54 Predictions About The State Of Data In 2021

54 Predictions About The State Of Data In 2021 From 2010 to 2020, the amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed in the world increased from 1.2 trillion gigabytes to 59 trillion gigabytes, an almost 5,000% growth. What will data do in the coming decade? Happy New Year! getty 26                       the five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2024 of the data created, captured, copied, and consumed in the world; the amount of data created over the next three years will be more than the data created over the past 30 years [IDC] ⦨ Richard van Dijk ⦩ LinkedIn 22                       the percentage of all full work days that will be supplied from home after the Covid-19 pandemic ends, compared with just 5% before [Becker Friedman Institute] 66                       the percentage of employed Americans that agree that they would prefer a mix of in-office and remote work after the pandemic ends [Harris] 90                       the percentage of HR leaders that plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time, even after the COVID-19 vaccine is widely adopted [Gartner] 300                     the percent increase in remote work compared to pre-Covid-19 levels [Forrester] Gartner® Critical Capabilities for Data and Analytics Service 41                       the percentage of Americans that say they will date more online once the pandemic is over [Harris] 400 million        the number of video visits to doctors worldwide in 2021, 5% of all doctor visits, up from 1% in 2019 [Deloitte] 7                          the number of leading wrist-worn wearables companies that will have released by the end of 2021 algorithms capable of early detection of potential signs of infectious diseases including Covid-19 and the flu [IDC] 100                     the percentage growth of sales for enterprise and educational use of wearable headsets for virtual, augmented and mixed reality in 2021 over 2019 levels [Deloitte] How To Read Gartner’s Magic Quadrants: things you should know 50                       the percentage increase of investments in AI and advanced analytics by life science and healthcare provider companies by 2022 to avoid future supply chain disruptions [IDC] 65                       the percentage of medical imaging workflows that by 2026 will use AI to detect underlying disease and guide clinical intervention, while 50% will use teleradiology to share studies and improve access to radiologists [IDC] 25                      the percentage of CIOs and CTOs that believe AI and machine learning will have the greatest impact on global Covid-19 recovery [IEEE] 5 billion              the number of internet users in 2023, up from 3.9 billion in 2018 [Cisco] Gartner’s Magic Quadrant Power BI 29.3 billion        the number of web-connected devices in 2023, up from 18.4 billion in 2018 [Cisco] 36.8 billion        the number of Industrial IoT connections in 2025, up from 17.7 billion in 2020 [Juniper] 110 mbps          the broadband speed in 2023, up from 45.9 mbps in 2018 [Cisco] 61                       the percentage of telecom providers planning AI projects for edge computing by 2023 [Cisco] $6 trillion           the cost of cyber crime worldwide in 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015 [Cybersecurityventures.com] “Ransomware in healthcare will increase significantly. This is driven by a combination of high-profile press on ransomware attacks, which further motivates threat actors, and a very diverse IoT infrastructure, which is fully interconnected to IT and often missing the basic security controls required to withstand a ransomware attack,” Galina Antova, Claroty 50                       the percentage of CIOs that will accelerate robotization, automation, and augmentation by 2024 [IDC] 85 million          the number of workers worldwide displaced by automation over the next five years [World Economic Forum] 97 million          the number of jobs worldwide created by the robot revolution over the next five years [World Economic Forum] 65                       the percentage of the world’s GDP set to be digitalized by 2022 [IDC] “In many ways, digitization is simply the next chapter of a process under way for a century: the dematerialization of the economy,” Greg Ip, The Wall Street Journal $6.8 trillion       the total amount allocated to direct digital transformation investments worldwide between 2020 and 2023 [IDC] 25                       the percentage of workers supported by new forms of automation either directly or indirectly by 2022 (e.g., handling employee benefits questions and supporting document, customer service, and line-of-business tasks that are often invisible to the home worker) [Forrester] 75                       the percentage of grocery ecommerce orders that will be picked up curbside or in store by 2023, driving a 35% increase in investment in onsite or nearby micro-fulfillment centers [IDC] 222 million        the number of video streaming users in the U.S. in 2024, up from 170.5 million in 2018 [eMarketer] 45                       the percentage of repetitive work tasks that will be automated and/or augmented by using “digital co-workers,” powered by AI, robotics, and RPA [IDC] 1 trillion             the number of parameters in a new 2021 NLP model, “most likely… from OpenAI and be named GPT-4” [Forbes] 1.4 billion          the number of smart home devices that will be shipped worldwide in 2024, up from 854 million in 2020 [IDC] 637.1 million     the number of wearable devices that will be shipped worldwide in 2024, up from 396 million in 2020 [IDC] 75                       the percentage of enterprises that will use in 2021 new, external data sources to enhance their cross-functional decision-making capabilities in ways that increase value compared with using internal data alone [IDC] 35                       the percentage of large organizations that by 2022 will be either sellers or buyers of data via formal online data marketplaces, up from 25% in 2020 [Gartner] 50                       the percentage of G2000 companies will have active development teams seeking to externally monetize their data to enhance traditional offerings, drive innovation, or deliver Data and Analytics as a Service [IDC] 50                       the percentage of knowledge workers that by 2024 will regularly interact with their own AI-enhanced robot assistant, which will help identify and prioritize tasks, collect information, and automate repetitive work [IDC] 20                       the percentage of all AI solutions that will be closer to artificial general intelligence (AGI) by 2026, leveraging neuro-symbolic techniques that combine deep learning with symbolic methods to create robust humanlike decision making [IDC] 60                       the percentage of enterprises that will invest heavily in digitalizing employee experience in 2021, transforming the relationship between employers and employees [IDC] $110 billion       global spending on artificial intelligence (AI) in 2024, up from $50.1 billion in …

