--- title: Business Intelligence Archives description: Home > Business Intelligence What is Business Intelligence (BI)? Business Intelligence Helps You: Boost revenue Stay competitive Manage data Make informed decisions Boost revenue Business intelligence (BI) is a term that encompasses the tools, techniques and technologies for collecting and organizing enterprise data for enterprise reporting and analysis. A company investing in business intelligence seeks to boost revenue, improve performance and grow its business by harnessing transactional and operational information. And there’s another definition.BI is a discipline and a commodity — your company’s data is your business intelligence, to put it simply. But is all data business intelligence? Business intelligence is timely, accurate, high-value and actionable information, and the tools and technologies to gather it. It must be timely — available on demand. Time is money, and nowhere is this more pertinent than in business. Business intelligence must be accurate. Erroneous or missed values could result in wrong decisions that hurt business. It should be business-critical. How many offices you changed in the past ten years isn’t essential, but how many stores you have on the East Coast matters. Business intelligence gives information on your performance and operations — the two areas that impact your bottom line. With the correct information, you can optimize spending by spotting business-critical campaigns that aren’t doing well. You can get accurate market intelligence if you plan to diversify. Stay competitive When some stores sell better than others, you want to replicate their success. Diving deeper into your operational data reveals these outlets have more female employees. Could it be a reason? Netflix keeps you glued to your screen by consistently offering new viewing recommendations. The platform matches your preferences with new releases by tracking your viewing preferences. It’s business intelligence at its best — influencing customer behavior to boost usage. And there’s Spotify. Need we say more? BI includes market intelligence that helps you understand the industry’s workings and what drives it. Aligning product development, marketing campaigns and sales strategies with prevailing trends keeps you competitive. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in modern BI tools help detect useful patterns in data and recommend future action. Manage data BI isn’t always about reporting and analytics. Sometimes, it’s about getting clear insight with simple tabular reports. BI tools make this information available by collecting it from your databases and data warehouses. And there’s big data. It encompasses the various types and volumes of daily information businesses generate — spreadsheets, text documents, reports, videos, websites and usage data from equipment. Modern BI tools have data management capabilities to handle vast, complex data volumes without impacting query performance. Additionally, they work seamlessly with distributed processing platforms like Apache Hadoop. Make informed decisions Decisions drive organizations — some impact the business directly, while others are limited to specific departments. Their timing is critical and, much like real life, can mean the difference between success and failure. BI tools provide up-to-the-minute information. Incorporating it into your decisions can make a sea of difference to your bottom line. BI supports customer analytics, which can help you move ahead of the competition by tapping into your users’ preferences. BI insight reveals trends, gaps and outliers to improve performance by identifying improvement areas. It’s descriptive analytics, informing you about your business performance and market trends using existing and past data. What’s working and what’s not? Should you alter your marketing plan? BI tools give you enough data to justify proposing a new plan to your stakeholders. But BI isn’t limited to reporting existing data. With time, it evolved to support predictive analytics for forecasting business trends. Advanced analytics techniques like decision trees, neural networks and machine learning let you derive future courses of action. Prescriptive analytics is the most valuable aspect of decision-making — confidently finding your way forward based on accurate, high-value data. Is business intelligence the same as business analytics? No, but the two are connected. BI shows you the data as-is — the rest is based on it. Business analytics involves planning and suggesting operational improvements by analyzing BI data. Many business analytics tools are in use in enterprises of all sizes. They’re usually software suites with various products under one brand name. Standalone tools work great too. Many have an open architecture to integrate with other platforms that complement their capabilities. Business intelligence is the umbrella category that includes business analytics, big data analytics, data mining, embedded analytics and enterprise reporting. History of Business Intelligence Storing information has been a human tendency since man painted on cave walls and the Sumerians tracked wheat stock in granaries on stone tablets. As information grew, storing more data in less space became a priority. Information storage evolved rapidly from magnetic tapes to disk drives to database management systems (DBMS). The need to optimize storage pushed the development of relational databases. They worked because splitting the information into smaller parts and separately storing it was economical. Businesses saw an opportunity to use this technology to manage and record transactions like sales, procurement, shipment tracking and customer billing. It was all fine, but senior stakeholders wanted to see this data. The problem was — it resided in disparate systems and was of different types. It drove the development of business intelligence or BI to extract the information housed in separate systems. How It Supports Industry Verticals Organizations use many different software types — ERP, CRM, marketing automation, inventory management, procurement and POS (point-of-sale). These systems incorporate data from various transactional and operational sources. Knowing how they relate to business intelligence and BI systems is essential before a software implementation. Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence It’s a marriage made in heaven. Warehouses draw information from the above systems and standardize it for easy interpretation. BI systems help derive timely, accurate and valuable insight from this warehouse data. ERP and Business Intelligence SAP is the founder of ERP systems that started with finance and accounting and expanded to include human resources and operations packages. It enabled a single company-wide view of data. ERPs came into their own at the turn of the century when the Y2K bug threatened to make legacy systems redundant. ERP companies offered software to replace these legacy systems, adding the latest features. As the demand for real-time updates grew, hard-coding reports became redundant. Users needed more dynamic solutions. ERP vendors started incorporating data warehouses into their product suites and added advanced reporting capabilities. It signaled the advent of business intelligence in ERP. CRM and Business Intelligence Customer relationship management (CRM) manages a company’s prospects, leads and customers. It helps track leads and transactions and provides valuable customer insight for the sales team. Customer data affects all ERP product development, procurement, inventory, accounting and finance areas. It’s why ERP vendors incorporate CRM products into their suites. Tracking customer behavior got enterprises thinking about predicting customer behavior. Ecommerce increased customer touchpoints, giving companies more buyer information. Anticipating customer preferences could help them position themselves better in the market. It drove vendors to merge core CRM capabilities with BI, reporting and analytics. FAQs How does business intelligence work? Business intelligence tools collect data by connecting to your organization’s database or warehouse. Data warehouses source the data from several transactional and operational systems. They cleanse and transform the data, applying data quality rules and converting it into a query-ready format. You can query this data on demand, put it into reports and visualizations and perform deep-dive analysis to drive business processes. Which are some common business intelligence techniques? Big data integration involves gathering data from multiple software platforms, including cloud-based systems, that generate data for your business. Data preparation refers to getting the data ready for analysis by cleansing, correcting and transforming it to a standardized format. Data mining involves identifying useful patterns and trends in data by analyzing it. Benchmarking refers to comparing past and current performance and tracking how the business ranks against competitors. Data querying refers to retrieving data from a database or warehouse using a query language like SQL (structured query language). Data analysis covers what happened and why. Data visualization involves analysis through graphs, charts, tables, maps and text summaries. Reporting consists of viewing and sharing BI and analysis results with stakeholders. Read our business intelligence techniques article to know more. How is traditional business intelligence different from modern BI? Conventional BI methods were IT-dependent and time-consuming. Data got