Nobody knows the full inventory
New dashboards appear, old ones stay around and similar reports are maintained side by side in parallel.
Report Catalog
A report catalog for overview and dependencies
A report catalog creates transparency about which reports exist, who owns them and which metrics and data models they rely on.
See the workflowTraceable metadata
Definition
What does the entry mean?
Ownership
Who reviews and decides?
Technical trail
Which sources belong to it?
Current product scope: A standalone report catalog entity is planned as a product expansion. Today MetricsMap lays the foundation with the KPI glossary, data models and metadata relationships; report entries are not yet imported automatically from BI systems.
The starting point
Why scattered documentation is not enough
Impact stays invisible
Before a KPI or model change, there is no overview of which reports and teams could actually be affected.
Ownership is not documented
When something breaks or a change is requested, the search for business and technical ownership starts over every time.
The approach
From a single entry to documentation you can rely on
- 01
Scope the report inventory
Define the systems, workspaces and business areas that should be included in the catalog.
- 02
Capture core metadata
Document name, purpose, audience, owner, status and location of each report following one shared pattern.
- 03
Map KPIs and models
Link the metrics, tables and dependencies used, so the technical and business impact becomes visible.
- 04
Maintain the lifecycle
Flag outdated or replaced reports and review regularly which entries are still used and still owned.
MetricsMap
Features for a metadata foundation you can trace
KPI glossary as reference
Reports will point to the same reviewed metrics rather than duplicating their own definitions.
Data model relationships
Tables, fields and their relationships form the technical basis for later report dependencies.
Manual entry point
The MVP takes a manual, metadata-based approach with no automated connection to BI platforms.
Planned expansion
A dedicated report entity and additional relationships will be added later on the existing metadata graph.
Example: Executive Sales Dashboard
The catalog entry describes purpose, audience and owner. It points to certified KPIs like Revenue and Conversion Rate as well as the sales models it uses.
Tell the terms apart
- Report catalog
- Inventories reports with purpose, owner, status and their business and technical dependencies.
- KPI glossary
- Defines the metrics that should be used consistently across multiple reports.
- Data catalog
- Captures technical data objects and metadata more broadly than a report-focused catalog.
Related articles
Frequently asked questions
Does the report catalog exist as its own module yet?
Not yet. The standalone report entity is planned. The KPI glossary and data models already provide the necessary metadata foundation.
Are reports imported automatically from Power BI?
No. The MVP works manually and metadata-based. There is no automated import of report inventories from BI platforms.
What belongs in a report catalog?
At minimum name, purpose, audience, business and technical owner, status, the KPIs used and the relevant data models.
Lay the metadata foundation for your report catalog
Start with shared KPI definitions and documented data models before you connect the report inventory.
Start your metadata foundation in MetricsMap