Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Power BI Developer

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Power BI Developer

Businesses depend intensely on information analytics to make informed decisions, and Power BI has risen as a prevalent tool for turning raw data into significant insights. Hiring a Power BI engineer is a crucial choice that can altogether affect your organization’s victory. In any case, companies frequently make a few mistakes when hiring Control BI engineers that can lead to project delays, destitute results, and unnecessary costs.

Here are five common mistakes businesses make when hiring Power BI developers and we offer significant tips to avoid them.

Common mistakes when hiring  a Power BI Developer Not clearly defining project requirements

Is Power BI Embedded free? Power BI Embedded Licensing Guide
Is Power BI Embedded free? Power BI Embedded Licensing Guide

One of the most common mistakes companies make is starting the contracting process without clearly characterizing their venture requirements. Power BI creators are required to know the scope of the project, what kind of data they’ll be working with, and what insights the business focuses on to gain. Without a clear arrangement, the designer may end up making solutions that don’t adjust to the business’s objectives.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Hiring without clear project requirements can lead to miscommunication, delays, and destitute results. The designer might work on highlights or reports that aren’t necessary, wasting time and resources.

To solve it, before you start the hiring, prepare, and outline specific project objectives, wanted results, timelines, and deliverables. Create a comprehensive work description that incorporates the abilities, experience, and industry knowledge needed for the part. By doing this, you guarantee that both you and the developer are adjusted from the start, minimizing the risk of miscommunication.

Power BI - Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform
Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform

Focusing only on technical skills

While technical capability in Power BI is essential, centering exclusively on this viewpoint can be a mistake. Information analysis and visualization require more than fair technical skills; the developer needs to have a strong understanding of business operations, information translation, and problem-solving abilities.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

A technically capable designer may be able to make outwardly appealing reports but might need help to give meaningful insights that help drive business decisions. With analytical aptitudes, they may understand the greater picture that the information is attempting to convey.

Power BI - Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform
Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform

To solve this, during the interview process, ask candidates to walk through real-world information issues they’ve previously solved. See for engineers who can clarify their thought forms and give cases of how their work has directly affected business choices. Prioritize problem-solving aptitudes near specialized capacities to guarantee you enlist somebody who can offer value past just making dashboards.

Ignoring cultural fit and communication skills

Power BI developers are required to be associated with different teams inside an organization, including IT, information investigators, and business leaders. If they need communication abilities or do not fit well with your company culture, it can lead to collaboration issues, misunderstandings, and delays.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Web Traffic Power BI Dashboard Example phData
Web Traffic Power BI Dashboard Example phData

A developer who can’t viably communicate specialized data to non-technical stakeholders or battles to work in a group environment can negatively affect project advancement. Miscommunication could result in reports that don’t align with the business’s needs or goals.

To solve this, during interviews, evaluate the candidate’s communication abilities by asking them to clarify technical concepts in basic terms. Furthermore, evaluate their compatibility with your company’s culture. You can do this by asking situational questions that reflect your work environment and collaboration practices. This ensures the candidate will work well with your group and adjust to the company’s values.

Not assessing data security knowledge

Data security should be a strong need for any organization handling sensitive data. Power BI designers frequently work with private information, so they must have a strong understanding of information security protocols, privacy controls, and compliance requirements.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Failing to prioritize information security data can expose your organization to information breaches, administrative violations, and reputational damage. A creator without security expertise might ignore essential security measures, putting sensitive information at risk.

To go about this, when hiring a Power BI developer, inquire about their experience with information security best practices, especially about Power BI. They should be recognizable with encryption strategies, data privacy regulations like GDPR, and role-based access controls. Test their information by inquiring how they would handle different security challenges specific to your business’s data environment.

Underestimating the importance of long-term scalability

Another common mistake is hiring a Power BI developer who can only handle the quick project needs without considering the future development of the business. Power BI implementations require you to be versatile so that as your company grows, your data foundation and reports can grow with it.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Hiring a developer who can manage short-term needs might seem cost-effective initially, but as your business expands, you might face limitations in the versatility of your data reporting solutions. This may lead to the requirement for costly rework or redevelopment later on.

To solve this, look for developers who have experience with building adaptable data solutions. Ask around their capacity to handle bigger information sets and implement progressed analytics as your business grows. An engineer who understands long-term business objectives will guarantee that your Power BI arrangements stay relevant and versatile over time.

In conclusion, hiring a Power BI developer is an important choice that requires more than just assessing specialized ability. By avoiding the common mistakes of failing to characterize project objectives, focusing solely on technical abilities, neglecting cultural fit, ignoring data security, and underestimating the significance of adaptability, you can guarantee that you hire the right individual for the work. Taking the time to carefully vet candidates for both their specialized and business understanding will help you avoid potential pitfalls and set your data projects up for success.

See also: How successful are casino game developers when it comes to making money

Best business intelligence platform of 2024

The best business intelligence platforms make it simple and easy to mine data for insights to communicate to stakeholders.

Now that organizations can now collect data on every aspect of their business, from sales and marketing, to workflows and productivity, to hiring and HR, to overall performance and profitability, the ability to sort through all this data for real and actionable insights has never been so important.

However, many of these data points exist in isolation and require dedicated business intelligence (BI) tools to tie in key information from each angle into an overall whole.

This can then allow for real insights and predictions for improving business performance, not least through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A number of software packages also come with their own analytics, but these can also often be exported into a business intelligence platform.

Even more importantly, the best BI software will be driven by visualizations you can share with stakeholders, to help communicate sometimes complex statistics as easy to understand charts and diagrams.

Here then are the best business intelligence tools for business currently available.

We’ve also highlighted the best productivity gadgets for business.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Power BI

The software giant provides a free business intelligence tool

Reasons to buy+

Free Tier

+

Affordable cost

Reasons to avoid-

Requires software download

Software behemoth, Microsoft, also plays in the business intelligence tool space, and their offering is Microsoft Power BI. They even have a Microsoft Business Applications Summit that features their Power BI, and not surprisingly other Microsoft business applications. Unlike some of their competition that take a totally web-based portal approach, Power BI also offers downloadable software, so you can run your analytics either in the cloud or via a reporting server.

