Modern businesses have so much data at their disposal.  While this is a good thing, it comes with its challenges.

With so much data, it becomes harder to make sense of all this information and to utilize it effectively.  

This is where business intelligence tools, such as dashboard applications come in.

What Is A Dashboard Application?

Dashboard software is a business intelligence (BI) tool that displays, tracks, and analyses key data points and metrics in your firm.

A dashboard is the best means of tracking multiple datasources as it displays all your data in the form of gauges, bar charts, line charts and tables in one central position for your monitoring.  This enables you to make smarter and data-accurate decisions.

Examples of industry leaders in the BI sector includePower BI and Tableau software.

Why Is Dashboard Important For Your Business

There are many benefits of using business intelligence tools in your business, some of which are outlined below.

• Dashboard software increases efficiency – Dashboard software ensures you access data quickly. This data is also actionable as it’s already analyzed. You can also monitor and measure metrics in real-time, which allows for improved efficiency in your business operations.
• Improved business visibility – A dashboard gives you a consolidated view of what is going on in your business. This ensures you focus on relevant KPIs and align your business processes to important indicators for better performance.
• Improve communication – The most effective dashboards have in-built communication tools to enhance collaboration. Such tools include notifications, notes, and scheduled reports.Such tools enable you to share key metrics with your team, allowing collaboration that can lead to smart decisions.
• Improved business results – Analyzed data provided by dashboard applications makes it easier to measure the performance of your business. Your dashboard will also show you the areas of your business that need improvement. This ensures you make informed choices that can help you improve sales and profits.
• Saves time and money - With dashboard software, you no longer need to spend time preparing lengthy reports and using analog methods to analyze data. Resources and time spent on such tasks can now go to more useful areas of your business.

Factors to Consider Before Getting Dashboard Software

The best business intelligence solution is one that works for your business and workforce needs.

For instance, Tableau works best for businesses that want to focus on visualization, while Power BI is ideal for firms that are keen on data manipulation.

You also need to consider your firm size and business niche. Do you need dashboard software that is user-friendly with essential features or one that has sophisticated features?

You also need to evaluate how much you are willing to spend on the software. For instance, Tableau has a sharing server that costs $175,000. While large corporations may find this affordable, startup companies may prefer a cheaper option.

Another important consideration is the deployment option.  There are business intelligence solutions that are cloud-based while others are on-premise. A cloud-based solution is easy to share, manage and set up. They are also cheaper and are the most suitable for small enterprises.

The on-premise BI solutions are deployed over your intranet by your IT team. They are the best if you have a good IT team that can manage any issues effectively. On-premises BI software is also ideal for businesses that deal with sensitive data.

What’s The Best Dashboard for Your Enterprise

There is no shortage of dashboard applications to choose from in the market. To help you make a better-informed purchase, here are our top five recommended dashboard applications.

1.   Tableau

Tableau is one of the most popular dashboard software in the market. This data visualization and analytics tool connects to your datasources and works on the data points that need analysis. Visualization manipulation is achieved by the use of the provided drop-down menus.

Best for: This software is best for experienced and mature enterprises that are looking for scalable visualizations.

Pros

·      Data visualization

·      Powerful computations

·      User friendly and easy to learn

·      Can handle large amounts of data

Cons

·      Costly

·      No notifications

·      Limited formatting options

2.   Domo

Domo is a business management software that allows you to access data and perform analytics and reports in one dashboard. This is a cloud-based solution which means it’s easy to learn and set up.

Best for: Domo is perfect for mature corporations whose data is already in the cloud and those who can afford its hefty cost.

Pros

·      Appealinginterface

·      UsesAPIs to integrate both on-premise and external data

·      Excellent customer service

Cons

·      Costly

·      Hard to extract data

·      Lack of on-premise deployment option

3.   Dash

Dash is an ultra-fast and advanced business intelligence and visual analytical tool. This reporting platform has a fast learning curve as it’s developed according to your custom requirements.  It’s easy to set-up and has a responsive design.  Its flexibility allows it to integrate with any data source and on any device in real-time. It uses a pay as you go model, making it one of the cheapest platforms in the market.

Best for: Dash is ideal for companies that need a simple to use solution with user-friendly functionalities.

Pros

·      Most flexible visualization options

·      No burden on your internal IT team

·      Functional integration with many data sources

·      Simple interface makes it ideal for executive users

Cons

·      Not flexible enough to be a singular analytics solution

4.   Dundas

Dundas is a browser-based BI and data visualization solution that has reporting tools, integrated dashboards and data analytics tools. It allows the user to create customized and interactive dashboards and come up with their own reports.  This isa low coast solution that scales easily, and it can be run on-premises or hosted in the cloud.

Best for: This BI tool is ideal for growing businesses.

Pros

·      Excellent customer support

·      Intuitive and easy to learn user interface

·      Frequent version updates

Cons

·      Security is an issue

·      Not good for complex data visualizations and manipulations

5.   Zoho Analytics

This reporting and BI tool allows you to create and share reports and dashboards with little to no help from your IT team. You can import your data from multiple data sources with this solution. It’s also easy to use, and its high speed allows for the creation of sophisticated reports. Besides, the customer support is always ready to help. This tool is ideal for startups as it has a free version.

Best for: Zoho Analytics is best for businesses that need a ready-made and easy to use reporting tool.

Pros

·      Provides advanced analytics on a budget

·      Excellent support team that offers timely resolution to issues

·      Has most of the features that other high-end BI systems have

·      An easy to use and flexible platform

Cons

·      Communication not available within the app

·      Not ideal for users who are working with a lot of data

Conclusion

Data visibility is crucial for every organization that wants to succeed. Getting access to real-time data is more critical now than ever. Data that is easy to access and well-organized allows managers to make informed decisions that can improve firm productivity and performance.

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