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What is Business Intelligence (BI): Complete Implementation

Transforming Your Organization with the Power of Business Intelligence Share   Share Understanding Business Intelligence Through Modernizing ETL   Share   Email How to choose the right ETL tool? Bismart Partner Power BI   With the ability to drive strategic initiatives, make educated decisions and extract valuable insights from raw data, business intelligence (BI) has become a key enabler for organizational success. BI has revolutionized the way businesses operate and plan for the future in this age of intense competition and rapid technological advancement. One of the most powerful business intelligence tools available, Intellicus has provided tailored solutions to over 17,000 small and large businesses, enabling them to make data-driven decisions. Understanding Business Intelligence Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic and operational decisions. It involves collecting, storing, analyzing, and visualizing data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that drive business performance. It combines internal and external data sources into a logical framework that helps produce insights that can be put into action. Business intelligence is a valuable resource that facilitates managers, executives and stakeholders to make informed decisions. What is Business Intelligence (BI): Complete Implementation Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic and operational decisions. It involves collecting, storing, analyzing, and visualizing data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that drive business performance. Essentially, BI transforms raw data into meaningful information that empowers organizations to make data-driven decisions. The Four Pillars of Business Intelligence Data Collection and Integration: Business Intelligence starts with the compilation of information from various sources, such as social media interactions, market trends, consumer profiles and sales statistics. This data must be integrated into a single platform in order to provide a comprehensive view and analysis. Data Visualization and Analysis: BI tools analyze trends, patterns, and connections using sophisticated analytics. Visualization tools like dashboards, charts, and graphs transform complex data into understandable insights for efficient decision-making. ETL with Power BI Dataflows Predictive Analytics: BI doesn’t merely focus on the present; it anticipates the future. To predict future trends, predictive analytics uses machine learning models and statistical algorithms. This makes it possible for companies to plan ahead and adapt proactively. Actionable Insights: BI aims to generate actionable insights, not just reports. These insights help optimize operations, identify new opportunities, and enhance overall performance. The Transformative Impact of Business Intelligence Improved Decision Making BI tools give businesses access to real-time data, which is essential for making timely, well-informed decisions. This eliminates the need for guesswork and intuition-based decisions in favor of data-driven ones. Additionally, BI tools, like dashboards and visualizations, present data in an understandable format, making it easier for decision-makers to quickly comprehend complex information and react to changes that may have an impact on the business. BI components and how they relate to Power BI Operational Efficiency The operational efficiency of an organization can be greatly improved using business intelligence. By automating repetitive operations, BI solutions allow employees to concentrate on more important facets of the company. Furthermore, by highlighting areas in the business process that require improvement, BI tools enable firms to get rid of bottlenecks, simplify procedures and cut expenses. Customer satisfaction and service delivery are enhanced as a result. Improved Bottom Line Business Intelligence can assist companies in increasing revenue and sales by offering insightful information about consumer behavior. With the use of BI technologies, marketers can better focus their campaigns and boost sales by analyzing customer data to find trends, buying patterns and preferences. Additionally, organizations can use business intelligence to pinpoint successful consumer categories and concentrate their marketing efforts on them. Revenue growth and improved conversion rates are possible outcomes of this focused strategy. Competitive Advantage Business Intelligence provides a competitive edge in today’s data-driven world. Through the utilization of BI tools, companies can acquire comprehensive insights into the tactics, advantages and disadvantages of their rivals and utilize this data to formulate strategic plans. Similarly, it facilitates prompt market adaptation and can assist companies in recognizing customer behavior shifts and market trends. Ethical Considerations in BI The Future of Business Intelligence Advancing technology promises a bright future for BI. AI and machine learning will enhance predictive analytics, enabling businesses to foresee trends and adapt quickly. Integrating BI with emerging technologies like IoT and blockchain will unlock new dimensions of data analysis and decision-making. Conclusion Business Intelligence has evolved from being a mere buzzword to a transformative force shaping the future of businesses. It empowers organizations to navigate complexities, capitalize on opportunities, and drive growth in an increasingly data-centric world. Embracing BI isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity for businesses aspiring to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. repeating the info from intro [SD1] This doesn’t fit right here… please change the placement [SD2] Transforming Your Organization with the Power of Business Intelligence Share   Share   Share   Email   With the ability to drive strategic initiatives, make educated decisions and extract valuable insights from raw data, business intelligence (BI) has become a key enabler for organizational success. BI has revolutionized the way businesses operate and plan for the future in this age of intense competition and rapid technological advancement. One of the most powerful business intelligence tools available, Intellicus has provided tailored solutions to over 17,000 small and large businesses, enabling them to make data-driven decisions. Understanding Business Intelligence Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic and operational decisions. It involves collecting, storing, analyzing, and visualizing data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that drive business performance. It combines internal and external data sources into a logical framework that helps produce insights that can be put into action. Business intelligence is a valuable resource that facilitates managers, executives and stakeholders to make informed decisions. Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic and operational decisions. It involves collecting, storing, …

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The Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is excellent

