Overview
CORE Insights is an analytics platform embedded within BQE CORE that provides interactive datasets, visualizations, key performance indicators (KPIs), and analytical tools for exploring company data. It enables you to analyze operational and financial information through dynamic dashboards and configurable data views without relying on external reporting tools.
CORE Insights brings data from multiple areas of CORE into a centralized analytical environment. You can filter, analyze, and visualize information to monitor performance, track trends, and gain deeper visibility into business operations. By presenting CORE data in structured datasets and visual dashboards, CORE Insights helps companies review information more efficiently and make informed business decisions. It is especially useful for administrators, principals, owners, and project managers, providing them with a clear and comprehensive view of their business.
Datasets form the foundation of CORE Insights. Each dataset organizes related CORE data into columns that can be used for reporting and analysis. These datasets allow you to evaluate performance across projects, finances, and operational workflows, as well as track metrics and identify patterns over time. They are used to create charts and charts are used to create dashboards and dashboard collections.
Check out the CORE Insights FAQs.
Purpose of CORE Insights
Many companies lack accessible tools for analyzing operational data in real time. Historically, CORE users have relied on custom reports or external solutions to access complex or customer-specific information, including custom fields. Standard reports provide limited flexibility, while external tools such as the CORE Power BI Connector or public APIs require additional setup and ongoing management outside of CORE.
CORE Insights provides an integrated analytics solution directly within CORE. You can create charts, tables, and dashboards using available datasets without requiring external business intelligence tools. This approach supports improved decision-making, KPI tracking, strategic planning, and operational efficiency across different industries and workflows. Check out the explainer video for details.
How CORE Insights Works
CORE Insights transforms CORE data into structured datasets that can be explored in multiple ways:
- Data Explorer provides table-based dataset views for filtering, sorting, and exporting data. Check help center for details on datasets.
- Dashboard Builder allows you to create visual dashboards and widgets using charts and interactive controls. Check help center for details on charts.
- Dashboard Collections provide prebuilt dashboards designed for common reporting needs.
Together, these tools allow you to move from raw data to visual analysis within a single workspace. You can also create your own Dashboard Collections to organize the dashboards you build, alongside the Standard Collections included with CORE Insights. Check out the explainer video for details.
Watch this short video if you are new to Charts and Dashboards.
Access and Permissions
Access to CORE Insights datasets and dashboards is controlled through user permissions. Administrators assign access using Security Settings, allowing authorized users to view or interact with specific datasets and dashboards.
Dataset and dashboard permissions are managed independently and currently do not enforce all existing CORE screen-level permissions.
Subscription Plans
CORE Insights functionality is available through subscription add-ons.
CORE Insights Standard provides access to Data Explorer, enabling users to work with table-based dataset views for reporting and analysis. This subscription is commonly used by accountants, project managers, bookkeepers, and company managers who require flexible access to operational and financial data.
Key features include:
- Table-based, customizable datasets and personalized views
- Filter, sort data, configure columns
- Export data to CSV/Excel/JPG/PDF or schedule exports
- Access to broad datasets, including custom fields that can be used to pull and filter custom data
- Access CORE objects (invoice, project, etc.)
Initial datasets include:
- Project Metrics
- Invoices
- Payments
- Retainers
- Time Entries
- Expense Entries
- Vendor Bills
CORE Insights Pro includes all features available in CORE Insights Standard and adds access to Dashboard Builder, a platform for creating dashboards and widgets from scratch.
Dashboard Builder allows you to design visual dashboards using multiple chart types and share them with other users within the company. Published dashboards provide shared analytical views that help organizations monitor performance and keep stakeholders informed.
CORE Insights Pro also includes configurable dashboard collections containing prebuilt dashboards and widgets organized by category.
Key features include:
- Pre-built, configurable standard dashboards and interactive widgets
- Create custom dashboards and widgets from scratch
- Share custom dashboards with others in the company
- Create custom calculations and formulas
Initial dashboard collections include:
- Accounts Receivable (Aging, Client Aging, Invoice Register)
- Project Metrics (KPIs)
- Time & Expense
Manage Dashboard Collections
You can create, rename, and delete Dashboard Collections to organize your dashboards. These actions are only available for Collections you create yourself; Standard CORE Collections cannot be renamed or deleted. Existing dashboards that are not assigned to a Collection you created are grouped under the Custom Collection, which only appears when such dashboards exist.
To create, rename, or delete a Dashboard Collection, follow these steps:
- Open the Data Explorer screen from the side menu > Insights.
- To create a Collection, click Create Dashboard.
- On Create Dashboard, select Create New Collection and enter a name. To assign a new dashboard to an existing Collection instead, select Existing Collection and choose one from the dropdown. This dropdown only lists Collections you have created and does not include Standard Collections.
- To rename or delete a Collection, select the collection in the side panel. Click the ... menu at the top right of the page and select Rename or Delete. You cannot rename or delete a Standard Collection.
Note: If a Collection still has dashboards in it, CORE displays a message instead of deleting it.
Assign Dashboards to Collections
You can assign user-built dashboards to a user-created Dashboard Collection when creating, cloning, or managing a dashboard. User-built dashboards can be assigned only to user-created Collections; Standard CORE Collections cannot be selected.
To assign or change a dashboard's Collection, follow these steps:
- Open the Data Explorer screen from the side menu > Insights.
- To assign a Collection while creating a dashboard, click Create Dashboard, then under Collection, select Existing Collection and choose one, or select Create New Collection to make one on the spot. If no user-created Collections exist, the dashboard saves to Custom automatically.
- To assign a Collection while cloning a dashboard, click the ... menu on the dashboard and select Clone. Choose a Collection on the Clone Dashboard dialog.
- To change an existing dashboard's Collection, click the ... menu on the dashboard and select Manage. Change the Collection, then click Save. You can also do this from the dashboard's Configure screen, using the same Manage option.
Note: If you clone a dashboard that already belongs to a Collection you created, the Collection field defaults to that same Collection.