An Overview of Business Intelligence Software

Business Intelligence Software is a complicated area.

There are several categories of software components and there are many vendors of different sizes, costs and capabilities.

Software divides into the following categories

1. Database Management Software or Systems (DBMS)
2. Data Extraction and Integration Tools which subdivide into:
   • ETL (extract,transform, load) tools
   • Data warehouse tools


3. Querying and Reporting Tools which subdivides into:
• Ad Hoc Queries
• Pivot Tables
• Report Management
• Trend Analysis
• Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) and OLAP Cubes
• Notification and Alerting


4. Data Visualisation or Front End or User Interfaces which subdivides into:
• Graphing
• Business Dashboards
• Excel Dashboards
• Scorecards
• Mobile Access
• GIS Mapping Software (Geographical Information Systems)

Many vendors offer suites of the above components, but how do you select the tools you need.

Here are some selection criteria for you to consider:

• Fits your Purpose and Requirements
• Reliability and Robustness
• Ease of Installation and Maintenance
• Ease of Use and User Interface
• Compatibilty with existing hardware and software
• Vendors support services
• Performance or Response times
• Value for Money/Cost

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