Unveiling Reporting 2.0: Transforming Analytics at 3CX for Enhanced Telecom Insights

Introduction to Reporting 2.0

Reporting 2.0 is poised to revolutionize the way 3CX users analyze call data, providing advanced insights that can enhance operational efficiency. As this innovative feature continues to be developed, we are excited to share updates on its capabilities and the transformative impact it will have on analytics for telecom companies in South Africa.

What to Expect from Reporting 2.0

One of the most significant enhancements in Reporting 2.0 is the introduction of dedicated call telephony tables and database views, which will be designed to capture a broader range of call metrics and statistics. This includes in-depth call tracking, detailed call journey analysis, and more reliable metrics such as call durations, hold times, and queue performance. The goal is to provide businesses with invaluable insights that can be leveraged to optimize their operations.

Historical Context of Reporting in 3CX

Traditionally, reporting was not at the forefront of 3CX’s priorities, as the company focused primarily on real-time call processing. Advanced analytics were often relegated to third-party solutions, leaving a significant gap in the reporting capabilities of the platform. While the initial improvements introduced in Version 20 laid the groundwork for better analytics, they fell short of expectations, prompting the need for a comprehensive overhaul with Reporting 2.0.

Initially, 3CX had aimed for a release alongside Update 5 this year; however, the timeline has since been adjusted to ensure that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and functionality.

Key Developments in Reporting 2.0

Among the critical advancements in Reporting 2.0 is the creation of a new Call Detail Record (CDR) format. The existing CDR and call log databases have proven to be overly complex, often resulting in missing data or reliance on derived metrics. To build a robust reporting engine, 3CX has decided to overhaul its core systems to improve call logging and create a refined CDR record for each call, allowing for comprehensive reporting.

This new CDR format will enable the generation of more accurate reports, including two new reports focused on inbound and outbound calls per trunk and Direct Inward Dialing (DID). The enhancements will lead to faster report generation and richer detail in reporting, including:

• Date and Time of the call
• Caller ID and Trunk ID
• DID for inbound calls
• Call Status (Connected or Not)
• Ringing Time and Talking Time
• Total Call Duration
• Answered By and Recording URL
• Billing Cost for outbound calls

Development for this new CDR format is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with the rollout scheduled for early next year.

Enhanced Metrics for Deeper Insights

The new CDR format is designed to capture a comprehensive array of call center metrics. Here are some of the key data points that will be included:

• Call Details: Unique identifiers such as cdr_id and call_history_id will facilitate seamless tracking and cross-referencing.
• Participant Information: Detailed fields for both source and destination participants, including names, phone numbers, and connection details.
• Call Flow and Termination Reasons: Insights into the call’s journey, including fields like originating_cdr_id and termination_reason.
• Timestamps: Key metrics on call timing, enabling precise calculations of hold times and talk durations.
• Connection Details: Information about whether participants were incoming or already connected.

This comprehensive data will require third-party reporting solutions to update their products to align with the new Business Intelligence (BI) ready database tables.

Creating a BI-Ready Database Schema

In addition to the new CDR format, 3CX is designing a dedicated database for reporting that is optimized for call analytics. This involves processing CDR records and summarizing the data into BI-ready tables, allowing for in-depth reporting through popular solutions like Grafana and Power BI.

The organization of these BI-ready tables into a dedicated data mart will ensure that essential fields and metrics are isolated and transformed into cleaned, normalized formats. This will enable business analysts and supervisors to derive actionable insights with minimal SQL knowledge.

The rollout of these BI-ready tables will follow closely after the introduction of the new CDR format and will be a feature exclusive to the Enterprise Edition.

Report Templates for Enhanced Analytics

Another exciting feature of Reporting 2.0 will be the availability of reporting templates in Grafana and Power BI. These templates will provide out-of-the-box call analytics views and will incorporate current report layouts enhanced with graphical representations.

Examples of the reports that will be available include:

• Staffed Agents per Queue
• Peak Time Reports (Answered/Unanswered)
• Call Distribution by Time (Outbound/Inbound)
• Time Series Analytics
• Peak Time Gauges
• Top Agent Reports

Users will have the flexibility to customize these templates, allowing for the creation of tailored reports that meet specific business needs.

Ensuring Data Security

The new BI-ready tables will be securely housed within a separate database schema, accessible via a dedicated port that differs from the main PostgreSQL port. This setup allows for secure connections to BI-ready tables without exposing the primary production database.

3CX administrators will be able to generate private keys for BI users, which can be imported into Power BI and Grafana for secure authentication. This system of port forwarding ensures that only authorized BI users can access the analytics tables, keeping core telephony data safe and secure.

Scheduling and Compatibility

Users of both Power BI and Grafana will benefit from numerous scheduling and formatting options, enabling them to automate reports and tailor their presentation styles. Grafana offers a free edition for those looking to get started without incurring costs, while Power BI is a popular choice among Microsoft-based companies.

Looking Ahead

As development continues, a beta version of the new reporting features is anticipated to be available in January 2025. In the meantime, users can look forward to the significant advancements that Reporting 2.0 will bring to the analytics landscape at 3CX.

Key Takeaways

Reporting 2.0 is set to enhance analytics at 3CX significantly, providing users with powerful tools for call data analysis. Here are the main insights:

• Introduction of a new CDR format for improved call detail tracking.
• Enhanced metrics will provide deeper insights into call performance.
• BI-ready database schema will facilitate advanced reporting solutions.
• Customizable report templates will streamline the analytics process.
• Robust security measures will protect sensitive telephony data.

For more details and updates, please refer to the original source at 3CX Blog.

Source Article: https://www.3cx.com/blog/releases/improved-reporting/