How to confront setbacks of BI reporting tools

You walk into your office on a sunny Monday morning. You greet your coworkers, sit down at your desk, and power on your computer. You’re ready to tackle the week head-on.

But then you remember that there’s an executive team meeting today to cover last quarter’s sales numbers.

You open up your reporting tool only to find that it’s not working. Again.

Depending on the cause of the problem, there are steps you can take to ensure that your BI reporting tool does its job successfully. In this article we cover some potential setbacks of BI reporting tools and how to overcome them.

Why BI reporting tools fail

While there are some instances when things just simply go wrong, more often than not there is a reason behind why BI reporting tools fail.

There are many different factors that can contribute to BI reporting tool failures, but some of the most common reasons include the following:

Reason 1: You have inaccurate data

One of the most common reasons BI reporting tools fail is because the data being pulled into the BI platform is erroneous.

This can happen for a number of reasons, but often it’s because of human error. Perhaps someone entered the wrong data into the system or maybe an automated sensor wasn’t working properly and recorded inaccurate information.

Whatever the case may be, if the data going into your BI reporting tool is inaccurate, then the results that come out will also be inaccurate.

How to repair:

In order to fix this issue, you need to identify the inaccurate data and correct it. This can be a time-consuming process, but it’s essential if you want your BI reporting tool to work properly.

Make sure to document everything so you can avoid this issue in the future. When you know exactly why and how the incorrect data made its way into the system, you can put measures in place to prevent it from happening again.

Reason 2: The data is too complex

Another reason BI reporting tools fail is because the data is too complex. In other words, there’s just too much of it and it’s not organized in a way that makes it easy to work with.

As data sets continue to grow in size and complexity, this issue is only going to continue to become more and more common. This issue often occurs as companies scale their operations without properly scaling their BI reporting tools at the same time.

For example, a company might start out with a small data set that is easy to manage. But as the company grows and their data set gets larger, they might not have invested in a BI reporting tool that can properly handle the increased volume and complexity.

How to repair:

There are a few different ways you can solve this problem.

One option is to invest in a more powerful BI reporting tool that can handle your larger and more complex data sets. Full-stack BI platforms are a good option because they provide seamless scaling capabilities.

Another option is to find ways to simplify your data. This might involve consolidating data sets, removing unnecessary data points, or using data cleaning techniques.

Whichever way you choose to solve this problem, it’s important to take action so you can avoid BI reporting tool failures in the future as your company continues to grow and adapt.

Reason 3: The system is outdated

Here is an all-too-common scenario: a company invests in a BI reporting tool, they use it for a few years, and then they find that it’s no longer meeting their needs.

This is often because the system is outdated. Technology evolves quickly, and BI reporting tools are no exception. What might have been a cutting-edge system a few years ago might be inadequate today.

If you are ignoring updates and new features for your BI reporting tool, then it’s only a matter of time before the system fails you. This can lead to lost productivity, missed opportunities, and frustrated employees.

How to repair:

To avoid this problem, you need to stay up-to-date with the latest BI reporting tool trends and make sure you are using the most current version of the software.

This might mean investing in a new system altogether. But even if you decide to stick with your current system, you need to make sure you are taking advantage of the latest feature updates.

Reason 4: Poor implementation

Another common reason BI reporting tools fail is poor implementation. If the tool was not properly installed or integrated with existing systems, this could cause problems.

It’s also important to make sure everyone who is using the system is properly trained on how to do so. Otherwise, they might not be utilizing the full potential of the tool, which can lead to frustrations and errors.

How to repair:

The best way to avoid this problem is to make sure you have a clear plan for how you want to use your BI reporting tool before you even start using it.

This plan should be designed by someone who has a deep understanding of the tool and how it can be used to achieve your desired results. Once you have this plan in place, you need to make sure everyone who is using the system is properly trained on how to do so.

Reason 5: Lack of support

Finally, a major reason BI reporting tools fail is a lack of support from executives and other business leaders.

If the initiative to implement a robust BI tool within an organization is not supported by the organization’s leaders, there will be problems.

Without executive support, it can be difficult to get the necessary resources to implement the tool, train users, and troubleshoot issues.

How to repair:

Before investing in a BI reporting tool, ensure that you have support from top-level executives who can promote the tool. Meet and discuss costs and how you will address potential system failures and maintenance issues.

Additionally, discuss with executives what to do if your internal BI team can’t keep up with the demand for analytics. Decide if you’ll reach out to external consultants who can help build custom BI solutions for your organization.

The bottom line

When you run into issues with your BI reporting tool, there are steps you can take to solve them.

There are plenty of things you can do to get the results you need. You might have to get creative and think outside the box, but there are ways to overcome setbacks with your BI reporting tool.

When you run into issues, make sure you take the time to troubleshoot the problem and find a solution that works for you. With a little bit of effort, you can get the data you need and keep your business running smoothly.