| The world of business is one that has advanced quite | | | | monitoring-oriented dashboards, you can see quickly |
| a bit in the last twenty years. Developments in | | | | the things you're doing right and the areas where |
| technology have made it possible to increase | | | | improvements are necessary. Trends and aberrations |
| productivity and accomplish more than was ever | | | | are also more easily spotted. Before you buy, know |
| thought possible before the age of the Internet. Of | | | | what you're getting into, and make sure that the BI |
| course, the only way this can happen is through the | | | | software you are evaluating includes easy to use |
| use of improved business intelligence (BI) tools, which | | | | visualization tools. |
| are designed to provide you and your employees with | | | | Unified Business Analytics: Knowing your strengths and |
| the information needed to get a comprehensive | | | | weaknesses is only half of the battle. You must make |
| overview of your company's performance and | | | | sure that you have a clear idea of what to do with |
| productivity. But what kind of features should you look | | | | that information. That's where unified business analytics |
| for in BI tools? | | | | come in to play. With target based and balanced |
| Data Access and Mashup: No matter what the | | | | scorecards, alerts for exceptions, interlinking between |
| business that you are in, you need the type of data | | | | programs, and crossover access to applications such |
| access that allows you to know the things which keep | | | | as Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, Hyperion |
| you competitive within your industry. Information such | | | | ESSbase, Oracle OLAP, and SAP NetWeaver, it |
| as monthly revenue, orders by customer, sales | | | | becomes easier to explore the ramifications of your |
| information, and employee sick time can all factor in. | | | | content and produce plans or contingencies. |
| Reward the tenacity that helps you meet quotas. | | | | High performance in today's economy is not getting |
| Seek clients that are profitable in both revenue and | | | | any easier to come by. Nevertheless, it is possible if |
| time. Pat employees on the back who go that extra | | | | you prepare for it by taking stock of where your |
| mile. Technology enables you to monitor virtually | | | | business is, and where it needs to go in order to stay |
| anything pertaining to your organization, so ensure the | | | | viable. Don't leave things to chance, and don't refrain |
| BI tools that you evaluate include powerful and flexible | | | | from searching for these tools based simply on the |
| data access and mashup tools. | | | | fact that you don't understand the technology. The |
| Visualization: Raw data is not always easy to use and | | | | appeal of BI tools is that they make your life easier. |
| translate into conclusions without more simplified | | | | Ease of use and self-service capabilities are key |
| presentation. That's where visualization tools add value. | | | | features of today's software - which represent a |
| Through multi-dimensional charting, analytic and | | | | great improvement from the tools of yesterday. |