There is a generous sixty day trial of the software, which promises to “Connect hundreds of data sources,” including Microsoft applications, and other sources such as Facebook, Sybase and Oracle which can then prep data for subsequent data analysis on the fly, allowing reports to be created in just a matter of minutes.

Pricing begins at the Power BI Desktop tier for a single user, which is fully functional, and free. The next tier up is Power BI Pro and supports collaboration between users, and real time data analysis, and includes a 60 day trial.

Take a look at our Microsoft discount codes for the best Microsoft offers and savings.

Best business intelligence platform for analytics

(Image credit: Tableau)

2. Tableau Desktop

Strong visuals and real-time analytics

Reasons to buy+

Free trial offer

+

Slick interface with drag and drop buttons

Tableau Desktop endeavors to do more than make charts, but rather to show “live visual analytics.” A slick interface with drag and drop buttons allows the user to quickly be able to spot trends in the data. There is a lengthy list of supported data sources, including Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, Box and PDF files.

Tableau enjoys the ability to connect with pretty much any type of database, as well as use a whole range of data blending options, to output into an even bigger selection of charts. Dashboard visualizations can be easily shared, and are mobile friendly.

Tableau Desktop becomes an expensive option for a single user, making this more expensive than other competing solutions. On balance, it also includes the associated application of Tableau Prep under the Tableau Creator package.

Best simple business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Dundas)

3. Dundas BI

An experienced and simple to use BI tool

Reasons to buy+

Browser based

+

Drag and drop interface

+

Free 45 day trial

Dundas is a browser based business intelligence tool with 25 years of experience. It is designed to be a single tool to transform data into visual data analytics with “granular control over almost all visual design elements.”

Data files can be incorporated with drag and drop functionality allowing end users to analyze data without involvement from IT. The HTML5 interface allows it to be used across a variety, including mobile, devices.

There is a free 45 day trial, but after the pricing is opaque and requires a quote, but there are options to lease annually, or own for perpetuity.

Best web-based business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Zoho)

4. Zoho Analytics

A tool from folks that have a cloud-based approach in their DNA

Reasons to buy+

Support to collect data from many sources

+

Visually attractive dashboard

+

Availability of free trial

Reasons to avoid-

Requires purchase on annual basis

Zoho Analytics is the business intelligence tool from the folks that have plenty of experience with web-based business tools, namely the venerable Zoho Office. Zoho Reports is a robust solution, that can integrate data from a variety of files, including Microsoft Office documents, URL feeds, and databases, such as MySQL, along with applications, of course from Zoho, but also outside their ecosystem including data from the cloud from Box, DropBox, Google Drive and other applications (for example Salesforce, Quickbooks and Google Analytics).

Data can then be blended via integrated mathematical and statistical formulas, for example marketing costs in an Excel file, with sales data in a cloud database, to create a visually attractive and informative report. This is all done via a simple online interface, and functions can be applied via a simple drag and drop, with reports that can be easily viewed via the portal, or also printed or emailed.

Best business intelligence platform for enterprises

(Image credit: Sisense)

5. Sisense

The business intelligence tool of Fortune 500 companies

Reasons to buy+

Rapid deployment

+

Incorporates AI

+

White label analytics

SiSense is a business intelligence tool that seeks to simplify the complexities of data analysis by building in IoT, machine learning and AI into their platform. They claim it is so simple and streamlined, that you can go from “data to dashboard in just 90 minutes.” While we can argue the validity of that claim, their list of clients, including the likes of GE, Philips, Fujitsu, NBC and Airbus would back up that this is a top tier product.

Main features include the ability to embed white label analytics with customizations, mashup live or cached data, analyze data across your entire landscape or focus on specific areas such as object, data, or system.

Sisense is an enterprise BI program that can be run in the cloud, or on premises. However, there no flat-rate pricing is provided for either model. Their custom pricing is based on an annual subscription model, but it requires a price quote, and is unfortunately not available on their website.

We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to BI, as there are many providers in the market. However, the caveat is always that a software platform is only as good as its programmers, and data always needs to be the best quality – too many managers presume that processes and workflows are being correctly followed when they may not be and therefore undermine analyzes. Additionally, while there are comprehensive BI tools available there are also ones that focus on particular areas, such as sales or distribution, in order to provide more detailed and focused insights:

Looker is another full-spectrum analytics and business intelligence platform that provides real-time reporting. To get the most out of it some MySQL knowledge would be helpful, but training materials are provided as required. Even without, Looker is an easy to use platform for data discovery that can accommodate a number of third-party sources.

Qualtrics Research Core is more focused on working through developing, collating, and analyzing survey data, and uses its own AI to tease out trends and actionable insights. This can be especially useful when applied to sales and marketing campaigns for analyzing not just results but can also be used to identify ideal price points.

Adobe Analytics is a tool especially dedicated to tracking the customer journey online, and provides data to analyze how to more effectively engage with them according to their sources, ie, social media. It’s able to work with complex databases to generate quick results, which can then be exported or printed easily.

We’ve also featured the best business laptops.

Best business intelligence platform FAQsWhich business intelligence platform is best for you?

When deciding which business intelligence platform to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a more expensive platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your business intelligence platform.

How we tested the best business intelligence platform

To test for the best business intelligence platform we first set up an account with the relevant software provider, then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, analyzing data from different sources and looking at different ways to present the results. The aim was to push each business intelligence platform platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touchYou’ve reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
Best business intelligence platform of 2024

The best business intelligence platforms make it simple and easy to mine data for insights to communicate to stakeholders.

Now that organizations can now collect data on every aspect of their business, from sales and marketing, to workflows and productivity, to hiring and HR, to overall performance and profitability, the ability to sort through all this data for real and actionable insights has never been so important.

