Business intelligence systems and applications

Business Intelligence

SAP Crystal solutions has a number of business intelligence software programs that are designed to work in tandem to learn, create, share, and manage reporting structures. The product was originally created in the 1990s as a small report system, but continued to develop and evolve with the needs of the business community and the hardware improvements to computing. In this writer's opinion, the Crystal Reporting system is one of the most powerful business intelligence systems available for the fiscal investment -- and especially because it can generate reports from a wide range of data sources, platforms, and applications -- surprisingly even Microsoft's Visual studio and the SQL Server Reporting Software Tool (Microsoft, 2011). The targeted audience for the Crystal reports seem to be solutions for Java developers, those who need more flexible and less complex business reporting systems than Microsoft and others, and those who have a great deal of data already collected (which may be in different formats) and need to generate reports. In addition, one of the most intuitive and useful parts of Crystal Solutions is the way it can integrate into the individual desktop -- individual users, not just IT or accounting professionals, can run scenarios and use the predictive capabilities of the reporting structure to manage and strategically analyze data in a more robust manner. The portion of the reporting structure that makes this tool easy to use:

Point and click -- this is intuitive in the interface, with pre-built components that make it easy to get up and running.

Flexible design capabilities -- using various visual analytics, themes, etc. The look and feel as well as customizable macros to truly make the reporting unique.

Built in quick start guides -- the system almost intuitively follows the user's movement towards certain types of reports and guides using samples.

Software development kit -- allows use of Adobe flex to create customizable visualization components and data connectors

Connect -- SAP Crystal Dashboard Design can be connected LIVE to the company's own network and can be used to import and export data on a real-time basis, along with appropriate safeguards and protocols.

Deployment -- allows for visual modeling, drilldown charts and maps, dynamic menus, presentation exporting, Adobe Acrobat compatibility, Adobe Air compatibility.

Integration of crystal reports that are interactive and what-if scenarios for the entire company, a department, or individual use. VERY POWERFUL in that one can use the software in presentation mode, then run "what if" scenarios based on feedback from the group -- no manual coding required.

The platform is independent; visual models can be exported to PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Adobe, etc. For ease of sharing (SAP, 2011).