outdated by the time it reached the right people. Modern BI solutions have self-service capabilities and interactivity for independent data exploration. Embedded BI gives you the required information within your business apps — no need to switch to a separate application. Additionally, advanced calculations, augmented analytics and natural language querying differentiate modern BI from traditional methods. Is it the same as data science? No. Business intelligence presents historical and current information, while data science is exploratory. While business intelligence drives decisions, data science supports strategic planning. It involves diving into the metrics to spot outliers, trends and patterns to understand how your business performs and the market works. Data scientists rely on statistics, advanced programming and machine learning. BI deliverables include dashboards, ad hoc requests and reports, while data science helps run predictive models and what-if analyses. Learn more with our Business Intelligence Features article. How are business intelligence and big data related? Big data refers to the vast volumes and varieties of data that organizations, machines and individuals generate daily. Business intelligence refers to using this information to grow your business and improve operations. What is self-service BI? Self-service BI is the capability to report on your organization’s metrics without coding. Irrespective of whether you have programming skills, a solution that lets you explore and manipulate your data to perform the desired tasks is a self-service BI platform. They hide the code behind easy interface actions like selections, drag-and-drop and point-and-click. Menu-based screens make navigation and data exploration effortless for all. With the demand for faster turnarounds, giving more employees access to company data is a trade-off enterprises are willing to make. The result — software vendors offer more user autonomy in their offerings. But, it also puts the onus on them to provide data security with watertight user management protocols. Which industries use business intelligence software? Telecommunications, automotive, financial services, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries use BI platforms. Ecommerce, software technology, healthcare, education, retail and government agencies are others. How do I select a business intelligence system? Your selection criteria are unique to your business, and a lot depends on your organization’s size. How much and what type of data do you collect? What are your deployment needs? Will data migration be involved if you switch to the cloud? Do you need a mobile app? Our free requirements template can help you finalize this list. Create a software comparison matrix of your preferred products to compare them feature by feature. A four-tier scoring system gives you the product low down, ranking each requirement and feature on a scale of Zero to 100, with detailed summaries for every attribute. Get the best-fit solution for your business by following our nine-step Lean Selection Methodology. Reach out to us at support@selecthub.com or 855-850-3850. Read More Resources for Software Selection Business Intelligence Tools Business Intelligence Requirements Template In-Depth Comparison Report Pricing Guide Big Data Analytics Business Analytics Embedded Analytics Enterprise Reporting Most Popular Articles Recent Articles Recent BI ArticlesThe 10 Best Business Intelligence (BI) Tools of 2026Tableau vs. Excel: Why They’re Better TogetherPower BI Direct Lake: A Critical Look at Its Semantic Layer PotentialWhat Is Ad Hoc Reporting? A Comprehensive GuideDescriptive vs Predictive vs Prescriptive vs Diagnostic Analytics See More Business Intelligence Software Reports and Research Quickly find the best assets available for your BI selection research here. Our Market Research Analysts have clearly summarized and reviewed each asset to help you select only the assets you need. BI Price Guide – Asset Repo Preview & Request Tableau vs QlikView vs Power BI Comparison Report Infor Birst Vs. Power BI Vs. Looker Comparison Report BI Software: What Organizations Want and What They Plan to Buy Top 5 Data Visualization Tools Tableau BI Tool Competitors Business Intelligence Tools: What You Need to Know Before Buying Business Intelligence Tools Top 10 Guide 2020 Data Trends and Predictions Leveling the Playing Field with Cloud BI & Analytics Reporting 101 – How to Successfully Build a Dashboard Confidence Comes from Data BI tools selection is complex and beset with problems for both IT buyers and solution providers. We do 3 things to make it fast and simple: FREE Software Selection Platform Our platform provides best-practices, including requirements templates & vendor comparisons, to help you make the right decisions for your unique needs, in a fraction of the time. Try it FREE. Start Selecting Software Aggregated Reviews We have collected every software review available online, crunched every last word using our proprietary Sentiment Analysis algorithms, all so we can tell you how a software product is viewed in its marketplace, retrospectively. Get BI Software Reviews Professional Analysis We relentlessly collect and analyze data about software, then compile and share it so every company in has the same access to the information. The information we gain is then used in our Software Selection platform to help you find the right software. See Analyst’s Top BI Software Picks Your Guides Our industry journalists proudly distill the helpful information you read on SelectHub, always on the mission to share what matters so you can make your best decisions independently. BI articles are written and edited by: Zachary Totah Content Manager As SelectHub’s Content Manager, Zachary Totah leads a team of more than 35 writers and editors in their quest to provide content that helps software buyers find the right system for their company. Show More Hunter Lowe Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. He writes content for Construction, Inventory, Warehouse, and Supply Chain Management. Show More Ritinder Kaur Market Analyst Ritinder Kaur is a Market Analyst who writes content on Business Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Embedded Analytics and Enterprise Reporting. Show More Conner Martin Writer and Researcher Conner Martin is a writer and researcher with a passion for communication and education. Show More Thought Leaders SelectHub has sought out and invited thought leaders to contribute to our BI industry articles and resources. These thought leaders ensure we deliver quality content with the most accurate information, focusing on what matters most. No thought leader is compensated for their contributions, but shares our belief that information should be democratized so everyone can make the best decision. Steve Hilton Co-founder & President, MachNation Steve Hilton is a co-founder and President at MachNation, the leading benchmarking and testing firm for Internet of Things (IoT) middleware and platforms. Show More × Steve Hilton Co-founder and President, MachNation Steve Hilton is a co-founder and President at MachNation, the leading benchmarking and testing firm for Internet of Things (IoT) middleware and platforms. His primary areas of expertise include competitive positioning, marketing media development, cloud services, small and medium businesses, and sales channels. Steve has 26 years’ experience in the technology and communications industry. Prior to founding MachNation, he built and ran the IoT/M2M and Enterprise practice areas at Analysys Mason. He has also held senior positions at Yankee Group, Lucent Technologies, TDS (Telephone and Data Systems), and Cambridge Strategic Management Group. Steve is a frequent speaker at industry and client events, and publishes articles and blogs in several respected trade journals. He holds a degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree in marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Greg Steffine SVP and Director, Analytics Enablement, Key Bank For more than 25 years now, Greg has worked as a business intelligence strategist and solution delivery leader to help business leaders use information to create and maximize value Show More × Greg Steffine Business Intelligence & Analytics Leader MFor more than 25 years now, Greg has worked as a business intelligence strategist and solution delivery leader to help business leaders use information to create and maximize value, from mid-market growth organizations to the Fortune 1000. It is his goal to empower knowledge workers to improve tactical, operational and strategic decision-making through information. Mike Galbraith VP, Technology and Solutions, ThoughtFocus Mike brings many years of experience as an IT executive and CIO, Digital Transformation Leader and Delivery leader for several Fortune 200 companies. Show More × Mike Galbraith VP Technology Strategy & Solutions Mike brings many years of experience as an IT executive and CIO, Digital Transformation Leader and Delivery leader for several Fortune 200 companies. His areas of expertise include global IT strategy, Enterprise Architecture, delivery and operations, Digital Transformation, ERP systems, IoT, Big Data and Analytics. At ThoughtFocus, Mike assists clients in developing capabilities to drive innovation and competitive differentiation. Matthew Pluster Director, Data Analytics, Skylinetechnologies Matthew Pluster is the Director of Data Analytics and Data Platform Solutions at Skyline Technologies, an IT consulting firm that provides world-class solutions