However, many of these data points exist in isolation and require dedicated business intelligence (BI) tools to tie in key information from each angle into an overall whole.

This can then allow for real insights and predictions for improving business performance, not least through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A number of software packages also come with their own analytics, but these can also often be exported into a business intelligence platform.

Even more importantly, the best BI software will be driven by visualizations you can share with stakeholders, to help communicate sometimes complex statistics as easy to understand charts and diagrams.

Here then are the best business intelligence tools for business currently available.

We’ve also highlighted the best productivity gadgets for business.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Power BI

The software giant provides a free business intelligence tool

Reasons to buy+

Free Tier

+

Affordable cost

Reasons to avoid-

Requires software download

Software behemoth, Microsoft, also plays in the business intelligence tool space, and their offering is Microsoft Power BI. They even have a Microsoft Business Applications Summit that features their Power BI, and not surprisingly other Microsoft business applications. Unlike some of their competition that take a totally web-based portal approach, Power BI also offers downloadable software, so you can run your analytics either in the cloud or via a reporting server.

There is a generous sixty day trial of the software, which promises to “Connect hundreds of data sources,” including Microsoft applications, and other sources such as Facebook, Sybase and Oracle which can then prep data for subsequent data analysis on the fly, allowing reports to be created in just a matter of minutes.

Pricing begins at the Power BI Desktop tier for a single user, which is fully functional, and free. The next tier up is Power BI Pro and supports collaboration between users, and real time data analysis, and includes a 60 day trial.

Take a look at our Microsoft discount codes for the best Microsoft offers and savings.

Best business intelligence platform for analytics

(Image credit: Tableau)

2. Tableau Desktop

Strong visuals and real-time analytics

Reasons to buy+

Free trial offer

+

Slick interface with drag and drop buttons

Tableau Desktop endeavors to do more than make charts, but rather to show “live visual analytics.” A slick interface with drag and drop buttons allows the user to quickly be able to spot trends in the data. There is a lengthy list of supported data sources, including Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, Box and PDF files.

Tableau enjoys the ability to connect with pretty much any type of database, as well as use a whole range of data blending options, to output into an even bigger selection of charts. Dashboard visualizations can be easily shared, and are mobile friendly.

Tableau Desktop becomes an expensive option for a single user, making this more expensive than other competing solutions. On balance, it also includes the associated application of Tableau Prep under the Tableau Creator package.

Best simple business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Dundas)

3. Dundas BI

An experienced and simple to use BI tool

Reasons to buy+

Browser based

+

Drag and drop interface

+

Free 45 day trial

Dundas is a browser based business intelligence tool with 25 years of experience. It is designed to be a single tool to transform data into visual data analytics with “granular control over almost all visual design elements.”

Data files can be incorporated with drag and drop functionality allowing end users to analyze data without involvement from IT. The HTML5 interface allows it to be used across a variety, including mobile, devices.

There is a free 45 day trial, but after the pricing is opaque and requires a quote, but there are options to lease annually, or own for perpetuity.

Best web-based business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Zoho)

4. Zoho Analytics

A tool from folks that have a cloud-based approach in their DNA

Reasons to buy+

Support to collect data from many sources

+

Visually attractive dashboard

+

Availability of free trial

Reasons to avoid-

Requires purchase on annual basis

Zoho Analytics is the business intelligence tool from the folks that have plenty of experience with web-based business tools, namely the venerable Zoho Office. Zoho Reports is a robust solution, that can integrate data from a variety of files, including Microsoft Office documents, URL feeds, and databases, such as MySQL, along with applications, of course from Zoho, but also outside their ecosystem including data from the cloud from Box, DropBox, Google Drive and other applications (for example Salesforce, Quickbooks and Google Analytics).

Data can then be blended via integrated mathematical and statistical formulas, for example marketing costs in an Excel file, with sales data in a cloud database, to create a visually attractive and informative report. This is all done via a simple online interface, and functions can be applied via a simple drag and drop, with reports that can be easily viewed via the portal, or also printed or emailed.

Best business intelligence platform for enterprises

(Image credit: Sisense)

5. Sisense

The business intelligence tool of Fortune 500 companies

Reasons to buy+

Rapid deployment

+

Incorporates AI

+

White label analytics

SiSense is a business intelligence tool that seeks to simplify the complexities of data analysis by building in IoT, machine learning and AI into their platform. They claim it is so simple and streamlined, that you can go from “data to dashboard in just 90 minutes.” While we can argue the validity of that claim, their list of clients, including the likes of GE, Philips, Fujitsu, NBC and Airbus would back up that this is a top tier product.

Main features include the ability to embed white label analytics with customizations, mashup live or cached data, analyze data across your entire landscape or focus on specific areas such as object, data, or system.

Sisense is an enterprise BI program that can be run in the cloud, or on premises. However, there no flat-rate pricing is provided for either model. Their custom pricing is based on an annual subscription model, but it requires a price quote, and is unfortunately not available on their website.

We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to BI, as there are many providers in the market. However, the caveat is always that a software platform is only as good as its programmers, and data always needs to be the best quality – too many managers presume that processes and workflows are being correctly followed when they may not be and therefore undermine analyzes. Additionally, while there are comprehensive BI tools available there are also ones that focus on particular areas, such as sales or distribution, in order to provide more detailed and focused insights:

Looker is another full-spectrum analytics and business intelligence platform that provides real-time reporting. To get the most out of it some MySQL knowledge would be helpful, but training materials are provided as required. Even without, Looker is an easy to use platform for data discovery that can accommodate a number of third-party sources.

Qualtrics Research Core is more focused on working through developing, collating, and analyzing survey data, and uses its own AI to tease out trends and actionable insights. This can be especially useful when applied to sales and marketing campaigns for analyzing not just results but can also be used to identify ideal price points.

Adobe Analytics is a tool especially dedicated to tracking the customer journey online, and provides data to analyze how to more effectively engage with them according to their sources, ie, social media. It’s able to work with complex databases to generate quick results, which can then be exported or printed easily.

