Benchmark report

Available with Business Analyst license.

The Benchmark report allows you to compare multiple trade areas against one another to decipher how one location is different from or similar to the next. You can easily measure the demographic characteristics of one area versus all other areas. The report shows statistical differences in raw number, percent, and index values.

Note:

Benchmark report requires that BDS layers be in the current map. If they are not in the active map they will be automatically added as the wizard processes the task.

1. Click the Business Analyst menu and click Reports.
2. Click Run Reports and click Next.
3. Click Benchmark Report and click Next.
4. Choose the Business Analyst trade areas you want to include in your Benchmark report. Use the arrows to add or remove the trade areas.

   Note:

   The Summarize trade areas drop-down menu contains the layer that controls your data aggregation. By default, standard Business Analyst data is used; however, if you created your own BDS layers, they will appear in the drop-down menu.

5. Click + to add other polygon layers and click Next.
6. Choose the fields you want to benchmark and click Next.
7. Choose any additional fields you want to appear in the report.

   These will not be benchmarked but may be helpful when viewing the report. For example, you might benchmark a series of franchise locations and show whether each location is privately owned. This field will be associated with each record but not benchmarked.

8. Click Next.
9. To enable the benchmarking functionality, check the Compare trade area values against a benchmark check box.

   Note:

   If this option is unchecked, the Benchmark report only shows a list of variables for each trade area. The raw number, percent, and index differences will not be included.

10. Choose your benchmark type:
    • Use a Trade Area: This option uses an existing trade area polygon to compare against all other polygons.
    • Use the Average of all values: This option calculates the statistical average of all data variables in each trade area, then shows the differences of each.
    • Use the Median of all values: This option calculates the statistical median of all variables in each trade area, then shows the differences of each.
11. Click Next.

    A preview window appears.

12. Review this window to get an idea of the output that appears before permanently exporting to a report format. Click Next.
13. Review the report options and name your report. You can export to numerous format options (PDF, CSV, and so on), or export directly to tables.
    • Check the Generate Excel Spreadsheet check box to export your information into a presentation-quality .xls file.
    • Check the Generate Database Table check box to export your information into a .dbf file.
14. Choose the layout orientation and initial sorting options and click Finish.

    Depending on the options you choose, the Benchmark report is exported to a file or immediately appears on screen.

Learn more about the Benchmark report.