July 25th, 2020 | Updated on April 13th, 2021
In today’s times, business intelligence is showing huge growth. It is assumed that in the coming 3-4 years this predictive analytics market would rise to 10 billion.
In order to match these growing demands, the software is including better features like using complex algorithms, machine learning, and the use of AI to improve decision making.
How you can choose the best OLAP software?
You will find many OLAP tools that give you the benefit of doing data slicing and dicing.
But, only a few of these features are actually relevant and these include flexibility, ability to use parallelism, performance, security features, etc. It is recommended to keep all these factors in mind while deciding.
Here are the top 15 OLAP tools basis the feature analysis.
1. IBM Cognos
Cognos Analytics is an upgrade to Cognos Business Intelligence (Cognos BI). By adding cognitive guidance, a web-based interface and new data visualization features, Cognos Analytics provides self-service analytics to large and midsize organizations across all industries.
At the same time, it provides security features, data governance and management features.
Review: Trustradius
Cognos is used company wide to analyze sales. The convenience it provides for drilling down into different metrics is terrific.
It can be used to send out last year sales by department and sub class so the management team can have the ability to plan for future business based off of last year’s numbers.
2. Micro Strategy
The MicroStrategy analytics platform is a cloud-based and on-premise self-service business intelligence platform that supports both data mining and visualization.
The platform can be implemented on a gradual and as-needed basis, so users can start small and scale to enterprise-level deployment.
Review: G2
The best features within Microstrategy allows for the use to not only create awesome visualizations, but also design custom metrics within the software. This saves times as core data manipulation is not required to get the best analysis.
3. Tableau
Tableau is an integrated business intelligence (BI) and analytics solution that helps to analyze key business data and generate meaningful insights.
The solution helps businesses to collect data from multiple source points such as SQL databases, spreadsheets, cloud apps like Google Analytics and Salesforce to create a collective dataset.
Tableau’s live visual analytics and interactive dashboard allow slicing & dicing datasets for generating relevant insights and exploring new opportunities.
Review: PCMag
Tableau Desktop was one of the early players in the self-service business intelligence (BI) space. It’s this maturity that makes it one of our three Editors’ Choice winners for the category.
New competitors, along with the rise of Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT), have put the pressure on Tableau to constantly improve over the years.
4. Intellicus
Intellicus is a Business Intelligence and Analytics platform. It offers an end-to-end BI solution, covering the complete spectrum of business intelligence – from Data Extraction and Data Processing to Delivery of Insights.
Key features include built-in data science and machine learning, high speed OLAP, real-time analytics, responsive dashboards, self-serve ad hoc reports, print-ready standard reports, report scheduling & delivery, ETL, and mobile BI.
Review: Capterra
Intellicus has proven to be a worthy partner over the year, reasonable team, problem-solvers, and dedicated to filling the gap between dynamic analytics and traditional reporting.
I hope to see them continue to engage with customers and invest in the platform: customization, designers, performance, administration and user experience.
5. icCube
icCube Data Analysis & Reporting is a cloud-based business intelligence platform that offers real-time data analysis and visualizations through configurable dashboards, charts and widgets. The solution is accessible on tablets, smartphones and desktop devices.
Review: Capterra
Fast (in memory) Beautiful visualizations, but also (cross)tabular data view Can connect to multiple data sources (we used Oracle and spreadsheets) Exceptionally good value for money Security and (role based) user responsibilities can be implemented.
6. Pentaho BI
Pentaho is a business intelligence system designed to help companies make data-driven decisions, with a platform for data integration and analytics.
The platform includes extract, transform, and load (ETL), big data analytics, visualizations, dashboards, reporting, data mining, and predictive analytics.
Review: Trustradius
I use the Pentaho Data Integration ETL tool in our enterprise business intelligence projects. I often use the Pentaho tool for data manipulation and data transport.
Pentaho plays an important role in our business processes because we work on the database in the department where I work.
I use the PentahoETL tool when designing ETL processes, transporting data to the database and designing the data warehouse.
7. Periscope Data
Periscope Data is Business Intelligence software that allows users to keep data in one interactive dashboard.
Functionalities include dashboards and scorecards, data warehousing, data mining and predictive analytics, ETL, OLAP, a query and report writer, and performance management.
The software offers integrated charting that will create visuals for the data stored in the dashboard.
Review: Trustradius
Periscope Data is really well suited for organizations that work with a lot of data and need ways to share data internally or externally with clients.
All of the features of the software can fully be taken advantage of if you have staff that is well versed in data analytics, data management, and programming.