Microsoft Dynamics vs. Salesforce: Comparison 2024 Salesforce vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Overview Salesforce’s Sales Hub and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales are similar products that offer most of the CRM features you expect to find in standalone CRM software. We compare these two as the primary CRM offerings from both providers, though other products exist for marketing, customer service and other work management functions. Salesforce is a highly customizable CRM that teams can configure for almost any business need, while Microsoft Dynamics 365 serves as a centralized place for customer data for teams that already use it. Salesforce vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Comparison Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform In our survey, CRM users cited workflow automation, contact activity tracking and task management as the most important CRM features. We used these insights to guide us as we tested Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365. There are some notable differences between the platforms’ contact and sales pipeline management approaches, but they offer similar sales assistants powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Microsoft Dynamics is also commonly known as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool. Source: MarketWatch Guides Features Overview Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 offer very similar feature lists for CRM. However, Salesforce offers more native features for marketing automation. Microsoft Dynamics does not include any email-related features in the Sales product, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to many other CRM platforms. Our Salesforce Review and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Review offer more in-depth analyses of these platforms’ top features. Salesforce Sales CloudMicrosoft Dynamics 365 SalesMonthly Price Range$20-$500/user$65-$135/userContact Management✅✅Workflow Automation✅✅Lead Management✅✅Lead Scoring✅✅Pipeline Management✅✅Sales Forecasting✅✅Email Marketing Automation✅❌Analytics✅✅AI-Powered Tools✅(Einstein)✅(Copilot AI)Phone Support✅✅Live Chat✅✅ Contact Management Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Microsoft Dynamics 356’s contact profiles are well-organized and easy to navigate, following a similar structure to many popular CRM systems. When we tested the platform, the profiles stood out as one of the more user-friendly features. We could add notes and easily edit contact information without searching through settings. Aside from the contact profiles, Microsoft Dynamics’s approach to the overall contact list is unique. The different Excel-powered charts allowed us to get quick insights into the customer data on the platform. For instance, we could create a drill-down chart of contacts by their city in just a few clicks. While testing the platform, we imagined plenty of use cases for these quick insights and charts. By comparison, Salesforce keeps its analytics separate from the customer profiles, which is the typical setup for customer data within most CRM platforms. The Salesforce customer profiles display contact information alongside upcoming tasks logged in the platform, related opportunities, deals and any quotes a customer has received. These capabilities make it simple for sales teams to refer to any information they need about a customer. View of a sample customer profile in Salesforce. Sales Pipeline Management Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Microsoft Dynamics’s approach to the sales pipeline is unique compared to other CRM systems we’ve tested. By default, the platform organizes deals in various charts highlighting the sales funnel stages. Most platforms include a list of open deals or, most often, a Kanban-style view of the different deal stages, with movable deal cards sorted into various boards indicating their status. This could be a major plus for teams that don’t love a Kanban board. However, for teams looking for streamlined and straightforward opportunity management, it could overcomplicate how team members view the sales process in the platform. Salesforce’s default configuration for the sales pipeline is a more traditional deal tracking board with the option for a list view. We liked that dragging and dropping the deal cards with automatic deal value calculations at the top of each stage in the pipeline was easy. Sample view of the Salesforce sales pipeline. AI-Powered Features Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Both Microsoft and Salesforce include AI assistants in their CRM products. Microsoft’s Copilot AI and Salesforce’s Einstein AI are helpful chatbots that users can interact with, similar to ChatGPT. These AI-powered tools also power forecasting, predictive scoring and other advanced features. Microsoft just rolled out Copilot AI last year, and it is helpful for tasks like generating a summary of an open deal; however, it struggled to understand natural language requests. AI tools across the CRM space are very new, and we expect they will learn and improve over time to help streamline CRM strategies. Pricing Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce offer similar CRM pricing structures, so comparing their pricing is straightforward. Microsoft’s primary sales product has a lower starting price than Salesforce’s Sales Cloud, and Salesforce has a much more comprehensive price range, with the top Einstein 1 Sales plan costing $500 per user per month. However, both platforms offer “starter kits”  at lower prices with various features across the board. In Salesforce’s case, these are the Starter Suite and Pro Suite, which include top features from the Sales, Marketing and Service Clouds. The Microsoft Dynamics Business Central product is similar, with key features from Dynamics 365 Sales and Service, emphasizing core business functions and finance rather than marketing. Salesforce Pricing Our Salesforce Pricing Guide offers a more in-depth look into Salesforce’s pricing structure. ProductPlanPriceSalesforce Sales CloudProfessional $80/user/month Enterprise $165/user/monthUnlimited$330/user/month Einstein 1 Sales$500/user/month Small Business (Combines Sales, Marketing and Service features) Starter Suite$25/user/monthPro Suite$100/user/month Microsoft Dynamics Pricing ProductPlanPriceMicrosoft Dynamics 365 SalesProfessional $65/user/month Enterprise $95/user/monthPremium$135/user/month Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralEssentials$70/monthPremium$100/month Integrations Salesforce is difficult to beat when it comes to native integrations, and it’s easy to search for any specific third-party apps you need to connect with the Appexchange marketplace. The Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is excellent as part of a Microsoft ecosystem, but connecting it with outside tools is more complicated.Competitor software like Google tools won’t be available, and we were also surprised to see that Zapier integration was not an option for Dynamics 365 in the Microsoft AppSource marketplace. However, both platforms offer an API for developers. PlatformSalesforce Sales Cloud Microsoft Dynamics 365 SalesGmail✅❌Google Calendar✅❌Mailchimp✅✅Facebook Ads✅✅Zoom✅✅Slack✅✅Sprout Social✅✅Shopify✅✅Stripe✅✅PandaDoc✅✅DocuSign✅✅Five9✅✅Trello✅❌Asana✅❌Zapier✅❌ Customer Support Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 include customer support via live chat and …

