Welcome to "Mastering Fathom Reporting," your go-to resource for unlocking the full potential of Fathom's reporting capabilities. Whether you're an experienced data analyst or just beginning your journey into the world of financial reporting, this guide is tailored to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate Fathom's features.

In this comprehensive help guide, we will explore the intricacies of Fathom Reporting from start to finish. From connecting your data sources to interpreting complex visualizations and generating insightful reports, you'll learn how to harness the power of Fathom to drive informed decision-making and propel your business forward.

When you land on your Homepage, you will see 4 top tabs:

At the top right of your screen you will see three buttons:

Click on the drop-down arrow next to the top tabs mentioned to navigate back to your company list or to add a new company to Fathom. You can import your summary financial data from your accounting source into Fathom such as:

You can also import your financial data from Excel if you are not using one of the above mentioned source accounting systems.

After importing your financial data into Fathom, here is a checklist for what to do next within the "Settings" top tab:

In this section, we delve into the power and versatility of Fathom's reporting capabilities, equipping you with the tools to extract valuable intelligence from your data.

Click on the "Reports" top tab from your homepage to navigate to your reporting tools, as shown in the image below. Alternatively, you can access the reporting tools from the "My Companies" page by hovering over one of your companies and clicking "Reports".

From the Reports page you are able to create a new report by clicking "Create report" where you will be able to choose from using a template report or starting a new report from scratch.

Once you start adding elements and editing, your report will go into the "Drafts" folder, highlighted in the image above. Once you are happy with your changes, you are given the option to publish your report at the bottom of your screen or in the side panel. When you click "Publish" then your report will move to the "Published" folder, seen above.

The side panel of the Reports page allows for you to access your drafts and published reports, view predefined templates, create custom templates, schedule the creation and distribution of recurring reports as well as download Excel reports.

Additionally, alongside each report within the Reports page you have quick access to the following tools:

When you choose the "Start from scratch" option for your report then you will be directed to a blank report with a side panel of various elements and tools to add and use within your report.

The side panel enables you to add text elements, charts, financials and chart layouts. In addition to these tools, a great deal of functionality is included when you are selecting graph metrics, organizing the report and tailoring the data you would like to present:

The first type of element you can add to your report is text or text elements, as shown in the image below. The "Test Example" title is the section heading. Add a new section to your report within the Text tool by dragging and dropping the "Section break" element in the side menu to a point in your report.

Alternatively, scroll to the bottom of your report and click "Add another section" which will add a new section at the end of your report. Reorder sections by clicking the hamburger icon in the top left corner of your screen to reveal the report outline.

The Text tool allows for you to add columns of text, observations, an executive summary template as well as page, line and section breaks.

In the bottom section of the side panel, you will be able to navigate to "Settings", "Publish" your report or "Download" your report.

Use the Charts tool within the side panel to insert a variety of different charts and key values into your report. First select the category of metrics you would like to view and then select the type of chart to insert.

The Tables & Financials tool within the side panel is where you can select a statement to add to your report. First select the period that you would like to view within your statement. The choices include:

Then select the type of financials you would like to insert into your report, as shown by the drop-down highlighted in the image below.

The Layouts tool within the side panel places charts side by side in different configurations that fit on one page. You can change the type of graph in each segment of the page after you have inserted the layout into the report by clicking "Edit".

To create a report from a predefined template, follow the steps below:

To download an Excel report, follow the steps below:

The Fathom Analysis tools offer an engaging and dynamic portrayal of your financial and non-financial data. These tools emphasize critical business insights such as profitability, cash flow and growth; presenting them in a visually intuitive manner.

To view the Analysis tools on Fathom, click on the "Analysis" top tab within your company. Here, you will find a set of tools in the sidebar and an option to download each report at the bottom left of your screen, as shown in the image below. You also have the option of changing your company and viewing period.

Each Analysis tool offers the following primary options:

A concise summary of the performance of all active KPIs within the entity. Evaluate KPI performance against targets or previous periods. Additionally, delve into the individual performance of each KPI.

Within the KPIs tab, you have the option to display:

You also have the option to compare these KPIs with last months values, the same month last year or you can compare them to your target values. The trend column is calculated according to the comparison you choose. Change the current period that you are looking at by clicking on the date at the top right of your screen, highlighted in the image above.

Click on any KPI to analyze it in more detail. A pop-up page will appear with a description of how the KPI is measured, its values over 12 periods and other criteria, as shown in the image below.