and services. Show More × Matthew Pluster Director, Data Analytics, Skylinetechnologies Matthew Pluster is the Director of Data Analytics and Data Platform Solutions at Skyline Technologies, an IT consulting firm that provides world-class solutions and services. He is a data analytics development and implementation specialist with a long history of working with technology strategy. As a solution architect and organizational leader, he has a proven track record of improving decision-making at the enterprise level for many organizations. Ryan Wilson CTO, Build Intelligence Ryan Wilson is currently CTO of Build Intelligence, a Domo Consulting company specializing in the construction industry. Show More × Ryan Wilson CTO, Build Intelligence Ryan Wilson is currently CTO of Build Intelligence, a Domo Consulting company specializing in the construction industry. Ryan has over 9 years of data analytics experience from a handful of positions in various industries ranging from biochemistry to early child care education to semi- conductors, etc. Over the past 3 years Ryan has collectively built dataflows, dashboards, and cards for over 20 companies in Domo. Currently he maintains over 3200 visualizations, 2400 datasets, and 700 dataflows, in addition to leading a team of developers and domo consultants at Build Intelligence. Mike Brody Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc. Mike Brody is a Serial Entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc., makers of a web-based solution for software companies looking to provide ad hoc reporting, dashboards, and analytics to their internal and external customers. Show More × Mike Brody Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc. Mike Brody is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Exago Inc., makers of a web-based solution for software companies looking to provide ad hoc reporting, dashboards, and analytics to their internal and external customers. Since the company’s inception in 2006, Mike has led Exago to its position as a self-funded and profitable player in the business intelligence software market. Most Recent Articles --- [Home](https://www.selecthub.com/) \> Business Intelligence ![What is BI?](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bi-Header.jpg) # What is Business Intelligence (BI)? ## Business Intelligence Helps You: * Boost revenue * Stay competitive * Manage data * Make informed decisions ### Boost revenue Business intelligence (BI) is a term that encompasses the tools, techniques and technologies for collecting and organizing enterprise data for [enterprise reporting](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/enterprise-reporting/) and analysis. A company investing in [business intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/4-key-bi-applications/) seeks to boost revenue, improve performance and grow its business by harnessing transactional and operational information. And there’s another definition.BI is a discipline and a commodity — your company’s data is your business intelligence, to put it simply. But is all data business intelligence? Business intelligence is **timely, accurate, high-value and actionable** information, and the tools and technologies to gather it. * It must be timely — available on demand. Time is money, and nowhere is this more pertinent than in business. * Business intelligence must be accurate. Erroneous or missed values could result in wrong decisions that hurt business. * It should be business-critical. How many offices you changed in the past ten years isn’t essential, but how many stores you have on the East Coast matters. Business intelligence gives information on your performance and operations — the two areas that impact your bottom line. With the correct information, you can optimize spending by spotting business-critical campaigns that aren’t doing well. You can get accurate market intelligence if you plan to diversify. ### Stay competitive When some stores sell better than others, you want to replicate their success. Diving deeper into your operational data reveals these outlets have more female employees. Could it be a reason? Netflix keeps you glued to your screen by consistently offering new viewing recommendations. The platform matches your preferences with new releases by tracking your viewing preferences. It’s business intelligence at its best — influencing customer behavior to boost usage. And there’s Spotify. Need we say more? * BI includes market intelligence that helps you understand the industry’s workings and what drives it. * Aligning product development, marketing campaigns and sales strategies with prevailing trends keeps you competitive. * Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in modern BI tools help detect useful patterns in data and recommend future action. ### Manage data BI isn’t always about reporting and analytics. Sometimes, it’s about getting clear insight with simple tabular reports. BI tools make this information available by collecting it from your databases and [data warehouses](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/data-warehouse/). And there’s big data. It encompasses the various types and volumes of daily information businesses generate — spreadsheets, text documents, reports, videos, websites and usage data from equipment. Modern BI tools have [data management](https://www.selecthub.com/big-data-analytics/data-management/) capabilities to handle vast, complex data volumes without impacting query performance. Additionally, they work seamlessly with distributed processing platforms like [Apache Hadoop](https://www.selecthub.com/p/big-data-analytics-tools/hadoop/). ### Make informed decisions Decisions drive organizations — some impact the business directly, while others are limited to specific departments. Their timing is critical and, much like real life, can mean the difference between success and failure. * BI tools provide up-to-the-minute information. Incorporating it into your decisions can make a sea of difference to your bottom line. * BI supports customer analytics, which can help you move ahead of the competition by tapping into your users’ preferences. * BI insight reveals trends, gaps and outliers to improve performance by identifying improvement areas. It’s descriptive analytics, informing you about your business performance and market trends using existing and past data. What’s working and what’s not? Should you alter your marketing plan? BI tools give you enough data to justify proposing a new plan to your stakeholders. But BI isn’t limited to reporting existing data. * With time, it evolved to support predictive analytics for forecasting business trends. * Advanced analytics techniques like decision trees, neural networks and machine learning let you derive future courses of action. [Prescriptive analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/predictive-descriptive-prescriptive-analytics/) is the most valuable aspect of decision-making — confidently finding your way forward based on accurate, high-value data. Is business intelligence the same as [business analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-analytics/)? No, but the two are connected. BI shows you the data as-is — the rest is based on it. Business analytics involves planning and suggesting operational improvements by analyzing BI data. Many [business analytics tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-analytics-tools/) are in use in enterprises of all sizes. They’re usually software suites with various products under one brand name. Standalone tools work great too. Many have an open architecture to integrate with other platforms that complement their capabilities. Business intelligence is the umbrella category that includes business analytics, [big data analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/big-data-analytics/), data mining, [embedded analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/embedded-bi/) and enterprise reporting. ## History of Business Intelligence Storing information has been a human tendency since man painted on cave walls and the Sumerians tracked wheat stock in granaries on stone tablets. * As information grew, storing more data in less space became a priority. * Information storage evolved rapidly from magnetic tapes to disk drives to database management systems (DBMS). * The need to optimize storage pushed the development of relational databases. They worked because splitting the information into smaller parts and separately storing it was economical. * Businesses saw an opportunity to use this technology to manage and record transactions like sales, [procurement](https://www.selecthub.com/category/eprocurement/), shipment tracking and customer billing. * It was all fine, but senior stakeholders wanted to see this data. The problem was — it resided in disparate systems and was of different types. * It drove the development of business intelligence or BI to extract the information housed in separate systems. ## How It Supports Industry Verticals Organizations use many different software types — [ERP](https://www.selecthub.com/c/erp-software/), [CRM](https://www.selecthub.com/c/crm-software/), [marketing automation](https://www.selecthub.com/c/marketing-automation-software/), [inventory management](https://www.selecthub.com/c/inventory-management-software/), [procurement](https://www.selecthub.com/c/procurement-software/) and [POS (point-of-sale)](https://www.selecthub.com/c/pos-software/). These systems incorporate data from various transactional and operational sources. Knowing how they relate to business intelligence