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reasons to use Microsoft Power BI Stitch

Microsoft announces Power BI Premium Microsoft is expanding its business analytics and intelligence portfolio with the announcement of Power BI Premium. Power BI Premium is an extension of the company’s Power BI solution that provides improved performance for larger data volumes. “Power BI was first made generally available in July 2015. Since then, Microsoft’s driving vision for Power BI has been to enable users across roles, disciplines and industries to sign up for the service in seconds and get business value by drawing insights from their data within minutes,” Kamal Hathi, general manager at Microsoft, wrote in a post. “Power BI Premium builds on the existing Power BI portfolio with a capacity-based licensing model that increases flexibility for how users access, share and distribute content.” The new solution features expanded licensing flexibility, improved scale and performance, Power BI apps, extends on-premises capabilities, and provides embedded analytics. The solution also provides the Power BI Reporter Server, an on-premises solution for reporting. Power BI – The Data Crew In addition, the company announced it is improving the free Power BI service. Going forward, the service will provide the same functionality of Power BI Pro, but with limitations to sharing and collaboration features. Users will now be able to take advantage of the data sources, workspace storage limits, and higher refresh and streaming rates. “Just as Power BI Premium simplifies large-scale BI deployments, today we’re also simplifying the distinction between Power BI Pro and the free service. While the free service is intended for personal use and Power BI Pro enables collaboration, we’ve received feedback that functional differences between them have created confusion for users,” Hathi wrote. More information about Power BI Premium is available here. The 5 Best Call Tracking Software (Low Spend, High Return) Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Giving attribution to the marketing channels that bring in callers is a must for maximizing ROI. Call tracking software is designed to identify where callers come from, so you know which marketing strategies are working and which ones aren’t. By spending a little upfront, you can drive more revenue in the long run. Top call tracking software comparison Call tracking platforms come in all flavors, from basic and easy to advanced and powerful. Here’s a look at a few of the areas that make my top picks different from one another. Best forStarting priceFree trialKeyword spottingIVRIntegrations CallRailBest overall$45 per month14 daysSome plansAdd-on33 + Zapier InvocaMulti-touch attributionCustom quoteDemo onlyAdd-onSome plansAdd-on WhatConvertsE-commerce$30 per month14 daysAll plansSome plans1,000+ CallTrackingMetricsCall center call tracking$65 per month30 daysSome plansAll plans46 + Make and Zapier InfinityOmnichannel tracking$199 per monthDemo onlyTop tier onlyAdd-on27 CallRail: Best call tracking software overall reasons to use Microsoft Power BI Stitch Image: CallRail When it comes to call tracking software that truly has it all, it’s hard to beat CallRail. It offers streamlined call attribution, so you know exactly how callers find you and you can quickly compare channels side-by-side to see which campaigns have the most impact. Why I chose CallRail CallRail helps you track every touchpoint in the marketing funnel. With visitor-level tracking, you can see what happens before someone calls your business from a deeper, big-picture perspective. And with advanced analytics, you can ensure your decisions are always fueled by 100% objective data. This, along with IVR analytics, is a potent combination. Despite its power, CallRail is one of the more affordable options on my list. Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Pricing Call Tracking: $45 per month + usage. Call Tracking + Conversation Intelligence: $90 per month + usage. Call Tracking + Form Tracking: $90 per month + usage. Call Tracking Complete: $135 per month + usage. All plans include five free local numbers, 250 local minutes per month, and 100 text messages per month. Plans with form tracking include 1,000 submissions and those with transcriptions include 7,500 complimentary minutes. SEE: Why Career Road Maps Attract and Retain Support Technicians (TechRepublic Premium) Each additional local number is $3, extra local minutes are $0.05 each, toll-free numbers are $5, toll-free minutes are $0.08, and extra texts are $0.016 each. Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Features Simple call attribution. Custom menus and call routing. Call recording and scoring. 7,500 free transcription minutes. AI-driven conversational intelligence. Dynamic number insertion. Detailed analytics. CallRail provides a detailed timeline view. Image: CallRail Pros and cons ProsCons Local numbers are cheap.Second-most affordable option.Cutting-edge conversational intelligence.Easy to connect leads with the right people.Data for virtually every customer touchpoint.Many integrations cost extra.Limited customization options.White labeling is limited to higher tiers. Invoca: Best for multi-touch attribution Image: Invoca While most call tracking tools offer multi-touch attribution, it’s Invoca’s bread and butter. Understanding every touch point is key to a higher volume of quality leads and getting the most of your marketing budget — working with a provider that specializes in it gives you all of the top-tier tools you need to do it well. Why I chose Invoca I’m impressed with how Invoca uses advanced AI to instantly measure the quality of each lead. Using Signal AI, which features cutting-edge voice biometric technology, you can distinguish casual callers from those with a strong likelihood of buying. From there, you can decide who to prioritize. I also like that it makes it easy to recover lost sales opportunities. Say someone has serious intent to buy calls but you don’t answer — Invoca will notify a manager so you can follow up right away. Pricing Invoca offers custom pricing. For brands and agencies, there are three plans: Pro: 6,000 annual minutes and 5 custom signals. Enterprise: 12,000 annual minutes and 50 custom signals. Elite: 18,000 annual minutes and 100 custom signals. Each plan also comes with different features. As you go up to higher tiers, you get more of the add-ons at no extra cost. There are also pay-per-call and affiliate marketing plans for performance marketers, including: Performance Professional: Standard features + campaign management and payouts. Performance Enterprise: Dynamic routing, advanced IVR, and whisper. You …

