Business Intellegence vs. Excel
Posted by
Tom Salzer on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 @ 08:39 AM
It often looks like the world of Business Intelligence (BI) software world is pitted against Excel. So much of current thought is that if only Excel users could somehow be moved to a standard system of reporting and analysis all would be good with the world. Excel chaos would be over and the company could move on
The truth is that is impossible. The proof is that nearly all software products, BI included, has an ability to download to Excel. And the simple reason for that is there are a half a billion users of Excel. It’s everywhere. People know it and love it.
So what is BI’s problem? Here are some issues…
- Excel is autonomous – not under the umbrella of a unified IT organization.
- It’s difficult to maintain large Excel systems
- As complexity increases, the maintenance time also increases
- Logic applied to one workbook may be radically different from another
All are valid. It’s true. Excel systems tend to go off on their own, multiply and become a tangled web. They get bigger and bigger, and what was all contained on one spreadsheet and workbook now has extended to multiple spreadsheet tabs and workbooks. Complete with complex linking formulas – that end up breaking.
That’s why we developed ExcelCube. If an Excel application can be systematized, you can have the best of both worlds. Users can continue to use Excel- taking advantage of all their skills with a product the love, coupled with an overlay that encompasses the organizational and business logic.
Take a closer look at ExcelCube (www.excelcube.com).