Plan BI around clear metrics and reliable data
A good dashboard starts before the chart. Data must fit together, metrics need definitions and current results must reach the right people. Define the first decisions to support and compare data work, reports and ongoing responsibility together.
Start with decisions to support
Describe the decision: open orders, project progress, sales or financial comparison. Specify audience, period and detail. A pilot with a few clear questions can prepare later expansion.
First implementation, platform replacement and extension need different work. Existing reports must not simply be recreated visually when changing systems: formulas, filters and business assumptions require review.
Define metrics and data granularity
Specify how revenue, stock or utilisation is calculated. Dates, currencies, cancellations and missing values can change results. Daily and monthly values must not be accidentally added together.
Appoint a business owner for each metric. Agree control values and document differences from the previous report. An attractive presentation does not prove a calculation correct.
| Definition | Clarify for comparison |
|---|---|
| Metric | Formula, unit and meaning |
| Granularity | Transaction, day or month |
| History | Periods and changes in assignments |
| Control | Reconcile against a recognised reference report |
Connect sources and check data quality
List spreadsheets, ERP, CRM, shop and other sources with their owners. Describe possible exports and necessary relationships. Technical connectivity and correct business matching are different tasks.
Duplicates, inconsistent keys and incomplete records may require preparation. Decide whether errors are corrected in the source or a controlled preparation layer. A data warehouse may help but is not necessary for every small project.
Agree suitable refresh and operation
Choose refresh frequency around the decision. Monthly management analysis does not automatically require real time. Direct queries and stored extracts place different demands on networks and source systems.
Agree a visible data timestamp, error indication and responsibility for failed refreshes. Review new fields, changed source formats and ongoing resource or connection costs too.
Test distribution and data access separately
Distinguish authoring, reading, administration and export. A hidden field or screen filter does not automatically protect sensitive data. Test visible records with intended roles and unexpected permission combinations.
External sharing, embedding and cloud processing need suitable rules. Review personal data, subprocessors and processing locations. An initial request can describe sources without customer records, payroll lists or credentials.
Compare total costs for the same scope
Compare identical roles, initial reports, sources and refresh requirements. Authors and readers may have different licences. An existing software licence does not automatically cover all modeling or publishing work.
Separate project work from licences, storage, processing and support. Document assumptions, exclusions and extra work. Check rights administration, report changes, export and handover when changing provider.
| Cost area | Work to check |
|---|---|
| Data work | Connections, cleansing and controlled import |
| Models and reports | Formulas, relationships, design and acceptance |
| Use | Authors, readers, distribution and capacity |
| Operation | Refresh, error handling and maintenance |
| Handover | Models, definitions, documentation and control of access |
Accept a pilot on business and technical criteria
Use neutral examples or a trial dataset agreed securely later. Test totals, filters, periods, missing values and roles. Define acceptance criteria and outstanding issues.
Plan training and ownership after launch. For comparable quotes, describe the decision, sources, user count, number of initial dashboards and required freshness. Forecasting and automated decisions are separate tasks, with no guaranteed result from BI.
Frequently asked questions
What determines BI cost?
Sources, data quality, modeling, reports, roles and refresh needs. Compare project, use and support over the same period.
Do we immediately need a data warehouse?
Not always. Review sources, volume and history. It can support complex preparation without being a mandatory first step.
Is a dashboard automatically real time?
No. Freshness depends on connections, refresh methods and sources. Agree the required data timestamp explicitly.
Why do two sales reports differ?
Periods, formulas, cancellations, currencies or granularity may differ. Check definitions and control values before presentation.
Can everyone see the same data?
Only if appropriate for the business and data protection. Roles, exports and external sharing need configuration and testing.
Must I upload data with the request?
No. Describe questions and sources without confidential records or passwords. A protected trial import can be agreed later.
