Able to access almost any open standards data source (such as POJO and others), InetSoft's BI server can also access Excel spreadsheets, (file extensions .xls) or other flat files like .csv (comma separated value) and XML files.
Excel is great for KPI calculations and serves as an easy ad hoc database for many departments. They can drive weekly or even daily performance management reporting from PowerPoint slides or macro-driven workbooks. But when you're ready to graduate to a proper Web-based dashboard platform with security-controlled shareability and accessibility from almost any device anywhere, then InetSoft's BI application can meet that need.
Or you may have a custom-built application, a Web service, or a system that does have open-standards based connectivity to its data store, and all you have are .csv or XML files and need to have simple or advanced dashboards and reporting. For InetSoft's BI application, connecting to a .csv file is the same as connecting to a spreadsheet. And with XML file, you can leverage the InetSoft API to build a custom connector to read your XML tags.
A key strength of InetSoft's business intelligence software is its depth of support for data mashups. Data from that spreadsheet sitting on your laptop, or the spreadmart on your LAN drive can be combined with almost any other data source found in your enterprise including: relational databases (via JDBC), multidimensional databases, XML, SOAP, Java beans (POJO), EJB beans, OLAP cubes, Hadoop/HIVE, SAP, PeopleSoft, Siebel CRM, Google AdWords & Analytics, JDE, salesforce.com and more.
In addition, InetSoft has innovated unique capabilities for enterprise mashups. You do not have to be a BI analyst to create your own mashups. Simply import your file and drag and drop similar fields to combine disparate tables and fields that were not previously mapped in a data model. Whatever dashboards or reports you make from them are now shareable inside the enterprise BI space.
StyleBI can give you the advanced data visualization types to be used on multi-dimensional data that Excel cannot. From bubble charts to heatmaps to radar plots, point and click visual anaylsis is the way to detect patterns and outliers and discover useful findings from mountains of data, especially big data. No other BI application provides more visualization types.
Small businesses often operate on tight budgets and with limited technical resources, which makes lightweight, flexible tools like Excel the go-to solution for day-to-day reporting. For a Gutter Cleaning Service, Excel was initially sufficient: tracking jobs, customer invoices, and seasonal revenue trends could be handled with spreadsheets and basic charts. However, as the business grew, the limitations of Excel became apparent. The owner and operations team found themselves spending hours consolidating data, manually updating charts, and struggling to analyze trends across multiple crews and geographic areas. To gain better visibility and make data-driven decisions efficiently, the company decided to upgrade to an open-source analytics platform — StyleBI. The move from Excel to StyleBI not only transformed reporting and dashboards but also empowered the business to scale its operations while maintaining operational control and customer satisfaction.
Excel is versatile and familiar, but it is not designed for dynamic, multi-source analytics. For the Gutter Cleaning Service, these limitations became increasingly problematic:
As the business expanded, taking on more clients and hiring additional crews, these limitations slowed decision-making and created operational friction. The owner recognized that to scale efficiently, a more sophisticated yet cost-effective analytics solution was required.
Several analytics platforms were considered, but the Gutter Cleaning Service selected StyleBI for several compelling reasons:
The migration from Excel to StyleBI involved several key steps. First, the IT consultant helped map all the relevant data sources: Excel spreadsheets for historical job data, cloud-based scheduling tools, and the accounting system for invoices and payments. Using StyleBI’s connectors and data mashup capabilities, the consultant created a unified data model that automatically combined these sources into a central repository.
Once the data model was in place, dashboards were developed to meet the specific needs of different roles within the business:
The open-source nature of StyleBI allowed the business to make minor customizations, such as color-coded visual indicators for overdue jobs or low customer ratings, creating intuitive dashboards that required minimal training.
The shift from Excel to StyleBI had immediate and measurable benefits for the Gutter Cleaning Service:
Beyond day-to-day operational improvements, the use of StyleBI positioned the business for strategic growth. The dashboards provided insights into seasonal demand patterns, helping the owner plan marketing campaigns and promotional offers during high-demand periods. Geographic analysis of completed jobs revealed underserved areas where additional crews could be deployed, supporting expansion planning.
Additionally, historical trend analysis enabled better resource forecasting. The business could now anticipate peak workload periods, hire temporary staff proactively, and manage inventory of cleaning equipment and materials more efficiently. By embedding predictive elements into dashboards, the company began exploring data-driven maintenance schedules and proactive customer outreach, transforming reporting from a reactive activity into a strategic planning tool.
One of the most significant cultural shifts from adopting StyleBI was empowering employees with self-service analytics. Crew supervisors no longer needed to request updated reports from the office manager; they could log into the dashboard and explore data relevant to their crews in real time. Office staff could generate financial summaries or client reports without involving IT or the business owner. This democratization of data fostered a sense of ownership among staff and reduced bottlenecks in information flow, creating a more agile, responsive business environment.
The migration process highlighted several key lessons for other small businesses considering a move from Excel to a dedicated analytics platform:
With StyleBI in place, the Gutter Cleaning Service is exploring additional ways to leverage its data. Potential initiatives include: