HellerConsulting_BusinessIntelligence_0513

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BUSINESS INTELLIGENCEAPPLICATIONS FOR THENONPROFIT SECTOR

What business intelligence is, what you

need to know about it, and a review

of the business intelligence

product landscape.

Products Reviewed:

Altosoft

Birst

IBM Cognos 8 Planning

Jaspersoft BI

LogiXML

Microsoft SQL Reporting Services

QlikView

Tableau


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3

Part 1: Understanding Business Intelligence

So, What Is Business Intelligence ............................................................................. 5

What are Industry Leaders Saying About BI? .......................................................... 5

The BI Strategy ........................................................................................................... 7

Key BI Concepts ........................................................................................................ 8

Part II: Reviews of Business Intelligence Solutions

The BI Product Landscape ...................................................................................... 10

Altosoft ...................................................................................................................... 12

Birst ............................................................................................................................ 15

IBM Cognos 8 Planning ........................................................................................... 18

Jaspersoft BI ............................................................................................................. 21

LogiXML ....................................................................................................................24

Microsoft SQL Reporting Services .......................................................................... 27QlikView ................................................................................................................... 30

Tableau ..................................................................................................................... 33

Conclusion

Getting Started with BI ............................................................................................. 36

Important DisclaimerThe information contained in this report is as true and accurate as we could make it at

the time of its writing. All information in this report is based on public information from

each software vendors website, our own observations from using and/or testing each

product, or from direct communications with each vendors staff members. Software

applications are continually changing, so keep in mind that this report is accurate as of

April 2013; you should always conrm information from each vendor before making a

purchasing decision.

2013 HELLER CONSULTING


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INTRODUCTION

Over the past few years, the commercial sector has proven the value of BusinessIntelligence (BI) the processes and technologies that transform data into meaningful

information that helps move a business forward. Companies have used BI to:

Unify disparate data sets and create both historical analysis and predictivemodeling to guide strategic decision-making

Supplement standard customer data with social media content including

customers interests, purchasing activity, and social circles

Identify key metrics that will determine their overall effectiveness and progress

toward goals

THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE IN

THE NONPROFIT SECTOR

Today, the nonprofit sector is in a unique position to reap the benefits of BI. Morenonprots are understanding the value of Constituent Relationship Management (CRM)

to their organizations, and have also discoveredthat a solid CRM foundation eliminates many of theroadblocks that previously prevented them fromtaking advantage of a complete BI strategy. In

addition, the cost of BI solutions has come downsignicantly, and technology has become moreaccessible as challenges associated with integrationand tool usage have decreased. But, the time is rightfor BI not simply because the sector can now accessthese tools. The time is right because nonprots

mustanalyze and use their CRM data to surviveand thrive.

Constituents now expect a more custom, user-centricexperience. Content must be targeted, multi-channel,and relevant to capture attention. In order to create

this effective content to be able to appeal in themost compelling way we must better understandour constituents. And ltering our rich CRM data with BI tools is the most effective way to

provide this understanding.

A SOLID CRM

FOUNDATION ELIMINATES

MANY OF THE ROAD

BLOCKS THAT PREVIOUSLY

PREVENTED NONPROFITS

FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE

OF A COMPLETE

BI STRATEGY


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THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER

The purpose of this paper is three-fold:

We provide a high-level introduction to BI. We describe what it is, identify key

terms and concepts associated with BI, and further develop why the time is rightfor the nonprot sector to seek the value that can be gained from it.

We describe the groundwork needed prior to effective implementation of a BI

solution. We begin to explore strategy, business alignment, and technical needsthat precede such an effort.

We explore some of the tools available on the market. The range of solutions

is intended to provide some initial guidance on pricing, complexity, andexperience in the nonprot sector.


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SO, WHAT IS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE?

If an organizations needs are limited to flat, summary reports of data from a singledatabase, then most softwares native reporting modules will suffice. However,since most, if not all, organizations have disparate data sets that must be joinedtogether in order to extrapolate trends and other useful analytics, more robust BIsolutions are required.

In a 2010 paper entitled Business Intelligenceand Business Impact, the leading informationtechnology research firm, Gartner, defined BIsimply as the process of gathering informationin the field of business or the process of turning

data into information and then into knowledge.Since then, particularly due to the vast amountof information now available over the Internet,BI or at least data-driven decision making hasbecome a critical component for an organizationsability to strategically collect general data about i tsconstituents and their behavioral patterns, forecast growth, and ultimately informfuture planning and projects. At a minimum, a strong BI solution can dothe following:

Collect nancial statistics about revenue and expenses

Capture large amounts of enterprise data that can be manipulated easilyfor analysis

Display data in a way that captures insights, including using dashboards

and visualizations

WHAT ARE INDUSTRY LEADERS SAYING ABOUT

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE?

In a study completed in April 2012, the Nonprot Technology Network (NTEN) noted that 99%of nonprots surveyed are already tracking some type of metrics with nancial data and

operational efciency being the most common. However, NTEN also found that organiza-tions track other data, such as the number of people on their mailing list, their Facebookcomments, or more traditional statistics like the amount of new donors in the past year.These types of metrics can help build a foundation on which to quantify social impact, butmany of the organizations surveyed are not using this type of outreach data to informdecision making.

