The best Business Intelligence tools
Business Intelligence tools have become increasingly important in the business environment, offering numerous benefits to companies. Therefore, their adoption and the effective use of their features are becoming ever more relevant. Several characteristics are common among leading Business Intelligence solutions. For example, they are easy to implement in the workplace, provide a fast and efficient analysis system, and do not require excessive workload or specialized knowledge from team members.
These types of tools must also be highly compatible , offer real-time functionality, and enable seamless mobility among employees across different teams. The importance of data sharing, an optimal user experience, and prioritizing scalability are also crucial. Features like these can be found in two of the best Business Intelligence tools on the market, which we will compare: QlikView and Pentaho.
Two good options for all types of companies
What's interesting about the BI sector is that there are so many recommended tools that it's easy to see how they differ from one another through features that make them quite independent. These two options we're discussing clearly illustrate this, covering the topic of Business Intelligence from different perspectives, but approaching it through distinct characteristics. QlikView , for example, is based on an AQL environment to perform calculations and analyses with precision and speed. Companies looking to quickly adopt these systems will appreciate that this technique is very suitable for getting started rapidly. The main difference with the Suite BI method favored by Pentaho is that QlikView can become somewhat limited when more features are needed.
This difference in depth is also evident in other aspects of the two tools. For example, Pentaho has a metadata system and provides technicians with a very wide selection of modules to work with. In contrast, QlikView's dashboards stand out due to their ease of use.
Although neither tool has a MOLAP system , Pentaho does rely on the use of OLAP cubes, which is a very effective technique for managing large data loads. QlikView addresses this lack of a built-in MOLAP system through several added features, which slightly complicates its operation, though it does provide a temporary solution. Another key difference is that ETL support is only available in Pentaho, for obvious reasons related to the platform's nature. This is achieved through a custom module called Data Integration, which expands its capabilities.
How to make a decision?
Sometimes, technical and performance characteristics aren't the only factors that matter; what truly matters is the benefit to the company and its needs. For example, the implementation time required for each tool in daily operations must be considered. In this respect, Pentaho falls short, as the implementation time exceeds three months and can become an excessive burden. QlikView requires less time, which helps it stand out. The same applies to the training time needed to master the platform: about two weeks for Pentaho and half that for its competitor.
These are also important aspects that ultimately prove decisive in making a choice, at least in cases where the two options are so evenly matched, as is the case when comparing these two Business Intelligence tools. In this specific instance, for example, the two tools share numerous features we haven't mentioned, such as the support they provide specialists for connecting from all types of devices, both desktop and mobile. Whichever option the company chooses, there's no doubt that they are two of the best choices.