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Why Business Intelligence (BI) Is A Must-Have Tool for Every

Should Central Maine Power go “dark” to the regulators? A proposed financial reorganization of Central Maine Power (CMP), the state’s dominant electric company, is generating fierce consumer opposition at the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Augusta-based Avangrid (NYSE:AGR), CMP’s owner since 2015, is 81.6% owned by Spanish energy conglomerate Iberdrola, which wants the state regulators to rubber stamp a deal where Iberdrola would acquire the remaining 18.4% of Avangrid for $2.5 billion. Iberdrola said, “The objective of this transaction is to increase exposure to the networks business in the United States at a key moment for Iberdrola, which wants to grow in markets with strong credit ratings and in regulated businesses such as networks.” Why Business Intelligence (BI) Is A Must-Have Tool for Every Iberdrola in May asked the MPUC to waive a provision of state law that give the commission the authority over reorganizations of state public utilities, essentially letting the deal go forward without full review, including public hearings. Avangrid argues that because Iberdrola already effectively owns the utility, the new transaction doesn’t represent a significant change and the regulators should simply let it go into effect. The state’s savvy and well-organized utility consumer organization Our Power as well as Maine’s Office of the Public Advocate, the official state consumer advocate, are challenging the decision. They argue it is a way for CMP, already highly unpopular, to avoid regulation by reducing the ability of the state and consumers to access crucial company financial information. The Public Advocate filing argued, “In this case there is clearly the potential for harm to Maine utility ratepayers….While Petitioners claim the proposed transaction will have no impact on Maine utility customers, that is a factual question that should be resolved after carefully weighing the evidence to be gathered in the case, it should not be assumed at the outset by way of exemption. At a minimum, the transaction has the potential to reduce transparency as Avangrid will no longer be required to make SEC filings required of publicly traded companies. This is at least a potential harm that could impact customers of the Maine utilities.” Dynamics Business Central Usage Analytics Our Power, the state-wide consumer protection group, was the leader of last November’s failed ballot initiative to create a public power system, Pine Tree Power, to take over both CMP and the much smaller Versant Power. Our Power said in its brief that “the key to this transaction is not its size, $2.5 Billion, not the proportion of Avangrid’s share owners that would be selling, 18.4%, but is the fact that all of Avangrid’s outstanding publicly-owned shares would be acquired, thus taking Avangrid private – making it the wholly owned creature of Iberdrola and ‘taking it dark.’” Our Power hired veteran Washington consumer advocate lawyer Scott Hempling to make its detailed case against giving the Iberdrola plan a green light. Hempling most recently was an administrative law judge at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In his August 12 direct testimony, Hempling  argued that “the proposed transaction has, for the Maine utilities’ ratepayers, multiple detriments but no benefits. Iberdrola will give up $2.5 billion of its scarce capital to eliminate thousands of small shareholders – shareholders whose conservative investment goals act as a brake on Iberdrola’s and Avangrid’s risk-taking. That is a detriment. Avangrid will then go private, depriving this Commission, it staff, and the many financial analysts expert in assessing the business risks that affect Maine’s utilities, of the extensive financial reporting that Avangrid makes (and that the utilities, before their takeover by Avangrid and Iberdrola, made) to the Securities and Exchange commission. That is another detriment.” Hempling added, “All that Petitioners offer in return is a nonfactual, noncommittal assertion that an Iberdrola that owns 100% rather than 81.6% of Avangrid ‘will improve’ Avangrid and Iberdrola’s access to capital. What matters to this Commission is not Avangrid’s or Iberdrola’s access to capital. In the U.S. utility world, what ensures a utility’s access to capital is proper rate-setting by its state commission. A state commission is bound, by statutory and constitutional law, to set rats sufficient to provide the utility a return on equity – specifically, equity invested to provide obligatory service equal to what the utility’s shareholders would earn on investment in businesses of comparable risk….” BI for Microsoft Dynamics Business Central Cloud “That Iberdrola’s and Avangrid’s access to capital is even an issue here is only because Iberdrola and Avangrid take nonutility risks with the capital they have. If the Commission has concerns about those risks, the answer is to eliminate the risks; the answer is not to eliminate the minority shareholders whose presence helps to limit those risks.” CMP is the state’s dominant electric company, with some 653,000 customers. Maine’s other investor-owned utility is Bangor-based Versant Power, with some 165,000 customers. Its owner is ENMAX Corp. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. –Kennedy Maize kenmaize@gmail.com Microsoft Power BI and Business Central by Sqit consulting Medium The Quad Report Transforming Your Organization with the Power of Business Intelligence Share   Share   Share   Email   With the ability to drive strategic initiatives, make educated decisions and extract valuable insights from raw data, business intelligence (BI) has become a key enabler for organizational success. BI has revolutionized the way businesses operate and plan for the future in this age of intense competition and rapid technological advancement. One of the most powerful business intelligence tools available, Intellicus has provided tailored solutions to over 17,000 small and large businesses, enabling them to make data-driven decisions. Understanding Business Intelligence Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic and operational decisions. It involves collecting, storing, analyzing, and visualizing data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that drive business performance. It combines internal and external data sources into a logical framework that helps produce insights that can be put into action. Business intelligence is a valuable resource that facilitates managers, executives and stakeholders to make informed decisions. Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that analyzes business data to provide actionable information that informs strategic …

