You should be able to look into trends and patterns so you can better shape your company’s future. You might be wondering what are business intelligence tools? They’re basically data management software and tools that allow business owners and leaders to analyze past and present data; information and statistics so they can foresee what the future might be for the company.
Advantages of business intelligence tools
There are many moving parts to a business venture and owners and leaders alike cannot afford to make many decisions off the cuff. One wrong move and all the parts might come tumbling down. To realize a vision, business leaders need to be able to visualize data. It’s one of the most effective ways to direct teams to improve performance as well as increase productivity and efficiency. What are the other advantages of using business intelligence tools? · Data collection – These can be historical or present data. · Reporting – A detailed and balanced view of the best and worst areas of the business in terms of performance. · Data analysis – A thorough examination of the data including what-if analysis. · Data visualization – Charts and graphs are created to give leaders a more understandable view of the data. · Security – You can restrict the people allowed to access and view said reports to company leaders and decision-makers. · Integration – Business intelligence tools can be used alongside other tools so numbers and information can be made into action plans.
1. Zoho Analytics
Let’s be honest. Looking at numbers and big words can be boring very quickly. Zoho Analytics comes in clutch by taking data, along with the other numbers and big words, and makes them into colorful graphs, charts, and pivot tables. These not only make the data easier to understand and analyze but they make the process of understanding and analyzing a bit easier. With Zoho Analytics, users can also create Dashboards so they can see key metrics quickly when they need to. You also have the option to have data presented in no fuss tabular format or summary view. Whatever works for you and helps you interpret data a little easier, you can do it with Zoho Analytics.
2. Pentaho
If the words “business intelligence” and “analytics” make you sweat, you’ll be glad to stumble upon Pentaho. It’s very easy to use, you won’t even need a degree in computers. With Pentaho, you can connect your databases and run reports without any trouble at all. Pentaho’s user interface is very straightforward so it’s easy to learn. Using it is all the more enjoyable especially when you know that the reports are all accurate and the data can be relied upon. Pentaho also has a big data integrator they call “adaptive big data layer”. What it does is segregate the data from the analytics tools you’re using so that changes in the data will not affect the entire system.
3. Scoro
If you want to be able to look at reports in real-time, Scoro is the business intelligence software for you. You can generate reports, assess risk areas, and track performance all with just one click. Scoro’s refresh rate is very quick so you won’t have to wait around, staring at a spinning color wheel while it’s running or loading. With Scoro, you have a business intelligence software that gives you a complete view of all of your ongoing projects, clients, and finances so you always know where you are. You also have the capacity to run automated reporting and the option to integrate with a multitude of other very useful tools and apps.
4. Dundas BI
The thrust of Dundas BI’s appeal is in its flexibility for integrations with various other apps and tools to offer leaders a complete business intelligence solution. It also has an open API, allowing users to connect it to other data source. Dundas BI allows you to take raw data and turn them into dashboards and reports so you can use them in your action and strategic plans for the business. Given all of that, Dundas BI is as easy to use as drag and drop. It looks snazzy and quite impressive with all the graphs and charts on one screen, which is deceptive because everything looks impressive, but it’s one of the easiest business intelligence tools that’s a breeze to learn and use.
5. MicroStrategy
If you’re looking for business intelligence tools to use in a small business, you should give MicroStrategy a try. MicroStrategy offers tools that can run big data, multi-functional dashboards so you can see everything you need at the same time. You can visualize your data better with MicroStrategy and perform location-based analytics. MicroStrategy supports data mining so even though you may have a small business, you have a tool to use to analyze data in bulk for warehousing, inventory, and stock takes. Segment larger data into smaller, more manageable chunks so you can use it in your planning and development sessions.
6. Halo
Halo is all about customization in business intelligence reporting. You can combine automated data methods with manual maneuvering to come up with the results that you need. With Halo, you can have supply chain analytics to help you balance out your supply with the market demands, data integration for a more holistic approach to action, and visualization to make everything a bit easier to process. Its interface is also customizable for an intuitive methodology to reporting and analytics. Whatever you need to see and figure out, you can set Halo up to give you just that. Multiple users can access the software and make changes at the same time, encouraging collaborations among the teams.
7. SeekTable
Perfect for start-ups and small businesses, SeekTable is one of the more comprehensive business intelligence software that you can get your hands on. SeekTable’s strength is in giving its users the ability to convert data and information into pivot reports. You can also create charts and grids to calculate totals, differences, and top N. These reports can then be exported to PDF, Excel, CSV and more, to be presented to teams and other leaders in the company. With SeekTable, you also have the ability to share and automate reports, create advanced dashboards, and more through integrations with external apps. Collect your data from a variety of sources and put them all together in SeekTable so you can generate just the report you need. With like integrations, you can embed reports and app views, white-label and more!
8. Grow
If you want to grow your small or mid-sized business with the use of business intelligence tools, Grow is what you need. With Grow, data can be connected, stored, and mixed all together from different sources. Out of all of these data, you can create engaging and interactive visualizations to bring them to life. You can then use these reports and business data in your decision-making, developmental plans for your staff as well as coming up with business strategies to put into place in the future. Connect your social media, online store, and other data sources into Grow and collect all the information you need to help your business grow.
9. Bitrix24
Sometimes, all you need is one and that one is Bitrix24. It’s a collaboration software for teams to work on tasks and projects together. It’s a communications software as well and, lastly, a business intelligence software. With Bitrix24, you can generate work reports like productivity and schedule adherence, among others, as well as results from your latest marketing and sales ventures. You can also generate customer analytics to better understand their needs, create web forms to get feedback and suggestions. Take a closer look at your sales data, run employee performance analytics, and integrate your Bitrix24 with other apps and tools to make all of its functionalities more powerful and useful for your business.
The BI to end the hunt
To drive your business to success and prosperity, you need to be able to analyze data. With all the ready access to data, Take the guesswork out of decision-making. Say goodbye to your intuition. You won’t need it. You only need the best business intelligence tools to transform your data into insights.
If you want to find out where your business stands in respect to your goals and targets, it’s time to get your hands on a few business intelligence tools. Insights from your business intelligence software can be invaluable in the long run so you need to choose yours carefully. The good thing is, we’ve done the hard work for you. All you need to do is to pick the right one that suits your needs. One of these 9 is that one. Give them a try and make your choice.