Many businesses inundated with data tend to tough it out with inadequate analysis tools because they are not aware of how or why business intelligence (BI) solutions can provide value. This article will cover the various ways BI and analytics in general can take your business to the next level and when the right time is to seriously consider implementing an analytics solution. There are many definitions of BI, simply put, it describes...

If you are in the market for a business intelligence (BI) solution these days, you have surely come across, and perhaps have even shortlisted, Microsoft Power BI.  Microsoft seems to have adapted a similar marketing strategy to that used to flood the market with Microsoft Word back in the early 80’s.  Bundling MS Word with other Microsoft software to overtake the competition was indeed successful with MS Word (who uses WordPerfect or...

Accurate and timely inventory information is key to customer satisfaction and a driver for increased productivity and profitability.  Getting a visual and real-time (or near real-time) analytics snapshot of your warehouse could prove an invaluable tool from an operations standpoint. A well implemented and integrated warehouse inventory control system enables you to capture accurate product quantities and locations and gives you...

Unless you’re a member of the underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who rule the earth, the sheer concept of business intelligence can make you feel like a mere mortal navigating your way through The Matrix. It’s ironic, actually. BI, complex as it is, will make certain aspects of your business a whole lot simpler. Fortunately, there are resources like Business Intelligence for Dummies to help guide you – or,...

Modern-day trucking companies face operational challenges far greater than logistics. The rigors of supply chains, higher fuel costs, equipment maintenance and tighter regulations all take their toll. Pair that with the task of managing inventory, and multiple trucks and warehouses, coping with regional difference and tracking shipments in transit. Then further compound the complexity of the trucking business with market impacts (like...

The landscape is changing. In recent years, we’ve seen explosive growth in the need to analyze massive volumes of information from disparate sources both structured and unstructured.  Say you recently helped stage an environment from 100 data sources and 10 source systems for an estimated audience serving 10,000 users. Ten weeks later, due to the sudden success of your integration efforts many new demands are in your backlog, your...