and BI systems is essential before a software implementation. ### Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence It’s a marriage made in heaven. Warehouses draw information from the above systems and standardize it for easy interpretation. BI systems help derive timely, accurate and valuable insight from this warehouse data. ### ERP and Business Intelligence * [SAP](https://www.selecthub.com/p/erp-software/sap-erp/) is the founder of ERP systems that started with finance and accounting and expanded to include human resources and operations packages. It enabled a single company-wide view of data. * ERPs came into their own at the turn of the century when the Y2K bug threatened to make legacy systems redundant. * ERP companies offered software to replace these legacy systems, adding the latest features. * As the demand for real-time updates grew, hard-coding reports became redundant. Users needed more dynamic solutions. * ERP vendors started incorporating data warehouses into their product suites and added advanced reporting capabilities. It signaled the advent of business intelligence in ERP. ### CRM and Business Intelligence [Customer relationship management (CRM)](https://www.selecthub.com/category/customer-relationship-management/) manages a company’s prospects, leads and customers. It helps track leads and transactions and provides valuable customer insight for the sales team. * Customer data affects all ERP product development, procurement, inventory, accounting and finance areas. It’s why ERP vendors incorporate CRM products into their suites. * Tracking customer behavior got enterprises thinking about predicting customer behavior. * Ecommerce increased customer touchpoints, giving companies more buyer information. Anticipating customer preferences could help them position themselves better in the market. It drove vendors to merge core CRM capabilities with BI, reporting and analytics. ## FAQs ### How does business intelligence work? * Business intelligence tools collect data by connecting to your organization’s database or warehouse. * Data warehouses source the data from several transactional and operational systems. * They cleanse and transform the data, applying data quality rules and converting it into a query-ready format. * You can query this data on demand, put it into reports and visualizations and perform deep-dive analysis to drive business processes. ### Which are some common business intelligence techniques? * **[Big data integration](https://www.selecthub.com/big-data-analytics/big-data-integration/)** involves gathering data from multiple software platforms, including cloud-based systems, that generate data for your business. * **Data preparation** refers to getting the data ready for analysis by cleansing, correcting and transforming it to a standardized format. * **Data mining** involves identifying useful patterns and trends in data by analyzing it. * **Benchmarking** refers to comparing past and current performance and tracking how the business ranks against competitors. * **Data querying** refers to retrieving data from a database or warehouse using a query language like SQL (structured query language). * **Data analysis** covers what happened and why. * **Data visualization** involves analysis through graphs, charts, tables, maps and text summaries. * **Reporting** consists of viewing and sharing BI and analysis results with stakeholders. Read our **[business intelligence techniques](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-examples/)** article to know more. ### How is traditional business intelligence different from modern BI? Conventional BI methods were IT-dependent and time-consuming. Data got outdated by the time it reached the right people. Modern BI solutions have self-service capabilities and interactivity for independent data exploration. Embedded BI gives you the required information within your business apps — no need to switch to a separate application. Additionally, advanced calculations, augmented analytics and natural language querying differentiate modern BI from traditional methods. ### Is it the same as data science? No. * Business intelligence presents historical and current information, while data science is exploratory. * While business intelligence drives decisions, data science supports strategic planning. * It involves diving into the metrics to spot outliers, trends and patterns to understand how your business performs and the market works. * Data scientists rely on statistics, advanced programming and machine learning. * BI deliverables include dashboards, ad hoc requests and reports, while data science helps run predictive models and what-if analyses. Learn more with our [Business Intelligence Features](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/critical-business-intelligence-features/) article. ### How are business intelligence and big data related? Big data refers to the vast volumes and varieties of data that organizations, machines and individuals generate daily. Business intelligence refers to using this information to grow your business and improve operations. ### What is self-service BI? [Self-service BI](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/self-service-business-intelligence/) is the capability to report on your organization’s metrics without coding. Irrespective of whether you have programming skills, a solution that lets you explore and manipulate your data to perform the desired tasks is a [self-service BI platform.](https://www.selecthub.com/c/self-service-bi-tools/) They hide the code behind easy interface actions like selections, drag-and-drop and point-and-click. Menu-based screens make navigation and data exploration effortless for all. With the demand for faster turnarounds, giving more employees access to company data is a trade-off enterprises are willing to make. The result — software vendors offer more user autonomy in their offerings. But, it also puts the onus on them to provide data security with watertight user management protocols. ### Which industries use business intelligence software? Telecommunications, automotive, financial services, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries use BI platforms. Ecommerce, software technology, healthcare, education, retail and government agencies are others. ### How do I select a business intelligence system? Your selection criteria are unique to your business, and a lot depends on your organization’s size. * How much and what type of data do you collect? * What are your deployment needs? * Will data migration be involved if you switch to the cloud? * Do you need a mobile app? Our [free requirements template](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-requirements-template-site-vers) can help you finalize this list. Create a [software comparison matrix](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-software-analyst-report-site-vers) of your preferred products to compare them feature by feature. A four-tier scoring system gives you the product low down, ranking each requirement and feature on a scale of Zero to 100, with detailed summaries for every attribute. Get the best-fit solution for your business by following our nine-step **[Lean Selection Methodology](https://www.selecthub.com/miscellaneous/technology-selection/software-evaluation/)**. Reach out to us at [support@selecthub.com](mailto:support@selecthub.com) or [855-850-3850](tel:855-850-3850). Read More ## Resources for Software Selection [Business Intelligence Tools ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) [Business Intelligence Requirements Template ](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-requirements-template-site-vers/) [In-Depth Comparison Report ](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-software-analyst-report-site-vers/) **Pricing Guide** [Big Data Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/big-data-analytics/) [Business Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-analytics/) [Embedded Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/embedded-analytics/) [Enterprise Reporting](https://www.selecthub.com/category/enterprise-reporting/) ## Most Popular Articles ## Recent Articles Recent BI Articles * ### [The 10 Best Business Intelligence (BI) Tools of 2026](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/best-bi-tools/) * ### [Tableau vs. Excel: Why They’re Better Together](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/tableau-and-excel/) * ### [Power BI Direct Lake: A Critical Look at Its Semantic Layer Potential](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/power-bi-direct-lake/) * ### [What Is Ad Hoc Reporting? A Comprehensive Guide](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/importance-ad-hoc-reporting/) * ### [Descriptive vs Predictive vs Prescriptive vs Diagnostic Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/predictive-descriptive-prescriptive-analytics/) [See More](#moreArticles) ## Business Intelligence Software Reports and Research Quickly find the best assets available for your BI selection research here. Our Market Research Analysts have clearly summarized and reviewed each asset to help you select only the assets you need. BI Price Guide – Asset Repo ![Top ERP Software for Discrete Manufacturing]() **Preview & Request** [Tableau vs QlikView vs Power BI Comparison Report](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/tableau-vs-qlikview-vs-power-bi-comparison-report/) [Infor Birst Vs. Power BI Vs. Looker Comparison Report](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/infor-birst-vs-power-bi-vs-looker-comparison-report/) [BI