Self-Service Business Intelligence Shouldn’t Mean Do-It-Yourself.

Self-service business intelligence is a must for financial professionals who need to make data-driven decisions quickly and accurately. Business intelligence tools like reporting, planning, budgeting, dashboards, and collaboration give trained users the insight to make better decisions in timely fashion. The key word here is trained. Self-service BI is a great vehicle, but it’s only as effective as the user’s ability to drive the car.

Once you’ve decided on a system, make sure your BI provider offers in-depth training, service and support programs. Set your expectations up front. Obviously they should understand your company’s business requirements, but they need to get granular with their training programs. Your team probably consists of technical and non-technical users. How does your provider address the needs of everyone? Whether it’s online training courses, in-person training courses, tutorials, webinars or whatever, make sure your provider understands your definition of success. Remember that even the most user-friendly solutions require proper training if you wish to truly become autonomous.

And training shouldn’t be a one-and-done experience. Pick a self-service BI provider that offers ongoing training and support, as well as a proactive partner that understands real-world scenarios and can anticipate potential speed bumps that apply to your specific business intelligence environment. Read more about self-service business intelligence training programs.