
#COMMON BI TOOLS SOFTWARE#
Naturally, companies searching for a new business intelligence software tool can become overwhelmed with all the choices and promises from vendors. Especially since there are so many products on the market, all promising they will deliver all sorts of business benefits while at the same time solving all manner of problems. You can find me on Twitter as and you can also find me on Google+ and Facebook.Which is the best business intelligence (BI) tool? What makes it the best one? What do existing customers think of their BI tools? Is the best business intelligence software also the right one for my business? Which criteria are the most important when comparing BI tools? Is superior functionality the main factor to consider? Or are aspects like vendor and implementer support equally important? And how do independent analysts rate different business intelligence solutions?Ĭomparing BI tools is no easy task. Currently my community roles are SAP Mentor, ASUG BusinessObjects Strategic SIG Chair, and ASUG DFW Chapter Program Chair. Simon To: I have been using the SAP BusinessObjects tool for more than 10 years and I have been an active contributor in the BusinessObjects community. A wise choice will include the careful examination of all your business needs, BI tool requirements and expectations, and vendor solution alternatives. Make your decision based on facts and not pure emotion. But getting the wrong tool can be deadly. Getting the right BI tool is very important to your business’ success. Does your existing software vendor have a BI solution that, though not perfect, can cover about 75 percent of your need? Will that work for you?.Will it be an easy transition when the existing software vendor is ready to provide the right tool? Or will you dig yourself into a deep hole by using this new tool?.Is this an interim solution until the existing software vendor is ready to provide the right tool?.If the answer is “no”, you need to ask:.Determine how much it’ll cost the company to rebuild all the reports and BI solutions with the new tool. Go through the aforementioned questions on buying a new BI tool.Are you switching software vendors permanently?.When this occurs, it’s common for businesses to look for alternative solutions from other software vendors.Īnswer the following questions when considering a change: But very often, your existing software vendor is so busy playing catch-up that it isn’t up-to-speed with the right tool for your business need. And each business’ needs are moving very fast. Their need for analytic tools is growing more than ever. In this tight economy, businesses are highly competitive. You need to make sure you have the right expectations. The vendor demo never has to worry about inter-operability, data cleansing, user security and data security issues. That’s because your actual business requirements won’t be as simple as a “Hello World” demo. You might realize that you can’t really build a production-grade “real world” BI solution in a few hours. After the purchase, you might discover that the application you build with the tool doesn’t look as slick as the demo. Keep in mind that the demo always looks great. Are your evaluators and decision-makers technologically competent enough to analyze the BI tool without depending on what the salesperson is telling you? If you like to rely on the salesperson, I have a bridge to sell you.Do you have the necessary skill set in-house to develop BI solutions using this tool?.Does this new tool require additional hardware?.Will this new tool work well with your existing infrastructure?.What infrastructure does your company currently have?.Always answer these questions before you look into the technology: When buying a new BI tool, you first need to have a clear understanding of your business needs and business requirements.
