The Aleta Data Cube: A Custom Reporting Superpower – Q&A with CEO Ken Gamskjaer

The Aleta Data Cube is one of the most valued parts of our offering. But because it’s quite unique, we also receive a lot of questions about it. That’s why I’ve asked our CEO & Co-founder, Ken Gamskjaer, to join me for a Q&A session.

Isabella: Ken, we’ve talked quite a lot about our Data Cube recently because it’s such a core part of our offering. I can imagine you get a lot of questions about it, since this isn’t something most other platforms offer.

Ken: Yes, that’s true. At Aleta, we believe in building an open-ended platform, and the Data Cube is a cornerstone of that strategy, so I’m excited to talk about it.

What Is the Aleta Data Cube?

Isabella: Let’s begin at the highest level. What is the Data Cube, and why did we build it?

Ken: The Aleta Data Cube is a pre-configured analytical data layer that gives users direct, real-time access to their wealth data in the tools they already know, such as Excel and Power BI. It eliminates manual exports and imports, cleanup, formatting, and spreadsheet logic. Performance calculations like time-weighted return are already built in, so users can simply drag, drop, and analyze.

We don’t believe in locking up client data. We want to unlock capability and empower them with total freedom. The Aleta platform covers 90% of our clients’ needs, but there will always be power users and unique cases that require something extra.

The Data Cube gives them exactly that. Work that used to take a full day of manual modeling can now be done in minutes, dramatically accelerating analysis and decision-making.

The difference between our API and the Aleta Data Cube

Isabella: So, what’s the difference between our API and the Data Cube?

Ken: The API and the Cube are two different ways of getting your data out of the Aleta platform, but they’re used for different purposes.

While the API enables deep integration between systems, the Data Cube is designed for power users who want to explore data without writing a single line of code. It’s perfect for custom reports, niche questions, and ad hoc analysis, because you connect directly to, for example, Power BI or Excel where you can create any report you want simple by dragging and dropping – with no need for an API.

Who Is It Designed For?

Isabella: Who benefits most from the Data Cube?

Ken: The Data Cube is purpose-built for power users in family offices: analysts, investment operations teams, and technically-curious finance professionals who like to work hands-on. They know Excel, they understand data structures, and they don’t want to be confined by rigid reporting templates.

It’s for people who want flexibility, control, and depth without needing developers or custom engineering. They love the ability to answer niche questions instantly and build bespoke reports with full confidence in data quality.

If you know Excel or Power BI, you can analyze live data with zero programming. That’s the unlock.

How Users Access The Data Cube

Isabella: Talk us through how the Data Cube is accessed.

Ken: You can access the Cube with any BI tool you prefer. Most of our clients connect directly to Power BI or Excel:

• Excel: Ideal for analysts who live in spreadsheets and want pivot-table-level flexibility with live data.

• Power BI: For building dynamic dashboards, layering in external datasets, or creating multi-entity portfolio reporting.

Real-World Use Cases

Isabella: Let’s talk about how this plays out day-to-day. What does the Data Cube look like in action inside a family office?

Ken: Around 90% of our family office clients’ needs are covered by Aleta’s built-in dashboards. But for those power users who need extra flexibility, the Data Cube takes care of it quickly and easily. Let me share a few real scenarios that really highlight the value of the Cube.

One of our clients told us about a moment that every analyst can relate to: the principal called with a last-minute question. It wasn’t a standard performance report, it was a nuanced request tied to a specific time period, a specific set of holdings, with a “what-if” assumption layered on top. Historically, that kind of question would have meant clearing the next day’s calendar to wrangle spreadsheets and rebuild calculations manually.

Now, that analyst simply opened Excel, connected to the Data Cube, dragged in the relevant elements, and produced the answer live. The request went from a stress-inducing fire drill to a five-minute exercise they could do confidently on the spot.

Another example is a multi-disciplinary family office that oversees both financial assets and a set of operating businesses. They wanted a holistic view of total wealth to understand how private company results influence the family’s financial picture. With the Data Cube connected to Power BI, the family office blended Aleta’s investment data with quarterly business financials, building a single dashboard for the principals. That type of integrated reporting used to require custom development work and ongoing IT maintenance. Now, they iterate it themselves without a single line of code.

We also hear about month-end reporting. Traditionally, performance reporting involves spreadsheets with layers of formulas that require constant checking. One team told us they used to start building monthly reports by exporting data and calculating returns manually. Each cycle took days. Today, those reports run off live performance calculations embedded directly in the Cube. They spend their time analyzing and presenting insights instead of validating formulas.

And I love the story of a family office that migrated from a legacy platform. They plugged into the Cube on day one, before finalizing their internal reporting templates. The analysts immediately started recreating their preferred views in Excel and Power BI, so they could keep working the way they always had while discovering more powerful capabilities along the way. They didn’t have to wait months to feel productive because the Cube made adoption seamless.

The thread across all of these stories is empowerment. Analysts feel like they’re finally in control of their data, and principals get faster, more precise answers. It changes the tempo of how these offices operate.

What Makes the Data Cube Unique?

Isabella: Many platforms talk about “data access.” What sets this apart?

Ken: Three main things:

1. Real-time, live connection: No exports, no uploads, no stale data.

2. Institution-grade calculations pre-built: Performance, returns, and analytics are built in and ready to use

3. Future-proof flexibility: As Excel and Power BI evolve, your reporting power evolves with them.

Ultimately, the Cube empowers users to build what they want, how they want it, without compromise or waiting for vendor customizations. It preserves familiar workflows while unlocking a deeper, faster, more scalable analytical environment.

Final Thoughts

Isabella: Any closing remarks for family offices evaluating this capability?

Ken: Most of our clients start with Aleta’s native dashboards and reporting. For many, that covers 90% of needs. But sophisticated offices always have unique cases, such as custom presentations for principals, specialized analytics, non-standard reporting formats.

The Data Cube guarantees they’re never limited. It gives users true freedom and unlimited analytical power while still enjoying the simplicity and elegance of Aleta’s native experience.

You don’t have to choose between a refined interface and full control. With Aleta, you get both.

Isabella: Ken, thank you for the insights.

Ken: My pleasure.

In Summary

We hope this Q&A session gave you a clearer view of how the Aleta Data Cube works and what makes it so powerful.

In short, the Aleta Data Cube delivers:

• Live, accurate wealth data directly in Excel and Power BI.

• No manual exporting, formatting, or performance calculations.

• Drag-and-drop reporting for analysts and power users.

• Flexibility for custom workflows, edge cases, and family-specific needs.

Aleta combines an intuitive, best-in-class platform with a powerful enterprise data engine, ensuring family offices never outgrow their reporting capabilities.

If you’d like to learn more about what’s possible with the Aleta Data Cube, fill out the form on this page, we’d love to show you how it works.