Checklist for business intelligence software

We have compiled the most important criteria for you here, as inspiration for your requirements catalog and at the same time our positioning. You should pay attention to these features and functions when evaluating and comparing business intelligence software. And when you have acquired a taste for it, the best thing to do is to see for yourself live what DeltaMaster can do for you!

Good business intelligence software should present the company’s status in such a way that users can grasp it without having to search through indi­vidual reports. DeltaMaster from Bissantz solves this with a color-coded dashboard: Each analysis and reporting appli­cation can be assigned its own key metric—such as order intake, contri­bution margin, pipeline, or closing rate. This way, you can see at a glance which topics you should focus on first. DeltaMaster even takes care of the para­me­teri­zation, confi­guration, and layout for you. Because visualization in business intelligence should be primarily about signaling and prioritization.

BI software should be able to generate standard reports for perfor­mance monitoring, variance analysis, and fore­casting without assis­tance from IT or external service providers. With DeltaMaster from Bissantz, start wizards handle this task: Using drag-and-drop functions, you simply choose the desired methods to measure performance – for example, gross margin calculations, P&L, or input-output calculations in short- and long-term views. The wizard will automatically integrate all necessary structures to dynamically calculate cumulations and variances to the budget or previous year into your data model. Many other so-called BI tools can’t even do that manually, let alone automatically.

Modern BI software should not only analyze past data but also trans­late key metrics into fore­casts and scenarios. To this end, Bissantz’s DeltaMaster projects all key metrics into the future with a single click and processes them into scenario simulations. To do this, DeltaMaster uses sophis­ti­cated AI methods as well as, optionally, simple, robust tech­niques such as expo­nential smoothing and linear regres­sion, values calcu­lated by external modules, or methods deve­loped speci­fi­cally for you by our fore­casting specia­lists. You can create your own fore­casting models using simple natural-language commands or through dialogs with the powerful MDX query language.

Good business intelligence software does not maintain its own “proprietary” copy of your data, but rather accesses your existing data ware­house system directly—this preserves your data sovereignty and avoids dupli­cate data main­te­nance. DeltaMaster from Bissantz does exactly that: For enterprise reporting and KPI monitoring, you use the interfaces to the usual data warehouse systems of the major vendors. Unlike other products, DeltaMaster does not use proprietary data storage. Many of our clients value this independency. We support the following databases: Microsoft SQL Server/ Analysis Services, SAP BW/Netweaver BI/HANA, IBM Cognos TM1, Oracle Essbase, Infor.

BI software should enable customized business appli­cations for various depart­ments without becoming a one-off solution that must be read­justed with every update. With DeltaMaster from Bissantz, you can design custom appli­cations for sales, purchasing, production, logistics, finance, marketing, sales, etc. Never­the­less, DeltaMaster is a standard product. It is delivered to all customers in the same form and remains compatible with all existing customer appli­cations during updates. Customer requests are genera­lized and abstracted in such a way that they are available as improve­ments for the entire customer base.

Good business intelligence software should make it easy for teams to share insights—from sending reports to commenting on indi­vi­dual data points. DeltaMaster from Bissantz offers, among other features, simple email report distri­bu­tion, auto­mated text messages to mobile phones, and commenting functions down to the indi­vi­dual data point. A reposi­tory manages the division of labor between report editors and report recipients.

Different roles within the company should be able to have different user and access rights. DeltaMaster’s role-based concept addresses both user operations and data access: Boards of directors and super­visory boards love DeltaMaster for its unparal­leled clear and concise templates for reports and perfor­mance monitoring. CEOs appre­ciate that they can imme­di­ately grasp the most important insights and recom­men­da­tions for action and, if necessary, drill down into details along pre­de­fined or auto­ma­ti­cally gene­rated paths. Managers value the flexible filtering and search functions. And controllers appre­ciate that they can go further and deeper wherever they wish. This supports the seamless tran­si­tion between roles and tasks that is typical for many companies. The DeltaMaster repo­sitory also ensures that data and roles align.

Good BI software should allow for creative, experi­mental ad-hoc analyses without requiring every analysis to be defined in advance in the data model. This includes slice-and-dice or pivoting functions to compare and analyze customers, regions, products, or other attributes on any level. DeltaMaster also lets you group and classify objects by attributes dynamically or with fixed thresholds – regardless of their values. Wizards help you calculate quotients, sums, variances, or multivariate statistical values. Using drag-and-drop functions, you can visualize the results with circle, bar, or column elements, or with the particularly appealing typographically scaled Bissantz‘Numbers. You can even apply budget-actual variances, or deviations from previous years, and other complex calculations to existing data with just a click of a button.

Business intelligence software should already include estab­lished business analysis methods, rather than requiring them to be recreated from scratch. DeltaMaster by Bissantz comes with a selection of proven methods. These include rankings, time series, portfolio, concentration, map, location, and cross-table analyses, early warning signals, and drill-through functions to individual postings. AI features also enable deviation analyses that extend into the semantic context. These methods require no parametrization and are designed to work on every data model.

