Who is Ascentra for?

Ascentra - a tool for information users

The problem

Information users need to be able to work easily with data, without undertaking hours of training in IT and technology subjects. A scientist or financial expert shouldn't need to become a database expert too, just to be able to find and use their data. It sounds like a simple requirement, and it is. Is it possible, though?

The solution

Ascentra contains everything you need to bring corporate data closer to people who need it:

The query builder presents your information collection visually and uses your own business terms, helping users to see what information is available and understand how it fits together. Building a query is as simple as clicking on the data you want to use. The query builder helps you to add filters and summarisation to your query, and translates all your choices into the language of your data source.

The presentation options help you to present your data. You can use your data to create a create sophisticated documents, incorporating charts and geographical maps, master-detail reports and much more. You can use colour highlighting to provide instant visual analysis of your data, or zoom right inside a chart. You can publish your documents in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF format), for everyone to read. You can also present your data as a series of interlinked web pages, using drilldown to create summary pages with links to the detailed information below, or merge your data with template documents to create the Word document you need.

Ascentra also works alongside a number of other products, to allow you to export and analyse your data in a number of ways.  You can display your data directly in Excel or use it to create a Microsoft Access table. If you wish, you can also export your data to XML, an emerging industry standard for information interchange.

Ascentra - adding reporting to your application

The problem

Reporting facilities are often a primary requirement of data-intensive software. Persuading users to enter and capture information is much easier when they can see the benefits in using and analysing that data. Is it possible to add reporting facilities without large scale development effort?

The solution

Ascentra provides a full API to allow you to incorporate sophisticated reporting facilities with just a few lines of code. You can choose which Ascentra facilities to make available to your users. Perhaps you want to prepare some standard reports and let users run them from your application whenever they need them. Perhaps you want to schedule a specification to publish weekly information to an intranet. Or perhaps you want to let users create their own queries and reports using all the facilities of Ascentra.

Ascentra - reporting facilities for your software product

The problem

Your customers want you to add some standard reports to your product. They also want to be able to create their own. Is it possible to add flexible reporting facilities without putting your own release schedules back?

The solution

Ascentra's API gives you the ability to incorporate all the facilities of the product within your own software.  As a Firbeck Business Partner, you can also brand Ascentra to blend in with your own software, choosing your own name and contact details, and customising our splash screen to your own style. 

How does it work? You purchase Ascentra licences for users of your product at a favourable discount, and resell them at a price of your choosing. You provide first level support for your users, but you in turn are supported by Firbeck, and receive first access to new technology and features as they become available. We can customise the Ascentra install and do the branding for you, or you can control this entirely yourself.

For more details about the Firbeck Business Partner programme, please mail