Business intelligence

Reach deeper into your data to make smart decisions, faster

Business intelligence is an exciting set of technologies that enables data to be structured and reported in a business-friendly way. Users can interrogate data and build their own reports; so that analysis can be done more quickly, and more accurately.

Microsoft SQL Server includes Integration Services, Analysis Services and Reporting Services to prepare, structure and report on business data. The result is a way of working that delivers more power and interactivity to the user than traditional data management.

Business intelligence technologies enable you to probe more deeply into data as questions occur to you. Most flat reports can pose more questions than they answer. But decision makers want to know why things have happened—as well as what has happened. For example: if sales dropped in January you might wonder how different regions performed, which products produced higher or lower sales, which salespeople missed their target, or whether sales were particularly high in December or February. Business intelligence enables you to ask and answer these questions.

Creating an intelligent database

A well designed database is at the heart of business intelligence reporting. This may be a relational database or an OLAP cube depending on your requirements. It models the relationships and hierarchies within the data, so you can easily interrogate data at various levels. We work with you to identify the data you will need to answer your particular business questions.

We work with Microsoft SQL Server 2005, 2008 and 2008 R2 as well as other data sources to create OLAP cubes. These can be used with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft SharePoint or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. In most cases, you don’t need to buy any extra software because the business intelligence software is already included with Microsoft SQL Server.

We can also create business intelligence databases from data contained in Microsoft Access databases and other sources.

Analysing and using Data

We work with Microsoft Excel pivot tables, PowerPivot, SharePoint, Microsoft Reporting Services, as well as ASP.NET to create reports that are easy to use. You can have reports published to your intranet, delivered via e-mail or shared in whatever way is most appropriate to your needs. We provide documentation and training if needed to ensure that you can work with the data and create your own reports.

Business intelligence in the Cloud

Microsoft SQL Azure provides data management and reporting for companies that need the flexibility of a cloud solution, with intelligent reports. We are experienced in both SQL Azure and business intelligence technologies to design database and reporting solutions for a range of requirements.

Business intelligence—large or small

The principles behind business intelligence are as applicable to departments in smaller companies as they are to large corporations. Business people in companies of all sizes need information that is useful, and that enables them to make good decisions. Often that information is already within various systems in the business, just not in a form that makes interrogation quick and natural.

We create well-structured databases that are easy and fast to use, regardless of the amount of data being interrogated. We work with you to ensure the right information is available for your needs. Our experience in data management with companies of all sizes means we have seen and solved many of the issues that often arise in creating user-friendly data reporting sources and reports.

If you would like to have an initial chat about how to make some of your data more useful, please contact us→