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Business Intelligence vs. Competitive Intelligence

Business Intelligence vs. Competitive Intelligence: What’s the Difference? Business Intelligence vs. Competitive Intelligence: An Overview Competitive intelligence is the act of understanding a company’s industry and industry rivals so the company can make better business decisions. Business intelligence refers to the tools, software, and systems that play a vital role in the strategic planning process of a company. Key Takeaways Competitive intelligence is the outward-focused analysis of a business’s competitors to identify advantages and potential strategies.In contrast, business intelligence is the inward-focused evaluation of the business’s own data, which can help improve efficiency and growth.Combining both business and competitive intelligence provides a framework for action that can help increase stability, profitability, and success. Competitive Intelligence Competitive intelligence is an acute type of market research conducted by a business. With competitive intelligence, businesses use the same type of tactics utilized when conducting market research; however, the focus is to answer more target questions rather than review broad market trends. Competitive intelligence can include the knowledge of a competitor’s operations or business partners, as well as a deeper understanding of the industry in which a company operates. Competitive intelligence is any material information a company possesses that allows it to make better-informed decisions than the average company in its industry. It does so to operate more efficiently. Conducting competitive intelligence allows a company to spot opportunities in the market and beat out its competitors. For example, a company might follow messages on X (formerly Twitter), blog posts, LinkedIn profiles, and email blasts to track what a competitor is doing. Benefits of Competitive Intelligence Increased marketing efficiency: Your research can help you win back market share or identify target markets that your competitors may have missed.Increased sales: Your sales staff will be able to close more sales when they can position your product competitively against others in the market.Improved products: Competitive intelligence can help your research and development team improve and iterate on your offering.Reduced risk: When you know what tactics your competitors have tried (and failed), you can more easily sidestep pitfalls, focus on proven strategies, and generate growth. Business Intelligence Business intelligence represents the physical tools and software a company uses to gather intelligence and research. Companies then use that information to make decisions. These tools and software combine to make systems that allow a company to gather, store, and analyze raw business data in a way that helps it make the right decisions. Business intelligence systems normally operate to collect data in the areas of customer support, market research, competitive intelligence, product performance, and other statistical analyses. Benefits of Business Intelligence Speed up product design: Evaluate the most popular features and use cases to develop your customers’ ideal product and release it faster. Improved product launches: Metrics can help you improve the performance of your campaigns by identifying the highest-performing pieces and audiences. Improved sales strategies: By analyzing which deals are most effective, the sales team can be trained to close more sales. Strengthened human resources: Evaluating employee data can uncover trends in company culture and employee satisfaction, and even reveal causes for high turnover so you can improve retention. Better executive decision-making: Management can make informed decisions when guiding the direction of the company when it has the best available data. Key Differences Although both types of intelligence are broadly concerned with increasing sales and growing profitability, there are some differences between business intelligence and competitive intelligence. Power BI as a Tool for Business Intelligence by Yang Towards Competitive intelligence Business intelligence Outward-facing Inward-facing Improves positioning Improves systems Predicts competitors’ moves Guides the business’s moves Relies on third-party data Relies on internal data How Can Business Intelligence Help You Gain Competitive Advantage? Business intelligence can help a company gain an advantage in the marketplace by streamlining its operations, reducing inefficiencies, and identifying new sales opportunities. For example, a company can reduce inventory of stock that isn’t selling, replace it with stock with a higher profit margin, and win over customers with improved sales strategies. How Do Companies Gather Competitive Intelligence? There are several different ways a company can obtain data about its competitors in the market. Your competitors’ own social media, press releases, and annual reports (as applicable) can give insight into their upcoming moves, as can trade magazines and industry reports. Observing and talking with customers and industry experts can also reveal trends in customer opinion and behavior toward your competitors. Power BI Business Analytics & Business Intelligence Big Data How Do You Do Competitive Intelligence ? The competitive intelligence process begins with identifying your competitors, their offerings, and their market position. Once you have identified your rivals, you’ll conduct research and gather information. When you have gathered your data, you must analyze it to draw the conclusions that will form the basis of your action plan. At that point, it’s time to execute your plan. Keep in mind that competitive intelligence is an ongoing process, so you’ll need to continue to monitor your competitors if you want to stay one step ahead. The Bottom Line Business intelligence is a company’s inward-facing analysis that is focused on improving efficiency, and competitive intelligence is outward-facing research that aims to predict a competitor’s next moves. While both competitive intelligence and business intelligence can help a company prosper, understanding the benefits of each will help you get the best insights. Hidden Apple Intelligence Features Revealed Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 beta 2 update brings a suite of advanced AI-driven features for Apple Intelligence designed to transform your user experience. These hidden gems leverage Apple’s innovative AI technology to automate tasks, enhance communication, and create personalized content, ultimately streamlining your daily interactions with your device. Let’s dive into the details of these innovative features. Smart Reply: Effortless Email and Message Responses The Smart Reply feature in iOS 18.1 takes the hassle out of responding to emails and messages. Intelligently analyzing the content of your incoming communications suggests complete, contextually relevant replies. Whether you receive an email requesting …

