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Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Trends and tips for using business intelligence and analytics in retail

  Read about business intelligence trends in the retail industry and get tips for using BI and analytics technology, with real-world examples from retailers. Continue Reading

• Trends and tips for using business intelligence in financial services

  Find out about new business intelligence (BI) trends in the financial services industry and get tips from experts for using BI within financial organizations. Continue Reading

• Should we use traditional or agile software development processes?

  Find out if your company should use agile software development processes or traditional ones plus learn what type of projects work best for traditional and agile methods. Continue Reading

• What is Enterprise 2.0?

  What is Enterprise 2.0? Find out with a definition from an expert. Learn about emerging trends in Enterprise 2.0 technology and learn the latest Enterprise 2.0 terms. Continue Reading

• How to explain and define business intelligence to mid-management

  In this Q/A, find out how to explain and define business intelligence for middle-level managers and learn how decision support services are linked to BI. Continue Reading

• Do we need business intelligence (BI) tools to be successful?

  Get an expert's take on whether you need business intelligence (BI) tools to be successful and learn about low cost business intelligence including cheap and open source BI tools.Continue Reading

• How to find user groups for business intelligence professional networking

  Get a career in the business intelligence (BI) industry by networking with other BI professionals. Learn what BI institutions, industries and groups you should join to meet other BI specialists and earn a BI job.Continue Reading

• What business intelligence tools are most important to learn today?

  Looking to get an education in business intelligence? Find out what BI tools and software you should study and what important concepts you should know. Also, find out what the top BI products are in today's market.Continue Reading

• What does it take to become a business intelligence (BI) analyst?

  Want to become a business intelligence (BI) analyst? Find out if becoming a BI analyst is a good career choice and what it takes to become a successful BI analyst with advice from a BI career expert.Continue Reading

• What industries are looking for certified business intelligence (BI) professionals?

  Find out what industries are looking for certified business intelligence (BI) professionals and how to find a BI job if you're recently certified in BI and data warehousing.Continue Reading

• Real-life examples of effective dashboard design

  Browse through these optimized dashboard examples from BITadvisors, Inc., including examples of strategic, tactical and operational dashboards. Find out how to encourage interactivity in dashboards and how to set up your dashboard.Continue Reading

• Executive dashboards and data visualization trends and future outlook

  Discover new opportunities in executive dashboards and data visualization and learn about executive dashboards and data visualization trends from expert contributor Mark Whitehorn.Continue Reading

• Q/A: Working with dashboard editors for streamlining and increased user adoption

  In this Q/A, learn what a dashboard is and how it affects business intelligence (BI). Find out who should use dashboards, how enterprises can streamline their dashboards and increase user adoption. Also, find out what role a dashboard editor should ...Continue Reading

• Ten key elements for effective dashboard design

  Learn why focusing on business needs, including current data and key performance metrics, is an effective design strategy for encouraging dashboard usability.Continue Reading

• The importance of metadata management in EIM

  Metadata management is an important part of enterprise information management (EIM). Find out why and how a metadata management strategy provides context to a company's information, systems and data assets.Continue Reading

• What industries are using enterprise information management (EIM)?

  Find out if your industry can benefit from enterprise information management (EIM) and what kinds of organizations are using EIM, including companies whose primary asset is data and information.Continue Reading

• A definition of enterprise information management (EIM)

  What is enterprise information management (EIM)? Get an enterprise information management (EIM) definition, learn what an EIM system can do and how an EIM strategy can address data integration challenges.Continue Reading

• How to design a project proposal draft and project management schedule

  Learn how to create an effective project proposal draft and a realistic project management schedule and find out what factors often affect project phases with this tip.Continue Reading

• How to gather business intelligence reporting requirements from BI users

  Gather business intelligence reporting requirements from BIend-users with six questions from an expert. Learn if you should use a reporting requirement template during the evaluation process for business intelligence (BI) projects.Continue Reading

• Fastest way to learn business intelligence (BI)

  Find out how you can learn business intelligence (BI), get business intelligence training and discover why analytics is the key to marketing efforts in this BI tip.Continue Reading

• Examining different data access methods: OLAP and data mining

  Learn about the different types of data access methods including OLAP and data mining, find out about using query languages to access data warehouses and SQL and OLAP's role in accessing data.Continue Reading

• What are the best analytical tools for business intelligence for finance?