Part I: Understanding

Business Intelligence

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE:

THE PROCESS OF

TURNING DATA INTO

INFORMATION AND

THEN INTO KNOWLEDGE


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Nonprot technology expert and blogger, Beth Kanter, notes that the problem might have

a straightforward answer: I keep hearing that a big reason that nonprots are not looking

at the data they collect or even collecting it is because of skills. As organizations mature,most will look forward to moving beyond spreadsheets as the primary tool for reporting. Withmany nonprots looking to streamline their work processes, they do not have time to waste

on manually-intensive data analysis.

At the same time, while nonprots work to understandtheir data, fundraisers are increasingly relying on onlinegiving to expand their engagement with constituentsand make it easier to submit donations. Blackbaud, acompany that develops industry-leading solutions forthe nonprot sector, recognizes that the generational

demographics for contributed revenue are changing,and many younger donors are gravitating toward theInternet to submit their rst online gifts. For this reason,Blackbaud recommends that organizations adoptmulti-channel fundraising strategies that incorporatean online component. With this approach, fundraisingstrategies include social media websites like Facebook and mobile tools that bring with themanother dimension of data a.k.a., Big Data that can be tracked and analyzed forimpact. Hence, the need for a BI solution becomes more important.

Meehan, Patric, and John P. Roberts. Executive Summary: Business Intelligence and Decision Impact.Gartner. Gartner, Inc., 01 May 2010. Web. 7 Jan 2013.

Nonprot Technology Network. The State of Nonprot Data. Nonprot Technology Network. Nonprot

Technology Network, Nov 2012. Web. 7 Jan 2013.

Kanter, Beth. Does Your Nonprot Need Some Data Therapy? Beths Blog: How Networked Nonprots

Leverage Networks and Data for Social Change. Beth Kanter, 12 Dec 2012. Web. Web. 7 Jan. 2013.

http://www.bethkanter.org/data-therapy/>

AS ORGANIZATIONS

MATURE, NONPROFITS DO

NOT HAVE TIME TO WASTE

ON MANUALLY-INTENSIVE

DATA ANALYSIS


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THE BI STRATEGY

At Heller Consulting, we believe that the beginning of any conversation to implement BIstarts with aligning the BI strategy with the organizations mission. As with many softwareprojects, BI can be costly to roll out without a clearly dened set of objectives.

In a blog post for TechCrunch, Robert Moore, co-founder of RJMetrics, a rm that

specializes in data-driven decision making, outlines ve primary lessons for organizationsthat desire to use data more effectively in their businesses:

1. Dene and communicate a single version of the truth.

2. Create an auditability chain from your metrics to your raw data.

3. Establish specic, actionable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

4. Ensure around-the-clock availability of data.

5. Accept the limitations of your data.

Moore understands that the best KPIs are actionable, practical, transparent and

well-communicated.

These same lessons dovetail with Heller Consultings approach, in which we believeConstituent Relationship Management (CRM) is ideally not just about software andsystems, but also an articulated constituent engagement strategy with thefollowing characteristics:

Interaction is initiated and driven by theorganization.

Engagement is with a broad number and

type of constituents.

Engagement is more effective for an orga-nization when it is accurate, adaptive andresponsive.

Participation happens across the organiza-

tion with all levels of staff and requiresplanning, communication and coordination.

Engagement includes internal staff and external constituents in expanding theimpact of the organizations mission.

At every level of interaction, engagement and participation, there is data. While work-ing to select, implement and optimize the right products for fundraising, online marketingand CRM, your organization should dene the KPIs and the platform for a BI solution that

will support your mission while promoting growth in revenue and program impact.

THE BEST KPISARE

ACTIONABLE, PRACTICAL,

TRANSPARENT AND

WELL-COMMUNICATED


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KEY BI CONCEPTS

Before choosing a BI solution, there are a few important concepts to understand inorder to evaluate the options. Following are denitions of basic components of a BI

application as well as common terms associated with the eld of BI.

Ad-hoc Query

A query that is dynamically generated at the time it is needed.

Dashboard

In BI parlance, the ability to display data as a visualization or graphic. A dashboard istypically used to provide insights into performance metrics, such as a meter that shows

the number of donations received over a given period.

Data Mart

Stores data for a specic area of the organization such as sales or marketing and can be

considered a subcomponent or smaller, simpler version of a data warehouse.

Data Mining

The process of extracting data and transforming it into meaningful insights. Alsoreferred to as Knowledge Discovery, it usually refers to the computational process

used to analyze data.

Data Warehouse

A centralized database repository that stores all data from across the organization suchas constituent information, nancials, and other operational functions.

Extract, Transform, Load (ETL)

The specic processes that extract data from original data sources and load them into

the BI system. Each BI solution may have a different approach to ETL architecture.

In-Memory Database

A database whose data is stored in main memory in order to provide faster responsetimes. Data is loaded into system memory where it is compressed and stored in anon-relational format. In-memory databases improve the performance forprocessing queries.


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Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A value or metric that an organization uses to evaluate performance. A KPI could beas straightforward as the number of donations received or the number of constituentsserved. KPIs will vary for each organization and should tie directly to the organizationsmission and goals. A BI solution can be designed to support decision making and reporton these KPIs to provide the necessary insights for measuring performance.

Metadata

Often casually dened as data about data, it provides a way to translate datawarehouse structure into usable reporting.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

A programming language standard or middleware that allows an application toconnect to multiple database management systems.

