Implementing SAAS BI ( Business Intelligence) tool as a cloud analytics software

The term ‘SAAS BI’ refers to an application hosted in the cloud which provides users with certain business intelligence tools. It is available through a recurring premium in the form of subscriptions. It compromises of two phases namely, SAAS and BI. While the former stands for Software-as-a-Service, the latter is the abbreviation for Business Intelligence.

SAAS BI is also known as the Cloud Analytics Software. It provides users with certain business intelligence technology features, for instance – dashboards, reports, and others. Being a cloud-hosted distribution model, this software permits third-party providers to host the BI tools in a dependable online environment.

In the current data-oriented world business environment, organizations compile huge amounts of data both internal and external daily. This cloud-based BI analytics tool enables users to analyze data sets comprehensively and create easily accessible dashboards on the go.

Advantages and Shortcomings of SAAS BI:

The advantages and drawbacks of the SAAS cloud computing service for different business models can be categorized as follows:

What are Advantages of SAAS BI:

The cloud-based services providing tools for business analysis are helping organizations all over the world. They aid to internalize, analyze and subsequently create comprehensive dashboards from the necessary data. 

The following are the advantages of Cloud Analytical Software:

1. Increased Potency – The concept of cloud computing employs a mobile strategy enabling the organization to stay connected with its users. This in turn improves the service delivering methods of the user organization.
2. Secure Data – The SAAS business intelligence also ensures that the organization’s data remains protected through all the phases of different encryption stages.
3. Lower Maintenance Cost – The cost of owning the cloud computing service is comparatively lesser than an on-premise structure. Furthermore, this service enables the user organizations to take complete benefit of the constant upgrade and maintenance of the cloud.
4. Reliability – The SAAS BI is a scalable service where all the analytic queries are taken care of by the service vendors. It also saves a lot of time for the organization which can invest in the developmental and expansion process.
5. Easier Data Interpretation – The business Intelligence solutions available through cloud computing are advance enough to solve all analytic queries. Moreover, it provides deeper analysis and custom reports of the provided data.

The drawbacks of this SAAS business intelligence software can be enlisted as follows:-

1. Security Risk – Whereas this service claims to provide utmost security protocols to the sensitive data of the user organizations. In the end, the cloud-based service involves the procedure of handing over sensitive information to third parties. This increases the risk of misusing data. Even if Business Intelligence tools claim to implement security measures and guarantees data security.
2. Unsaid Costs – In addition, there exists a certain expense known as the hidden vendor costs. These are generally hidden from the user organization in the beginning. Hence, this implies that the pricing structure may not be as transparent as expected.
3. Absence of Customization – Using the SAAS BI service has another drawback. As it cannot be customized according to the requirements of the specific company. However, certain parts of the service are flexible, they cannot be tailored individually to suit the user company.
4. Integrating Hazards – SAAS BI service makes it difficult for users to integrate any other software in a vendor operated architecture. 

Flexibility and adaptability of Cloud Analytics Software: 

In the modern world, business activities are growing and expanding their base of functioning. Hence, cloud-based business intelligence adoption seems to be the correct choice for companies across the globe for business intelligence reporting. 

The term ‘scalability‘ often refers for SAAS BI, which refers to the ability to handle an increasing user base. The capacity to handle complex data along with performing other functions including the creation of auto-generated reports.

Moreover, the adaptability of this software can be determined upon considering the below-mentioned factors:-

• Constant Flow of Users – SAAS BI is a subscription-based service allowing you to add or remove users easily. In place of buying new hardware/software, you can provide users with login credentials to access the SAAS BI tools.
• Heightened Data Levels – With business growth comes an enormous increase in the data flow as well. This requires business intelligence tools to analyze and improve its service delivery methods. The Cloud Analytical Software adapts best to the specific needs of a business and manages the workload at peak hours.
• Preventing  Bottlenecks – The SAAS BI is designed with consideration to user ease. This implies that the service performs all functions including a comprehensive data analysis. Along with that organization quality report creation even in the absence of technical expertise.

