Business Intelligence Review of BI Vendors

Finding the right business intelligence software can be a daunting task given all of the different types of offerings available. When we began our search for a vendor, we tried to understand exactly what would give us maximum effectiveness and narrowed down our needs accordingly. First off, we definitely needed a solution that provided rich information data along with high quality data visualization software. Secondly, we wanted an application that can be used throughout our company, spanning all levels of management. Our goal was to increase communication and participation and provide a level platform for all decisions makers to be able to see the same information and act on it. During our search one company in particular stood out in terms of development, deployment and deliverability, that company was Actuate. The company website was loaded with great information about their product line along with demos and webinars. We decided to download the trial version of their business intelligence product called Actuate BIRT. Currently, we are testing the software and find it user friendly and straight forward. We have had no trouble developing reports or creating data visualizations. No decision has been made on whether we will commit with this open source business intelligence software, but if your company is in a similar predicament, try out Actuate BIRT and find out if it is a good fit your needs.