BI: Thriving in Economic Uncertainty

I just read one of several articles available on the redesigned Microsoft Business Intelligence site that can help you as an IT Pro communicate the value of business intelligence tools. . Wait for the Silverlight splash screen on the site to display images that are links to various BI cost-saving scenarios.

Here is a summary of the critical success factors discussed in one of the articles, Thriving in an Uncertain Economy.

1. Reduce costs

Microsoft BI helps in two ways:

• Helps you achieve quick insights  into financial and operational performance.
• Automates the delivery and management of multiple charts of accounts rather than a host of macros. For example, the consolidation process is automated in PerformancePoint Planning.

2. Operate smarter, more strategically

Get real-time information to the right employees. CEOs can set automatic alerts to warn of problems with cash flow.

Find profitable customers. Analytics and "what if" questions can be used to identify the best mix of customers.

Pivot on a dime. Increase your speed to shift market emphasis by using key performance indicators.

3. Innovate

Create a method for reporting patterns of reported observations.

Conclusion

During periods of economic uncertainty, your organization must cut costs and make more strategic decisions, emphasizing low-risk investments that drive maximum value. Because you already own much of the Microsoft Business Intelligence solution, it’s cost-effective to deploy and easy to integrate into your IT environment.