Here we know about Best Tableau alternatives BI Tools in the Market for Data Analysis and Enterprise Resource Planning.
Tableau is a Business Intelligence Tool (also called BI tools), used by many professionals and organizations around the world. To understand the use of a Business Intelligence Tool, you can compare it with SAP, which is also a kind of a business intelligence tools, in many cases this kind of applications are also classified as Enterprise Resource Planning software. But it is exactly not like Sap, while SAP mainly deals with the data processing in the big data field, there Tableau works on visualizing and analyzing any big data product simply. Also, sharing data with different devices, even with devices using different Operating Systems and platforms are also possible with Tableau. The creation of a dashboard presentation and managing data for an analytical survey, even without any programming skills, is possible with Tableau. Using Tableau server, the user can publish dashboards from Tableau desktop using any computer-based web browser or mobile-based web browser.
Data Management and Data Analytics are actually very blunt terms often used by us, actually, when we dig deeper about these terms, it is a completely different field on its own. So, when someone is looking for a Business intelligence tool or resource planning tool, then a couple of points very important about which the user should consider, i.e. Data Discovery, Data Management, Data Reporting, etc. even other core functionality like evaluating the performance of employees, evaluating the functionality of the system, etc.
So, here I am going to discuss the benefits of Tableau or in general any Business Intelligence Tool in brief so that the understanding of these types of software applications and understanding the needs of it get clearer to you. If you are just an enthusiast about this type of software then I think this is going to be the most important part for you in this article.
Benefits of Tableau
Advanced Analytics and Getting Insights –
This kind of application continuously keep collecting data from all the inputs and keep presenting those data smartly in front of you in an organized way from which you can analyze the pattern of the job, the needs of the job as well as it can trigger some new insights based on those data in front you, which will lead to successful project completion.
There are many ways to represent your big data in a simple way in any BI tool. All the BI tools come with a couple of pre-formatted data reporting techniques, which collect the data from the common inputs by all the employees and customers, which focus on the KPIs (Key performance indicator). There are also the capabilities of self-service BI reports by the tools and also the user can run an ad-hoc report, in which he can customize any specific KPI for the desired result.
Also, the BI tools act upon the relevance of information, as a unique benefit can be achieved by using the relevant information. Plus, while automatically the tool acts upon the relevant information, the user does not need to have a piece of knowledge like data scientist or need not to have any programming skills at all to operate the tools and generate a report.
Visualizing Important Information
Visualizing data is much easier than reading operational reports. Using charts, graphs, videos, animations, and infographics the reports become easier to understand, more engaging, and interactive as well. While the normal operational reports need more time, more skills, and more insight to understand and interpret the information as a whole. So, presenting the information in a cognitive way is very important when it comes to understanding business data, here the BI tools can help for sure.
Data Mining
This is the process to identify the patterns in data in order to understand the trend and to trigger insight. The process includes five steps called, Data Collection, Warehousing, and storage, Organizing the data, Data Analysis, and Presentation.
By instantaneously analyzing the incoming data, an organization can catch the upcoming trends and can take the advantage of that opportunity, if they relied on the operational report, they would never be able to act on the upcoming opportunity.
Performance Benchmarking
While in today’s competitive market, fast thinking and effective decision making is very important, benchmarking of the performance of all the resource is to be done to get the best out of the resources. Benchmarking is a very important tool to understand the way an organization can end up with better productivity and better revenue. The benchmarking tools allow the user to get an accurate report on the performance of current KPIs and the change of trends within the organization over time and also the current state of performance of the company resources itself.
Performance Management –
The user can also set predefined goals for the organization, which can be tracked via regular performance checking from the incoming data so that needed measures can be taken within time to complete the goal.
Also, BI tools’ self-data organizing techniques can save a lot of work hour and manpower on a regular basis, which in turn also help the user to manage the performance in a better way.