  Learn about business intelligence for finance, compare financial business intelligence tools and discover some of the best pattern matching and analytical tools for the financial services.Continue Reading

• How to start a career with a master's degree in business intelligence

  Learn how to use a master's degree in business intelligence to start a career in business intelligence and data warehousing and find out about the IT job market for business intelligence jobs.Continue Reading

• How to earn Business Objects certification and specialize in SAP BI

  Earning a Business Objects (BO) certification can help your business intelligence career. Find out why SAP BI and Business Objects reporting functions are hot areas in the BI job market.Continue Reading

• Implementing your BI consolidation program

  Learn how to successfully implement your BI consolidation program, including how to build a business case for the business intelligence consolidation project and how to encourage communication.Continue Reading

• Making the business case for a BI consolidation project

  Find tips for getting enterprise buy-in and building a business case for BI consolidation in this chapter of our e-book on managing a business intelligence (BI) consolidation project.Continue Reading

• How to decide whether it is time for BI consolidation

  According to experts, it's important for organizations to consider consolidating BI systems. Get expert advice about when to consider business intelligence consolidation and how to approach consolidation at your organization.Continue Reading

• Tips for successfully consolidating business intelligence systems

  In a recent study by Boston-based Forrester Research, close to 80% of companies polled said they use three or more business intelligence (BI) products. According to experts, it is important for organizations to consider consolidating BI systems, but...Continue Reading

• Tips for the business intelligence (BI) requirements-gathering process

  Get tips for business intelligence (BI) requirements-gathering during the early phase of a BI evaluation project. Learn how to make the process run smoothly and get all the necessary input from vendors in order to make the right decision.Continue Reading

• Tips for maximizing business intelligence reporting tools

  Learn how reporting end-users, even newbies, can get the most out of their business intelligence reporting tools with these tips, including how to work with an entity-relationship diagram and where to find online resources and reporting training ...Continue Reading

• Tips for starting a business intelligence consulting firm in India

  In this Q/A, our career expert provides tips for starting an independent business intelligence consulting firm in India. Find out how someone with an IT background should approach the BI job market.Continue Reading

• Is it risky to take a business intelligence consulting job at a startup?

  One reader asks our career expert if it is wise to a business intelligence consulting job at a startup. Read Matt Mueller's advice on how to use this experience to build a BI career.Continue Reading

• Comparing Cognos vs. Business Objects for BI reporting

  Find out how to compare Cognos vs Business Objects, including how these BI tools compare for developing business intelligence reports and regular BI reporting.Continue Reading

• Should a data steward have direct SQL access for reporting purposes?

  Find out when a data steward should have direct SQL access and how to request SQL access to get data directly from the data warehouse for reporting and analytical purposes.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of a career in business intelligence?

  Find out about the benefits of a career in business intelligence, specifically how SAP BI certification can open doors for a rewarding career in a growing area.Continue Reading

• Starting a career in BI with a computer science background

  How should you start a career in business intelligence (BI)? Find out in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Using business intelligence in marketing analytics

  Find out how to use business intelligence in marketing analytics and how BI skills can be used in marketing to understand customers and buying patterns.Continue Reading

• Building a career in data warehousing/business intelligence

  How can you start a career in the data warehousing/business intelligence (DW/BI) space? Find out in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Build an operational business intelligence career with business process reengineering skills

  Professionals with business process reengineering (BPR) job experience may want to consider a career in operational business intelligence, according to an expert.Continue Reading

• Tips for building a better business intelligence resume

  To get that business intelligence (BI ) job, you'll need a professional BI resume that talks, according to a BI career expert.Continue Reading

• Data warehouse and business intelligence team reporting structure

  Learn why data warehouse and business intelligence (DW/BI) team reporting structure matters, according to an expert. And find out who the DW/BI team should report to.Continue Reading

• Leveraging business and marketing skills for a business intelligence (BI) career

  A flair for business and marketing, but little hands-on technology expertise, can be leveraged to start a business intelligence career, according to a BI job expert.Continue Reading

• Who should the business intelligence team report to?