8. Reveal
Reveal, formerly ReportPlus, is a self-service business intelligence and analytics solution designed for midsize and large enterprises.
It allows anyone to analyze sorted and unsorted databases, set and view performance metrics, explore trends, and share rich data visualizations and dashboards.
It is available in both on-premise and cloud-based deployment models and also offers native apps for iOS, Windows and Android devices.
Reveal allows users to connect to various databases, including online sources like cloud storage drives, social media platforms, SaaS applications as well as offline sources like Excel, SQL database and more.
Review: Capterra
The software was easy to use, i was able to settle in pretty quickly. Also the open structure offered quick alternative solutions in urgent situations.
Knowing other eDiscovery systems and then being able to use such a fast system with low and virtual hardware was more than awesome.
9. OBIEE
Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition One is an on-premise business intelligence suite designed for small and midsized companies. Primary features include data modeling, ETL, ad-hoc analysis, database, dashboards and reporting.
Review: Capterra
I was involver in projects where OBIEE solution reporting needs for finantial enterprise, you can do a ODI integration for ETL solution to help data/information can be available in the way the thematic areas for reports pupulation needs.
10. Jedox
Jedox is a cloud-based Enterprise Performance Management software solution that delivers self-service budgeting, planning, and forecasting across finance, sales, HR, and other business functions.
Companies of all sizes and industries use Jedox to automate planning processes and create a seamless data foundation for their Financial Planning & Analysis.
Review: Trustradius
Currenty we use Jedox within our finance team to simplify the effort of monthly management reporting and our budgeting cycle.
Jedox as a tool has given us the flexibility to update and quickly analyse at a high level our general ledger data on an ad-hoc basis as well as in more structured ways.
11. ActivTrak
ActivTrak is a cloud-based employee monitoring platform that helps small to large businesses monitor employees’ online activities to ensure productivity and compliance within the organization.
With ActivTrak, employers and managers have the insight they need to know to improve employee performance as well as keep track of sensitive internal information and improve operational efficiency
Review: Capterra
It’s very easy to start using software 5 minutes after installation. Reports and analysis potential are huge and alarming options above my expectations.
We got the information about employees productivity that helped us optimize work for everyone to feel and work better.
12. Answerdock
Answerdock is a cloud-based business intelligence solution for organizations of all sizes across industries such as retail, healthcare, finance, communication and media.
Key features include scheduled data loads, search-based analytics, user management, data mining and automatic chart selection.
The time series analysis tool allows users to plot metrics over time on a monthly or yearly basis. Data filters can be used to view data from specific timeframes or geographies.
Review: Capterra
We just like the ease of use and the speed we are using it to track our revenue , clicks , search performance , we have connected to at least 15 datasets, and are able to search through them quickly and intuitively.
We also have setup the typical dashboards just like on other software and have then scheduled on monthly and weekly basis, but the main thing we like is the search- like interface .
13. germain APM Software
germain APM is a user experience (UX) analytics platform designed to assist IT developers with proactive detection and resolution to improve user interface technology or design.
Key features include user research, animation, screen activity recording, heatmaps, resource management, performance control and full transaction diagnostics.
Review: Capterra
There just isn’t enough time or space to include all the amazing capabilities of this company’s technology. I am convinced that this software is essential to any thriving business today.
14. BOARD
Created to combine business intelligence, corporate performance management, and business analytics, BOARD is a full-featured business intelligence system that serves midsize and enterprise-level companies in a variety of different industry segments.
Within the reporting functionality, BOARD allows users to pull from almost any data source, as well as generate full self-service reporting.
Review: G2
Board is a completely unique platform that allows its users to: plan, forecast and perform advanced analysis in the most efficient way available, personally I consider that all the functionality provided by Board is completely unified and shares the same metrics, data and vision of customers, products or services and marketing.
Periscope Data allows us to create custom dashboards for our clients externally, and organize copious amount of data internally.
Being able to create separate dashboards allows us to work on bugs in data on one branch within our engineering department while still allowing our sales team to have a seamless experience when showing the platform and it’s inherent data reports to prospective clients.
15. Cumul.io
Cumul.io is a dashboard creation tool that helps businesses design personalized dashboards with custom logos, colours and login screen to establish brand identity with clients, visualize data and generate reports.
The platform enables organizations to drag-and-drop various spreadsheets formats including excel, GeoJSON, TSV, CSV, TopoJSON, and more.
Review: G2
Cumul makes it easy to create and manage dashboards. But the real value they create is when you start embedding cumul in your own software. Imagine cumul as the google tag manager of charts, business data and insights.
