Quarterly reviews sneak up on everyone. Suddenly, you need real numbers—fast. If you're using Icypeas for your business data, you can pull detailed revenue reports without wasting a day clicking through random dashboards. This guide is for anyone who has to present numbers that actually make sense: founders, finance folks, operations leads, or anyone who gets stuck with "Can you run the revenue report?"
Let's cut the fluff and get into the nuts and bolts of getting the data you need.
Step 1: Know What You Need (Before Logging In)
Before you even open Icypeas, get clear about what your quarterly review actually requires. There’s no sense in pulling every number under the sun.
Ask yourself: - Which revenue streams matter? (e.g., product sales, subscriptions, services) - Do you need gross, net, or both? - Are you reporting by customer, region, or just totals? - Will your audience want to see trends, or just a snapshot?
Pro tip: Write these down. It’ll keep you focused and save you from exporting the whole database later.
Step 2: Get Into Icypeas and Find the Reporting Section
It sounds obvious, but Icypeas hides its most useful features behind a few clicks.
- Log in to your Icypeas account.
- On the left sidebar, find and click Reports.
- Under Reports, select Revenue. (If you don’t see it, you may need different permissions—ask your admin.)
Heads up: Some versions of Icypeas call this “Financial Reports” or “Sales Reports.” If you’re lost, use the search bar at the top.
Step 3: Set the Right Filters
This is where most people go wrong. For a quarterly review, your reports need to be laser-focused.
- Date Range: Choose “Last Quarter” or set custom start/end dates that match your company’s fiscal quarter.
- Revenue Source: If you want to separate subscriptions from one-off sales, use the “Revenue Type” filter.
- Region/Team/Customer: Only add these if someone actually cares—otherwise, keep it simple.
Pro tip: Don’t select every filter “just in case.” More filters = more confusion and longer load times.
Step 4: Choose Your Report Format
Icypeas usually gives you a few options:
- Summary Report: Just totals and maybe a chart. Fine if you’re only showing big-picture numbers.
- Detailed Report: Breaks down revenue by customer, product, or whatever category you pick. This is what most people need for quarterly reviews.
- Custom Report: Lets you add or remove columns, group by different fields, and add calculations.
Honest take: The Custom Report builder is powerful but a bit clunky. If you don’t need extra columns or formulas, stick with Detailed—it’s faster and less likely to break.
Step 5: Add or Remove Data Columns
Don’t let Icypeas decide what’s “important.” You can usually customize which columns show up:
- Click Customize Columns or Edit Columns (depends on your version).
- Remove anything you don’t care about (e.g., internal IDs, timestamps).
- Add columns like “Customer Name,” “Product Line,” or “Sales Rep” if those matter for your review.
Skip: Anything marked as “beta” or “experimental.” These fields tend to be unreliable and could even vanish by next quarter.
Step 6: Preview and Clean Up the Report
Now’s the time to check your work before you export anything.
- Scan totals: Do they match what you expect? If not, double-check your filters.
- Look for blanks or zeros: Sometimes data imports get messed up; don’t let surprises show up in the meeting.
- Format: Make sure columns aren’t cut off or labeled in confusing ways.
Pro tip: If something looks weird, don’t assume you did it wrong. Icypeas is powerful, but it’s not magic—sometimes the data in your system is just messy.
Step 7: Export the Data
Most quarterly reviews happen in a spreadsheet, not in Icypeas itself. Here’s how to get your data out:
- Click Export (sometimes a download icon).
- Choose CSV or Excel. Avoid PDF unless your boss is allergic to spreadsheets.
- Double-check the exported file: Are all columns there? Is the date range right?
- Save a master copy somewhere safe—don’t rely on Icypeas keeping your export history forever.
Honest take: The CSV export is usually cleaner than Excel, especially if you plan to do any sorting or formulas later.
Step 8: Turn Raw Data into a Clear Narrative
A pile of numbers isn’t a report—it’s just a dump. For a quarterly review, you need to make the story obvious.
- Highlight what matters: Growth, declines, big customers, unexpected trends.
- Use charts sparingly: Only if they make the point clearer—no one needs a rainbow pie chart for every metric.
- Add context: If you see sudden changes, note if it’s a one-off deal, a lost client, or just seasonal fluctuation.
Skip: Fancy charts or dashboards unless your audience specifically asked for them.
Step 9: Share and Archive Your Work
Once you’ve wrangled your report:
- Send a clean version (not the raw export) to whoever needs it.
- Store a copy somewhere everyone can find it next quarter.
- Jot down any weird issues or filters you used—future you will thank you.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Here’s the stuff no one tells you:
- Works: Icypeas is solid for basic and moderately complex revenue reports. Filters and exports are pretty reliable.
- Doesn’t work: Advanced custom calculations or weird fiscal calendars. If your company has odd reporting needs, expect to do some manual cleanup.
- Ignore: Any “AI-generated insights” or auto-suggestions. These rarely tell you anything useful—or worse, they’re just wrong.
Closing Thoughts
Don’t overcomplicate things. The best revenue reports are the ones people actually read and understand. Start simple, focus on the numbers that matter, and tweak your approach each quarter. If Icypeas throws you a curveball, just keep your raw data handy and clean things up in your spreadsheet. The goal isn’t to make a “perfect” report—it’s to make a useful one.
Good luck out there. And remember: if you’re confused, odds are someone else is too—so keep it clear and don’t be afraid to ask for help.