The BI360 Dashboard module has the capability to calculate and store metrics and KPI’s. BI360 can support any dashboard product that can read from a Microsoft SQL Server database (or OLAP cubes, if they are created on top of the BI360 Data Warehouse). The BI360 suite offers its own dashboard module as well. It is based on Microsoft Silverlight and can run as a stand-alone in your web browser or it can be deployed as part of a Microsoft SharePoint Portal.
The main purpose of BI360’s Dashboard module is to support an organization’s performance management with initiatives, by offering a relatively low cost and easy-to-implement, professional dashboard environment.
Some of the key reasons for implementing BI360’s Dashboard module are:
- To help managers and users focus on key metrics that drive organizational performance and processes.
- It is a very user-friendly Microsoft-Silverlight-based interface that usually does not require training for end-users.
- Relatively low in cost and easy to implement.
- Business users can quickly learn how to build custom dashboards and scorecards using the Dashboard Designer.
Using the Dashboard Designer, the power user can create virtually any kind of dashboard layout. The interface was designed to maintain a similar look and feel of the Office products, including the use of an Outlook-style menu bar as the main navigation component.
Performance metrics should be established once a baseline system is configured. There are many factors that contribute to the performance of the BI360 solution, including the number of concurrent users, number of transactions, as well as the size and design of reports and input forms.
In working with BI360, I have found it to be extremely user friendly and a tool that is very effective in creating dashboards and reports. Many of the other BI tools out there are much more cumbersome and complicated, which is why I encourage organizations to take a good look at BI360.