Software: What Organizations Want and What They Plan to Buy](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/what-organizations-want-and-what-they-plan-to-buy/) [Top 5 Data Visualization Tools](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/top-5-data-visualization-tools/) [Tableau BI Tool Competitors](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/tableau-bi-tool-competitors/) [Business Intelligence Tools: What You Need to Know Before Buying](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/what-you-need-to-know-before-buying/) [Business Intelligence Tools Top 10 Guide](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-tools-top-10-guide/) [2020 Data Trends and Predictions](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/sigma-2020-data-trends/) [Leveling the Playing Field with Cloud BI & Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/leveling-the-playing-field-with-cloud-bi-and-analytics/) [Reporting 101 – How to Successfully Build a Dashboard](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/reporting-101-how-to-successfully-build-a-dashboard/) ## Confidence Comes from Data BI tools selection is complex and beset with problems for both IT buyers and solution providers. **We do 3 things to make it fast and simple:** ### FREE Software Selection Platform Our platform provides best-practices, including requirements templates & vendor comparisons, to help you make the right decisions for your unique needs, in a fraction of the time. Try it FREE. [Start Selecting Software ](https://www.selecthub.com/about/start-free-selection-project-site/) ### Aggregated Reviews We have collected every software review available online, crunched every last word using our proprietary Sentiment Analysis algorithms, all so we can tell you how a software product is viewed in its marketplace, retrospectively. [Get BI Software Reviews ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) ### Professional Analysis We relentlessly collect and analyze data about software, then compile and share it so every company in has the same access to the information. The information we gain is then used in our Software Selection platform to help you find the right software. [See Analyst’s Top BI Software Picks ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) ## Your Guides Our industry journalists proudly distill the helpful information you read on SelectHub, always on the mission to share what matters so you can make your best decisions independently. BI articles are written and edited by: [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/zachary-totah/) ### Zachary Totah Content Manager As SelectHub’s Content Manager, Zachary Totah leads a team of more than 35 writers and editors in their quest to provide content that helps software buyers find the right system for their company. [ Show More](https://www.selecthub.com/author/zachary-totah/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/hunter-lowe/) ### Hunter Lowe Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. He writes content for Construction, Inventory, Warehouse, and Supply Chain Management. [ Show More](https://www.selecthub.com/author/hunter-lowe/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/ritinder-kaur/) ### Ritinder Kaur Market Analyst Ritinder Kaur is a Market Analyst who writes content on Business Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Embedded Analytics and Enterprise Reporting. [ Show More](https://www.selecthub.com/author/ritinder-kaur/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/conner-martin/) ### Conner Martin Writer and Researcher Conner Martin is a writer and researcher with a passion for communication and education. [ Show More](https://www.selecthub.com/author/conner-martin/) ## Thought Leaders SelectHub has sought out and invited thought leaders to contribute to our BI industry articles and resources. These thought leaders ensure we deliver quality content with the most accurate information, focusing on what matters most. No thought leader is compensated for their contributions, but shares our belief that information should be democratized so everyone can make the best decision. ![Steve Hilton]() ### Steve Hilton Co-founder & President, MachNation Steve Hilton is a co-founder and President at MachNation, the leading benchmarking and testing firm for Internet of Things (IoT) middleware and platforms. [ Show More](#open-modal-10) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Steve Hilton]() ### Steve Hilton Co-founder and President, MachNation Steve Hilton is a co-founder and President at MachNation, the leading benchmarking and testing firm for Internet of Things (IoT) middleware and platforms. His primary areas of expertise include competitive positioning, marketing media development, cloud services, small and medium businesses, and sales channels. Steve has 26 years’ experience in the technology and communications industry. Prior to founding MachNation, he built and ran the IoT/M2M and Enterprise practice areas at Analysys Mason. He has also held senior positions at Yankee Group, Lucent Technologies, TDS (Telephone and Data Systems), and Cambridge Strategic Management Group. Steve is a frequent speaker at industry and client events, and publishes articles and blogs in several respected trade journals. He holds a degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree in marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. ![Greg Steffine]() ### Greg Steffine SVP and Director, Analytics Enablement, Key Bank For more than 25 years now, Greg has worked as a business intelligence strategist and solution delivery leader to help business leaders use information to create and maximize value [ Show More](#open-modal) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Greg Steffine]() ### Greg Steffine Business Intelligence & Analytics Leader MFor more than 25 years now, Greg has worked as a business intelligence strategist and solution delivery leader to help business leaders use information to create and maximize value, from mid-market growth organizations to the Fortune 1000\. It is his goal to empower knowledge workers to improve tactical, operational and strategic decision-making through information. ![Mike Galbraith]() ### Mike Galbraith VP, Technology and Solutions, ThoughtFocus Mike brings many years of experience as an IT executive and CIO, Digital Transformation Leader and Delivery leader for several Fortune 200 companies. [ Show More](#open-modal-4) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Mike Galbraith]() ### Mike Galbraith VP Technology Strategy & Solutions Mike brings many years of experience as an IT executive and CIO, Digital Transformation Leader and Delivery leader for several Fortune 200 companies. His areas of expertise include global IT strategy, Enterprise Architecture, delivery and operations, Digital Transformation, ERP systems, IoT, Big Data and Analytics. At ThoughtFocus, Mike assists clients in developing capabilities to drive innovation and competitive differentiation. ![Matthew Pluster]() ### Matthew Pluster Director, Data Analytics, Skylinetechnologies Matthew Pluster is the Director of Data Analytics and Data Platform Solutions at Skyline Technologies, an IT consulting firm that provides world-class solutions and services. [ Show More](#open-modal-7) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Matthew Pluster]() ### Matthew Pluster Director, Data Analytics, Skylinetechnologies Matthew Pluster is the Director of Data Analytics and Data Platform Solutions at Skyline Technologies, an IT consulting firm that provides world-class solutions and services. He is a data analytics development and implementation specialist with a long history of working with technology strategy. As a solution architect and organizational leader, he has a proven track record of improving decision-making at the enterprise level for many organizations. ![Ryan Wilson]() ### Ryan Wilson CTO, Build Intelligence Ryan Wilson is currently CTO of Build Intelligence, a Domo Consulting company specializing in the construction industry. [ Show More](#open-modal-3) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Ryan Wilson]() ### Ryan Wilson CTO, Build Intelligence Ryan Wilson is currently CTO of Build Intelligence, a Domo Consulting company specializing in the construction industry. Ryan has over 9 years of data analytics experience from a handful of positions in various industries ranging from biochemistry to early child care education to semi- conductors, etc. Over the past 3 years Ryan has collectively built dataflows, dashboards, and cards for over 20 companies in Domo. Currently he maintains over 3200 visualizations, 2400 datasets, and 700 dataflows, in addition to leading a team of developers and domo consultants at Build Intelligence. ![Mike Brody]() ### Mike Brody Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc. Mike Brody is a Serial Entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc., makers of a web-based solution for software companies looking to provide ad hoc reporting, dashboards, and analytics to their internal and external customers. [ Show More](#open-modal-5) [×](#modal-close "Close") ![Mike Brody]() ### Mike Brody Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Exago Inc. Mike Brody is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Exago Inc., makers of a web-based solution for software companies looking to provide ad hoc reporting, dashboards, and analytics to their internal and external customers. Since the company’s inception in 2006, Mike has led Exago to its