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Published January 07th, 2017 by

4 Tips on How to Evaluate Business Intelligence Software

4 Tips on How to Evaluate Business Intelligence Software

Are you planning to start a business? Let’s face it! Starting or even running your own company is not easy. First, you need to invest a lot of money. Second, you need to find a place where you will build your firm. Lastly, you need to hire staff who will help you in running your business.

But your job doesn’t end there. Once you open it to the public, you must monitor the company’s productivity and the employees’ performances. Moreover, you need to track the efficiency of your marketing efforts and manage your relationships with your customers.

Fortunately, there are tools that will help in monitoring these things. For instance, if you want to keep your good connection with your buyers, you can use the CRM software. If you want to create a productive digital ad, you can use the email marketing or PPC tool.

But why should you get these pieces of software when you can get them in one solution? Introducing – the business intelligence software. Many people consider it as the nerve-center of the business. This tool provides and analyzes data that will help in making better decisions for your firm.

As of today, there are hundreds of software providers of this program. Some offer it for free while others ask for a payment. But the question is – how will you know if the software is the one that you need? Read this article further and find out. But first, we need to discuss what business intelligence is.

A Quick Overview of Business Intelligence

According to CIO.com, business Intelligence (BI) refers to a variety of applications used for analyzing the company’s data. It allows the firm to get an insight into the company’s crucial operations. With the help of this program, you can make better decisions for your business.

Because it analyzes data, this tool has dashboards, tabular reports, charts, and spreadsheets. Not only does it present valuable information, but it also predicts the future of your business.

Back in the day, BI systems were sent via paper reports and host terminals. It all changed when the Internet arrived. Nowadays, you can use the cloud-based BI software. This program lets you access the data through the web. Because it’s on the internet, you can share it with your employees. In that way, they can see the standing of your company.

Apart from the web-based software, there are also BI applications that you can download on your tablet or smartphone. With this tool, you can monitor the productivity of your firm and make critical decisions wherever you may be. You only need to sync it with your existing business analytics software to get the same information simultaneously.

Reasons to Use the BI System

There are five reasons why you should use top business intelligence software. First, it provides spontaneous and comprehensive statistics and predictions. Businesses nowadays revolve around data. These figures influence the entrepreneur’s decision and improve your firm at all levels.

However, knowing what matters and how to deal with the data is a bit tricky. Nevertheless, if you use the top business intelligence software, these issues will be solved instantly. This program provides solutions to your problems and delivers a comprehensive analysis of your company and your customers. With the help of this feature, you can make decisions that are based on facts.

The second reason is that it provides access from a single interface. Businesses are surrounded by thousands of data. Thus, it’s quite difficult to accumulate all this information with just one click. You need to use an advanced computer and algorithms to get and identify trends and crucial insights.

However, if you use the BI reporting software, you don’t need to spend a lot of money for these technologies. As mentioned earlier, this tool is an all-in-one solution. Hence, you only need to access a single interface to get valuable information. On top of that, you can share this information if you want. You simply need to give access to authorized people so they can see the exact details.

Third, it reduces the cost of training. Whenever you want to implement a new system, you need to introduce it to your employees. You need to train them so they can use the new program without a problem. However, giving a training session for your staff is expensive. You need to hire trainers for each tool that you use.

Fortunately, you don’t need to do that anymore. Because it is an all-in-one application, you only need to hire one trainer for this software. With this program, not only can you save money but also time and effort.

Another reason to use this program is its ability to collaborate with your team. According to BetterBuys.com, the primary reason why companies use BI tools is that it helps them make quicker decisions. However, this is not the only reason why they use this program. Entrepreneurs also use it to collaborate with their teams, wherever they may be. They only need to give access to their teammates so they can get the same data.

Lastly, it reduces redundancy and guesswork. One of the primary issues of data accumulation is redundancy. Due to the volumes of data that you receive, it’s quite easy to make multiple copies of information. While it is ideal to make numerous files, you will have lesser space for new data.

However, if you use a business intelligence system, redundancy will be reduced. This tool automatically updates data; hence, eliminating guesswork and duplication.

These are just some of the reasons why you should use this tool. However, you can only get these benefits if you get the most reliable BI platform. So make sure you read some business intelligence software reviews before buying a package.

4 Steps to Successfully Evaluate the BI System

There are several business intelligence software vendors out there. Some provide their platforms for free but with limited features. Others offer a software product that has all the features that you need. The only catch is you have to buy the program. For these reasons, you need to assess each tool to get the best package.

However, not everyone knows how to evaluate business intelligence software. If you are one of these people, here are the things that you must do to assess these products.

1. Choosing the Right Tool Stack

There are two types of intelligence software and these are analytics and reporting tools. The analytics program uses a set of methodologies, theories, and processes that transform data into a meaningful one. The reporting system, on the other hand, addresses current needs than future requirements.

So the question is – what stack should you choose? It depends on the needs of the company. If you need to improve the overall productivity of the business, then you should get the analytics program. However, if you only want to monitor the company’s production, the best choice would be the reporting system.

2. Choosing a Database

Apart from the software stack, you also need to consider the database technology. Like the tool stack, the business intelligence system offers two database solutions. First is the warehouse scale. This tool can store large volumes of data, making it a perfect choice for large corporations.

Second is the data mart solution, which has a limited storage space. This database technology is ideal for small and mid-scale enterprises.

When choosing the right database solution, you need to consider the volumes of data and the increase rate. You also need to deliberate the number of present and future users, as well as your data sources. If you take these details into account, there’s a bigger chance that you will get the right platform.

3. Assessing the Vendor

Now that you have evaluated the features, it’s time to assess the software providers. As mentioned earlier, there are several business intelligence software companies that you can choose from. These firms all claim that they offer the best software for business intelligence.

Unfortunately, not everyone tells the truth. Some would only claim it to get more buyers. Nevertheless, there are distributors that offer quality software products.

To get the right application, you need to evaluate the provider. Get to know more about their offers and their reputation with their clients. You may visit their website or read a user review. Doing these things will help you get more information about the company.

4. Initiating an Effective Proof-of-Concept

Now that you know the different stacks, platforms, and vendors, it’s time to present a Proof-of-Concept. Proof-of-Concept or POC is a demonstration that verifies certain theories that you can use for your business. It is a prototype that defines feasibility but doesn’t signify variables.

Knowing how to launch a POC will help you save time and money. Furthermore, it will ensure that you won’t outgrow your BI system. However, you can only make these things possible if the provider agrees with your condition. Hence, you need to hire a vendor who will give you what you need.

These are just some of the things that you must do when evaluating BI solutions. If you do these things, then you may get a product that fits your present and future needs.

Do you want to know where to get top business intelligence software products? Visit our website, CrowdReviews.com, and read our reviews of business intelligence software.

Our rankings are completely independent, transparent, and community driven; they are based on user reviews and client sentiment. These business intelligence software companies had to earn their way up and didn't just pay their way up.

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