The analysis of computer data is now the basis of companies’ strategy. Faced with the increase in data volumes and the multiplicity of sources, business leaders need effective tools to digitize this data and visualize it in order to be able to make forecasts. The Power BI solution allows the creation of graphs to facilitate data analysis and decision-making, both for managers and for all collaborators. It perfectly meets the challenges of collaborative work and multi-site.
What is Business Intelligence (BI)?
Business Intelligence is the set of IT tools used by business leaders to manage their activity, as well as the associated methods. To make the best decisions, managers need to collect a lot of data and be able to use that information effectively. Performance monitoring and the ability to make reliable predictions are indeed at the heart of companies’ strategy.
Business Intelligence involves the implementation of visualization data tools. They make it possible to select the most relevant data and present them in graphical form in order to facilitate their analysis and use.
Beyond executives and managers, business intelligence is aimed at a growing number of employees. They must have personalized and secure access to certain data according to their specific needs. BI therefore involves the implementation of configurable tools to provide everyone with access to the data in an easily exploitable form.
Power BI: Microsoft’s Business Intelligence Cloud solution
Power BI is the data visualization solution developed by Microsoft. It allows all employees to efficiently access data to sort and visualize it in a graphical form that facilitates reporting and analysis. Power BI is an integral part of the decision-making chain, it also has its own ETL, its own ELT and its own CI/CD.
A data visualization solution at the service of Business Intelligence
With Power BI, each user can create their own representations based on the data they have: dashboards, KPIs, and any other solution for visualizing KPIs. The tool offers many types of graphical representation: tables, maps, diagrams, gauges, etc. The use of these different visual tools makes it possible to obtain efficient reporting and the creation of complete dashboards that facilitate decision-making, while predictions highlight the most important data. Data can come simultaneously from multiple sources, whether it is local (Excel file for example) or hosted in the cloud.
A cloud service for remote access
Power BI is a cloud service, giving users the ability to access data from their computer or mobile, anywhere in the world. This tool facilitates remote collaborative work, as well as the presentation of data to distant locations. Data updates are done in real time so that every decision-maker always has access to the latest information.
The benefits of the Power BI tool
Power BI has many advantages that make it a natural choice for all managers who want to gain efficiency and agility by making the most of the power of data.
An easy-to-use tool
Power BI is an ergonomic tool that can be handled very quickly by end users. It gives them the ability to easily access the data they need, to customize the graphical representations according to their position to generate optimal indicator monitoring. No technical skills are required for the creation of complete charts and dashboards. Through the creation of datasets, it is possible to grant everyone restricted access to information about them, in order to preserve the confidentiality of sensitive data.
Facilitating communication and collaborative work
Sharing information within teams is facilitated by reporting tools and simultaneous access to data. The cloud service helps to streamline collaborative work between several sites of the company or with employees working from home and on the move. Creating highly visual dashboards is a powerful tool for communicating with customers and partners.
Secure data
The Power BI solution integrates data security, thanks to its compatibility, in particular, with the Microsoft Cloud App Security service. Only authorized users have the possibility to modify the information, while others simply have read only access. The integrity of the data is thus guaranteed.
Compatibility with other Microsoft data tools
Developed by Microsoft, Power BI presents an optimal interfacing with the other data tools of the American giant: Azure Synapse, Azure SQL, Azure Purview or Power Platform. It is also often used in combination with Excel. The superimposed use of all these different tools creates a powerful synergy in the service of decision-making. Power BI is also compatible withother Microsoft tools, such as Office suite software.
Quality support
Microsoft offers user support that quickly and efficiently answers all questions about setting up, using, and interfacing Power BI. There is also a very active user community that allows you to exchange and take advantage of all the possibilities offered by the Power BI solution for Business Intelligence.
Power BI perfectly meets the challenges of data visualization and interpretation to improve decision-making. The simultaneous use of this solution and other Microsoft data tools ensures optimal efficiency in the service of Business Intelligence.
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