Portal

A web-based application or web page that pulls information into a single space toperform many functions or services.

Query

A formula or line of code that is sent to a database to request information.

Relational Database

A database structure in which data is organized into formally described tables. Datacan be collected from the tables without having to reorganize the tables themselves.The opposite of a relational database might be a at spreadsheet in which all of thedata is stored in a single le that must be manipulated in order to analyze the data from

different perspectives.

Reporting Tools

A front-end, graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to view, create andschedule reports from the data warehouse.

Dennis McCarthy, Clint OBrien, and Allison Van Diest. Leveraging the Supporter Shift: How Changes In the

Way We Look at Data Will Revolutionize Fundraising. Blackbaud, Inc. 29 November 2012. Webinar.

Moore, Robert J. Lessons for Data Driven Businesses. TechCrunch. AOL, Inc., 27 Oct 2012. Web. Web. 7 Jan.

2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/27/lessons-for-data-driven-businesses/.


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Part II: Reviews of

Business Intelligence Solutions

THE BI PRODUCT LANDSCAPE

BI has become a part of many organizations seeking to unlock the data generated throughthe normal course of operations. As a result, the product landscape has matured and offerssolutions that can t large-scale enterprises and smaller organizations.

The Heller Consulting team examined a cross section of BI tools in the marketplace, selectedfor the following reasons:

They represent a cross-section of small, medium, and large organization needs.

They are already in use by our nonprot clients.

They are frequently discussed in the marketplace.

We approached each product objectively using the same evaluation criteria. We would liketo thank all of the vendors who graciously made themselves available to our staff. Vendorsdid not have editorial control over the content of this report, nor did we receive anynancial or other support from any vendor.

THE PRODUCTS REVIEWED ARE


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Price

Range

Data

StorageCosts

Reports DashboardsSkill Level

Needed

Install

Location

$$ IntermediateSaas or

On-Premise

$$ IntermediateSaas or

On-Premise

$$with certain

editionsExpert On-Premise

$ if SQLserver is

present

Expert On-Premise

$ Beginner

Deployed

on-premise,reports

published tothe web

$$$$ Expert

Deployed

on-premise,reports

published tothe web

$$$ Beginner

Deployed

on-premise,reports

published tothe web

$$$ Expert On-Premise

Product


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Graphical, web-based report designer.

Dashboards? Codeless, point-and-click tools to create dashboards.

Other Notable Features? Real-time Insight Studio tool prompts you through creatingreports through a drag-and-drop interface.

Beginner, Intermediate,

or Expert?

On-premise setup will require expert skills, but the interfaceis user-friendly.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? Both; on-premise can support a multi-tenant environment.

Total Cost? Minimum cost of $20,000, scaling upward as numberof users and amount of data increases. Maintenancecosts estimated at 18% of licensing costs.

Support Options? Altosoft offers implementation services, email andphone support.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Altosoft provides BI tools using a codeless approach to creating reports and dashboards.An easy, guided visual interface allows users to connect to data sources, map anddene metrics, load data and design dashboards to display information. All of thesefunctions can be completed within either a Windows application or web browser using a

drag-and-drop interface. It can connect to Microsoft, Oracle, and Amazon Clouddata sources as well ODBC data sources. Although

Altosoft offers a Cloud version of its services, it doesnot have a native Salesforce.com connection.

HOW IT WORKS:

The Altosoft product centers around a design mod-ule called Insight Studio to set up data sources. This

includes mapping data and setting reporting metrics.The data is stored in the Insight Studios Metadatadatabase. Data is moved from the original sourcesduring an initial data load or as part of an automaticupdate of its MetricsMart. Users can then log intothe web-based Dashboard Designer to create reports and dashboards. Altosoftcomes with Visual Process Intelligence and ow charts to show processes and

analyze the data related to them. Dashboards can be embedded into an

external-facing website such as through an iFrame.

ALTOSOFT PROVIDES

BI TOOLS USING A

CODELESS APPROACH

TO CREATING REPORTS

AND DASHBOARDS.

Altosoft

www.altosoft.com
http://www.altosoft.com/http://www.altosoft.com/http://www.altosoft.com/


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Altosoft can notify users when data falls below certain parameters. It can send emailor text messages to a computer or smartphone. Altosoft comes with workow-based

incident management and can escalate if further action is needed.

USABILITY

One of Altosofts key selling points is its drag-and-drop visual interface for both the enduser and the BI administrator. Reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel and PDF

format, and can be integrated with Sharepoint. Technical resources are required for theon-premise SQL server installation and setup. A BI administrator will be needed to under-stand the source data structure and the relationships between tables.

COST

The minimum cost for implementation is$20,000. Licensing is per named user, perdata connection. Options are availablefor a perpetual license or subscription.Altosoft offers specialized packages such asHealthcare, Financial, and an Innity prod-uct that scales to any business model.

Larger organizations can expect to paymore than smaller organizations.

Maintenance is estimated at 18% per year of the perpetual license cost. Additional

expenses include data storage fees, which will depend on setup and existing servercapability. No programmers are needed to develop Altosoft, but a system administratormay be required for system setup and support.