Sales Intelligence
How the BI tools work it automatically enhances the awareness about the organization and how it is performing, what it’s going to in the next couple of months or years. So, actually, these systems also do help in monitoring the most important prospect of any organization like sales.
The reports and data presentation processed by the tools will help the user to understand the need of the clients better, it will help to identify the target area or potential client, as well as it will also improve the sales management experience as a whole.
Inventory Management
Inventory management or also known as resource management is also another greatly important prospect of any organization. Using BI tools, you can keep a check upon the low performing area of your resources also the high performing areas. Also, you can manage your resources more tactically and strategically where and when needed.
It also indicates what kind of change of trend the resources are facing also what kind of trend is going on with the customers. Hence it will help you to move your men from the place where not needed to the place where needed.
List of best BI tools as Tableau Software alternatives
Sisense
It is a Big Platform, easy to use which let the user join, analyze, and also picture out the information which they require to make more strategic decision, for a more successful operation. There no programming skills are necessary for this Tableau alternative to handle the big data collections, as this application has the support of the drag and drop system, which makes the interface more interactive but easy to use. You can try for a free demo from here. The data, the reports as well the insights and any other presentations can also be shared with colleges very easily via using the interactive dashboard, the data sharing process is platform-independent just like Tableau.
There are many Start-ups, developing Enterprises, even some giant companies like SONY, ESPN, Comcast, NASA are using this application to manage their organizational movements.
Pros:
- Data can be exported to images, Excel files, PDF files, CSV format any other formats.
- Automatically identifies important metrics using filtering and calculations.
- All the data are handled via a single commodity server, so putting security is easier as well as fast-reacting data processes.
- Data can be filtered automatically by simply adding them to the canvas.
Cons:
- There is no AI-like system to detect a profitable direction on its own.
- Sometime you may feel the application is running slow, especially if you compare it with Tableau.
- The data analysis mechanism takes a little more time than expected, but that’s not a very big deal.
- Sisense does not disclose its pricing on its website, so the users need to contact them for details of pricing. But, according to sources its around $21000 – $25000 for 5 users’ packages.
Looker
A very big name when it comes to BI tools. Looker as an alternative to Tableau is a tool for data discovery as well as used for data-exploration jobs. This one of the Tableau alternatives application is actually a web-based application, hence need no installation to be done. You can try the demo version here. The data sharing is very easy with this application.
The looker also offers various types of pricing options and also many types of API integrations can be added. The interface is very intuitive and easy to use. The data filtering core is designed well to eliminate data bottleneck while working with a huge amount of data. There are many companies, even some Fortune 500 companies use this application.
Pros:
- This application offers the easiest to use interface among all other BI tools.
- The data can be accessed in real-time, which helps the organizations to take quick decisions for a smarter way of business.
- Streamline collaboration is possible among users.
- The application can be accessed via any pc-based browser or mobile-based browser.
- The data and the reports can be shared via URLs or emails.
- The application can be integrated with Google services like google docs, google sheets, etc. and even with Microsoft applications like MS Word, MS Excel, etc., even many other third-party applications are also supported.
- The data can be manually exported in .csv files or even to .txt files.
Cons:
- The data investigation module is not as organized as it should be. In the tableau, it investigates data starting with the large conventional dashboard files and end-up with complex files and web-based files like data from cloud-based sources and all, but in the case of Looker, it happens synchronously as the data entered at the first place.
Infragistics ReportPlus- Tableau alternative
This one is also a platform-independent, web-based service. A very good option as a Tableau alternative. It gives real-time dashboards, interactive reports, and great accessibility in a centralized platform, and help the user to get very precise insights about the business.
The demo version with full access is available here.
Pros:
- It comes with the facility of unlimited embedded dashboards within the application to the extent of the reach of the user and to make it more flexible. Custom dashboard making is also supported.
- It comes with a very good quality service as well, with the built-in partnership and product support, which includes training, architecture workshop, installation, and even custom dashboard creation tutorials.
