A business intelligence (BI) dashboard is an information management tool to track KPIs, metrics, and other data points relevant to your business. Through the use of data visualizations, dashboards can simplify complex data to provide at-a-glance critical information.

Work begins with simply extracting the data and then presenting it so that executives can have current accurate data in order to make better management decisions. Regardless of business size, dashboards as business intelligence tools are required for managed growth.

But, how? Dashboards provide engaging data visualizations that present information to generate action and are tailored to answer any question, for any position, and for any department.

To create an effective BI dashboard, first identify the questions needing to answer, e.g., “How is our marketing return on investment doing today?” The base question determines not only the design of the report (the dashboards) but also forces the business to delve into the source location(s) of the data.

For any business of reasonable age or size, data is always spread over multiple systems.

What is Business Intelligence?

BI is a tech-driven process used to analyze and display data in meaningful and actionable ways and encompasses a multitude of applications, tools, and technologies.

Dashboards provide sleek, attractive, real-time visibility of information. Combining BI data with dashboards gives both executives and staff at-a glance views of performance data needed for more predictable operations.

BI dashboards must be researched and designed carefully. If the data being fed into the visualizations is not reliable, what is shown on the dashboard will be useless or even worse — dangerous. Make the reporting process work on paper first, then automate it.

RadiusBridge® develops and supports custom Data Management systems for executives to know, control, and grow their business.