Datarails Reviews

We came across DataRails as we were looking for a cloud-based CPM. What attracted us to the solution was its broad customizability and superior customer support. Implementation was simple and it’s been smooth sailing.

Centralizes our data, structured database is easy to access and draw information from.

Can be laggy, which can be frustrating. Esp when you're in the middle of an important calculation.

My team and I are all very pleased with DataRails. The Office integration is amazing. Data comes from Excel and flows into powerpoint effortlessly. We see our charts updating live, which is amazing. So if there's anything the executive team needs to know about, we see it. It's very useful and has made our reporting all the more accurate.

Insights platform, office integration. Best features by far

No cons, we've been using the platform for about 6 months now and so far smooth sailing

I was interested in improving our reporting processes so I looked into many different software that could help with this. This includes BI tools and CPMs etc. I looked into the core features of a few products and decided to go with DataRails. All in all its been good.

All employees can work with this platform easily, which can’t be said for most BI tools. Also really like that we can update our reports with real-time numbers if we need to make last minute updates, very useful. Also customizability is good.

Was a little bit confusing at first but once you get the hang of it you’ll use it all the time.

This solution meets my department’s needs really well. At first we weren’t sure which solution would be best for us as this is a relatively new one in the market. But after we saw what it can do, we knew that DataRails was the choice for us. We were reluctant to move off Excel and in order to use most other solutions available that’s what we were asked to do. With DataRails, there’s virtually no overhead since all our employees work in the same methods as they have for years- on Excel! But what we gain is automatic consolidation, reduced unnecessary work, reliable numbers, excellent visualizations, and the list goes on. Basically, we GAIN, and give up nothing in the process.

You get to stay in Excel, that’s by far the greatest pro. And their Insights option is really good.

Would like if in future updates it'd be possible to integrate with older systems like Adaxa.

This is how planning should be done. With crisp up-to-date numbers so you can prepare to the best extent as possible. With DataRails my department really feels that we are planning effectively since we are basing conclusions off of all our sources of data. Integrations are phenomenal and let us compare budgets with actuals so we can constantly reassess and make adjustments if need be.

No need to migrate outside excel, lovely customer support, immediate access to numbers from different departments and branches allows us to stay informed

Waiting for additional updates. They tend toadd useful functions.

It’s an easy tool to use and train on. Very adaptable, can look at our data in many different and useful ways with the Insights feature. Integrates with our ERP flawlessly. Can make changes in real time so decision makers always know exactly what’s happening and base the organizational direction on fresh data. Model building is straightforward, visualizations are enlightening, integrations are easy.

Using DataRails I can visualize data that I previously didn't have access to, this is by far the biggest pro-you can tap into data you've always had but previously couldn't work with. Other than that it's really easy to use, implementation is not lengthy, great customer service.

Occasionally freezes but I figure that happens with any sort of system

DataRails is used on a daily basis by my finance team as we perform analyses and drive insights. We chose to implement this cloud financial and analysis platform since we desperately needed a consolidation planning tool where we could continue using disparate spreadsheets and at the same time control our processes easier and better. DataRails gives us exactly this in addition to flexibility in reporting financial results.

We started using their Insights feature instead of our BI. Really useful.
Made data collection easy and organized
Constant access to up-to-date numbers

Would be nice if it had the option of drag and drop for inputs

It integrates with our ERP easily. I like how we can get through financial close quicker with this solution. It’s easier to collaborate and send Excel based information to one another. Rate of error seems to have gone down, and less time is spend on consolidation. We were initially interested in the product for the close process but as we got accustomed to it realized it could do so much more for us.

simplifies reporting, can update reports whenever we want, centralized control for execs

can crash if you try to overwork it, happened to me about twice

We chose DataRails over its competitors and we’re very happy with our choice. We keep using our Excels but benefit from a system that is in the cloud, it's customizable, and offered for a great price. It has improved every aspect of the FP&A function within our company. Our budgeting cycles are shorter, our data is more reliable, and analysis and reporting are more real time.

I like that DataRails is continuously innovating and improving the product over time. Implementation is simple and there is no need for maintenance. Quick results with an intuitive design

No notable cons. Very happy with DataRails.

DataRails has excellent functionality while allowing you to continue using familiar Excel instead of asking you to learn an entirely new system. It’s an amazing product with super easy implementation. Allows you to easily spot inconsistencies or errors.

Customer service reps are great and keen to assist. Instant consolidation of budgets is great, and the automation saves us thousands of hours.

Nothing to dislike my team is satisfied with the product.

We wanted a CPM solution and chose DataRails. Their solution is very customizable, for us the customizable management reporting package was very good. Met our needs well. Drill downs are also very good- the ability to look into a cell-level audit trail is something we didn’t have prior. Also the BI features are useful since they are easy to navigate. Basically, there’s a lot you can do with DataRails and I think the highlight it that once they recognize what your needs are they adapt the product to you.