- There are more than 30 visualization types to choose from according to the need of the user. With the help of the presets the user can create a robust dashboard design which focuses on the important fields as per the need of the user. The fonts and colors are also able to be modified.
Cons:
- The data analyzing process is much slower, ReportPlus compared to ReportPlus. Being fast responsive is a very positive factor to have as there are various types of new users who are also getting into BI tools every day. Many professionals even many professions are also adapting the usage of BI tools for work management, resource management, and to find out the key points for focus.
- The statistical analytic system can be and expected to be modified further for a better result.
ZOHO Reports as Tableau alternatives
You must have heard the name of ZOHO if you are using enterprise-level software applications. This is a ZOHO’s self-service BI tool for analytics, and you can also create custom dashboards and can focus on your desired insights. The data visualization process is also good. The application is a web-based and platform-independent like the others on this list. The tools are easy to set up, the customer service is very good, and many add-on services also do come for free. But, before buying you can experience the demo here. There are various kinds of price options available according to your need and budget. Though ZOHO services are considered to be cheap when it comes to price.
Zoho is easy to set up and a fast implementable application, which is actually my recommended option if you are looking for a BI tool for a small start-up enterprise. The drag and drop support makes it easier to use and the spreadsheet-like interface also makes the new users more comfortable while using it.
Pros:
- You can import data files, feeds, databases from any platform, or any resources even from devices using another OS platform. The sharing support is also flexible that enough.
- The drag and drop support is a big thumbs up.
- By using a private server and other security measures ZOHO protects your files and keeps the privacy of your enterprise.
- You can combine data fetched from different sources and in different formats and you can blend those data just with a single mouse click, it is that easy to use. So, you do not need to shortlist data for yourself.
- There is a feature called Formula Engine, where you can add and save mathematical formulas and can use them for faster response, to understand statistical outcomes quicker.
Cons:
- The basic data connector options are not free, which should have been.
- Connecting various kinds of data services in a single dashboard is a little trickier than Tableau.
Microsoft Power BI
There is no need for an introduction to the developers, and the application has exclusive and very fast responsive support for the pre-installed Microsoft services like MS Office add-ons.
By using this service tool, you can get insights throughout any organizational project. Hundreds of data sources can be connected seamlessly, ad hoc analysis drive can be made, beautiful project reports and presentations can be created with the help of this tool. The application can be used on any computer or any mobile via using web series and browsers.
The MS Powered BI as an alternative for Tableau tool automatically converts data inputs into a stunning, easy to interpret, and comprehensive visuals which help you and your team to get the insights easily.
The service also helps in tracking the business advancements and deriving the answer faster via using the robust and comprehensive dashboards, which can be accessed through any device like mobile, laptop, or desktop using any OS platform.
Pros:
- Instead of simple formulas of Excel, MS Power BI relies on MS DAX query language, which.
- The system is more capable of handling data than most of the other alternatives. Data imported, can easily be sorted, filtered, and modified easily. Even third-party files like Facebook data can be connected very easily.
- Largest no of customizable visualizations are supported, like, Bubbles, Table Heatmaps, Tornado Charts, Tadpole Spark Grids, Aster Plots, Histograms, etc.
- Unlimited access to the in-cloud data without any extra price.
Cons:
- The spreadsheet application has a limit of Rows and Columns, unlike Tableau.
- No drag and drop support.
- For adding a custom formula, you need to learn the Dax query language, so it has a learning curve, unlike Tableau.
- Microsoft Power BI’s interface is made for seasoned users hence anew user may find it troublesome to master without any help.
Tableau alternatives Conclusion:
Now the decision depends on your need and budget. There are also many other options available in the market but only some of them are dependable enough for real-world organizational needs. You can also try applications like IBM Cognos, SAS Business Intelligence, QlikView, Grow.com, etc.
Other Alternatives: