Tips & Tricks: Unlocking the Power of Reports for Meaningful Insights

In this edition of Tips & Tricks, Akshat Parekh, Customer Success Manager at SymTrain, walked through how to turn SymTrain reports into actionable insights that drive smarter decisions. Drawing from his own experience working extensively with reporting data, Akshat demonstrated that downloading a report is only the first step: the real value comes from defining the right problem statement and analyzing the data with intention.

In this edition of Tips & Tricks, we covered:

• Why reports alone don’t create value, questions do
• How to define clear problem statements before extracting data
• A deep dive into the Sym Results Report
• Using filters, pivots, and slicers to extract insights in seconds
• Identifying performance gaps, completion rates, and engagement trends
• Turning raw data into a simple reporting dashboard

Why These Capabilities Matter

SymTrain provides robust reporting capabilities, but meaningful insight doesn’t come from raw downloads; it comes from asking the right questions. Without a defined problem statement, reports become static spreadsheets. With the right lens, however, those same reports can help you:

• Identify low-performing users
• Monitor completion percentages
• Evaluate Sym utilization trends
• Track average scores and emotional indicators
• Measure handle time and learner engagement

Reports are not just data points; they are decision-making tools. When used strategically, they allow managers to proactively plan training, optimize content, and intervene before performance gaps widen.

A Deeper Look 

1. Start with the Problem Statement

Before extracting any report, ask yourself: “What question am I trying to answer? Is this the right report to answer it?”

Example problem statements:

• What is the total count of Sym executions this week?
• How many executions were in practice vs. test mode?
• What is the completion percentage for a new training batch?
• Which users are scoring below 80%?
• What is the average handle time per trainee?
• What are the average emotion scores (confidence, concentration, energy)?

Impact:
Clarity at the start reduces unnecessary analysis and allows you to extract answers quickly.

2. Choose One Clear, Observable Behavior

The Sym Results Report contains a rich set of data fields, including:

• Sym name
• Assignment method (Sym, Module, Training Plan)
• Attempt type (Practice or Test)
• Attempt number
• Handle time
• Overall Sym score
• Accuracy, keyword, click, and hotspot scores
• Emotional indicators (confidence, concentration, energy)
• Completion status

With proper filtering and pivot tables, this single report can answer multiple operational questions in minutes.

Impact:
Instead of manually reviewing individual results, teams can instantly surface trends, performance gaps, and adoption patterns.

3. Turning Data into Insight with Pivots

Sym Execution Trends

• Total execution count within a selected date range
• Practice vs. Test mode breakdown
• Most-utilized Syms

Completion Percentage

• Started vs. Completed counts
• Overall completion rate (e.g., 67% vs. a 90–95% target)
• Identification of users who begin but do not finish assignments

Performance Benchmarks

• Average Sym scores
• Users above vs. below an 80% threshold
• Emotional score averages across learners

Handle Time Analysis

• Average time spent per Sym
• Users spending significantly more or less time than their peers

Impact:
What would take hours manually can be answered in seconds with structured pivots.

4. Creating a Snapshot Dashboard

By combining multiple pivot tables and applying slicers, you can build a mini-dashboard view.

For example, selecting a single user in a slicer can instantly display:

• Total Sym executions
• Completion count
• Average Sym score
• Emotional averages
• Total time spent

This allows managers to evaluate performance at a glance and make informed coaching decisions.

Impact:
Managers gain a real-time, high-level snapshot without reviewing multiple reports individually.

How to Use

• Define your problem statement before downloading any SymTrain report.
• Select the report that best aligns with your question.
• Apply date filters to narrow your analysis.
• Use pivot tables to group and summarize key metrics.
• Apply slicers to create dynamic user-level or team-level views.
• Establish benchmarks (e.g., 80% score, 90% completion) to evaluate performance consistently.

A Real-World Example 

A training manager wanted to understand why a newly launched training plan wasn’t driving expected results. Instead of reviewing individual attempts manually, they:

• Extracted the Sym Results Report for the launch period
• Created pivots to measure completion percentage
• Identified that overall completion was only 67%
• Filtered users who started but did not complete assignments
• Cross-referenced average scores for those users

The insight revealed that several learners were starting Syms but not finishing them. This allowed the manager to intervene early, address engagement gaps, and improve completion rates before performance metrics were impacted further.

Pro Tip 

Never open a report without knowing the question you want answered.

A clear problem statement transforms a spreadsheet into a strategic tool, and dramatically reduces analysis time.

How to Access 

• From any role you’re in, check the left side menu for the “Reports” tab, where you will find different reports based on your needs.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to your SymTrain contact for a live demo or schedule a call.

Don’t miss our Tips & Tricks sessions: happening every other Wednesday at 2:00 PM EST!