Good BI software should allow reports to be viewed on smart­phones, tablets, and desk­tops, and should present them in different formats rather than forcing a single view for all devices. DeltaApp flexibly accommodates the unique features of modern output media. Most people, for example, view mobile devices in portrait mode but standard computer screens in landscape mode. Both the design templates and functional concepts in DeltaMaster take this into account. The reports of DeltaMaster look just as impressive on the big screens of laptops, desktops, kiosk systems, and business control centers as the smaller displays of smartphones and tablets. You can centrally store data and applications in the cloud and use them both online or offline.

The potential of AI should not go untapped. DeltaMaster combines proven data mining tech­niques with the capa­bi­li­ties of modern artificial intelli­gence. Business users can analyze known issues as well as discover hidden patterns, corre­la­tions, and anomalies without having to define them in advance. The methods are easy to configure and deliver results that include clear, plain-language expla­na­tions that can be easily presented to manage­ment. The methods include multi­di­men­sional rankings, component compari­sons, shopping basket analyses, and Bayesian methods. In addition, DeltaMaster provides access to modern AI methods—for example, through the inte­gration of large language models, AI assistants, and MCP servers.

Self-service BI is virtually indis­pen­sable for a smooth workflow. DeltaMaster supports spontaneous self-service analysis – even on new pools of data. Once you have imported your Excel, Access, or other relational sources, you can get right to work. During the modeling process, DeltaMaster auto­ma­ti­cally suggests measures and dimensions. You can build hierarchical structures with just a few movements of the mouse. Best of all, users don’t require IT support or special technical skills. In no time, they can access their data in a clean, structured model for further analysis. By using artificial intelli­gence, even unstructured contextual information can be incor­po­rated into analyses.

Good business intelligence software guides users toward the right analysis method and visuali­zation, rather than requiring in-depth knowledge of statistics. DeltaMaster automatically enters the suitable charts in your evaluations and suggests the correct graphical visualization for any tables. An analysis wizard examines cross tables for outliers using cluster analysis and other methods. To apply more complex methods such as distribution or regression analysis, you only need a few prior instructions. No programming is necessary.

User-friendly BI software conveys key messages unam­bigu­ously even at a glance—traditional, ambiguous traffic-light colors are often insuf­fi­cient for this purpose. That is why the signal concept developed by Bissantz uses physio­lo­gi­cally appealing colors and works without para­meters: DeltaMaster colors all values and graphic elements in shades of blue and red – depending on if they have a positive or negative effect on a specific KPI or your business as a whole. It applies this same principle to the program interface, background of the screen, report lists, headlines, and other elements. This communicates a clear message that you cannot miss – even with just a quick glance at your desk or from afar on a kiosk system or business control center. What’s more, DeltaMaster always lists the values that are primarily responsible for the respective coloring.

When selecting software, make sure that root cause analysis is as intuitive as possible. Starting from the KPIs of your dashboard, DeltaMaster will guide you to those areas where there is room for improvement – whether in your product range, organization, suppliers, clients, or cost centers. DeltaMaster applies award-winning methods, for example, that document a chain of underlying causes. You can define typical paths as a predefined succession of clicks and keep sight of both the starting point and path travelled.

For specialized statistical analyses—such as those of campaigns, website traffic data, quality metrics, or customer surveys—business intelli­gence soft­ware should include its own functions rather than requiring separate statis­tical software. DeltaMaster from Bissantz includes the necessary statistical functions for this purpose: Using wizards you can create univariate and multivariate KPIs. Box plots help visualize prices and other ranges. DeltaMaster draws trend arrows and concentration curves – correctly, neatly, and fully automatically. Separate modules for distribution and regression analyses are also available.

Good business intelligence software should be easy to use without a lengthy training period—ideally via drag-and-drop or voice commands, rather than forcing users to navigate through complex menus. With DeltaMaster, many functions can be controlled using AI-based voice commands, and all key actions can be per­formed with simple, intuitive mouse move­ments. Menu texts are phrased in clear language, and icons are used sparingly. For settings such as coloring, scaling, labeling, and layout, DeltaMaster uses tried-and-tested default settings, so you don’t need to configure them manually. At all appli­cation levels, DeltaMaster requires far fewer buttons and clicks than other BI products.

Even complex situations should be easy to break down and analyze. The patented Hyperbrowser of DeltaMaster sheds light on complex structures – quickly and securely. You simply drag and drop a measure into the data model, and DeltaMaster will color code it to show if it has a positive or negative effect on the result. This instantly reveals compensating effects hidden in your data. The Graphical Tables in DeltaMaster make data-dense reports understandable at a glance. Interactive in-cell charts such as zoomable sparklines deliver more details as they grow larger.

Good BI software should integrate planning, analysis, and reporting into a single data model, rather than requiring separate tools for each. DeltaMaster’s planning features close this loop. The software supports top-down and bottom-up data entry on cell and aggregated levels as well as fixed values and multi-level cell comments. Intelligent cells „know“ how to allocate entries. You can instantly integrate multidimensional, real-time analyses in the planning application to test the plausibility during the data-entry process and gauge the effects on the results. You can also display the planning status of different organizational units in the dashboard.

