How to Choose the Right Business Intelligence Tool?

As mentioned in the previous sections, there are various business intelligence tools to choose from. Some of the well-known BI tools are documented below. 

Looker

A BI tool, Looker, is oriented toward providing business users with the capacity to perform self-service analytics. It is a transparent and highly sophisticated tool that uses an intermediate data modelling layer to establish business metrics once and then reuse them across the organisation. Though the tool is coded in LookML, a SQL-like language that facilitates debugging and version control, the business team needs to learn a new coding language. It requires a lot of work for Looker to get the business user up and performing fast.

By using data modelling after an analytics team has set up the environment, business users can create their own drag-and-drop studies and examine data using visualisation tools without significant Looker training. Each drag-and-drop analysis generates a SQL query that describes what’s going on under the hood. Looker is suitable for mid-market and enterprise companies. Business users across the organisation can use this with the support of a data analytics team.

Tableau

Tableau is a sophisticated BI tool with powerful analytics features and data visualisation. It is recognised to offer best-of-class visualisations to all sorts of business end-users. To generate dashboards and detailed analytics, Tableau’s drag-and-drop interface is used. However, those using the tool for the first time require extensive training. The tool can query, visualise and connect data without coding. Furthermore, this BI tool can set subscriptions and alerts for reports users can share across organisations. Like Looker, Tableau is also a good fit for enterprise companies and mid-size markets. Furthermore, business users with data analytics team support handle this tool.

Mode

Mode is very technical as a BI tool when it comes to analytics powerlifting. The tool is simple-to-easy and easy to set up, which makes it an excellent choice for both small and medium businesses. Mode’s HTML editor enables customers to incorporate a white-label version in their site and complete access to a personalised event. The tool queries data using Python, SQL and R. Mode utilised white label to integrate custom and interactive applications into the given application. With this tool, users can also visualise data with interactive reports and share it across the organisation. Data scientists and SQL analysts of small and medium-sized businesses use this BI tool.

Periscope Data

Focused on both data analysts and data scientists, Periscope Data is a BI tool that enables users to query using programming languages like SQL, R and Python. This tool is a perfect fit if the organisation is data-driven and has the resource to set up an ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) warehouse and pipeline.  It combines hosting, data connections, and visualisation layers all in one. Periscope Data additionally provides integrated capability and a high level of visualisation control and customisation.

Data caching (putting client data into multi-tenant Redshift clusters) by Periscope Data allows for substantially quicker queries. This tool further lets users create rich visualisations and share dashboards, explore different data resources and perform basic aggregations and calculations. With Periscope Data, organisations can save, run, and share analyses in seconds over billions of data rows. This tool is used by analysts of small and medium-sized businesses.

Microsoft Power BI

The business analytics tool Microsoft Power BI is a web-based tool suite that offers a collection of apps, software services, and connectors that simultaneously work to transform unrelated data into visually immersive, coherent, and interactive data. It enables users to discover patterns in real-time and includes fresh and new connections that allow them to step up their advertising game. Because it is web-based, Microsoft Power BI is accessible from any virtual location. Users may use this BI tool for app integration and sharing real-time dashboards, and giving analytical reports.

Zoho Analytics

For detailed reporting and data analysis, Zoho Analytics can be a great business intelligence tool. This BI tool supports automated data synchronisation and can be scheduled regularly. Using the integration APIs, you can quickly create a connection. By blending and merging data from many sources, analysts can create relevant reports. You may dig into the crucial information by creating customised reports and dashboards with a simple editor. It also has a distinct comments box in the sharing choices, which is ideal for partnerships.

Oracle BI

This BI tool is an application suite for enterprises. It provides customers with nearly all business intelligence features, including ad hoc reporting, dashboards, proactive intelligence, and more. Since Oracle is a very resilient solution, it is also ideal for businesses that need to examine massive amounts of data (from both Oracle and non-Oracle sources). Other important aspects of Oracle BI are versioning, alerts/notifications, data archiving and a self-service portal.

SAP Business Objects

This is a business intelligence tool that provides extensive reporting, interactive data visualisation, and analysis. The platform focuses mainly on Customer Experience (CX), digital supply chain, CRM, and ERP. The self-service, role-based dashboards it provides allow users to create their own dashboards and apps. It is the most appealing feature of this tool. SAP Business Objects is a sophisticated programme designed for IT, end users, and management roles and provides a plethora of features on a single platform.

Domo

Domo is a completely cloud-based business intelligence tool that combines data from social media, spreadsheets, and databases. The tool is utilised by both small businesses and huge global corporations. It provides visibility and analysis at the micro and macro levels (including predictive analysis powered by Mr. Roboto, their AI engine). From cash balances and area-specific lists of your best-selling items to marketing ROI estimates for each channel, this tool has multiple utilities. However, it has some drawbacks, including difficulties in obtaining cloud analytics for personal use and a high learning curve.

SAS Business Intelligence

This BI tool is most popular for providing powerful predictive analytics services. It also offers a fantastic business intelligence platform. The well-established self-service technology, which was launched in the 1970s, enables users to make educated business decisions by using data and analytics. SAS provides users with numerous customisation choices via their API set and offers high-level data integration. It also offers comprehensive analytics and reporting. The tool provides a seamless text analytics option for gaining contextual insights into your data.