We’ve also featured the best business laptops.

Best business intelligence platform FAQsWhich business intelligence platform is best for you?

When deciding which business intelligence platform to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a more expensive platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your business intelligence platform.

How we tested the best business intelligence platform

To test for the best business intelligence platform we first set up an account with the relevant software provider, then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, analyzing data from different sources and looking at different ways to present the results. The aim was to push each business intelligence platform platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touchYou’ve reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
Take your Excel Power BI reports to the next level with these tips & tricks

Ever wondered why some Excel Power BI reports captivate audiences while others fall flat? What if you could make your reports not only informative but also visually stunning? This guide by MoTH dives into four key design techniques that every Power BI user should know. From simplifying visual elements to aligning visuals perfectly, these techniques will make your reports not just informative, but also engaging.

Excel Power BI Design Tips

Key Takeaways :

Customizing themes in Power BI ensures consistency and professionalism, using colors to highlight key data points. Simplifying visual elements enhances readability by reducing label overload and using color-coding for clarity. Aligning visuals with grid lines and borders creates a clean, organized, and aesthetically pleasing layout. Creating custom backgrounds in PowerPoint and importing them into Power BI enhances the overall design and brand identity. These design tricks improve the visual appeal and effectiveness of Power BI reports in conveying data-driven messages.

Effective visual design is a critical component of creating compelling and informative Power BI reports. By leveraging the right design techniques, you can transform your data into visually appealing and easily digestible insights that drive decision-making.

Customizing themes to align with branding and context Simplifying visual elements for enhanced readability Aligning visuals for a polished and professional look Creating custom backgrounds for unique design options Harnessing the Power of Custom Themes

One of the most impactful ways to enhance your Power BI reports is by customizing themes to match your organization’s branding or the specific context of your data. By carefully selecting colors, fonts, and other design elements, you can create a consistent and professional look across all your reports. This not only reinforces your brand identity but also helps users quickly grasp the key takeaways from your data.

For example, when designing a financial report, you might choose a custom theme with shades of green to represent profit and red to indicate losses. This simple color-coding provides immediate visual cues to the viewer, making it easier to interpret the data at a glance. Similarly, using your company’s official fonts and color palette in your themes ensures that your reports align with your brand guidelines, creating a cohesive and recognizable style.

Simplifying Visuals for Clarity and Impact

Another crucial aspect of effective Power BI report design is simplifying visual elements to enhance readability and clarity. One common pitfall is overloading your reports with unnecessary labels, titles, and axis values, which can clutter the visual space and make it difficult for users to focus on the key insights.

To avoid this, consider reducing label density by removing redundant information and using color-coding to match axis values with their corresponding data points. This technique not only declutters your reports but also makes it easier for users to quickly interpret the data and identify trends or patterns.

For instance, when creating a sales performance chart, you can color-code the sales figures to match the associated product lines. This allows users to quickly compare the performance of different products without having to rely on cluttered labels or legends. By simplifying your visuals in this way, you can create reports that are both visually appealing and easy to understand.

Here are a selection of other articles from our extensive library of content you may find of interest on the subject of improving your productivity and skills using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets :

Aligning Visuals for a Polished and Professional Look

In addition to simplifying your visuals, it’s essential to ensure that your Power BI reports have a clean and organized layout. This can be achieved by properly aligning your visuals using grid lines, borders, and consistent sizing.

By taking the time to adjust the position and dimensions of your charts, tables, and other elements, you can create a harmonious and professional-looking report that is easy to navigate. For example, aligning all your charts to the same width and height creates a sense of balance and consistency, making it easier for users to compare different data sets and draw meaningful conclusions.

Paying attention to these small details can have a significant impact on the overall user experience, making your reports more engaging and effective in communicating your data-driven insights.

Elevating Your Reports with Custom Backgrounds

Finally, consider creating custom backgrounds in PowerPoint and importing them into your Power BI reports for a unique and visually striking design. By incorporating icons, custom titles, and other visual elements into your backgrounds, you can add an extra layer of depth and interest to your reports.

Once you’ve designed your custom background, simply import it into Power BI and align your visuals accordingly. This allows you to create reports that stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

For example, you might create a custom background featuring your company logo and thematic colors to reinforce your brand identity while making your report more visually appealing. Or, you could design a background with icons and illustrations that help to convey the key messages of your data in a more engaging and memorable way.

By leveraging the power of custom backgrounds, you can take your Power BI reports to new heights and create truly unique and impactful data visualizations.

Elevate Your Power BI Reports with These Essential Design Tricks

Incorporating these four essential design tricks—customizing themes, simplifying visual elements, aligning visuals, and creating custom backgrounds—can dramatically improve the effectiveness and visual appeal of your Power BI reports. By taking the time to refine your design skills and apply these techniques to your work, you’ll be able to create reports that not only inform and engage your audience but also drive better decision-making and business outcomes. If you need further information on using MS Excel jump over to the official Microsoft Support website.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Power BI Developer

Businesses depend intensely on information analytics to make informed decisions, and Power BI has risen as a prevalent tool for turning raw data into significant insights. Hiring a Power BI engineer is a crucial choice that can altogether affect your organization’s victory. In any case, companies frequently make a few mistakes when hiring Control BI engineers that can lead to project delays, destitute results, and unnecessary costs.

Here are five common mistakes businesses make when hiring Power BI developers and we offer significant tips to avoid them.

Common mistakes when hiring  a Power BI Developer Not clearly defining project requirements

One of the most common mistakes companies make is starting the contracting process without clearly characterizing their venture requirements. Power BI creators are required to know the scope of the project, what kind of data they’ll be working with, and what insights the business focuses on to gain. Without a clear arrangement, the designer may end up making solutions that don’t adjust to the business’s objectives.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Hiring without clear project requirements can lead to miscommunication, delays, and destitute results. The designer might work on highlights or reports that aren’t necessary, wasting time and resources.