ONE OF ALTOSOFTS

KEY SELLING POINTS

IS ITS DRAG-AND-DROP

VISUAL INTERFACE


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON ALTOSOFT

Since Altosoft reports and dashboards can be designed without programming,the product does not require a high level of technical skill. The backend setupdoes not require ETL, coding, extractions, or cubes, which has a big impact onreducing implementation time. Once Altosoft is set up, vendor involvement tomaintain the system should be minimal. This is all good news for small to mediumsized organizations. Overall, while Altosoft is not geared directly toward thenonprot sector, the ease of use and low overhead and the exciting Visual

Process Designer and workow-based incident management tools, make this

system worth checking out.


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Birst

AT A GLANCE

Reports? Highly visual, self-service reports.

Dashboards? Interactive dashboards.

Other Notable Features? Stresses agility and user-friendly analytics.


or Expert?

Beginners may nd the Discovery Edition to be a simpleintroduction to BI. A free Birst Express version is availableon the companys website for trial purposes.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? Both, but SaaS may be the better value.

Total Cost? Est. $30,000-35,000/year, plus equal implementation costsand possible data storage costs, depending on theamount of data.

Support Options? Birst provides consulting services and 24/7 technicalsupport.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Birst bills itself as agile business analytics with an emphasis on delivering immediate insightsthrough multi-dimensional and highly visual reports and dashboards. The Enterprise Editionis designed as a single tool that can be delivered through the Cloud or an on-premiseimplementation. It can connect to an online data mart or a data warehouse using integrated

ETL capabilities. It offers a drag-and-drop interface and a Pivot Control Tool to connect andslice and dice data. One particular highlight is the ability to toggle between a dashboardand the raw data that sits behind it. The application comes with a connector toSalesforce.com and templates to connect to other custom objects.

HOW IT WORKS

Birsts technical components for example, ETL, data warehousing support, and dashboards are all fully integrated and offer a single, integrated user experience. The application comes

with a wide array of pre-built connectors for data uploads (everything from delimited atles and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to SQL, Oracle and SAP) and live access (Google

Analytics, MySQL, Hive/Hadoop and more). Birst uses an in-memory database for in-creased performance.

Depending on the users preference, the data is loaded into an online data mart or data

warehouse. The information is aggregated using a Pivot Control Tool to create meaningfuland measurable reporting metrics and visualizations. Reports can be disseminated to peers

www.birst.com
http://www.birst.com/http://www.birst.com/http://www.birst.com/


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through email or le servers, or on mobile applications. Additionally, Birst allows for schedulingof reports and dashboards, which can be exported to PDF, XLS, PowerPoint and CSV les

for distribution.

USABILITY

As with most BI tools, some technical expertise is required to manage this application.Reports and dashboards are set up by a developer or database administrator andpublished for use by the end user. However, there are some minor visual and metricsadjustments that can be made by the user, andthe product allows users to annotate dashboards

to communicate with colleagues.

COST

Birsts Professional edition runs at $30,000 per year.The Enterprise edition averages to $35,000 per year.This is based upon 1-20 users. Implementationcosts are estimated to be proportionate to thelicensing costs. For example, if the Enterprise editioncosts $35,000 per year, implementation will cost

about $35,000.

Cost can be further scaled depending on the amount of data storage. An organization thatalready has a data warehouse would not have to purchase Birsts proprietary data mart. Birstsin-memory technology also offers alternatives for data storage. Generally speaking, expectcosts to rise based on the amount of data that needs to be stored.

BIRST ALLOWS FOR

SCHEDULING OF REPORTS

AND DASHBOARDS, WHICH

CAN BE EXPORTED TO PDF,

XLS, POWERPOINT AND CSV

FILES FOR DISTRIBUTION


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON BIRST

Birst may scale well from smaller to larger organizations due to the option of havingmultiple software editions. However, keep in mind that there are tradeoffs. TheDiscovery edition does not have ETL and seems to act more like a visualization

layer, which may be easier to use and better suited for smaller organizations withless complex data analytics. Birst appears to be one of the easiest systems tomanage, although a nonprot should still have staff members available with theaptitude to handle a system implementation.

The application also can provide product inventory, which may be helpful formembership organizations.


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Reporting with a focus on enterprise planning.

Dashboards? Visual dashboards and scorecards to support planningscenarios.

Other Notable Features? In general, a feature-rich platform for operational andnancial planning.


or Expert?

Expert.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? On-premise.

Total Cost? Obtain directly from IBM. User licenses range from $800-$14,000, depending on level of access needed.

Support Options? Software subscription and support is included in theproduct price for the rst year.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Out of the BI applications reviewed in this paper, IBMs Cognos product line is arguablythe largest and most well-known, particularly for large-scale enterprises. The Cognos 8Planning software is a web-based, integrated BI suite that provides a toolset for reporting,analysis and monitoring of events and metrics. As implied by its name, the data analytics

are designed to empower the user to plan through developing what if scenarios in orderto evaluate business performance. The product requires the creation of a data warehouse,but it also runs in a browser-based environment that requires no desktop client software orplug-ins. The system includes data source connectors to all the major database platformslike Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle.

HOW IT WORKS

Cognos 8 Planning offers a set of modules to collect, design and view data analytics:

1. In Framework Manager, the modeler ensures that metadata is presented in amanner that business users can understand. Modelers import the metadata fromone or more databases, and then add to the model to meet user requirements.

2. In Metric Designer, the modeler identies the data items and calculations that

form the targets and actual results for each metric.