The KPI explorer offers a visually engaging overview of the performance of your active KPIs in detail. You can filter this graph by:

The profitability tool includes an illustrative chart demonstrating the breakeven point of the company, offering insights into its profit potential. Hover over any point on the graph to view different revenue and variable cost values.

The same drill-down functionality in KPIs applies for the Profitability tool where you can click on gross profit, operating profit or EBIT to view a pop-up page displaying details of those sub-totals for 12 periods.

You can also click on the "Top ten Revenue accounts" or the "Top ten Expense and COS accounts" to view a detailed table, as shown below.

The cash flow graph within "Analysis" > "Cash Flow" consists of a waterfall chart showcasing the cash inflows and outflows of the company.

The chart displays a running total as values are added or subtracted. It's useful for understanding how an initial value (for example, revenue) is affected by a series of positive and negative values. The columns are color coded so you can quickly tell positive from negative numbers.

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The growth graph within "Analysis" > "Growth" is a comparative chart displaying various growth metrics, providing a comprehensive view of the business's growth trajectory over time.

There are three comparisons you can choose from to display on your growth graph:

The growth graph is split up into quadrants. Highlight and view the explanation of each quadrant by hovering over the block, as shown in the image above. The quadrants are color coded as follows:

A customizable chart allowing you to visualize the trend of business metrics and accounts over time. Navigate to "Analysis" > "Trend" to view this chart.

There is a wide range of customizing options available for this chart:

An interactive tool empowering you to develop action plans to achieve business objectives. Navigate to "Analysis" > "Goalseek" to set goals for different metrics and view the impact of this goal on other metrics.

Change the metric that you are setting a goal for by clicking on the metric name, such as "Free Cash Flow", shown in the image above. Click on the goal value, such as R90 000 in the image above, to change this goal value.

The financial statements of the business, offering comparisons with previous periods or budgetary targets.

For the "Financials" tab within "Analysis", you have multiple different views available for your Profit & Loss statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow statement. When you select one of these statements, you have the following viewing options:

Forecasting is essential for informed decision-making and risk mitigation. Whether projecting financial performance, estimating market demand, or planning resource allocation, Fathom Forecasts provides the tools to anticipate change and seize opportunities in a dynamic business environment.

Click on the "Forecast" top tab on your Homepage. Within this tab you will find 4 tools within the side panel which are forecasts, roadmap, microforecasts and scenarios.

Within the Forecast tool you are able to forecast values for your Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow by clicking the folders highlighted in the image below.

Select the period of the forecast (either monthly, quarterly or yearly) and select the period that you would like your forecast to roll on.

You are able to manually alter any forecasted value within any account by double clicking on that specific value. Click on the value once to see how that value is calculated or predicted. Click on the 3 dots in the "Smart Prediction" box to add a new rule for a specific account.

To input values into a new driver, you can either manually input values or click on "Add rule" to create a rule that will apply to the entire period of the forecast. Additionally, choose when your driver will take affect within the forecast when you are editing or creating the rule.

The calculation method for a driver determines the type of driver that it is. You can choose from the following calculation methods:

A forecast is an estimation or prediction of future events, trends, or outcomes based on analysis of historical data, current conditions, and various assumptions. Forecasts are often used to predict sales figures, financial performance, market trends and other relevant metrics. These forecasts can help your businesses plan budgets, allocate resources, set goals and assess potential risks and opportunities.

When a forecast states that it "rolls" on a specific month, it means that the forecast extends into the future beyond the current period and each month's forecast is updated or "rolled" forward as new data (or actuals) becomes available.

Microforecasts help you model a slight change in your company or accounts to see how that would affect your financials. Microforecasts can come in the following forms:

To create a new microforecast, follow the steps in the image below.

Scenarios allow you to create several different versions of your forecast. When creating a scenario you can apply microforecasts that you have previously created. In scenarios, you’re able to experiment with and change which microforecasts are at play and the timing of those microforecasts.

Control the values of your drivers and choose how you would like to impact either revenue, cost of sales, expenses, other income or other expenses with a specific:

Once you have created and applied a scenario or multiple scenarios, these changes will automatically be implemented and will reflect in your Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet and/or Cash Flow forecasts.

The Roadmap tool within Fathom Forecasts is a visual view of the impact of all microforecasts and scenarios. You can choose which microforecasts and scenarios are "switched on" and thus, applied to forecasted financials to tailor your roadmap.

You are also supplied with a quick view and certain metrics at the bottom of your roadmap. Here, you will be able to see how certain microforecasts and scenarios directly affect key metrics such as gross profit or cash on hand.

