New Generation BI

The concept of Business Intelligence (BI) has changed. Once referred to as a “tech-savvy only” access tool, it has now evolved into an accessible natural language data processor. The new generation BI tool answers English language questions, in real time and without having to rely on the IT department to configure systems for reports.

Progress Software saw the need for an operational BI rebuild, and developed EasyAsk®, an Operational BI application that return queries in seconds instead of in hours or months. EasyAsk does not merely focus on the decision-making needs of senior management but is accessible to all users. Employees will no longer review only snippets or irrelevant packets of data. They can now get data designed by them, for them, by using plain English to ask a question, for example “show me the average sales from January 2007 to January 2008” and EasyAsk will provide the answer.
In the past, BI Solutions helped organisations with strategic decisions via routine reporting, altering and monitoring.

BI has now become an operational tool which accesses massive quantities of data, stored in data warehouses, which were previously only available to power users in the company. In other words, BI makes access possible for everyone, from the shipping clerk to the chief executive. Companies no longer have to rely on backroom involvement to produce company data.

Gustav Piater, QBCon’s Director of Sales and Marketing says “employees and organisations need to quickly identify issues, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement”. QBCon is the biggest implementer of EasyAsk. Traditional BI tools could access information to determine weaknesses and threats, but the data was never at the correct level or available in time to do anything about it
QBCon implemented EasyAsk at four top South African companies, including Nedbank, Europ Assistance, Matrix Vehicle Tracking and Integrated Healthcare Distribution enabling them to make quicker business decisions, which saves time and costs.