IBM Cognos 8 Planning

www.ibm.com/software/analytics/cognos-8-planning/
http://www.ibm.com/software/analytics/cognos-8-planning/http://www.ibm.com/software/analytics/cognos-8-planning/http://www.ibm.com/software/analytics/cognos-8-planning/


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3. The modeler then publishes and updates packages to Cognos Connection sothat authors can use them to create reports, agents and scorecards.

4. In Transformer, users can leverage queries in published packages, queries fromCognos 8 reports, and personal data sources, such as Microsoft Excel, to createa unique, focused model of the business.

From there, users and report authors use published packages to understand their businessdata. They run, view, and manage content in Cognos Connection. A robust set of securitypermissions are available to manage who can run and view reports or manage schedules,portal layout, and other settings.

USABILITY

On one hand, organizations will likely need anin-house technical expert to administer andmaintain this application. It is not an applicationthat an average person can use without atechnical background. On the other hand, it isdenitely one of the more robust tools on the market.IBM offers over 30 different training classes for usersin almost every role developers, administrators,project managers, consumers, and more.

COST

IBMs software subscription and support is included in the product price for the rst year. Itis best to consult IBM directly for the most accurate information and licensing structure. IBMoffers the option to download software online after purchase.

IBMS COGNOS 8 IS

DEFINITELY ONE OF THE

MORE ROBUST TOOLS

ON THE MARKET, BUT IT

IS NOT AN APPLICATION

A PERSON WITHOUT A

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

CAN EASILY USE


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON IBM COGNOS 8 PLANNING

By purchasing Cognos 8 Planning, an organization would be buying into oneof the largest technology rms in the world. That means the application hasa well-developed roadmap backed by a well-stacked support team with adeep history of experience in the industry. If Cognos 8 Planning is too loadedfor a smaller nonprot, it is worth looking through IBMs complete BI product

line. For example, there is a lighter version called Cognos Express, whichmight scale well for organizations that are just dipping their toes into the BIpool. On the other end of the spectrum, IBM offers a Cognos 10 suite, which

is the next step up from Cognos 8. If for no other reason, it is worth comparingother companies BI products with Cognos 8 Planning to get a baseline of thefeatures and technology available on the market.


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Print-ready and interactive reports.

Dashboards? Only available in the Professional and Enterprise editions.

Other Notable Features? Reporting and analytics can be embedded into yourown applications.


or Expert?

On-premise setup will require expert skills, but the interfaceis user-friendly.


Total Cost? Minimum of $28,000, plus a paid subscription to accesscustom reporting features.

Support Options? Self-service online documentation and options forsubscription-based support.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Jaspersoft BI is a highly customizable reporting software package. It offers both print-readyand interactive reports with features such as online sorting, ltering and formatting. It canbe installed as a stand-alone application or embedded in other applications such asSalesforce.com. The Professional and Enterprise editions of the product include an in-memoryanalysis server and data virtualization for improved performance. Other editions also

include dashboard features. The interface is web-based and easy to use with self-service,drag-and-drop functionality. Jaspersoft BI comes with native connectivity to ERP and CRMapplications such as Salesforce.com, SAP, and SugarCRM along with Amazon support formainframe, transactional, and analytic databases (e.g., SQL, Oracle).

HOW IT WORKS

Jaspersoft BIs setup involves domains that are used to create representations of data to matchthe business or object model in a way that users can understand. The domains create a layer ofabstraction between the database and the user that is creating reports. This is achieved through

predened joins, labels, etc., to make it easier for users to create reports. Domains also add anadditional layer of security to the data through the ability to create row and column-levelsecurity based on the user prole.

Jaspersoft BI

www.jaspersoft.com
http://www.jaspersoft.com/http://www.jaspersoft.com/http://www.jaspersoft.com/


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USABILITY

This is a powerful and sophisticated BI solution. System administrators will need a high degreeof technical knowledge and skill to implement the system. However, after the domains havebeen set up, the report writers drag-and-drop approach makes it easy for end users. Reportscan be published in many formats, including PDF, XLSX, XML, HTML, CSV, and DOC. Jaspersoft

BI can send notications with a link to a report or physically attach them to emails. The systemalso can integrate with other applications, but will require some programming to set up.

COST

An annual subscription to Jaspersofts BIProfessional Edition costs a minimum of $28,000which would support 80 concurrent users. ItsReport Designer is open source, but a paid

subscription is required to get the features thatallow users to design their own reports. Additionalfeatures like dashboards also require theProfessional Edition. Total cost of ownershipshould also include hardware requirementsand any additional modules chosen. Lastly,since it requires a larger degree of technical

skills to implement, the amount of setup timefor the organization is proportional to itstechnical savvy.

THIS IS A POWERFUL

AND SOPHISTICATED BI

SOLUTION. SYSTEM

ADMINISTRATORS WILL

NEED A HIGH DEGREE OF

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

AND SKILL TO IMPLEMENT

THE SYSTEM.


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON JASPERSOFT BI

While very sophisticated and robust, given the technical skills required forimplementation, this solution is best for large-sized organizations. Technicalrequirements aside, it comes with solid support and training and a well-denedroadmap. Organizations that get Jaspersoft BI up and running can enabletheir users to meet their own reporting needs without burdening the ITdepartment or software application providers. It is not specically geared

toward nonprot use, but as with most BI tools, it can analyze any data.


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AT A GLANCE www.logixml.com

Reports? Yes.

Dashboards? None.

Other Notable Features? Web-based solution that can be embedded into existingenterprise applications.


or Expert?