Don’t underestimate the efficiency gains that come from auto­mated and time-controlled report distri­bution. DeltaMaster automatically generates personalized reports – even for hundreds of users. Based on templates that you have generated, DeltaMaster reloads the data, applies colors and warning signals, adapts reports to user-specific criteria, and takes care of exporting, emailing, or storing the file. You can trigger this process with a click of a button, at a set time (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly), or by periodically evaluating conditions in order to respond to events (e.g. exception reporting). In addition to reports, concise summaries can also be distri­buted in the same way.

Business intelligence software should be inte­grated into a centralized login and autho­ri­zation system.You can display all DeltaMaster applications centrally in a separate, automatically configured portal or integrate them in leading portal systems such as Microsoft SharePoint. In combination with DeltaMaster Repository, the portal applies the valid permissions and roles for individual users. Singlesign-on options are supported.

Modern BI software should be able to run either on-premises or in the cloud. DeltaMaster in the Microsoft Azure cloud makes Business Intelligence solutions even easier and quicker for you to access. In a very short time, you can test and directly use workshop results, studies and proofs of concept live in DeltaMaster. In the pilot phase, you can access your DeltaMaster reports on the web (browser) and in the app from the first day. There are no server components for you to configure. Costs are transparent and easy to calculate.

Make sure that information can be made available in the right place. DeltaMaster makes the information in your company accessible and instantly usable without any setup times and little to no interaction. We offer solutions for kiosk systems, monitor walls, and business control centers. Mobile users do not need to take their devices with them – there are devices ready where you need them. You can also integrate images, films, Web sites, and video streams as part of a multimedia corporate communications concept.

Good business intelligence software should not lock reports away in a closed system. You can export DeltaMaster analyses and reports to HTML, PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. For writing-intensive reports with custom designs, DeltaMaster also offers a live integration in Word. With this add-in, you can transfer reports and report elements down to individual cells and update them dynamically. This functionality is also available for
PowerPoint.

A BI software provider should reinforce its inno­vative­ness through its own research. In cooperation with Germany’s largest corporations and midsize companies, we conduct research in a variety of fields including executive management, employee motivation, perception/visualization, and data analysis/forecasting. These insights flow into best practice applications that serve as prototypes for new solutions. To ensure that our R&D profits from scientific findings, we conduct our own basic research and participate in cooperative research projects. Our analytic and visualization methods have received multiple patents, the innovation award from the German Informatics Society (GI) as well as several design awards.

Good business intelligence software designs its layout, colors, and structure according to clear principles. DeltaMaster is a pioneer in visualization and design. Sparklines, Graphical Tables, and performance-based color coding are just a few examples of the visual standards that DeltaMaster sets. We synchronize our layout, color, structures, and warning concepts with scientific laws of perception that apply to the brain, eyes, and ears – regardless of personal preferences and customs. This ensures that even new users quickly feel comfortable working with DeltaMaster reports.

Presentation matters. We have perfected the reports and analyses in DeltaMaster in cooperation with the experts at Studio F. A. Porsche. The results are a high-resolution feast for your eyes. DeltaMaster always complements the available data and presents a dramatic, intuitive overview or precise detail.

65 to 80 percent of project steps are identical in all companies. That’s why we offer prebuilt functionality to simplify, unify, and automate these steps. Our ETL tools are designed for end users and even used by large clients.

Look out for real user experiences. Studies such as the BI Survey and the Planning Survey from BARC regularly confirm that our clients are pleased with our product, service, and support. This is primarily due to the fact that our consultants answer many of our clients’ questions directly. They aren’t just fluent in BI, they are native speakers who offer their experience to tackle all your business, technical, and project-specific challenges. When you call our hotline, you are connected to our office – and not some call center

A professional BI provider offers you comprehensive support. According to your needs, our excellent team of consultants can help you with the design and operation of a BI solution, continuous and automated data management, the integration of AI into controlling, or the implementation and use of specific platforms and technologies such as Microsoft Fabric. By the way, we invest a full day each week in training our consultants.

Make sure BI providers have a strong network so they can also serve your specific niche. To support special application topics, we work with certified partners who are tightly integrated with our development and shine in their fields of expertise. The offerings of our partners range from pre-configured DeltaMaster solutions that support specific industries or processes to long-term operations.

Our clients use DeltaMaster to gear up for the fierce competition in their markets. Some have won prizes for their innovative applications – for example, the Best Practice Award of the BARC Institute or the Service Management Prize the German Customer Service Association (KVD). The German Informatics Society (GI) has also honored us with their Innovation Prize. DeltaMaster also receives top accolades from
our users as well. In the annual BI Survey conducted by BARC, DeltaMaster regularly earns first place rankings in a variety of categories.

You cannot put counteractions into effect overnight. That’s why the analytic methods of DeltaMaster examine all changes in your organization down to their root causes. All reports contain variance signals that place each value in relation to your expectations, forecast, or budget. After all, you can only identify where you need to make changes, if they can work, or if you need to plan again from scratch if you have suitable comparisons. DeltaMaster tracks down the causes – even those buried deep in your data. This helps you see if specific product and customer attributes are the reasons behind your variances without losing sight of the big picture.