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How Gen Z Is Changing Business and the Workplace

Microsoft to reinvent office apps with Artificial Intelligence toolsWashington [US], March 17 (ANI): Microsoft is reinventing its Power Platform’s software development, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word, with AI-powered no-code development and adding new features like Copilot. In an event on Thursday (Local Time), the company announced that Microsoft 365 users will soon be able to use what the company is calling an AI “Co-pilot,” Microsoft said in a statement. “Makers now have a live in-studio copilot that helps them build solutions and provides suggestions for improvement. To build an app, flow, or bot, you can describe it using natural language and the copilot can build it in seconds. It is that easy,” the statement read. “Copilot in Power Apps makes it easy to keep data at the centre of every application. Describe your application’s purpose and a data table is automatically generated for your app. Using Copilot, makers can then leverage natural language to refine the app to suit their needs. Now, everyone can build an app, and professional developers can also save more time, by focusing on more complex code, components, and integrations. Learn more about Copilot in Power Apps,” it added. Power BI – Dynamics Solutions Microsoft Power Platform said it has empowered all developers with AI-powered development experiences since 2021. Power Apps was one of the first products to use GPT in a commercial capacity, and express design in Power Apps has enabled makers to automatically turn their drawings, images and Figma documents into app user interfaces (UIs). This union of AI and low code revolutionizes the way solutions are built and fundamentally transforms the way people work, collaborate, and create. In addition to Copilot, and the recent create text with the GPT model feature in AI Builder and conversation boosters in Power Virtual Agents announcements, Microsoft is also announcing another set of AI-powered capabilities across the Microsoft Power Platform. This includes streamlining the user experience with embedded GPT-enabled chatbots in Power Apps, that provide an in-app assistant. It also includes GPT-enabled data exploration in Power Apps, which enables end users to intelligently query their data for immediate and actionable insights. Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Microsoft’s announcement comes a month after it brought similar AI-powered features to Bing and amid a renewed arms race in the tech industry to develop and deploy AI tools that can change how people work, shop and create. Earlier this week, rival Google announced it is also bringing AI to its productivity tools, including Gmail, Sheets and Docs, CNN reported. The news also comes two days after OpenAI, the company behind Microsoft’s artificial intelligence technology and the creator of ChatGPT, unveiled its next-generation model, GPT-4. The update has stunned many users in early tests and a company demo with its ability to draft lawsuits, pass standardized exams and build a working website from a hand-drawn sketch, according to CNN. (ANI) How Gen Z Is Changing Business and the Workplace As the first true digital natives enter the workforce, employers face the challenge of understanding and meeting the unique psychological needs and expectations of Generation (Gen) Z. According to the Pew Research Center, Gen Z includes those born between 1997 and 2012, many of whom are entering the workforce today. Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform A greater understanding of the unique needs of Gen Z can help organizations develop strategies to attract, hire, retain, and engage this up-and-coming generation. For example, as I discuss in my latest book, Experiential Intelligence, engaging in diverse life experiences not only develops new skills but also fosters resilience and agility—traits crucial for future personal and business success. Gen Z intuitively understands this; 90% of Gen Z want to participate in internships, and 70% consider certification courses outside traditional college as a viable path for professional development. These statistics and more come from a recent survey of over 10,000 students across all 50 U.S. states by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), which revealed that: A majority (59%) of youth believe AI will negatively impact society over the next decade. More than half (55%) are highly concerned about AI’s impact on personal privacy, and 62% worry about job displacement. Student debt remains a significant concern, with one-quarter of students expecting to incur $10,000 to $50,000 in debt, but only 14% anticipate family financial assistance Preferred employers include Google, Amazon, and Apple, yet health care and STEM fields remain top job targets. Nearly half (48%) of Gen Z prioritize clear communication skills in an employer. Two-thirds (66%) plan to live at home when starting their first job, with 73% intending to stay for one to two years. So, how can employers effectively engage this next-generation workforce? Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Communicate Clearly. Transparency and straightforward communication are crucial for Gen Z. Nearly half of respondents ranked clear communication as the top employer quality. Organizations should ensure job descriptions, role expectations, and growth opportunities are transparent. Provide Financial Guidance. Gen Z faces unprecedented financial pressures, with many expecting significant student debt and limited family assistance. Employers can differentiate themselves by offering robust financial benefits. Forty-four percent of Gen Z expect employers to help with student loan repayment. Financial wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, and clear career advancement paths can make an organization more appealing to debt-burdened graduates. Promote Social Responsibility. Social responsibility and fairness are paramount to Gen Z. Organizations must cultivate inclusive cultures where everyone’s contributions are recognized and valued. Engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and providing volunteer opportunities can enhance employer attractiveness. Ensuring workplace policies reflect a commitment to fairness and social responsibility can resonate deeply with Gen Z values. Offer Hybrid Work. While Gen Z values flexibility, they also seek in-person interactions. Despite the rise of remote work, only 23% consider remote work options very important. Offering a hybrid work environment that balances remote flexibility with opportunities for in-person collaboration and community building is essential. Investing in modern office spaces that foster …

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Global Edge Data Center Market Predicted to Cross $300B By 2026