position as a self-funded and profitable player in the business intelligence software market. ## Most Recent Articles [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Siloed reports, slow decision-making and missed opportunities can hold your business back. The right business intelligence tools cut through the noise, turning raw data into clear, actionable insights. To help you get the best fit for your needs, our analyst team spent hundreds of hours researching the market to find the 10 best BI tools. So whether you’re looking for better reporting, predictive analytics or an intuitive way to sift through your data, these tools are the best of the best. Ritinder KaurThe 10 Best Business Intelligence (BI) Tools of 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/best-bi-tools/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Can Tableau dethrone Excel? I think not. CEOs will tell you that dashboards in [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) aren’t everything. They would rather have somebody explain what’s happening and take it from there. If your team already uses Excel and you wonder if Tableau would be overkill, this article is for you. In this Tableau vs. Excel comparison, we’ll examine the two tools and explore how they can serve you better together — there are no clear winners here. Ritinder KaurTableau vs. Excel: Why They’re Better Together [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/tableau-and-excel/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Direct Lake in Microsoft Fabric is a query technology that lets [Power BI](https://www.selecthub.com/p/business-intelligence-tools/power-bi/) users create semantic data models from OneLake. It’s a step up from Direct Query and Import Mode and intends to remedy their limitations. This article takes a closer look at how it fares in supporting Power BI to be more agile and efficient, especially in light of the [AtScale TPC-DS Benchmark Report](https://www.atscale.com/resource/performance-benchmark-powerbi-directlake-snowflake/). Ritinder KaurPower BI Direct Lake: A Critical Look at Its Semantic Layer Potential [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/power-bi-direct-lake/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) [Enterprise reporting](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/enterprise-reporting/) is the pillar of business intelligence and analytics — where would we be without reports? Though Excel supports insights on the fly, modern enterprises want more robust and faster ad hoc reporting tools. In this article, we discuss their applications, benefits and features, with the challenges in implementing them. Ritinder KaurWhat Is Ad Hoc Reporting? A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/importance-ad-hoc-reporting/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) In 2004, when Hurricane Frances hit Florida’s Atlantic coast, people were ready…with six packs of beer and, wait for it, pop-tarts! Days before the hurricane hit, Walmart had stocked up on the stuff in stores that were in the hurricane’s path, thanks to predictive and prescriptive analytics. Learning customer preferences with [business analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-analytics/) paid off for the retailer — they registered huge sales at the time. Ritinder KaurDescriptive vs Predictive vs Prescriptive vs Diagnostic Analytics [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/predictive-descriptive-prescriptive-analytics/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) You pull up to your doctor’s office, ready to queue up and answer a legion of questions about your health, but before you get a complete sentence out, the receptionist has your entire medical history at her fingertips. How? Hospital business intelligence leverages [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) to document patient records, improve medical processes and offer guidance. Payal TikaitHospital Business Intelligence: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/hospital-business-intelligence/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Many manufacturers obsess about performance. They have good reason to do so. In a world where products can be copied too easily by rivals, superior [manufacturing productivity](https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-10-26/manufacturing-s-productivity-myth) and profitability may be the only way to come out on top. Performance involves metrics and indicators to see where you are and what you should do about it. Manufacturing KPIs (key performance indicators) play a critical role. Ilan HertzHow Manufacturing KPIs and BI Let You Track and Improve Performance [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/manufacturing-kpis-and-bi/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Tableau is a market leader in providing analytics and data visualization in one platform. Despite a large fan base that swears by Tableau, other [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) are disrupting the market. Domo is one such embedded analytics and automated data discovery tool. In this article, we break down the Domo vs. Tableau comparison feature-by-feature, with Tableau taking the crown. Ritinder KaurTableau vs Domo: Which BI Tool is the Winner? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/tableau-and-domo/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Excel organizes data for visual analysis and exploration using functions, formulas and arrays. You can build data models, charts and graphs from simple tables. Did you know Excel supports machine learning (ML) and natural language querying (NLQ)? The platform stays relevant by offering new features and interfacing with many [BI (business intelligence) tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/). But, is Excel for business intelligence enough or do you need to invest in a [BI platform](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/key-types-business-intelligence-tools/)? Ritinder KaurExcel For Business Intelligence: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/excel-for-bi-tool-using-replacing/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) According to [6sense](https://6sense.com/tech/business-intelligence-bi/tableausoftware-vs-microstrategy), Tableau claims a 15.03% share in the BI market, while MicroStrategy carries 1.53%. That’s a large gap, and yet MicroStrategy emerges as a Tableau competitor in big data analytics. This article intends to support your [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) search with a MicroStrategy vs. Tableau comparison. As Tableau comes out on top, it’s worth diving into the details. Ritinder KaurMicroStrategy vs Tableau: Which BI Software Is the Winner? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/tableau-and-microstrategy/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Businesses need to make sense of the personal, transactional, behavioral or attitudinal data they generate. Deciphering this information requires a robust understanding of business intelligence concepts and powerful software. Let’s explore these ideas for some clarity on how [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) work. Payal TikaitBusiness Intelligence Concepts, Components and Applications [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-concepts/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) As today’s modern businesses attempt to become more data-driven, they adopt [business intelligence (BI)](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) to make sense of all the data they collect. You’ll find businesses of all sizes in all industries using [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) to optimize their processes and make better decisions, including those in the healthcare industry. Through BI, the massive amount of data that the healthcare industry generates can be analyzed and transformed into impactful actions that improve performance and quality of care. We’ll take a look at what healthcare BI is, what it does, what benefits it provides, as well as a list of the best healthcare BI software tools currently available on the market. Hsing TsengThe 5 Best Healthcare BI Software Tools for 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/bi-software-healthcare/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) If you’re drowning in raw data, [business intelligence software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) is a must-have tool for extracting usable insights. Depending on your needs, there are many business intelligence use cases to get the most out of your chosen solution. Conner MartinBusiness Intelligence Use Cases: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-use-cases/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Data is everything. Pushing a new product or launching new services without [business intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) to light the way through the vast data landscape is a recipe for disaster. A data management platform organizes, stores and analyzes raw data in tandem with [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) to show you the path of least resistance toward success. Payal TikaitWhat is a Data Management Platform (DMP)? The Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/data-management-platform/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) You’ve probably heard the saying, “work smarter, not harder.” That turn of phrase might as well have been invented for business intelligence tools. [Business intelligence software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) (BI) comprises a range of data analytics tools that analyze and manage data related to your business operations. Some of the benefits of business intelligence software’s rich visualization capabilities allow businesses to monitor sales, logistics and even productivity. Payal Tikait15 Key Benefits of Business Intelligence Software [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-software-benefits/) [Big Data](https://www.selecthub.com/category/big-data-analytics/), [Business Analytics](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-analytics/), [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Would you believe that over [100,000 business analytics jobs](https://hbr.org/2023/02/why-retailers-fail-to-adopt-advanced-data-analytics) were posted in the U.S. as of Feb. 2023? As new blood fills the industry and demand for [BI](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) skills skyrockets, understanding business analytics vs. data analytics is crucial. This article breaks it down with the associated roles, courses and certifications. Plus, it has information for software buyers. Which tool should you choose? Ritinder KaurBusiness Analytics vs. Data Analytics: What’s the Difference? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-analytics/web-analytics-and-business-analytics/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) In business intelligence, there’s an unusual paradox in [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) today. The market is projected to grow at a rapid pace for the next four years, but is currently lingering. Traditional factors that often lead to BI adoption success are starting to lose influence. Today, relying on a VP or C-level executive to champion a BI initiative to success isn’t enough. What’s needed is a more coordinated approach across organizational, process and technological areas of a company’s BI implementation roadmap strategy to get the greatest value possible. To increase the probability of success for business intelligence adoption in an organization, it’s important to take into account a series of factors found from an organizational, process and technological perspective. Louis ColumbusBI Adoption and Implementation Strategies [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/5-strategies-increasing-bi-adoption/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Understanding how business intelligence works is a critical tool in the belt of industry veterans and newcomers alike. [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) can seem hard to approach and overly complex without basic knowledge of how it works. In this article, we’ll cover a brief history of BI, some important processes and features, and burning questions users have on the topic. Conner MartinHow Business Intelligence Works: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/how-business-intelligence-works/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) When it comes to cutting-edge [business intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) and analytics tools, the SAS, SAP BI vs. Power BI comparison covers it. The three products are analytics market leaders with the latest capabilities that set them miles ahead of their competitors. However, Power BI leads the pack. Let’s see how. Ritinder KaurSAS vs SAP vs Power BI [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/sas-and-sap-and-power-bi/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) If you’ve ever discussed how you can gain greater insight into your processes, you’ve likely heard of [business intelligence tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/), also known as BI. But what does BI do exactly? How is it helpful? How can you make sure you set yourself up for success when using it? This article aims to answer those questions and more when it comes to how to build a successful business intelligence strategy. So let’s get started. Bergen AdairGuide to Building a Successful Business Intelligence Strategy [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-strategy/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Self-service [business intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) empowers different teams, including product, marketing, sales, finance, operations and more, to answer data questions without relying on IT teams for [ad hoc reporting](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/importance-ad-hoc-reporting/) requests. Self-service [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) help users gain valuable data insights to make robust decisions and attain business objectives within a stipulated time. Instead of using gut instincts and premonitions, BI tools rely on data to generate interpretations, make forecasts and create a data-driven culture. Payal TikaitWhat is Self-Service Business Intelligence? The Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/self-service-business-intelligence/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) The name Microsoft speaks for itself. This technology leader offers a rich palette of [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/). But which platform will work for your unique needs? This article dissects Microsoft BI tools with their benefits and key features. By the end, you’ll be ready to proceed with software selection if you’re a buyer. If you’re a student, you’ll gain in-depth information about Microsoft BI systems. Ritinder KaurEverything You Need to Know about Microsoft Business Intelligence Tools [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/microsoft-business-intelligence-tools/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) When choosing a Business Intelligence software solution, it’s important to have a bird’s eye view of the overall offerings of each platform, and how those features dovetail into an entrepreneur’s needs. In this article, we’ll be comparing three leaders in the space: Cognos, SAS and MicroStrategy. SelectHubMicrostrategy vs Cognos vs SAS: Which BI Tool is the Winner? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/cognos-and-sas-and-microstrategy/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) [Business intelligence tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) are quickly becoming a necessity in the world of data, commerce and software. BI tools organize data, create visualizations, promote collaboration and make data literacy accessible to all employees. But there are so many different types of BI software that it can be hard to keep them straight. This article will explain specifically open source BI tools, the pros and cons of open source as opposed to closed, and how to select your own open source business intelligence tools. Bergen AdairOpen Source Business Intelligence Tools: Pros and Cons [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/open-source-bi-tools/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) The vendor is phasing out your data mining platform. You want to stick around by upgrading to the new version, but it won’t have your preferred features. It’s time to move on to another [BI tool](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) but which one? This article showcases the top data mining tools to help you select the right system. Ritinder KaurThe 5 Best Data Mining Tools of 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/data-mining-tools/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Effective [business intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) (BI) is critical for enterprises to generate revenue and maximize their ROI. With data increasing in complexity and volume every day, businesses need something more out of their [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) than a traditional database to store historical and transactional information for analytics. Many companies want live insights as well, and analyzing big data in real time requires a solution beyond a regular database. A data warehouse is a big data storage system that enables data management for enterprise reporting and data analytics. Ritinder KaurWhat is Data Warehouse? Ultimate Guide to the Data Warehouse System [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/what-is-data-warehouse/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) [Business intelligence software](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) like Power BI Desktop is perpetually free but limited in functionality — you can create content but not share it with others unless you get a Pro or Premium license. But which one? This article breaks down the Power BI Pro vs. Premium comparison. The discussion includes the Premium Per User (PPU) license, which offers all the Pro capabilities and Premium benefits at the user level. Ritinder KaurPower BI Pro vs Premium: What’s The Difference? