As we have slowly gone down the unofficial evaluation of BI requirements and reviewing possible solutions I too wave the white flag and have come to accept Excel for BI.
I use Excel everyday to perform basic and sometimes more advanced analysis. I would say I am a Power User in this space and have been for a few years now. I used Excel before the last few years, but as a Power User on the last few years. I understand the importance of Excel. I understand how it works and am comfortable in it. I do not like to use Excel for financial reporting or any advanced analysis that would have a major impact on the business as, in my opinion, there are not enough controls around the input, manipulation and output of data in Excel. Then again that why so many people love it.
This is one of the reason companies look for a BI solution. We need help controlling data but want users to be able to perform ad-hoc analysis. Many BI solutions force a user into their report writer and presenter when users just want Excel as the design and presentation layer. They do not care about all the others stuff. Give me EXCEL they cry.
So, I too have somewhat given up on presenting other BI presentation layers. So, what have we found to improve Excel “Self Serve” functionality? So far I would have to say IBM Cognos® 8 BI Analysis for Microsoft® Excel has the best Excel integration. You can built your cross tab (aka Pivot Table) report and then, unlike a Pivot Table, insert columns within the report area to perform ad-hoc formulas. Very nice. I am also very interested in Power Pivot which M$ will release in the upcoming months.
Now, this may not be what many companies would want to see as all of a sudden you are loosing control of the “version of truth” data. But, unfortunately, this is what many users want and if Upper Management buys into their dream IT is screwed and can only provide the solution which fulfills this dream.
Nice article here: Gartner BI Summit: Wave the white flag on using Excel for business intelligence
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