Fathom accommodates inter-group transactions by allowing users to create, manage and revert account eliminations between entities within a consolidation. Navigate to "Settings" > "Chart of Accounts" to create eliminations.

You are also able to perform partial account or specific amount eliminations. Partial elimination adjustments are often required in multi-currency consolidations to balance the balance sheet.

Fathom supports consolidations across multiple currencies, recognizing the global nature of business operations. It facilitates the translation of financial data using different methods for profit & loss and balance sheet items, ensuring accurate representation of currency translation impacts.

Each company can have just one functional currency on Fathom. By using the multi-currency consolidation feature, you can present the consolidated group’s financial statements in one of several different presentation currencies.

Fathom provides functionality to handle acquisitions and disposals throughout the financial year. It allows users to adjust for the effects of these transactions on both the profit & loss statement and balance sheet, ensuring proper accounting treatment in accordance with accounting standards.

Fathom accommodates various reporting standards such as IFRS and GAAP. It allows users to consolidate data from entities operating under different standards while ensuring accurate posting of accounts and journals to meet reporting requirements.

Fathom provides a range of reporting options beyond basic financial statements. Users can generate direct and indirect cash flow statements, statements of changes in equity and comprehensive financial statements, providing deeper insights into the financial performance and position of the consolidated entity. Underlying entities of a consolidation can be displayed side-by-side within these statements for easy comparison.

Fathom allows users to view and export data at various levels, including individual business units and consolidated entities. It supports nested consolidations, enabling users to consolidate multiple levels of entities. Additionally, users can apply filters to analyze data by division or department within the group structure.

In addition to reporting capabilities, Fathom offers features such as data visualization through graphs and charts for consolidations. It also provides tools for reviewing financial data for issues or inconsistencies before generating reports. Multiple export options, including PDF, Excel, and Google Sheets, are available for sharing and further analysis of financial reports.

To integrate a company from Xero into Fathom, follow these steps:

Once authorization is granted, Fathom will initiate the import of your financial data, including Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet. The import process typically completes within a few minutes. Once finished, your Xero company will be visible on the 'My Companies' screen in Fathom.

To connect a Xero company, you must have either "Advisor" or "Standard" level user privileges with "View Reports" permissions set to "All Reports" for that specific company. If your company doesn't appear in the list provided by Xero, verify your permission settings in Xero before attempting to import again.

To import a QuickBooks Online company into Fathom, log into your Fathom account and go to the "My Companies" page:

If you’re using classes and locations in QuickBooks, then you’ll be prompted to select which classes and locations to bring into Fathom. On initial import, Fathom will also automatically import a budget from QuickBooks Online.

Once the import has completed, you will see your QuickBooks Online company on the "My Companies" page in Fathom. You’ll now be able to access the settings, analysis, reports, and forecasting tools for the company.

To import a QuickBooks Desktop company into Fathom, log into your Fathom account and go to the "My Companies" page:

To bring financial data from MYOB AccountRight Live into Fathom, access your Fathom account and navigate to the "My Companies" page.

Once the import is finished, your MYOB company will be listed on the "My Companies" page. You can now access the Settings, Analysis, Reports, and Forecasting tools for your company.

To import data from MYOB AccountRight (.myo or .myox), you'll need to download and install the Fathom Desktop Connector. Once installed, you can upload your MYOB files directly into Fathom.

The Fathom Desktop Connector is compatible with the three most recent versions of MYOB AccountRight. If direct integration isn't available, we recommend using Excel to import your data.

Upon initiating the Desktop Connector, proceed with these steps to import your company data into Fathom:

If you're not utilizing a source accounting system, you also have the option to import financial data into Fathom via Excel (.xlsx or .csv). When using Excel as your source, you can import financial data for monthly, quarterly or annual periods.

Typically, you would export a monthly Profit and Loss (Income statement) and Balance Sheet report from your accounting system to Excel, then adjust it to conform to the Fathom Import Template.

To import financial data from Excel into Fathom, follow these steps:

Once your file has finished importing, you’ll see your company listed on the "My Companies" page in Fathom. From there, you can access the Settings, Analysis, Reports, and Forecasting tools.

To import financial data from Sage Business Cloud into Fathom, follow these steps:

You can acquire the Fathom desktop connector directly from within Fathom.

Here's how:

This action initiates the download of a ".exe" file. You can utilize this executable file to import your desktop files into Fathom.