Highly customizable, for me the customizable management reporting package was the best.

None so far..........................................................

Trying to manage many different P&Ls can be challenging, but with DataRails the challenge is significantly reduced. DataRails helps us standardize reporting and analysis. It lets us compare plans and forecast reliably. Since we plan at a granular level, with DataRails we can do so accurately, consistently, reliably, etc. If you work in finance this tool will change your life.

1. The dashboards are great. Informative and help us visualize the data
2. Saves hours of work every month
3. Timeliness and accuracy is improved tenfold

I'd be happy for there to be more software updates

Trying to manage P&L's for a handful of retail locations and departments, combined with nearly 2,000 employees is a challenge to say the least. Planning with DataRails has streamlined our planning and forecasting cycles and helped us to standardize metrics, reporting and analysis. It makes comparing plans, forecasts and actuals across the organization easy and requires no training or overhead. Who would’ve thought that would ever be possible..

1- Flexibility allows us to mold portions of the product to our needs 2-Implementation was relatively quick (even though we implemented during our annual planning cycle). 3-Affordable compared to other SAAS alternatives. 4- Customer support is excellent and timely. 5- Ongoing product enhancements continue to improve this product. Updating with current results is a simple refresh button-click.

There aren't many things specific to the software that I don't like. I would say that the most difficult part about using this software is managing the requests from management so that it doesn't compromise the value of the software.

Employees were accustomed to working with spreadsheets, but spreadsheets are not always the most effective tool to use. That’s why we turned to DataRails. Accuracy of reports allows for accurate analyses. All our data is in one place and doesn’t require much effort for processing. With DataRails we can track budgets, labor contributions, and finances. Cumulatively this helps us make better decisions.

Very useful tool, allows for accurate analyses and comprehensive planning

Customer support is great but tutorial videos would be useful

My FPA department was facing challenges when it came to reporting. The numbers were constantly changing and we felt that our reporting simply wasn’t as accurate as it should have been. Then we purchased DataRails, and trust me when I say it changes reporting for the better. Our management team loves it because they can pull data from the database to Powerpoint in real time, meaning that at any given moment the figures are up to date. This tool has many uses, but for us specifically what it has done for our reporting function is priceless.

1. Love the export to Office
2. Easy and quick to update
3. support team is lovely

I can’t complain, this tool has been so great for us

DataRails has substantially improved the accuracy of our budgeting and forecasting. I love the ease of it, how accessible it makes our numbers, and how simple it is to follow real-time statuses. With DataRails we know the figures are accurate and up to date, which is precisely what we need from the numbers we base important decisions on.

-Many ways to look at your data
-Incredible drill downs
-Can work on both Excel and their Insights feature depending on what I want
-Easy to use

Quite frankly there aren't too many cons. We used to occasionally have some issues with logging out but that's all I can really think of.

With DataRails, Excel remains as our user interface and there is no change in our daily flow, but the way we work is enhanced significantly. No migrating our data, no moving to a new system or lengthy implementation. It is such an advantage to be able to build reports within Excel as we want to.

-no need to migrate data to a new browser
-visualizations are great and incredibly useful
-customer support is excellent

A tad buggy but we can deal with it, not a severe issue given the usefulness of this platform

We've integrated DataRails within our finance department and it's just been great. For departments that rely heavily on Excel, this product is a must. All our information is in one place, it's accurate and reliable, and it boosts our confidence in the conclusions we draw from them. Really great, dependable tool.

DataRails improves the accuracy and accountability of so many processes such as reporting and budgeting. It saves my department hundreds of hours of previously unnecessarily wasted time. Amazing tool!

The platform doesn't integrate with Excel 2007 which is a bummer.

In my organization we use DataRails’ cloud financial and analysis platform for budgeting and forecasting all of our financial metrics. Each department continues to rely on Excel as usual for budgets, and then using DataRails Finance sees real-time updates and compares budgets with actuals. Useful for a variety of processes including workforce management, income statement analysis, forecasting, reporting, etc.

Seamless integration with Excel
User friendly interface
Has streamlined our budgeting process

Occasionally there are glitches in our templates..

I can’t even begin to explain the value of DataRails. I never thought it’d be possible to access spreadsheet numbers that are located so remotely, but here I find myself doing just that. We have a branch on the other side of the world that, instead of emailing our finance team multiple excels, just clicks “Save” and our team can see all figures on the Insights function or Excel. AMAZING!

Crazy time saver, reduces errors to a minimum, automation eliminates unnecessary work.

The software sometimes crashes, not often but from time to time