Beginner.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? Both; installs on-premise, allows users to access reports viathe web.

Total Cost? Scalable; licensing models are based on serverconfigurations rather than on number of users. Lowend starts around $40,000 per year.

Support Options? Community, training, professional services.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/PLATFORM

LogiXML offers an attractive suite of products that includes Logi Info Studio, Logi AdHoc Reporting and Logi ETL. These can be purchased together or separately.Together they offer end user reporting and enable developers to bring data togetherfrom various disparate sources and platforms including, but not limited to, Oracle and

SQL Server. It also includes special connection elements to data sources such as MySQLand Google Docs. It is a web-based solution and can be embedded into existing enterprise

applications, negating the need for a data mart or a data warehouse.

FUNCTIONALITY

It is important to understand the three main elements of this product, how they can worktogether to create a software suite, or how they can be a standalone solution dependingon the organizations needs:

1. Logi ETL is a web-based data management tool that allows database administratorsor developers to collect and manipulate data, which can be reported on using otherLogi tools. The data produced also can be written to any of the data sources that itextracts data from.

2. Logi Studio enables developers to create reports using a drag-and-drop interface.It is not a web application and must be installed on a computer.

3. Logi Ad Hoc is a web-based reporting application that allows business users tobuild and share dashboards and reports.

LogiXML
http://www.logixml.com/http://www.logixml.com/http://www.logixml.com/


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USABILITY

LogiXML is especially user-friendly for a typical end user. LogiXML Ad Hoc reporting enablesend users to create data visualizations and reports using a code-free drag-and-drop in-terface. However, it is important to note that Logi Studio does require a fair level of skill tonavigate and develop the data connections thatenable the end users to report on. A SQL developerwould probably be best suited for this role.

COST

Deploying LogiXML does not require a data martor a data warehouse, nor does it add additionalcosts for end user fees. This enables it to havea lower cost structure compared with other BI tools on the market today. LogiXMLscost structure includes the cost of software, maintenance and support, implementa-tion costs and training. It is also important to be aware that processing speeds may beaffected if the server is bogged down by other processes. Hence, it is important to reviewthe products hardware requirements and invest in the appropriate elements.

LOGIXML IS ESPECIALLY

USER-FRIENDLY FOR

A TYPICAL END USER


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON LOGIXML

While LogiXML is not specically designed for nonprot use, its ability toconnect to various sources, including a prebuilt connector toSalesforce.com, makes it a candidate for any organization looking to analyzedata for key performance indicators. LogiXML is best suited for small tomedium sized organizations or departments within a larger organization. Itsbiggest strength is its low cost, which becomes especially relevant for or-ganizations that require a large number of user licenses since LogiXML offerslicensing models based on server conguration rather than the number of

users. This will allow organizations that require access for a large number ofend users the ability to grant access without driving up their costs. LogiXML isalso known for its quick and easy deployments, which is a benet for anynonprot organization, but especially smaller organizations with fewer

internal resources.


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Build custom reports using Reporting Services.

Dashboards? None.

Other Notable Features? Reports can be delivered in many visual formats: HTML,PDF, CSV, XML, image (TIFF), MS Word, MS Excel, and

PowerPivot.


or Expert?

While SSRS installation is easy, implementation and setupis dependent on MS SQL Server, which requires expertskills.


Total Cost? Licensing models vary, but if the organization already owns

SQL Server, no additional license purchase is necessary.Support Options? Support is bundled with licensing models; in addition, support

content is available on MSDN online forums, although itmay be mixed in with SQL Server documentation.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Unlike off-the-shelf BI products, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based

reporting platform included in the SQL Server business intelligence suite. Expertise in SQL andits setup is required. It provides comprehensive reporting functionality for a variety of datasources and offers a complete set of tools to create, manage, and deliver reports. APIsare available that enable developers to integrate or extend data and report processing incustom applications. SSRS is ideal for organizations that use Microsoft products and have theresources to design and implement their own reporting applications.

SSRS can be used to build reports from any data source type that has a Microsoft .NETFramework-managed data provider, OLE DB provider, or ODBC data source, as well as datasources such as Oracle, DB2, XML data sources, and many more. Additionally, SSRS uses one

of two different modes: SharePoint integrated mode or Native mode. SharePoint integratedmode allows SSRS to store its reports, report items, and metadata in SharePoint. Along with

SSRS and SharePoint, a separate add-in will need to be installed to associate the twoproducts. Native mode only requires a SQL Server instance to store its needed information.

SSRS is installed on-premise. However, later versions of SQL Server can be congured tobuild, migrate and consolidate existing on-premise SQL Server applications to the Cloudusing Windows Azure Virtual Machine and Windows Azure SQL Database Service.

Microsoft SQL ServerReporting Services

www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/


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HOW IT WORKS

SSRS works with a Report Database that stores the metadata of the reports, report items,and security information. The Report Server hosts the SSRS reports. It also provides aWindows service and a web service that handles report functionality for rendering reports,listing report items, scheduling reports, and more. Lastly, SSRS includes a Report Manager,a web application interface to the Report Server that administrators can use to managereports and developers can use to deploy them and set up subscriptions to users for delivery.