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/power-bi-pro-and-premium/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Ask an analyst about the most interesting part of their job, and you’ll most likely hear about creating data visualizations. Transforming incomprehensible numbers into images that the visually-centered human brain can understand is an exciting puzzle. Data visualization and [business intelligence tools](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) help you create and analyze effective visuals that connect with your audience. Payal TikaitWhat is Data Visualization? A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/data-visualization/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Though we associate early [business intelligence (BI)](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) with reporting, it’s never been about simply displaying figures and numbers. Humans have always analyzed information to make deductions and decisions. It’s what makes us superior to other species. Where does data analytics fit when seeking [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/), and how will it impact your buying decision? This article includes these and other frequently asked questions about business intelligence and data analytics. Ritinder KaurBusiness Intelligence And Data Analytics: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-and-data-analytics/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Emily owns a bakery that’s famous for its cupcakes and doughnuts, and she’s happy with how her business flourishes within a short period. However, her products sell quickly, and she can’t adequately meet customer demand before long. After researching some business intelligence examples, she decides to invest in a [business intelligence solution](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/). Payal TikaitThe 7 Top Business Intelligence Examples of 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-examples/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Cloud data warehouses are the next best thing to happen to information storage after massively parallel processing (MPP) databases. Considering the cloud component, how will they complement your existing [business intelligence systems](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence-tools/) and tech stack? What will it entail, and do you have the budget? In this article, we discuss their evolution from relational databases and the challenges, some best practices and considerations to keep in mind before choosing one for your organization. Ritinder KaurCloud Data Warehouses: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/cloud-data-warehouses/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) The list of dos and don’ts can be long when tasked with acquiring a suitable [BI (business intelligence) solution](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) for your company. You need to balance the business intelligence capabilities with cost, a short learning curve and watertight security. You must check for data quality, user autonomy, interactivity and visualization capabilities. The list goes on. Amidst this noise, having a list of essential capabilities saves time. Ritinder KaurThe Big List of Business Intelligence Capabilities [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/list-bi-capabilities/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) This article dives deep into the world of business intelligence integration. We’ll explore the basics, walk you through the integration process and unveil the benefits BI brings to your organization. Industry experts share their valuable insights, and there’s a curated list of [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/). We’ll examine the key features to consider and explore the future trends shaping the BI landscape. Let’s dive in! Ritinder KaurUnlocking Data Insights: A Comprehensive Guide to Business Intelligence Integration [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-software-integration/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Imagine navigating rush hour traffic while blindfolded and in a new car. You don’t know all the controls, and you didn’t bother to ask. Disaster! It’s a reality for many businesses struggling to harness their [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/). In this article, we delve into the nitty-gritty of business intelligence implementation. It includes nuggets of wisdom and experience from my interview with Anurag Sanghai, Principal Solutions Architect with Intellicus Technologies. Ritinder KaurBusiness Intelligence Implementation: A Comprehensive Guide [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-implementation/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Power BI is an obvious choice when seeking [BI (business intelligence) software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/). What’s not to like? It’s affordable, easy to use and carries the Microsoft name. But, unlike the Coca-Cola recipe, its development code isn’t top-secret, and other products are catching up fast with competitive functionality. If you’re on the fence about using Power BI, you’re in the right place. This article discusses the results of our analyst research for Power BI alternatives. Ritinder KaurTop Power BI Alternatives And Competitors [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/power-bi-alternatives/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Negotiating a contract and finalizing a [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) vendor depends on how well you match suppliers to your requirements using a request for proposal (RFP). How is a business intelligence RFP different from an RFI and RFQ? Do you need all three, and in what order? This article discusses these documents and how an RFP supports preliminary vendor outreach. Ritinder KaurHow to Create an Effective Business Intelligence (BI) RFP [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-rfp-template-guide/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) Is your data scattered to the wind with no way to make sense of it? Are legacy reports eating into your time without giving returns? You don’t have to stick with your current system if your business is suffering. Modern [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) come in various flavors and forms, and dashboard software is one such category of solutions. This article discusses the benefits and features of the best dashboard software and answers common questions about visual analysis tools. Ritinder KaurThe 5 Best Dashboard Software of 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/businesses-need-dashboard-software/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) (BI) is sourcing, blending and visualizing proprietary data to identify data trends and patterns that help enterprises define and improve their business strategy. BI tools pull data in its myriad forms – unstructured, semi-structured and structured – from many sources, and then cleanse, prepare and transform it for easy visual analysis. Ritinder KaurPentaho vs Tableau: Which Business Intelligence Software is the Winner? [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/pentaho-and-tableau/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) The post-pandemic phase saw a boom in [BI software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) investments, especially the cloud. Remote work had finally come of age. Automated data pipelines, app marketplaces, AI-ML technologies and GenAI have become trending topics. In the future, which business intelligence trends will persist, and which ones will lose steam? This article delves into the future of BI by discussing the key trends expected to shape this domain in 2024. Ritinder KaurBusiness Intelligence Trends In 2026: Future Of BI [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/business-intelligence-trends/) [Business Intelligence](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/) For many teams, the high cost of top [BI tools](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) puts them out of reach. That’s where free BI tools step in, offering powerful analytics without the hefty price tag. The challenge? Not every free tool is created equal, and the wrong choice could leave you with more frustration than insight. Ritinder KaurThe 5 Best Free BI Software Tools of 2026 [read more](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/free-business-intelligence-tools/) * ‹ * 1 * [2](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/page/2/) * [›](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/page/2/) ### BI Price Guide #### BI Pricing Guide for 2026 See the **Price/User** for the top Business Analytics Software... plus the most important considerations and questions to ask. **Get Pricing Guide** ### Score Card [ Create Your Scorecard Easily shortlist the best BI vendors now. Build requirements from templates ![downarrow](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/arrow.png) See the products that match ![Scorecard](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/score.png) ](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-requirements-in-minutes/?category=Business%20Intelligence%20Tools) ### BI Requirements [ **Requirements Template for BI Tools** Jump-start your selection project with a free, pre-built, customizable BI Tools requirements template. ](https://pmo.selecthub.com/bi-requirements-template-site-vers/) ### Other BI Resources #### **See the BI Leaders and Get:** [ BI Software Demos](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) [ Price Quotes on BI Software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/business-intelligence-tools/) [ BI Buying Trends](https://www.selecthub.com/business-intelligence/key-types-business-intelligence-tools/) [ Reports and Research](https://www.selecthub.com/category/business-intelligence/#repandresrch) ```json {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"CollectionPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.selecthub.com\/category\/business-intelligence\/","url":"https:\/\/www.selecthub.com\/category\/business-intelligence\/","name":"What is Business Intelligence (BI)? 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