A good reporting and Business Intelligence tool can bring you a lot of benefits. After all, by having the right business data at the right time, you make the best decisions for your organization. The range of reporting & BI tools available is enormous. At least pay attention to the principles below, so you know you're always on the right track.
Usability is a must
There is probably a whizzkid walking around in your organization with knowledge of databases and data structures. But that is not the knowledge level of the average user of the software. Reporting & BI software is often used at management level, where you want to be able to create powerful management reports quickly and easily. A user-friendly application is then absolutely a requirement. The more complicated the tool is, the higher the threshold to use it.
Information must be current and accurate
This seems like an open door, but far from all reporting tools succeed in providing the user with information that is up-to-date and accurate. It is critical, though, because no one wants to base important decisions on outdated or inaccurate data. Be well informed about how reports are generated and what data you will see. And it is important that you can easily make adjustments to the report or refresh the report.
Understanding the KPIs that are important to YOU
When managing your organization, you are primarily interested in the Key Performance Indicators. You want to be able to zoom in at a detailed level, but your decisions are based on the "big numbers. It is important that the KPIs your reporting & BI tool displays are tailored to the industry in which your organization operates and - even more specifically - to the needs of your organization. No general parameters, but exactly the numbers that are relevant to you.
So go for management information at the touch of a button that is always correct and tailored to your specific needs! Put these requirements to potential suppliers/partners and you will soon arrive at a shortlist.
As Product Owner, Joan Gaastra has the wheel in his hands at Dysel. He determines which functionality will be developed and where the priorities lie.
