The document provides a checklist for evaluating Business Intelligence solutions. It covers key areas to consider like the data environment, end user experience, licensing and support, and features needed for data inquiry, manipulation, analysis, reporting, graphics, security, automation and collaboration. Choosing the right BI solution is important to turn data into insights, improve efficiency and gain competitive advantages. The evaluation process involves defining requirements, shortlisting options, seeing vendor demonstrations, and testing options.

1. A Business Intelligence requirement
gathering checklist
To choose the right Business Intelligence and Analytics solution & tools for the organization.

2. Why choosing
the right BI
solution is
important?
Modern Business Intelligence
changes the way you work with
Data.
Effective business intelligence
system and strategy results in
(not limited to):
• Turning data into actionable insights
• Improving efficiency
• Gaining Sales & Market Intelligence
• Gaining competitive intelligence

3. What is involved while choosing the right BI
solution?
Evaluating the technology
1
Implementing a process to
ensure success
2
Keeping customers top of mind
as requirements are defined.
3
•User personas
•Visualization &
Information
delivery
•Interactivity and
automation
•Analysis and
authoring
End-User
Experience
•Data sources
•Data
management
Data
Environment
•Security
•Multi-tenancy
•User experience
•Workflow
•Extensibility
Embeddability
and
Customization
Development &
Deployment
Development &
Deployment
•Licensing,
Services, and
Domain
Expertise
•Customer
success
Licensing,
Services, and
Domain
Expertise

4. The checklist
Data
Inquiry
Data
Manipulati
on
Data
Analysis
Reporting Graphics
Data
Security
Documents

5. Data Inquiry
Simple Ad Hoc real time inquiry
The ability to enter and execute a query retrieving information,
containing information having, simple sums, counts and averages,
grouped by specified values.
Computed Columns
The ability to have columns of information that are calculated
and not stored.
Prompted Ad Hoc inquiries
The ability to execute predefined inquiries, which prompt you for
constraints, but always retrieve the same columns of information
Scheduled data extracts
The ability to have queries executed at predetermined times, or
related to business events.
External Sources of Information
The ability to integrate information from outside the Data
Warehouse. Examples:
Spreadsheets Files from outside sources, vendors, suppliers,
catalogs Files external to the Data Warehouse such as VSAM files,
IMS databases, flat files, other databases.
Import information for personal use
The ability import inquiries into P/C based packages for further
analysis. Examples:
Import into a spreadsheet Import into a personal database
Retrieve small amounts of
information
A few hundred rows of information, which may fit comfortably
into a spreadsheet
Retrieve large amounts of information
A few thousand, or more rows of information, not likely to fit
comfortably into a spreadsheet. May be stored in a personal
database for further analysis.
Use Summary Information
Information that is aggregated to pre- determined levels.
Example: Product sales by region and time
Use Detail Information
Information captured at the detail level, perhaps at a transaction
level.

6. Data
Manipulation
Workgroup
Databases
The ability to extract information for local
storage and further analysis
Custom Forms
Presentation
The ability to view and update information
using a custom form
Spreadsheet View
The ability to view information in a row and
column format
Interactive
Updates
The ability to change information in real
time
Batch Updates
The ability to store changes for processing
later
Data Warehouse
Write Back
The ability to have changes made put back
into the Data Warehouse.

7. Data
Analysis
Forecasting
Budgeting
Time Series Analysis The ability to perform a time based analysis
Business Modeling/What If
scenarios
The ability to create models to reflect possible
outcomes.
Goal Seeking
The ability to define a desired goal, and have
various factors evaluated to achieve that goal.
Regression Analysis
The ability to analyze how different variables
affect an outcome, and use that data to predict
outcomes for other data series.
Statistical Functions
Use simple and advanced statistical functions,
like skew and variance.
Financial Functions Use financial functions like IRR and NPV
Segmentation
The ability to define groups based on a criteria,
and then re-use that group for further analysis.

8. Reporting
Report Types
Columnar Information listed in columns by column heading
Cross Tab or Pivoted Information listed in Columns, but data values can form column headings
Banded
Information listed in horizontal bands,with each band having it’s own
contentand possibly spanning multiple lines.
Aggregation Having the ability to create totals, and sum duplicate rows of information
Computed Columns
The ability to have columns of information that are calculated from
queried data.
Complex Calculations
The ability to have complex calculations Examples:
Percent of Total Rolling Sums Period Comparisons
Drill Up and Drill Down
The ability to view information at a specific level, and drill to other levels
of information on a selected value. Example: Drill Country ->Region -
>District.
Mixed Text and Graphics The ability to produce reports that contain both text and graphics
Cosmetic Control
The ability to control fonts, bolding, or display report data in specialized
forms
Database Publishing
The ability to create documents that are driven by report data. Examples:
Product Catalogs
Exception Reporting
The ability to produce reports that only report on specific business
problems. Examples:
Product Sales drop by 10% Customers having Late Payments
Controlled Calculations
The ability to control the calculations used, so that everyone uses the
same formulas.
Report Templates
The ability to create report layouts that server as starting points for
creating custom reports
Prompted Reports The ability to create reports that prompt you for content and constraints.
Reporting Preferences The ability to set preferences for constraints, or content.

9. Graphics
Chart Types
Pie
Bar
Stacked Bar
Line
High/Low
Radar
Area
Histograms
Other
Combination
The ability to mix chart types on a single chart. Example: A Bar chart having a
Line Chart
superimposed on it.
2D 2 Dimension Charts for Data Analysis
3D 3 Dimension Charts for presentation
Multiple Scales The ability to have multiple scales displayed for different data series.
Split Scales
The ability to have scales change their range to reflect vastly different data
series
Median Line The ability to place a line showing the median for comparison purposes
Custom text Placement The ability to randomly place text for annotation purposes
Slide Shows The ability to create slide shows for presentation purposes
Custom Drawing
The ability to perform drawing functions to adjust the look of a graphic, or
create new objects
Maps The ability to create geographical diagrams
Clip Art
Chart Templates The ability to create templates for common chart generation
Automatic Update
The ability for charts to automatically reflect new information when the data
changes.

10. Data Security
Database
level
The ability to protect access to the database in
general
Table level
The ability to protect which tables of
information can be accessed
Field Level
The ability to protect which fields on a table
can be viewed Example:HR can see employee
personal
information, but others cannot.
Field
Content
The ability to protect data according to the
content of the data. Example: Managers can
only see information
for their departments data

11. Documents
Small Text Only
Small Text and Graphics
Large Text Only
Large Text and Graphics
Group editing of documents

12. Automation
Task automation
The ability to automate frequently
used tasks. Usually in the form of
macros and small applications that
serve as assists
Complete/Advanced
Automation
The ability to fully automate a
business function requiring many
steps
Scheduled Automation
The ability to have common tasks
executed at predetermined times or
according to Business Events

13. Profitability-
Accessibility
Remote access to
tools
The ability to use BI tools from remote
locations. Examples:
Mobile Devices VPN over Internet
Stand Alone access to
BI Tools
The ability to use the tools when not
connected to the network Examples:
Laptops Smart Phones Tablets
Internal Collaboration
The ability to share BI work with persons
inside the company. Examples:
Email Publish to a group in a Portal
External Collaboration
The ability to send BI work to persons
outside the company.
External Access
The ability to have external resources
use the BI applications. Examples:
Suppliers checking inventory levels
Vendors Checking Returns

14. How will you
select the BI
solution &
tool?
Define business intelligence strategy
Business Terms
Short-list
Invite vendors for demos
Proof of concept
Deal closure