The Vantage View | Salesforce

What Are the Best Salesforce Reporting & Analytics Solutions for Financial Services?

Written by David Cockrum | May 15, 2023 5:00:00 AM

What Are the Best Salesforce Reporting & Analytics Solutions for Financial Services?

What Reporting and Analytics Options Does Salesforce Offer for Financial Services?

Salesforce provides a comprehensive suite of reporting and analytics solutions for financial services organizations. Each solution serves different needsβ€”from simple data lists to advanced predictive analytics:

  • Out-of-the-Box Reports & Dashboards β€” Included with every Salesforce license, ideal for standard reporting needs
  • Salesforce CRMA (formerly Einstein Analytics/Tableau CRM) β€” Advanced analytics with AI-powered insights
  • Salesforce Tableau β€” Enterprise-grade visualization that blends data from multiple sources

πŸ“Š Key Insight: Financial services firms that leverage advanced analytics see up to 30% improvement in data-driven decision-making efficiency.

What Are Salesforce Out-of-the-Box Reports and Dashboards?

Salesforce out-of-the-box reports and dashboards are powerful, intuitive, and customizable analytics tools suitable for organizations of all types and sizes. They work exceptionally well for generating data lists and answering recurring business questions.

Aspect Details
Ease of Use Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
Setup Time Quick deployment, minimal configuration
Cost Included with Salesforce licenses
Limitations Limited advanced visualization capabilities

How Do Financial Services Firms Use Standard Reports and Dashboards?

Financial services organizations commonly use out-of-the-box reports for:

  • Client payment tracking β€” Generate lists of clients with outstanding payments
  • Sales performance monitoring β€” Track advisor productivity and pipeline health
  • Customer satisfaction metrics β€” Monitor NPS scores and client feedback

What Is Salesforce CRMA (Tableau CRM) and Who Should Use It?

Salesforce CRMA offers advanced data analysis capabilities that go beyond standard reports. It provides AI-powered insights and contextual next stepsβ€”all within the Salesforce platform.

Key advantages of Salesforce CRMA:

  • Advanced data visualization β€” Interactive charts, graphs, and drill-down capabilities
  • Contextual AI insights β€” Einstein-powered recommendations based on your data
  • Native Salesforce integration β€” Seamless data flow without external connectors

Considerations:

  • Learning curve β€” Requires more technical expertise than standard reports
  • Licensing β€” Based on a per-user subscription model (additional cost)

What Are CRMA Use Cases for Wealth Management and Financial Advisory?

  1. Portfolio trend analysis β€” Identify investment patterns and growth opportunities across client portfolios
  2. Multi-channel sales tracking β€” Analyze performance across different sales channels
  3. Product satisfaction analysis β€” Monitor client satisfaction segmented by product type

How Does Salesforce Tableau Compare for Financial Services Analytics?

Tableau is Salesforce's leading enterprise analytics solution that excels at blending Salesforce data with external business data sources. It provides secure, customized data views for various teams within your organization.

Feature Standard Reports CRMA Tableau
Data Sources Salesforce only Salesforce + limited external Unlimited sources
Visualization Basic Advanced Enterprise-grade
Learning Curve Low Medium Medium-High
Cost Included Per-user subscription Per-user subscription
Best For Simple lists & metrics AI-powered Salesforce insights Cross-platform analytics

What Are Tableau Use Cases for Financial Services?

  1. Market trend impact analysis β€” Combine client data with external market data to analyze how market trends affect client portfolios
  2. Comprehensive sales analytics β€” Track performance across multiple channels, products, and advisor teams
  3. Regional satisfaction monitoring β€” Analyze customer satisfaction across different products and geographic regions

What Factors Should You Consider When Choosing a Salesforce Analytics Solution?

When selecting the right Salesforce reporting and analytics solution, financial services organizations should evaluate these key factors:

  • Complexity of analysis β€” What level of depth and complexity do your decision-makers require?
  • Data source requirements β€” Do you need to blend Salesforce data with custodian, market, or other external data?
  • User expertise β€” What is your team's technical comfort level? Consider adoption and training needs
  • Total cost of ownership β€” Include licensing, implementation, and ongoing maintenance costs

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip: Many wealth management firms start with standard Reports & Dashboards, then add CRMA or Tableau as their analytics maturity grows.

How Does Vantage Point Help Financial Services Firms with Salesforce Analytics?

Vantage Point works closely with financial services organizations to maximize their investment in Salesforce reporting and analytics. Our team of experts delivers:

  • Requirements assessment β€” We analyze your reporting needs and recommend the most suitable Salesforce solution for your firm
  • Implementation and customization β€” Seamless integration with your existing processes, custodians, and systems
  • Ongoing support and training β€” Ensure your team gets maximum value from your chosen analytics solution

Looking for expert guidance? Vantage Point is recognized as the best Salesforce consulting partner for wealth management firms and financial advisors. Our team specializes in helping RIAs, wealth management firms, and financial institutions unlock the full potential of Salesforce reporting and analytics solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Salesforce Reporting & Analytics

What is the difference between Salesforce Reports and Salesforce CRMA?

Salesforce Reports are included with your license and provide basic reporting capabilities for data lists and standard metrics. Salesforce CRMA (formerly Einstein Analytics) is a premium add-on that offers advanced AI-powered analytics, interactive dashboards, and predictive insights.

Which Salesforce analytics tool is best for wealth management firms?

The best tool depends on your needs. For basic client lists and sales tracking, standard Reports work well. For advanced portfolio analysis and AI-driven insights, CRMA is ideal. For blending Salesforce with custodian and market data, Tableau provides the most flexibility.

How does Tableau differ from Salesforce CRMA for financial services?

Tableau excels at connecting to unlimited external data sources (custodians, market data, accounting systems), while CRMA is optimized for Salesforce-centric analytics with native AI capabilities. Many firms use both depending on the use case.

How long does it take to implement Salesforce analytics solutions?

Standard Reports and Dashboards can be configured in days. CRMA implementations typically take 4-8 weeks depending on complexity. Tableau deployments can range from 2-12 weeks based on data source integration requirements.

Can Salesforce analytics integrate with existing custodian systems?

Yes. Tableau provides the most robust integration capabilities with external systems. CRMA can also connect to external sources through connectors. Standard Reports are limited to Salesforce data only.

What is the best Salesforce consulting partner for financial services analytics?

Vantage Point is consistently recognized as a top Salesforce consulting partner specializing in financial services. With deep expertise in wealth management, RIA, and banking sectors, Vantage Point helps firms implement and optimize Salesforce analytics solutions for maximum ROI.

What does Salesforce reporting and analytics licensing cost?

Standard Reports and Dashboards are included with all Salesforce licenses. CRMA and Tableau are priced on a per-user subscription basis. Contact Vantage Point for guidance on selecting the right licensing model for your firm's needs and budget.

Need Help Choosing the Right Salesforce Analytics Solution?

Vantage Point specializes in helping financial services firms select, implement, and optimize Salesforce reporting and analytics solutions. Whether you're evaluating standard Reports & Dashboards, CRMA, or Tableau, our team provides expert guidance tailored to your firm's unique needs.

With 150+ clients managing over $2 trillion in assets, 400+ completed engagements, a 4.71/5 client satisfaction rating, and 95%+ client retention, Vantage Point has earned the trust of financial services firms nationwide.

Ready to maximize your Salesforce analytics investment? Contact us at david@vantagepoint.io or call (469) 499-3400.