SAAS BI vs. On-Premise BI application: A Comparative Analysis

The utilization of business intelligence as an analytic application is a necessary key function. This is useful for tracking business metrics for all big and small organizations. While SAAS BI gains popularity amongst larger and medium business organizations. Several smaller ones are now contemplating implementing this type of application.

A comparison of the two forms of computing provides the following differences between them,

For instance the difference between SAAS BI and On-premise BI Application

1. Being a subscription-based service, the SAAS BI plans starts monthly or annually. This allows the user organization to pay for whatever they need and not more. Again, as the subscription cost is predictable, it results in perfect budgeting on the part of the company. On the other hand, the on-premise structure of BI solutions requires a much higher cost. This is due to hardware, software, and licensing expenses.
2. Similarly, cloud computing is provided through ready to use platforms. Thus implementation does not require much time while the on-premise setup is quite time-consuming.
3. Similarly, while SAAS is a scalable BI service you just need to adjust the subscription to suit your needs. The process of scaling an on-premise setup requires a long term discussion process.
4. The cloud computing service is available to be access even on mobile devices. Whereas, the on-premise setup is devoid of this advantage.
5. In terms of security, the on-premise service outruns the cloud-hosted system. As the former provides maximum control of an organization over its data.

Power BI Pro As a SAABI BI Solution: An Introduction

Microsoft is the product provider of Power BI Pro. This Microsoft business analytics refers to an individual license-based service. It permits the user to interact with the reports or dashboards that others have published on the Microsoft BI application. Through this license, the license owners can easily interact with other Power BI Pro license owners.

However, To purchase the Microsoft BI Pro license, there are certain conditions that you can follow:

1. Purchasing or providing a license in the Microsoft 365 admin center. The user must be a member of the Global administrator or Billing administrator role in Microsoft 365, and 
2. To provide a license in the Azure portal one must be the owner of the Azure subscription. The one that Microsoft BI utilizes for Azure Active Directory lookups.

Features of Microsoft Power BI Pro:

As Power BI Pro is the higher version it is adept with all the facilities of a SAAS BI tool. For instance, accessing all dashboards and reports. And unlimited permit to consume, share and interact with the created reports and dashboards. 

The following are some of the basic features of the Power BI Pro:- 

1. It can embed Power BI visuals and insightful reports into other applications
2. It can natively integrate with other Microsoft applications, for instance, Azure Data Services
3. Similarly, it makes sharing and interaction of created datasets, dashboards, and reports with other Power BI pro users
4. It has the ability to create proper workspaces within applications and enable peer-to-peer sharing.

A price guide for Microsoft Power BI Pro for the Buyers:

The Microsoft BI has three subscription brackets within which it offers separate benefits to its users. These three ranges are namely

I) Power BI Desktop

II)Power BI Pro

III) Power BI Premium

In the other words, Power BI Pro plan start from $9.99 per user for ever month. This subscription involves the collaboration and analysis of data, creating dashboards. This is very competitive pricing among different SAAS BI tools. Along with this, it permits the user a 360° view of the created reports and of publishing such reports anywhere. A free trial of 60days or two months is available for interested buyers before they subscribe to the plan.

Advantages and possible uses of Microsoft BI:

The advantages of Power BI Pro are manifold and some of the basic benefits of its use are:

• It seamlessly performs according to the business environment and adapts to the changing data analytical needs of the organization.
• Provides a wide variety of dashboard choices to customize dashboards and reports according to the specific need of the company.
• You also have ability to publish reports securely
• There are no shortages of space, not any time constraints.
• The business intelligence tools extract visuals rapidly and with ease.
• Provision of unlimited sharing of reports and dashboards with others and
• It is a perfect concoction of performance and simplicity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, various organizations have specific needs in order to analyze data. Power BI Pro fulfills the business requirements of organizations to a great extent. The benefits it provides are manifolds which make the data analysis work of the user organization simpler. So that the leftover time can be invested in developing the company’s potential.