  Learn which department the business intelligence (BI) team should report to -- and why -- from a BI expert.Continue Reading

• Would an MBA help my business intelligence career?

  Find out if an MBA is valuable for a business intelligence (BI) career.Continue Reading

• Data mining uses in vertical industries

  Get examples of how data mining is used in vertical industries, such as retail, manufacturing, healthcare, financial and telecommunications.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence careers in management information systems

  Get advice about business intelligence (BI) careers in management information systems (MIS).Continue Reading

• Do business intelligence tools require a data warehouse?

  Learn why business intelligence tools and data integration processes are best supported by data warehouses, according to an expert.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence specialist job description and data governance

  Learn if a business intelligence specialist job description should include data governance responsibilities.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence architects: Enterprise-level job skills

  Business intelligence architects can advance to the enterprise level by leveraging skills learned from working in smaller organizations.Continue Reading

• Starting a business intelligence career from a financial background

  Learn various business intelligence career options for professionals with financial analyst experience. It may not be that hard to make the transition, according to a BI expert.Continue Reading

• Data warehousing, data mining and data querying: Terms and definitions

  Learn the difference between data warehousing, data mining and data querying.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence career through Web development

  Learn why it's possible to start a business intelligence career through gaining Web development experience.Continue Reading

• Do you need managed reporting tools and business intelligence (BI) tools?

  Learn if it's necessary to have both business intelligence (BI) tools and managed reporting tools.Continue Reading

• How to transition to real-time business intelligence and data warehousing

  Learn how real-time business intelligence (BI) impacts a data warehouse and get expert tips for making the transition to real-time BI.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence information management (BIIM) vs. BI

  What is business intelligence information management (BIIM)? Learn what our expert says about business intelligence and information management.Continue Reading

• Application design for OLAP servers: Considerations and advice

  Before designing applications for your online analytical processing (OLAP) server, read this expert advice.Continue Reading

• Operational data store vs. operational business intelligence

  Find out the difference between an operational data store (ODS) and operational business intelligence (BI).Continue Reading

• Can data mining expertise help my career?

  Learn if acquiring data mining expertise is a wise career move that will help you find a job.Continue Reading

• Data mining in the healthcare industry

  Learn the advantages of data mining in the healthcare industry, according to our analytics expert, William McKnight.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence analyst career advice

  Learn how to start a business intelligence analyst career and find out what industries are healthiest right now, according to a BI expert.Continue Reading

• Accessing data from different systems: When ERP isn't enough

  When data is stored in different transactional systems, data access can be compromised -- and ERP systems may not be enough. Our expert has a suggestion for how to get a singular view of the data.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence and corporate performance management software: Build vs. buy

  Should you develop a custom corporate performance management system or purchase CPM software? Rick Sherman offers expert advice on evaluating and choosing the right approach.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence and corporate performance management software: What's the difference?

  Business intelligence and corporate performance management are not the same thing. Learn the differences between BI and CPM -- and how they're related -- from expert Rick Sherman.Continue Reading

• Ways to begin a business intelligence career

  Get advice on various ways to begin a business intelligence career -- including online education and conferences.Continue Reading

• Data mining tools: Advantages and disadvantages of implementation

  Learn the advantages and disadvantages of data mining tools and of implementing data mining technology.Continue Reading

• Business activity monitoring (BAM) software: How to choose and customize

  Learn the best way to select or customize your business activity monitoring software -- which begins with analyzing your business requirements.Continue Reading

• Enterprise search and business intelligence: What's in store

  Find out what our expert has to say about the future of enterprise search and business intelligence.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence security considerations

  There are two main components to business intelligence security: access and profiling. Read what business intelligence security measures our expert suggests to take when thinking about a BI security program.Continue Reading

• ERP projects can be derailed by poor data quality

  Many ERP implementation projects do not address master data management or customer data integration until they encounter problems either during testing or after the system has gone into production.Continue Reading

• Data analytics: The basics

  According to William McKnight, data analytics refers to the use of empirical data to gain empirical insights into the business that lead to action. Data analytics can also include data mining, business intelligence and corporate performance ...Continue Reading

• Business intelligence (BI) and corporate performance management (CPM): What's the deal?

