BI tools – what do you use and why?
Response was a little low with our last focus group. Not surprising as (I think) 95% of West Michigan was getting out of dodge for Spring Break! But that’s ok. Here are the responses we did receive…
Microsoft’s Power BI is the most popular amongst responders. Why? Because it’s Microsoft (fits with current tech stacks and existing licenses) and it outputs great graphs and visuals. Making data/metrics visual is a powerful thing and the ability to pick and monitor the appropriate metrics with ease is attractive.
One member’s organization uses ConnectWise to dig deep into their financials. Although not a true business analytics tool, CW is integrated with GP to manage the many legs of their business. This same provider of managed services has long-used CW for a ticket-tracking system, but has grown it’s use to include sales activity tracking and to tie Opportunities and Quotes (QuoteWerx) to service tickets and projects.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a BI tool:
- Visual Functionality and Presentation
- Customization
- Training requirements
- Integration
- Pricing
- IT Support