To solve it, before you start the hiring, prepare, and outline specific project objectives, wanted results, timelines, and deliverables. Create a comprehensive work description that incorporates the abilities, experience, and industry knowledge needed for the part. By doing this, you guarantee that both you and the developer are adjusted from the start, minimizing the risk of miscommunication.

Focusing only on technical skills

While technical capability in Power BI is essential, centering exclusively on this viewpoint can be a mistake. Information analysis and visualization require more than fair technical skills; the developer needs to have a strong understanding of business operations, information translation, and problem-solving abilities.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

A technically capable designer may be able to make outwardly appealing reports but might need help to give meaningful insights that help drive business decisions. With analytical aptitudes, they may understand the greater picture that the information is attempting to convey.

To solve this, during the interview process, ask candidates to walk through real-world information issues they’ve previously solved. See for engineers who can clarify their thought forms and give cases of how their work has directly affected business choices. Prioritize problem-solving aptitudes near specialized capacities to guarantee you enlist somebody who can offer value past just making dashboards.

Ignoring cultural fit and communication skills

Power BI developers are required to be associated with different teams inside an organization, including IT, information investigators, and business leaders. If they need communication abilities or do not fit well with your company culture, it can lead to collaboration issues, misunderstandings, and delays.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

A developer who can’t viably communicate specialized data to non-technical stakeholders or battles to work in a group environment can negatively affect project advancement. Miscommunication could result in reports that don’t align with the business’s needs or goals.

To solve this, during interviews, evaluate the candidate’s communication abilities by asking them to clarify technical concepts in basic terms. Furthermore, evaluate their compatibility with your company’s culture. You can do this by asking situational questions that reflect your work environment and collaboration practices. This ensures the candidate will work well with your group and adjust to the company’s values.

Not assessing data security knowledge

Data security should be a strong need for any organization handling sensitive data. Power BI designers frequently work with private information, so they must have a strong understanding of information security protocols, privacy controls, and compliance requirements.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Failing to prioritize information security data can expose your organization to information breaches, administrative violations, and reputational damage. A creator without security expertise might ignore essential security measures, putting sensitive information at risk.

To go about this, when hiring a Power BI developer, inquire about their experience with information security best practices, especially about Power BI. They should be recognizable with encryption strategies, data privacy regulations like GDPR, and role-based access controls. Test their information by inquiring how they would handle different security challenges specific to your business’s data environment.

Underestimating the importance of long-term scalability

Another common mistake is hiring a Power BI developer who can only handle the quick project needs without considering the future development of the business. Power BI implementations require you to be versatile so that as your company grows, your data foundation and reports can grow with it.

Why this is a mistake, and how to solve it

Hiring a developer who can manage short-term needs might seem cost-effective initially, but as your business expands, you might face limitations in the versatility of your data reporting solutions. This may lead to the requirement for costly rework or redevelopment later on.

To solve this, look for developers who have experience with building adaptable data solutions. Ask around their capacity to handle bigger information sets and implement progressed analytics as your business grows. An engineer who understands long-term business objectives will guarantee that your Power BI arrangements stay relevant and versatile over time.

In conclusion, hiring a Power BI developer is an important choice that requires more than just assessing specialized ability. By avoiding the common mistakes of failing to characterize project objectives, focusing solely on technical abilities, neglecting cultural fit, ignoring data security, and underestimating the significance of adaptability, you can guarantee that you hire the right individual for the work. Taking the time to carefully vet candidates for both their specialized and business understanding will help you avoid potential pitfalls and set your data projects up for success.

See also: How successful are casino game developers when it comes to making money

Best business intelligence platform of 2024

The best business intelligence platforms make it simple and easy to mine data for insights to communicate to stakeholders.

Now that organizations can now collect data on every aspect of their business, from sales and marketing, to workflows and productivity, to hiring and HR, to overall performance and profitability, the ability to sort through all this data for real and actionable insights has never been so important.

However, many of these data points exist in isolation and require dedicated business intelligence (BI) tools to tie in key information from each angle into an overall whole.

This can then allow for real insights and predictions for improving business performance, not least through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A number of software packages also come with their own analytics, but these can also often be exported into a business intelligence platform.

Even more importantly, the best BI software will be driven by visualizations you can share with stakeholders, to help communicate sometimes complex statistics as easy to understand charts and diagrams.

Here then are the best business intelligence tools for business currently available.

We’ve also highlighted the best productivity gadgets for business.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Power BI

The software giant provides a free business intelligence tool

Reasons to buy+

Free Tier

+

Affordable cost

Reasons to avoid-

Requires software download

Software behemoth, Microsoft, also plays in the business intelligence tool space, and their offering is Microsoft Power BI. They even have a Microsoft Business Applications Summit that features their Power BI, and not surprisingly other Microsoft business applications. Unlike some of their competition that take a totally web-based portal approach, Power BI also offers downloadable software, so you can run your analytics either in the cloud or via a reporting server.

There is a generous sixty day trial of the software, which promises to “Connect hundreds of data sources,” including Microsoft applications, and other sources such as Facebook, Sybase and Oracle which can then prep data for subsequent data analysis on the fly, allowing reports to be created in just a matter of minutes.

Pricing begins at the Power BI Desktop tier for a single user, which is fully functional, and free. The next tier up is Power BI Pro and supports collaboration between users, and real time data analysis, and includes a 60 day trial.

Take a look at our Microsoft discount codes for the best Microsoft offers and savings.

Best business intelligence platform for analytics

(Image credit: Tableau)

2. Tableau Desktop

Strong visuals and real-time analytics

Reasons to buy+

Free trial offer

+

Slick interface with drag and drop buttons

Tableau Desktop endeavors to do more than make charts, but rather to show “live visual analytics.” A slick interface with drag and drop buttons allows the user to quickly be able to spot trends in the data. There is a lengthy list of supported data sources, including Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, Box and PDF files.

Tableau enjoys the ability to connect with pretty much any type of database, as well as use a whole range of data blending options, to output into an even bigger selection of charts. Dashboard visualizations can be easily shared, and are mobile friendly.