  Our analytics expert talks about the possible convergence of BI and CPM, as well as the potential role of enterprise search.Continue Reading

• Is data mining reliable?

  Data mining does not stand alone on its own merits within an organization, expert William McKnight advises.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence appliances: Disruptive technology or distraction?

  Rick Sherman discusses the emergence of business intelligence appliances and renewed competitive pressures in the data warehousing (DW) marketplace.Continue Reading

• Common business intelligence (BI) mistakes

  The authors of "The profit impact of business intelligence" define the most common and detrimental mistakes that managers make when embarking on a BI initiative.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence jobs: Where are they?

  Looking for business intelligence jobs? Read William McKnight's insight into the business intelligence job market.Continue Reading

• Defining web business intelligence (WBI), data mining and data warehousing

  Analytics expert William McKnight defines web intelligence (WI) -- often referred to as web business intelligence (WBI) -- and explains the differences between data mining and data warehousing.Continue Reading

• Data warehousing jobs: Using your database administrator experience

  Looking for data warehousing jobs? Data warehousing jobs can be attained by building your database administrator experience and skills. Our business intelligence expert explains how to maximize your DBA experience to land a data warehousing job.Continue Reading

• What effect will Enterprise Search have on BI?

  Analytics expert William McKnight weighs the effects of enterprise search on BI in the on-demand world.Continue Reading

• Hyperion hooks UpStream for financial data quality

  Business intelligence and performance management vendor Hyperion plans to acquire UpStream Software, which provides an application for financial data quality.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence software: Business Objects vs. SAS

  Learn about the differences between Business Objects' business intelligence software and SAS.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence systems: Data shadow systems pros and cons

  Rick Sherman weighs the pros and cons of data shadow systems as a solution to the business group/IT information gap.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence and data quality in the public sector

  Data that is inaccurate, incomplete, inconsistent or out of date can seriously impact business intelligence efforts.Continue Reading

• Data integration tools can only solve part of the integration mystery

  Do you know the data integration fundamentals? This month, columnist Rick Sherman warns against the dangers of expecting too much from tools and technology.Continue Reading

• Build or buy a BI or DW solution?

  We are trying to decide on a business intelligence (BI) or data warehousing (DW) solution. What factors should we consider to decide whether to purchase all or a part of the solution (i.e., backend processes, which would include the model and ETL, ...Continue Reading

• Tips for establishing a BI advisory board at a large corporation

  Business intelligence expert William McKnight gives advice on how to establish a BI advisory committee at a large corporation.Continue Reading

• Benefits of a BI solution

  We are interested in exploring various BI solutions, but are not able to easily calculate the real benefits that such as solution would deliver. Can you help provide guidance as to benefits we can expect?Continue Reading

• Data warehouse management and design

  Data warehouse management takes work. When planning a data warehouse design, remember that a data warehouse must be consistently reliable so users can count on it to make better business decisions.Continue Reading

• Customer Data Integration, Data Quality and Data Standards

  For successful customer data integration, organizations must rely on a core set of information principles.Continue Reading

• Compression: useful for loading and reporting in BW?

  Learn how compression plays a role between the E and F tables in BW cube loading and reporting. Jay Narayanan, BW and BI expert, explains how this works.Continue Reading

• Data extraction with SAP BW through the open hub service

  Learn about data extraction with SAP BW through the open hub service from SAP BW and BI expert, Jay Narayanan.Continue Reading

• Do I need BEx Analyzer and SAPGUI to access an SAP BW system and reports?

  Peter Scott, BW expert, advises a new BW user on the ways to access the SAP BW system on Windows, depending on user role and responsiblity.Continue Reading

• Navigating Business Content in SAP BW for standard KPI

  Learn how to find standard KPI information in Business Connector in SAP BW from an SAP BI/BW expert.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence strategy: IT is from Mars, business users are from Venus

  When it comes to BI, columnist Rick Sherman says business users and IT groups suffer from relationship issues. Not to worry he says, the power user can be key to your BI success.Continue Reading

• Business intelligence tools: Don't be 'tool myopic'

  Don't let flashy business intelligence tools and technology cloud your focus, says contributor Rick Sherman. A successful rollout includes the right business itelligence tools plus giving business users what they need.Continue Reading