Drag and Drop Builder
Global Filters and Saved Views
Drill Down and Launch Out
Visualizations
Content Blocks
In-Memory Caching
Mobile Interface
Codeless Report Building
Custom Formulas and Criteria
Chart and Dataset Builder
Data Blending
Stored Procedures
Embeddable Dashboards and Reports
Direct Link
Scheduled Emails
Public View Embeds
Display Mode (TV)
Tenant Level Security
Dynamic Data Sources
Role Based Security
Authentication Modes
Team, Private, Favorites Library
Folder Hierarchy
Folder and Report Security
Guest/Anonymous Library
Customizable Interface
Multi-lingual
Custom Domain
Seamless Sign-On
Table and View Relationships
Data Transformation
Column Level Security
Data Field Organization
API for Automations
Production and Dev Environments
Audit Logs
BI Guides
Contact
Customer Portal5 Common Mistakes People Make When Buying BI Software
Once upon a time at 5000fish, before we created Yurbi, we were Business Intelligence (BI) buyers. Our experiences purchasing BI software ranged from good to terrible, and at the time we wished there was information available about how to navigate the BI buying process. During our buying journey, we made a few mistakes that we hope you’ll avoid. Keep reading for the top five common mistakes people make when buying BI software:
- You haven’t determined your use cases. A use case is defined as the set of goals for the BI software from the business user or stakeholders’ standpoints. The use case outlines the business user or stakeholders’ problems and how the BI solution will help solve these problems. Determining use cases is a critical first step to make before purchasing a new BI solution because it answers the question, “What problems will this software help us solve?”
- You haven’t developed user personas. A user persona is the description of a stakeholder and end user that captures the stakeholder’s skills, expectations, behavior patterns, and environment. Developing user personas is an important part of the BI buying journey because you will clearly understand for whom you are purchasing the software.
- You haven’t defined your usage profile. Your usage profile outlines how your users to need to access and use data in order to meet the goals of the use case. This includes determining criteria such as whether you will need ad-hoc or static reports, the amount of security you will need, how reports will need to be formatted, and whether your data needs to be updated in real-time. Your usage profile will give you greater insight into which BI solutions on the market meet your needs.
- You haven’t defined your data profile. Another big step in the BI buying process is defining your data profile. Your data profile outlines the types of data your BI solution will be pulling and from where the tool will access your data. Your data profile will outline criteria such as whether you have structured or unstructured data, and the location of your data. These criteria influence which BI solution will work best with your data.
- You haven’t determined your budget. If you let the market define your budget, you will always pay more. This is why it’s smart to determine your budget before you begin searching for BI software. To determine your budget, ask the question, “How much money is each use case worth solving?” Once you have that answer, you will have your budget.
Avoid these common mistakes and identify why and how you will be using your BI solution, in addition to your budget. By avoiding the above mistakes, you will be well equipped to purchase BI software that truly meets your end users’ needs, which will have a positive impact upon the software’s ROI and adoption.
Want more tips about what to do before you buy BI software? Check out our newest eBook, Business Intelligence Buyers Guide, Part 1