Tableau Desktop becomes an expensive option for a single user, making this more expensive than other competing solutions. On balance, it also includes the associated application of Tableau Prep under the Tableau Creator package.

Best simple business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Dundas)

3. Dundas BI

An experienced and simple to use BI tool

Reasons to buy+

Browser based

+

Drag and drop interface

+

Free 45 day trial

Dundas is a browser based business intelligence tool with 25 years of experience. It is designed to be a single tool to transform data into visual data analytics with “granular control over almost all visual design elements.”

Data files can be incorporated with drag and drop functionality allowing end users to analyze data without involvement from IT. The HTML5 interface allows it to be used across a variety, including mobile, devices.

There is a free 45 day trial, but after the pricing is opaque and requires a quote, but there are options to lease annually, or own for perpetuity.

Best web-based business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Zoho)

4. Zoho Analytics

A tool from folks that have a cloud-based approach in their DNA

Reasons to buy+

Support to collect data from many sources

+

Visually attractive dashboard

+

Availability of free trial

Reasons to avoid-

Requires purchase on annual basis

Zoho Analytics is the business intelligence tool from the folks that have plenty of experience with web-based business tools, namely the venerable Zoho Office. Zoho Reports is a robust solution, that can integrate data from a variety of files, including Microsoft Office documents, URL feeds, and databases, such as MySQL, along with applications, of course from Zoho, but also outside their ecosystem including data from the cloud from Box, DropBox, Google Drive and other applications (for example Salesforce, Quickbooks and Google Analytics).

Data can then be blended via integrated mathematical and statistical formulas, for example marketing costs in an Excel file, with sales data in a cloud database, to create a visually attractive and informative report. This is all done via a simple online interface, and functions can be applied via a simple drag and drop, with reports that can be easily viewed via the portal, or also printed or emailed.

Best business intelligence platform for enterprises

(Image credit: Sisense)

5. Sisense

The business intelligence tool of Fortune 500 companies

Reasons to buy+

Rapid deployment

+

Incorporates AI

+

White label analytics

SiSense is a business intelligence tool that seeks to simplify the complexities of data analysis by building in IoT, machine learning and AI into their platform. They claim it is so simple and streamlined, that you can go from “data to dashboard in just 90 minutes.” While we can argue the validity of that claim, their list of clients, including the likes of GE, Philips, Fujitsu, NBC and Airbus would back up that this is a top tier product.

Main features include the ability to embed white label analytics with customizations, mashup live or cached data, analyze data across your entire landscape or focus on specific areas such as object, data, or system.

Sisense is an enterprise BI program that can be run in the cloud, or on premises. However, there no flat-rate pricing is provided for either model. Their custom pricing is based on an annual subscription model, but it requires a price quote, and is unfortunately not available on their website.

We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to BI, as there are many providers in the market. However, the caveat is always that a software platform is only as good as its programmers, and data always needs to be the best quality – too many managers presume that processes and workflows are being correctly followed when they may not be and therefore undermine analyzes. Additionally, while there are comprehensive BI tools available there are also ones that focus on particular areas, such as sales or distribution, in order to provide more detailed and focused insights:

Looker is another full-spectrum analytics and business intelligence platform that provides real-time reporting. To get the most out of it some MySQL knowledge would be helpful, but training materials are provided as required. Even without, Looker is an easy to use platform for data discovery that can accommodate a number of third-party sources.

Qualtrics Research Core is more focused on working through developing, collating, and analyzing survey data, and uses its own AI to tease out trends and actionable insights. This can be especially useful when applied to sales and marketing campaigns for analyzing not just results but can also be used to identify ideal price points.

Adobe Analytics is a tool especially dedicated to tracking the customer journey online, and provides data to analyze how to more effectively engage with them according to their sources, ie, social media. It’s able to work with complex databases to generate quick results, which can then be exported or printed easily.

We’ve also featured the best business laptops.

Best business intelligence platform FAQsWhich business intelligence platform is best for you?

When deciding which business intelligence platform to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a more expensive platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your business intelligence platform.

How we tested the best business intelligence platform

To test for the best business intelligence platform we first set up an account with the relevant software provider, then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, analyzing data from different sources and looking at different ways to present the results. The aim was to push each business intelligence platform platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touchYou’ve reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
Best business intelligence platform of 2024

The best business intelligence platforms make it simple and easy to mine data for insights to communicate to stakeholders.

Now that organizations can now collect data on every aspect of their business, from sales and marketing, to workflows and productivity, to hiring and HR, to overall performance and profitability, the ability to sort through all this data for real and actionable insights has never been so important.

However, many of these data points exist in isolation and require dedicated business intelligence (BI) tools to tie in key information from each angle into an overall whole.

This can then allow for real insights and predictions for improving business performance, not least through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A number of software packages also come with their own analytics, but these can also often be exported into a business intelligence platform.

Even more importantly, the best BI software will be driven by visualizations you can share with stakeholders, to help communicate sometimes complex statistics as easy to understand charts and diagrams.

Here then are the best business intelligence tools for business currently available.

We’ve also highlighted the best productivity gadgets for business.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Power BI

The software giant provides a free business intelligence tool

Reasons to buy+

Free Tier

+

Affordable cost

Reasons to avoid-

Requires software download

Software behemoth, Microsoft, also plays in the business intelligence tool space, and their offering is Microsoft Power BI. They even have a Microsoft Business Applications Summit that features their Power BI, and not surprisingly other Microsoft business applications. Unlike some of their competition that take a totally web-based portal approach, Power BI also offers downloadable software, so you can run your analytics either in the cloud or via a reporting server.

There is a generous sixty day trial of the software, which promises to “Connect hundreds of data sources,” including Microsoft applications, and other sources such as Facebook, Sybase and Oracle which can then prep data for subsequent data analysis on the fly, allowing reports to be created in just a matter of minutes.