USABILITY

SSRS includes the MS Report Builder, an intuitiveand familiar authoring environment that allowsusers to create their own reports and explorecorporate data. Report results can be deliveredin many ways with a variety of formats: HTML, PDF,CSV, XML, image (TIFF), MS Word, MS Excel, andPowerPivot. Reports also can be delivered byemail or posted on shared folders on a network.They can be embedded into applications andportals and published to an MS Ofce SharePointreport library. Depending on the size of the

organization and complexity of reports needed,a dedicated analyst may be essential.

COST

The cost for SSRS is variable, depending on whether it is a rst time install or upgrade, as wellas the number and type of licenses needed. It is best to consult Microsofts buyers guide forthe most accurate pricing and licensing information: http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/get-sql-server/how-to-buy.aspx .

SSRS INCLUDES THE

MS REPORT BUILDER,

AN INTUITIVE AND FAMILIAR

AUTHORING ENVIRONMENT

THAT ALLOWS USERS

TO CREATE THEIR OWN

REPORTS AND EXPLORE

CORPORATE DATA


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON MICROSOFT SQL

SERVER REPORTING SERVICES

MS SQL Server Reporting Services is suitable for any type of organization, butit is best in Microsoft environments where it can be easily integrated. While it isconvenient for a SQL administrator to set up, it is not recommended for smaller ITdepartments that would benet from applications that are already customized

for their needs. Organizations that do not use Microsoft products will likely not nda lot of benet in implementing only SSRS.

On the plus side, organizations that are already using SQL Server as their databasemanagement system will nd that Reporting Services is available at no additionalcost. As part of the SQL Server suite of services, it offers a robust environment tocreate and deliver reports to users. As a result of being a part of the Microsoftfamily of products, SQL Server can be integrated with other Microsoft tools such asSharePoint and Ofce products.

Lastly, as with all Microsoft products, support options and a massive amount ofonline documentation are available.


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Yes.

Dashboards? Yes.

Other Notable Features? Allows connections to a wide variety of traditional andnon-traditional data sources.


or Expert?

Expert-level understanding of data models, plus strongSQL skills to create reports.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? Both; installed on-premise, and users access reports viathe web.

Total Cost? Base price for 10 user licenses plus software and supportestimated at $250,000+ for rst year.

Support Options? Online and phone support, plus training and consultingoptions.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

QlikViews business discovery platform consists of three major components: QlikView Server,QlikView Publisher and QlikView Desktop. QlikView is a BI tool that is able to connect tomultiple data sources including standard ODBC or OLEDB-compliant databases, standard

at les such as Microsoft Excel, XML, etc., as well as from systems such as SAP NetWeaver,Salesforce.com, and Informatica.

HOW IT WORKS

QlikView uses in-memory technology to store data on a dedicated QlikView server, whichavoids the need for a data warehouse. The memory necessary to run the application relatesdirectly to the amount of data to be analyzed. Data sets are loaded onto the QlikView

Server where they can then be connected and manipulated by a developer for reporting,analyzing and creating visualizations using QlikView Desktop. QlikView permits custom-built

and third-party visualization options. Once the developer publishes reports to the server, endusers can access them via the web or a mobile device. Information can also be exportedinto multiple formats and sent via email.

Like a number of other tools on the market, it was not designed specically for nonprot use,but its ability to connect many traditional sources as well as non-traditional sources likeMicrosoft SharePoint, Facebook and Twitter, makes it a good option for nonprots,especially those that have robust online communities.

QlikView

www.QlikView.com
http://www.qlikview.com/http://www.qlikview.com/http://www.qlikview.com/


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USABILITY

The staff in charge of adding and linking data sets as well as creating the reports anddashboards should have a strong understanding data modeling and table linking as well as abasic understanding of SQL. QlikView is more reliant on a developer or database administratorto create dashboards and reports, which are thenpublished to the wider audience. Part of the reportcreation process is for the developer to enableminimal ltering and manipulation of the reportby end users. In this way, QlikView is slightly lessuser-friendly than some of the other tools on themarket. However, QlikView permits annotation ofreports and discussion of or collaboration on reportswithin the application.

COST

QlikViews pricing structure reads like an lacarte menu. There are many other options foradditional components, some at a cost and some free. For example, the Salesforce.comConnector is currently free. However, there is a fee for the SAP NetWeaver Connector.The three most important elements to their cost structure is the QlikView Server, QlikView

Publisher, and licensing fees. For most nonprots, QlikViews initial costs will seem high,running at approximately $250,000 or more for the rst year for 10 users.

QLIKVIEWS ABILITY

TO CONNECT MANY

TRADITIONAL SOURCES

AS WELL AS NON-TRADI-

TIONAL SOURCES MAKES

IT A GOOD OPTION

FOR NONPROFITS


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON QLIKVIEW

Due to the specialized resources necessary to manage QlikView, it is likely bestsuited for larger organizations that need to pull information from many differentdata sets in order to report on key performance indicators to drive strategicplanning. QlikView offers QlikCommunity, a valuable resource where customerscan get sample scripts. Certication is available for the designer, developer,and system administrator levels of expertise.


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AT A GLANCE

Reports? Quickly create visual representations from large amountsof data.

Dashboards? Point and click to create dashboards and embed themin other applications.

Other Notable Features? Emphasizes ease of use to create visual representationsof large amounts of data.


or Expert?

Beginner.

Cloud, On-Premise, or Both? Both; deployed on-premise, reports can be published tothe web.

