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Unit 12: Business Intelligence

There are a range of business intelligence tools available in the commercial software market, Notes
and selecting the correct solution requires a good understanding of reporting requirements and
long-term business needs.
Tools fall into three categories: query tools, multidimensional analysis tools and data mining
tools.

 Query Tools: A query tool is software setup for users to ask questions about the data. The
user can search for patterns or details. There are many query tools on the market and,
according to 1keydata, the first decision is buying a fully functional product or building
one.

Example: Query tools include: Microsoft Dynamics AX-Enterprise Resource Planning
Solution, OmniVision-Reporting & Analysis for Managing Distributed Systems, XRL and
Hyperion System 9-Business Performance Management Architecture.
There are many other query tools on the market. Deciding what works best for a business
can be complex, since the tool may be operating-system specific, it may be tested to work
with certain databases or it might be opensource (transparent data accessible to multiple
parties) for users on a network. Other considerations are the time involved in
implementation, the cost and user ability.

 Data Mining Tools: A data mining tool is software that is automated to search data,
seeking out ways that the data correlates to other data. It is basically seeking patterns.
Selecting a data mining tool can be complex. Even experts in the field state that they are
not familiar with all of the tools and complete capabilities. Elder Research compared
numerous tools including: Clementine, Darwin, DataCruncher, Enterprise Miner,
Gainsmarts, Intelligent Miner, MineSet, Model 1, Model Quest, PRW, Cart, Neuroshell,
Olpars, Scenario, See 5, S-Plus and WizWhy.

Product comparisons included functionality like what algorithms are used, usability, data
input and output capabilities and modelling automation.
Data mining tools are usually only by very specialised users, and in an organisation, even
large ones, there are usually only a handful of users using data mining tools.

Did u know? Data mining tools are used for finding correlation among different factors.
 Multidimensional Analysis Tools: A multidimensional analysis tool, also called Online
Analytical Processing (OLAP), is software that allows the user to view the same data from
different aspects. The most popular OLAP tools are created by companies such as Business
Objects, Hyperio, Cognos, MicroStrategy, Pentaho, Microsoft Analysis Services and Palo
OLAP Server.
Multidimensional analysis tools have many of the same considerations as query tools and
data mining tools in cost, usability and functionality. There is also a key consideration for
security, since OLAP tools often have many users within a business looking at data.
Security protocols are often necessary as part of the software.
The most common tools used for business intelligence are as follows. They are listed in the
following order: Increasing cost, increasing functionality, increasing business intelligence
complexity, and decreasing number of total users.
 Excel: Take a guess what’s the most common business intelligence tool? You might be
surprised to find out that it’s Microsoft Excel. There are several reasons for this:

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