Business Dashboards: An Introductory Guide

What’s the Best Business Dashboard Software Solution?

There are many dashboard options for companies to choose from, but the best software will depend on their specific needs.

Individual Use

If the dashboard will only be used by a few people, a free business dashboard solution will likely be best. Excel and Google offer free solutions that provide basic dashboarding which can be shared on an individual basis. Excel allows users to easily move data into a spreadsheet, and more technical users can set up connections to external sources. Google Data Studio allows users to create free marketing dashboards from Google Ads and other common data sources.

MicroStrategy offers a robust data analytics solution for individuals: MicroStrategy Desktop. Individuals can connect data to the tool and create dashboards on the fly. It also includes advanced analytics functionality like predictive modeling and regression analysis.

Small Business

Small businesses can opt for either a free or more advanced solution depending on their needs. Savvy businesses who are focused on analytics might deploy a cloud-based dashboarding solution to provide sharing of a single source of truth. This is especially important if teams are in several locations. For example, a small e-commerce operation may have an operations team in the United States but outsourced development and production. In this situation, a cloud-based solution will improve the analytics business process and keep everyone informed.

Enterprise

Large enterprises really need a modern business intelligence platform to integrate with their IT systems to improve all business functions. Data governance and security become necessities when an organization needs to deploy dashboarding capability. An enterprise solution will also provide advanced analytics, enterprise mobility, and customization. MicroStrategy Cloud offers a solution that can be deployed on Azure or AWS.