. Status changes back to Unpaid

Payment Reconciliation Workflow

Typical Workflow:

1. Generate Unpaid Report

   • Set date range (e.g., “Last Month”)

   • Set filter to “Unpaid Only”

   • Export to Excel

   • Send to accounts payable

2. Receive Payment Confirmation

   • Accounts payable confirms payments received

   • Provides list of paid sale IDs

3. Update Payment Status

   • Filter for unpaid sales

   • Select confirmed paid sales

   • Bulk mark as paid

4. Verify Reconciliation

   • Check “Unpaid Sales” summary card

   • Verify count matches expectations

   • Export final report for records

5. Monthly Closing

   • Generate month-end report

   • Verify all sales are marked paid

   • Archive report for audit trail

Exporting Reports

Excel Export

Export report data to Excel for external analysis:

1. Apply desired filters (date range, charge code, etc.)

2. Click Export button (top-right)

3. Select Export to Excel

4. File downloads as sales-report-YYYYMMDD.xlsx

Excel File Contents:

• Summary Sheet: Key metrics and filter parameters

• Sales Data Sheet: Detailed transaction list

• Items Breakdown Sheet: Item-level details per sale

Columns in Sales Data Sheet:

• Sale ID

• Date/Time

• Charge Code

• Customer Info

• Subtotal

• VAT Amount

• Total Amount

• Payment Status

• Items Count

• Processed By (user)

CSV Export

Export as CSV for database imports or custom scripts:

1. Apply desired filters

2. Click Export > Export to CSV

3. File downloads as sales-report-YYYYMMDD.csv

CSV Format:

• UTF-8 encoding

• Comma-separated

• Header row included

• Date format: ISO 8601 (YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss)

PDF Export (Future)

Future releases may include PDF export with:

• Formatted report layout

• Company logo/branding

• Digital signatures

• Print-ready format

Sales Analytics Page

The Sales Analytics page (/analytics) provides visual dashboards and trend analysis.

Accessing Sales Analytics

Navigation:

1. Click Analytics in the main navigation menu, or

2. Navigate directly to /analytics

Dashboard Layout

The Analytics page consists of multiple dashboard sections:

1. Key Metrics Bar (Top) - Quick KPI summary

2. Revenue Trend Chart (Middle-Left) - Time series graph

3. Category Breakdown (Middle-Right) - Pie chart

4. Top Items Table (Bottom-Left) - Best sellers

5. Charge Code Usage (Bottom-Right) - Bar chart

Key Metrics Bar

Quick KPI summary displayed as cards:

Metrics Displayed:

• Total Revenue - Current period revenue

• Sales Growth - Percentage change vs previous period

• Active Items - Count of active inventory items

• Low Stock Alerts - Items below minimum stock

Growth Indicators:

• 📈 Green up arrow: Positive growth

• 📉 Red down arrow: Negative growth

• ➡️ Gray horizontal: No change

Revenue Trend Chart

Line chart showing revenue over time.

Chart Features:

• X-Axis: Time (days, weeks, or months)

• Y-Axis: Revenue (£)

• Line: Daily/weekly/monthly revenue

• Hover: Shows exact values for each point

• Zoom: Click and drag to zoom into specific periods

Time Granularity:

• Last 7 Days: Daily granularity

• Last 30 Days: Daily granularity

• Last 3 Months: Weekly granularity

• Last Year: Monthly granularity

Interpreting Trends:

• Upward Trend: Revenue increasing over time

• Downward Trend: Revenue declining (investigate causes)

• Seasonal Patterns: Recurring peaks/valleys (e.g., academic year cycles)

• Anomalies: Sudden spikes or drops (verify data accuracy)

Category Breakdown

Pie chart showing revenue distribution by category.

Chart Features:

• Slices: Each category represented by a colored slice

• Size: Proportional to category revenue

• Labels: Category name and percentage

• Hover: Shows exact revenue value

• Click: Drill down into category details

Use Cases:

• Identify top-performing categories

• Balance inventory investment across categories

• Track category trends over time

• Identify underperforming categories

Top Items Table

List of best-selling items ranked by quantity sold.