Business Intelligence and Analytics Fusion Introduces New AI-Powered Scenario Simulation and Intelligence Suite Fusion Risk Management (Fusion), a provider of cloud-based operational resilience, business continuity, and risk management solutions, is releasing its new Scenario Simulation and Intelligence suite—enabling companies to simulate thousands of possible scenarios against their resilience plans and strategies to identify points of weakness at scale. Posted August 14, 2024 Ridge Security Enhances Proactive Exposure Management with RidgeBot 4.3.3 Ridge Security Technology Inc. is releasing RidgeBot version 4.3.3, introducing a powerful integration that enhances proactive exposure management for organizations—combining RidgeBot’s automated vulnerability detection and validation capabilities with leading vulnerability management (VM) solutions. Posted August 14, 2024 Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform DBTA Readers’ Choice Award Winners (2024) With the recent AI boom, data is being created and generated at unprecedented rates. Per the latest estimates, 402.74 million terabytes of data are created each day. This increase calls for a paradigm shift in company efficiency—quickly enabling enterprises to uncover quality insights and effective organization of this data. To help organizations progress along their data-driven journeys, each year, DBTA presents the Readers’ Choice Awards, which provide the opportunity to recognize companies whose products have been selected by the experts—our readers! Posted August 13, 2024 Rubrik and Mandiant Collaborate to Drive Robust Threat Recovery and Response Rubrik, Inc., the Zero Trust Data Security Company, is unveiling a new partnership with Mandiant, a cyber defense provider which is now part of Google Cloud. This collaboration—which is shaped by three key pillars—serves to help enterprises quickly control their risk against diverse, rampant threats. Posted August 13, 2024 Power BI – Data Visualization Microsoft Power Platform Cribl Partners with 4 Key Players in the Security Space Cribl, the data engine for IT and security, announced four key partnerships with Vijilan, Anvilogic, Securonix, and Anomali, to address growing enterprise IT and security data management challenges. Cribl Stream and Edge products are now integrated with Anvilogic’s innovative security information and event management (SIEM) platform, providing security operations centers (SOC) with best-in-class flexibility, cost efficiency, and control over their security data, according to the vendors. Posted August 12, 2024 Global Edge Data Center Market Predicted to Cross $300B By 2026 Analysis by global real estate consulting firm JLL predicts edge IT infrastructure and data centers will become a $317 billion market globally by 2026, representing a 107% growth from the 2020 market valued at $153 billion. Globally, the growth of edge computing will be influenced by not only the emergence of several technology-based megatrends but also the need for faster data transfer and high computation, as well as factors such as policies and regulations. Posted August 12, 2024 Combine Microsoft and Power BI Microsoft Power BI IBM Provides Generative AI-Powered Cybersecurity Assistant IBM is adding generative AI capabilities to its managed Threat Detection and Response Services utilized by IBM Consulting analysts to advance and streamline security operations for clients. Built on IBM’s watsonx data and AI platform, the new IBM Consulting Cybersecurity Assistant is designed to accelerate and improve the identification, investigation, and response to critical security threats, according to the company. Posted August 12, 2024 Upgrading the DBMS: Poking a House of Cards Regular readers of this column are aware that I am a proponent of getting rid of bad database standards. But sometimes it can be difficult to determine if a particular standard is bad, or just a lot of trouble to comply with! Well, what am I getting at here? Have you ever been thwarted by a global fiat from management? Of course you have, we all have. But I’m talking about a particular type of dictum from above. Something like this: “New software installations, including updated versions and releases, must be supported by current tooling before they can be installed.” Posted August 12, 2024 Advanced Info Service Selects Oracle Alloy to Build Thailand’s Locally Owned and Operated Hyperscale Cloud Advanced Info Service (AIS), one of Thailand’s largest mobile network operators, announced plans to deploy Oracle Alloy and launch AIS Cloud, the country’s first locally owned and operated hyperscale cloud. Oracle Alloy will provide AIS’ customers and all enterprises in Thailand, including the public sector, access to more than 100 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services, including the latest artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Posted August 12, 2024 Supply Wisdom and Fusion Collaborate to Enhance Third-Party Risk Management Effectiveness Supply Wisdom, the market’s full-stack, real-time risk intelligence SaaS platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is partnering with Fusion Risk Management (Fusion), a leading provider of cloud-based operational resilience, business continuity, and risk management solutions—offering Fusion customers a seamless integration for enhanced third-party risk management (TPRM) and operational risk and resilience program needs. Posted August 09, 2024 Cloudera Boosts Metadata Management with New Solution Capabilities Cloudera, a hybrid platform for data, analytics and AI, is introducing two key enhancements to its metadata management solutions, boosting open interoperability within the open data lakehouse and addressing increasing demands for security and governance across the entire data lifecycle. Posted August 08, 2024 Navigating The Good and Bad Of AI Despite the overwhelming promise of AI, its rapid proliferation has been accompanied by some unwanted side effects, including a dramatic uptick in cyberattacks— particularly social engineering attacks like phishing, which have grown 1,265% since late 2022. As a result, organizations across industries are faced with an ever-evolving challenge: balancing the positive use cases associated with AI, such as automated monitoring and streamlined workflows, with its very real risks. Posted August 08, 2024 Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear, Or Was He/She a Diagram? Everyone likes a diagram. Diagrams often help make an issue clear—except when they don’t. There are plenty of diagrams that really do not convey information to the viewer, and that is a sad state for any diagram to find itself in. Maybe, just maybe, not everyone has the proper temperament to create a useful diagram? Before composing a diagram, the diagram-builder needs to be clear about what viewers of the created diagram should gain from viewing …

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