Pricing begins at the Power BI Desktop tier for a single user, which is fully functional, and free. The next tier up is Power BI Pro and supports collaboration between users, and real time data analysis, and includes a 60 day trial.

Take a look at our Microsoft discount codes for the best Microsoft offers and savings.

Best business intelligence platform for analytics

(Image credit: Tableau)

2. Tableau Desktop

Strong visuals and real-time analytics

Reasons to buy+

Free trial offer

+

Slick interface with drag and drop buttons

Tableau Desktop endeavors to do more than make charts, but rather to show “live visual analytics.” A slick interface with drag and drop buttons allows the user to quickly be able to spot trends in the data. There is a lengthy list of supported data sources, including Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, Box and PDF files.

Tableau enjoys the ability to connect with pretty much any type of database, as well as use a whole range of data blending options, to output into an even bigger selection of charts. Dashboard visualizations can be easily shared, and are mobile friendly.

Tableau Desktop becomes an expensive option for a single user, making this more expensive than other competing solutions. On balance, it also includes the associated application of Tableau Prep under the Tableau Creator package.

Best simple business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Dundas)

3. Dundas BI

An experienced and simple to use BI tool

Reasons to buy+

Browser based

+

Drag and drop interface

+

Free 45 day trial

Dundas is a browser based business intelligence tool with 25 years of experience. It is designed to be a single tool to transform data into visual data analytics with “granular control over almost all visual design elements.”

Data files can be incorporated with drag and drop functionality allowing end users to analyze data without involvement from IT. The HTML5 interface allows it to be used across a variety, including mobile, devices.

There is a free 45 day trial, but after the pricing is opaque and requires a quote, but there are options to lease annually, or own for perpetuity.

Best web-based business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Zoho)

4. Zoho Analytics

A tool from folks that have a cloud-based approach in their DNA

Reasons to buy+

Support to collect data from many sources

+

Visually attractive dashboard

+

Availability of free trial

Reasons to avoid-

Requires purchase on annual basis

Zoho Analytics is the business intelligence tool from the folks that have plenty of experience with web-based business tools, namely the venerable Zoho Office. Zoho Reports is a robust solution, that can integrate data from a variety of files, including Microsoft Office documents, URL feeds, and databases, such as MySQL, along with applications, of course from Zoho, but also outside their ecosystem including data from the cloud from Box, DropBox, Google Drive and other applications (for example Salesforce, Quickbooks and Google Analytics).

Data can then be blended via integrated mathematical and statistical formulas, for example marketing costs in an Excel file, with sales data in a cloud database, to create a visually attractive and informative report. This is all done via a simple online interface, and functions can be applied via a simple drag and drop, with reports that can be easily viewed via the portal, or also printed or emailed.

Best business intelligence platform for enterprises

(Image credit: Sisense)

5. Sisense

The business intelligence tool of Fortune 500 companies

Reasons to buy+

Rapid deployment

+

Incorporates AI

+

White label analytics

SiSense is a business intelligence tool that seeks to simplify the complexities of data analysis by building in IoT, machine learning and AI into their platform. They claim it is so simple and streamlined, that you can go from “data to dashboard in just 90 minutes.” While we can argue the validity of that claim, their list of clients, including the likes of GE, Philips, Fujitsu, NBC and Airbus would back up that this is a top tier product.

Main features include the ability to embed white label analytics with customizations, mashup live or cached data, analyze data across your entire landscape or focus on specific areas such as object, data, or system.

Sisense is an enterprise BI program that can be run in the cloud, or on premises. However, there no flat-rate pricing is provided for either model. Their custom pricing is based on an annual subscription model, but it requires a price quote, and is unfortunately not available on their website.

We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to BI, as there are many providers in the market. However, the caveat is always that a software platform is only as good as its programmers, and data always needs to be the best quality – too many managers presume that processes and workflows are being correctly followed when they may not be and therefore undermine analyzes. Additionally, while there are comprehensive BI tools available there are also ones that focus on particular areas, such as sales or distribution, in order to provide more detailed and focused insights:

Looker is another full-spectrum analytics and business intelligence platform that provides real-time reporting. To get the most out of it some MySQL knowledge would be helpful, but training materials are provided as required. Even without, Looker is an easy to use platform for data discovery that can accommodate a number of third-party sources.

Qualtrics Research Core is more focused on working through developing, collating, and analyzing survey data, and uses its own AI to tease out trends and actionable insights. This can be especially useful when applied to sales and marketing campaigns for analyzing not just results but can also be used to identify ideal price points.

Adobe Analytics is a tool especially dedicated to tracking the customer journey online, and provides data to analyze how to more effectively engage with them according to their sources, ie, social media. It’s able to work with complex databases to generate quick results, which can then be exported or printed easily.

We’ve also featured the best business laptops.

Best business intelligence platform FAQsWhich business intelligence platform is best for you?

When deciding which business intelligence platform to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a more expensive platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your business intelligence platform.

How we tested the best business intelligence platform

To test for the best business intelligence platform we first set up an account with the relevant software provider, then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, analyzing data from different sources and looking at different ways to present the results. The aim was to push each business intelligence platform platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touchYou’ve reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
Best business intelligence platform of 2024

The best business intelligence platforms make it simple and easy to mine data for insights to communicate to stakeholders.

Now that organizations can now collect data on every aspect of their business, from sales and marketing, to workflows and productivity, to hiring and HR, to overall performance and profitability, the ability to sort through all this data for real and actionable insights has never been so important.

However, many of these data points exist in isolation and require dedicated business intelligence (BI) tools to tie in key information from each angle into an overall whole.

This can then allow for real insights and predictions for improving business performance, not least through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A number of software packages also come with their own analytics, but these can also often be exported into a business intelligence platform.

Even more importantly, the best BI software will be driven by visualizations you can share with stakeholders, to help communicate sometimes complex statistics as easy to understand charts and diagrams.

Here then are the best business intelligence tools for business currently available.