Table Columns:

Column	Description
Rank	Position in top sellers list (1-10)
Item Name	Full item name
Category	Item category
Quantity Sold	Total quantity sold in period
Revenue	Total revenue from item
Margin	Profit margin (if cost data available)

Sorting:

• Default: Rank (1-10)

• Click headers to sort by other columns

Use Cases:

• Stock high-selling items adequately

• Promote top sellers to customers

• Identify items to feature in marketing

• Plan procurement based on demand

Charge Code Usage Chart

Bar chart showing sales count per charge code.

Chart Features:

• X-Axis: Charge codes

• Y-Axis: Number of sales

• Bars: Height represents sale count

• Color: Charge codes color-coded by status (active, on-hold, expired)

• Hover: Shows exact sale count and total value

Use Cases:

• Monitor charge code usage patterns

• Identify overused charge codes (approaching budget)

• Identify underused charge codes (investigate why)

• Validate charge code reporting to funding bodies

Advanced Filtering

Both Reports and Analytics pages support advanced filtering:

Multiple Filters

Combine multiple filters for precise reports:

Example:

• Date Range: Last Quarter

• Charge Code: PROJ-2024-015

• Category: Laboratory Supplies

• Status: Unpaid Only

Result: All unpaid laboratory supply purchases for project PROJ-2024-015 in the last quarter.

Saved Filter Presets (Future)

Future releases may include:

• Save commonly used filter combinations

• Quick preset buttons (e.g., “Monthly Unpaid Report”)

• Share presets with other users

• Schedule automated report generation

Common Reporting Workflows

Monthly Financial Report

Goal: Generate monthly sales summary for accounting.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Reports page

2. Set date range to Last Month

3. Set filter to All Charge Codes

4. Set status to All Sales

5. Review summary cards (Total Revenue, VAT Collected)

6. Click Export to Excel

7. Send Excel file to accounting department

Project Budget Tracking

Goal: Track spending against project budget.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Reports page

2. Set date range to This Year

3. Select specific Charge Code for project

4. Review Total Revenue card (total spent)

5. Compare to project budget allocation

6. Export detailed breakdown for project manager

Unpaid Sales Follow-Up

Goal: Generate list of unpaid sales for payment collection.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Reports page

2. Set date range to Last 30 Days (or older)

3. Set status filter to Unpaid Only

4. Review Unpaid Sales card

5. Export to Excel

6. Send to accounts payable for follow-up

7. After payment received, bulk mark as paid

Category Performance Analysis

Goal: Analyze which categories generate most revenue.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Sales Analytics page

2. Set date range to Last Quarter

3. Review Category Breakdown pie chart

4. Identify top-performing categories

5. Click category slice to drill down

6. Review top items in that category

7. Plan inventory purchases accordingly

Interpreting Data

Revenue Metrics

Total Revenue:

• High Revenue: Strong sales activity (positive)

• Low Revenue: Investigate causes (low demand, stock issues, pricing)

• Compare Periods: Is revenue growing, stable, or declining?

Average Order Value (AOV):

• Increasing AOV: Customers buying more per transaction (positive)

• Decreasing AOV: Customers making smaller purchases (investigate)

• Target AOV: Set goal based on historical average

Transaction Patterns

High Transaction Count, Low AOV:

• Many small purchases

• Consider promotions to increase basket size

• Evaluate if customers are finding all needed items

Low Transaction Count, High AOV:

• Few large purchases

• Typical for lab equipment or high-value items

• Ensure adequate stock for these items

Declining Transaction Count:

• Investigate potential causes: - Stock shortages - Pricing issues - Seasonal variations - System access problems

Payment Patterns

High Unpaid Sales Percentage:

• > 30% unpaid: Review payment collection process

• Aging unpaid: Follow up on old unpaid sales

• Specific charge codes: Some projects may be slower to pay

Quick Payment Turnaround:

• < 10% unpaid: Efficient payment process

• Immediate payment: Point-of-sale payments

Category Insights

Category Distribution:

• Balanced: Revenue spread across categories (diverse operations)

• Concentrated: 80% from 1-2 categories (specialized operations)

• Seasonal: Some categories peak at specific times

Category Growth:

• Track category revenue over time

• Identify emerging categories (new research areas)

• Identify declining categories (phase-out)

Best Practices

Regular Reporting

Daily:

• Review unpaid sales

• Monitor low stock alerts

Weekly:

• Review sales trends

• Update payment statuses

• Check top sellers

Monthly:

• Generate comprehensive financial report

• Reconcile all payments

• Archive monthly reports

• Review category performance

Quarterly:

• Analyze trends over quarter

• Compare to previous quarters

• Budget planning for next quarter

Data Accuracy

✅ Do:

• Mark sales as paid promptly after payment confirmation

• Verify charge codes are correct when processing sales

• Update item categories regularly

• Export reports for audit trail

❌ Don’t:

• Mark sales as paid without confirmation

• Change charge codes after sale completion (breaks reporting)

• Delete sales (affects historical reporting)

• Ignore unpaid sales for extended periods

Report Security

Access Control:

• Limit report access to appropriate roles

• Finance reports should be admin-only

• Sensitive charge code data should be protected

Data Privacy:

• Avoid sharing reports containing personal data

• Redact sensitive information before distribution

• Follow institutional data protection policies

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Reports Show No Data

Symptoms: - Empty data table - Zero values in summary cards - “No sales found” message

Solutions:

1. Verify Date Range: Ensure date range includes sales data

   • Check database has sales in selected period

   • Expand date range to include more data

2. Check Filters: Remove restrictive filters

   • Try “All Charge Codes”

   • Try “All Sales” (paid/unpaid)

   • Remove category filter

3. Verify Permissions: Ensure user has reports.view permission

4. Check Data Exists: Navigate to Sales page to verify sales exist

Export Fails

Symptoms: - Export button does nothing - Download doesn’t start - Error message appears

Solutions:

1. Browser Pop-up Blocker: Allow downloads from LUStores domain

2. Large Dataset: Try exporting smaller date range

3. Browser Compatibility: Try different browser (Chrome recommended)

Charts Not Displaying

Symptoms: - Blank chart areas - “Loading…” message persists - Chart shows error

Solutions:

1. JavaScript Enabled: Verify JavaScript is enabled in browser

2. Browser Cache: Clear cache and hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R)

3. Ad Blockers: Disable ad blockers (may block chart libraries)

4. Network Issues: Check internet connection

Incorrect Totals

Symptoms: - Summary card totals don’t match expectations - Revenue differs from accounting records - Missing transactions

Solutions:

1. VAT Inclusion: Verify if totals include or exclude VAT

2. Date Range: Confirm correct date range selected

3. Timezone: Check if dates align with your timezone

4. Refunds: Refunded sales may be excluded from totals

Related Documentation

• Sales & Quotes User Guide - Sales and quotes workflows

• Settings Guide - System configuration (Tab 3: VAT Rates)

• Inventory Management Guide - Inventory management

• API Endpoints Reference - API endpoints for custom reports

Summary

LUStores Reports & Analytics provides comprehensive tools for financial tracking and business intelligence:

✅ Sales Reports - Filter by date, charge code, payment status ✅ Payment Tracking - Mark sales as paid/unpaid individually or in bulk ✅ Visual Analytics - Charts and graphs for trend analysis ✅ Excel Export - Generate reports for external systems ✅ Revenue Insights - Track performance across categories and items ✅ Reconciliation - Payment workflow for accounting

Key Workflows:

1. Generate monthly financial reports

2. Track project spending by charge code

3. Follow up on unpaid sales

4. Analyze category performance

5. Identify best-selling items

For custom reporting needs or API access, see API Endpoints Reference for programmatic report generation.