Build a Quarterly Report in Under 2 Hours

We’re not saying your team only needs two hours to prep for a quarterly review… but with ClearPoint, they could.

Key Takeaways

Assign every update to its owner through an automated workflow. Instructions, due dates and reminders go out automatically, so nobody chases updates by email.
Give each owner a workspace showing only their own updates. Each owner makes the one to three updates they own, and progress is tracked live.
Route updates through manager approval before building the briefing book. Reviews, approvals and change requests sit in one place, with version history on the record.
Tell your team when the executive summary was drafted by AI. Asking each person to review their section builds engagement before the meeting.
Draft each performance summary with AI, then add your own context. Start from the top 5 AI prompts every manager should use.

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We’re not suggesting you only give your teams two hours to prep for a quarterly review...

But hear us out.

While most teams are still figuring out who owes what update, the best strategy teams are already walking into their executive review meetings with polished reports and AI-generated insights. They’ve simplified every part of the prep process. They automate the busy work, surface the insights, and focus on what matters for better decisions.

With ClearPoint, we've helped these teams make the impossible quarterly prep timeline possible. Here’s how top teams get it done in under two hours.

0:00 – Hit the Ground Running with Workspaces

Launch your personalized ClearPoint Workspace. Everything you need is front and center: your owned elements, notifications, key reports, and pending tasks. You don’t have to click around to find your priorities.

Make sure everyone on your team has a clear view of their Updates, can collaborate with @Mentions, and access their Scorecards, so they can quickly get to the information relevant to their role.

0:03 – Automate Your Reporting Workflow

Set up automated reminders.

In this step, admins assign each update to its owner. The reporting workflows automatically route the right tasks to the right people with custom instructions and due dates. Once the initial set-up is complete, the workflow handles the rest. You don’t chase down updates or email new versions of spreadsheets back and forth. Progress is tracked live, so you know exactly what’s done and what still needs a nudge.

The order of events matters. In our guide to automating most of your management reporting, the data upload comes first. Once the data is there, your calculations run, charts update, and evaluations turn red, yellow or green based on how actual values compare to targets. Only then does each owner get an automated email with a list of the elements they need to update and links to each page. As an admin, you can add special instructions and remind users of the deadline.

0:15 – Quick Updates, Smart Insights

Team members jump in to make the 1–3 updates they own.

Each owner focuses only on their slice of the strategy, whether that’s a KPI, project, or goal.

Use the AI Assistant to review your data (current values, targets, trends, and evaluations), write a clear performance summary, and explain what’s driving results, good or bad. The AI analysis gets you 80–90% of the way there. Then you add your own expertise and context to complete the analysis.

You can also use AI to suggest next steps and recommendations, so you bring actionable ideas to your next review meeting.

Whether AI drafts it or you write it yourself, the analysis should answer real questions. Our strategy meeting preparation checklist suggests prompts like these: What does it mean that your data is doing better than last month but still below what you’d planned? Are the projects you’re working on going to be enough to help you achieve your goals, or do you need more? Many goal owners are afraid to report a red status, but they need to be comfortable doing so if they want to request more resources.

Check out our blog on the top 5 AI prompts every manager should be using.

0:45 – Visualize Insights with Modern Charts

Charts that tell the story. Whether it’s a performance gauge, waterfall chart, or combo bar/line view, ClearPoint shows the impact behind your numbers. Include a few clear data visualizations to wrap up your updates.

🔎 Admin Pro-Tip: Use the Dashboard View to compare all department charts at a glance.

0:55 – Confetti. Yes, Really.

🏁 Finish your updates and get a little celebration.
It’s a small thing, but it feels good. When your reporting period is fully updated, ClearPoint lets you know with visual confetti, because strategy should feel satisfying.

1:05 – Final Approval Workflow: Buttoned Up

Managers review, approve, or request changes in one centralized spot. There are no mystery changes and no back-and-forth emails. With version history and pending approval indicators, everything is transparent and on the record.

If there are questions about performance, create a live discussion using @mentions within the element. This step gives you quality control and a chance to collaborate.

1:20 – Create a Smart Summary

ClearPoint’s AI Assistant reviews updates across the scorecard.

Once all of the updates are in, the assistant drafts a full executive summary.

Flags red status items with smart recommendations
Drafts text analysis for each department’s updates
Highlights trends, risks, and suggested next steps

🤖 Admin pro-tip: let your team know the executive summary was made using AI and to review the update on their section. This encourages engagement and pre-review meeting preparation.

1:30 – Generate the Briefing Book in One Click

ClearPoint automatically assembles a polished, professional pre-read.

Select the elements, use HTML format for interactivity, and hit export. It even tracks which reports you used last time so you’re not starting from scratch.

1:45 – Review Time: You’re Ready

With AI summaries, visuals, and status reports in hand, you're ready to lead a strategic discussion.

You won’t be scrambling or surprised. Your review meeting can be a focused conversation on what matters: performance, risks, and where to go next.

The City of St. Albert, Alberta, reports on its plans quarterly. Before ClearPoint, the team relied on emails and Excel sheets to collect information, then compiled it into a Word document, so the report had to be rebuilt every quarter. The move to ClearPoint cut report creation from an estimated 100 hours to just 25. That time now goes back to serving the community.