We’ve also highlighted the best productivity gadgets for business.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Power BI

The software giant provides a free business intelligence tool

Reasons to buy+

Free Tier

+

Affordable cost

Reasons to avoid-

Requires software download

Software behemoth, Microsoft, also plays in the business intelligence tool space, and their offering is Microsoft Power BI. They even have a Microsoft Business Applications Summit that features their Power BI, and not surprisingly other Microsoft business applications. Unlike some of their competition that take a totally web-based portal approach, Power BI also offers downloadable software, so you can run your analytics either in the cloud or via a reporting server.

There is a generous sixty day trial of the software, which promises to “Connect hundreds of data sources,” including Microsoft applications, and other sources such as Facebook, Sybase and Oracle which can then prep data for subsequent data analysis on the fly, allowing reports to be created in just a matter of minutes.

Pricing begins at the Power BI Desktop tier for a single user, which is fully functional, and free. The next tier up is Power BI Pro and supports collaboration between users, and real time data analysis, and includes a 60 day trial.

Take a look at our Microsoft discount codes for the best Microsoft offers and savings.

Best business intelligence platform for analytics

(Image credit: Tableau)

2. Tableau Desktop

Strong visuals and real-time analytics

Reasons to buy+

Free trial offer

+

Slick interface with drag and drop buttons

Tableau Desktop endeavors to do more than make charts, but rather to show “live visual analytics.” A slick interface with drag and drop buttons allows the user to quickly be able to spot trends in the data. There is a lengthy list of supported data sources, including Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, Box and PDF files.

Tableau enjoys the ability to connect with pretty much any type of database, as well as use a whole range of data blending options, to output into an even bigger selection of charts. Dashboard visualizations can be easily shared, and are mobile friendly.

Tableau Desktop becomes an expensive option for a single user, making this more expensive than other competing solutions. On balance, it also includes the associated application of Tableau Prep under the Tableau Creator package.

Best simple business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Dundas)

3. Dundas BI

An experienced and simple to use BI tool

Reasons to buy+

Browser based

+

Drag and drop interface

+

Free 45 day trial

Dundas is a browser based business intelligence tool with 25 years of experience. It is designed to be a single tool to transform data into visual data analytics with “granular control over almost all visual design elements.”

Data files can be incorporated with drag and drop functionality allowing end users to analyze data without involvement from IT. The HTML5 interface allows it to be used across a variety, including mobile, devices.

There is a free 45 day trial, but after the pricing is opaque and requires a quote, but there are options to lease annually, or own for perpetuity.

Best web-based business intelligence platform

(Image credit: Zoho)

4. Zoho Analytics

A tool from folks that have a cloud-based approach in their DNA

Reasons to buy+

Support to collect data from many sources

+

Visually attractive dashboard

+

Availability of free trial

Reasons to avoid-

Requires purchase on annual basis

Zoho Analytics is the business intelligence tool from the folks that have plenty of experience with web-based business tools, namely the venerable Zoho Office. Zoho Reports is a robust solution, that can integrate data from a variety of files, including Microsoft Office documents, URL feeds, and databases, such as MySQL, along with applications, of course from Zoho, but also outside their ecosystem including data from the cloud from Box, DropBox, Google Drive and other applications (for example Salesforce, Quickbooks and Google Analytics).

Data can then be blended via integrated mathematical and statistical formulas, for example marketing costs in an Excel file, with sales data in a cloud database, to create a visually attractive and informative report. This is all done via a simple online interface, and functions can be applied via a simple drag and drop, with reports that can be easily viewed via the portal, or also printed or emailed.

Best business intelligence platform for enterprises

(Image credit: Sisense)

5. Sisense

The business intelligence tool of Fortune 500 companies

Reasons to buy+

Rapid deployment

+

Incorporates AI

+

White label analytics

SiSense is a business intelligence tool that seeks to simplify the complexities of data analysis by building in IoT, machine learning and AI into their platform. They claim it is so simple and streamlined, that you can go from “data to dashboard in just 90 minutes.” While we can argue the validity of that claim, their list of clients, including the likes of GE, Philips, Fujitsu, NBC and Airbus would back up that this is a top tier product.

Main features include the ability to embed white label analytics with customizations, mashup live or cached data, analyze data across your entire landscape or focus on specific areas such as object, data, or system.

Sisense is an enterprise BI program that can be run in the cloud, or on premises. However, there no flat-rate pricing is provided for either model. Their custom pricing is based on an annual subscription model, but it requires a price quote, and is unfortunately not available on their website.

We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to BI, as there are many providers in the market. However, the caveat is always that a software platform is only as good as its programmers, and data always needs to be the best quality – too many managers presume that processes and workflows are being correctly followed when they may not be and therefore undermine analyzes. Additionally, while there are comprehensive BI tools available there are also ones that focus on particular areas, such as sales or distribution, in order to provide more detailed and focused insights:

Looker is another full-spectrum analytics and business intelligence platform that provides real-time reporting. To get the most out of it some MySQL knowledge would be helpful, but training materials are provided as required. Even without, Looker is an easy to use platform for data discovery that can accommodate a number of third-party sources.

Qualtrics Research Core is more focused on working through developing, collating, and analyzing survey data, and uses its own AI to tease out trends and actionable insights. This can be especially useful when applied to sales and marketing campaigns for analyzing not just results but can also be used to identify ideal price points.

Adobe Analytics is a tool especially dedicated to tracking the customer journey online, and provides data to analyze how to more effectively engage with them according to their sources, ie, social media. It’s able to work with complex databases to generate quick results, which can then be exported or printed easily.

We’ve also featured the best business laptops.

Best business intelligence platform FAQsWhich business intelligence platform is best for you?

When deciding which business intelligence platform to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes cheaper software may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a more expensive platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your business intelligence platform.

How we tested the best business intelligence platform

To test for the best business intelligence platform we first set up an account with the relevant software provider, then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, analyzing data from different sources and looking at different ways to present the results. The aim was to push each business intelligence platform platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Get in touchYou’ve reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^

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