Total Cost? Nonprot pricing is $1,500 per user for Tableau Desktop and$750 per user for Tableau Server. Annual maintenance is25% of initial cost for year two and beyond.

Support Options? Online manuals, tutorials, knowledgebase, release notes,and a support community.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Tableau software is a drag-and-drop tool with direct connection to data sources that doesnot require pulling data into a data warehouse. Tableaus strength is creating visualrepresentations from large amounts of data that are easy and quick to manipulate. Thesoftware works with CSV, Excel, SQL, Oracle and Sybase data sources and will reportedlyconnect to Salesforce.com in the next release (8.0). It is deployed on-premise with a desktopreport writer component and a server-based interactive end user component where userscan log into the server and manipulate the reports. Once visualizations are created andpublished they can be viewed by logging into the server or can be published to the web.

HOW IT WORKSData is pulled into the desktop application for design, and then reports can be published for

others to see and interact with on the server. Although Tableau can connect to live datasources, users can create extracts to improve performance by taking advantage of theTableau data engine or by reporting on a subset of data from a large data source. While

Tableau

www.tableausoftware.com
http://www.tableausoftware.com/http://www.tableausoftware.com/http://www.tableausoftware.com/


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Tableau is not geared specically toward nonprots, as with most BI tools it should be ableto connect to and create metrics for any tabular data. Tableau can use the existing datasecurity system (Active Directory) or use the built-in security to limit what data users canview, which means that if the server is set up with Active Directory logins, then additional

user logins do not need to be created.

USABILITY

The desktop design tool is relatively easy to use, but as with other BI tools, Tableau requires adegree of understanding of the structure of the data source(s). Adding new data tables isintuitive, but it does involve manual linking of data les, which could be time-consuming for

a complex data source. It is easy to change the view of the data and to change betweenvarious types of charts with a single click. Reports can be exported to Excel or PDF, and thesoftware can be integrated with SharePoint.Tableau can also access dashboards throughiPad and Android apps.

COST

Nonprot pricing is $1,500 per user for TableauDesktop and $750 per user for Tableau Server.

Annual maintenance is 25% of the initial cost foryear two and beyond. Note that it is necessary to purchase a server license for any userwho wants to be able to manipulate the reports on the server or online. Implementationshould not include additional costs as long as an organizations existing server meets theminimum requirements based on the number of users. Since this product does not include anycustomization with other applications, there would be no corresponding add-on costs.

ADDING NEW DATA TABLES

IS INTUITIVE, BUT IT DOES

INVOLVE MANUAL LINKING

OF DATA FILES


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THE BOTTOM LINE ON TABLEAU

Tableau is one of the most straightforward BI solutions for users andadministrators. According to Gartner reviews, it is rated very high in easeof use and implementation. Tableaus accessible price point makes ita good option for small to medium sized nonprofits, though there is nodeterrent to larger organizations as well. The company appears to havegood software support including online manuals, tutorials, knowledgebase,release notes, and a support community.


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Conclusion

GETTING STARTED WITH BI

Now that you understand BI and the spectrum of BI tools in the marketplace, you mayhave found a few that might be a good t to help your organization take advantage of

the data available in your CRM system. But, tool selection and implementation are thenal steps in the process. Determining an overall strategy including identication of

KPIs, aligning your operational model, and ensuring technical infrastructure is in place,must come rst.

At Heller Consulting, we can help you determine how to plan a successful BI initiative atyour organization.

If you are just getting started, we will:

Develop a strategy, including key performance indicators

Review your operational model and business processes to ensure they willprovide the data that will support the KPIs

Discuss and develop technical architecture that will enable tool implementation

Help select and implement the tool itself

If you have already begun this process as part of a larger CRM strategy, we can assistwith requirements gathering and application selection.

YOUR NEXT STEP

To get going, gather your team leaders and complete our Business IntelligenceWorksheet (http://bit.ly/1100oxk )This worksheet will help your team unite yourunderstanding and expectations around Business Intelligence, and prepare youfor more detailed discussions.

Then, call us at 800-794-0774to schedule a time to review your internal assessmentwith us and determine the best next steps. We can help you with a Business IntelligenceAssessment that will give your organization a complete roadmap for BI integration.
http://bit.ly/1100oxkhttp://bit.ly/1100oxk


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ABOUT HELLER CONSULTING

Heller Consulting helps nonprots streamline their operations and maximize their use of software

and online communication tools for fundraising, marketing and mission management. The

company specializes in software selection, implementation and optimization for fundraising,

online marketing and Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) products. In addition, the

company provides marketing services that help nonprots plan and execute online and social

marketing techniques that integrate with a nonprots CRM system for building and tracking anactive community of supporters. With ofces in San Francisco, Chicago and New York, the Heller

Consulting team has helped hundreds of nonprots nationwide.

Visit us at www.teamheller.com.

The Connected Cause is a community that shares information about how nonprots

are using technology to connect with their supporters and deliver on their mission.Our contributors are knowledgeable and passionate about using existing and newtechnology to build and nurture nonprot organizations.

As technology and the way we communicate evolves, CRM systems and socialmedia are quickly converging. Our goal with The Connected Cause is to promote anongoing conversation about this exciting convergence and provide insights that willhelp your nonprot succeed now and in the future.

Visit us at theConnectedCause.comtoday and join in the conversation.
http://theconnectedcause.com/http://theconnectedcause.com/http://theconnectedcause.com/

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