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    Business Intelligence (BI)

    Data integration & searchBIBusiness intelligenceBusiness AnalyticsCompany analysis
    Editorially reviewed on: 2 sources
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    The short answer · 14 words

    In short

    Methods and tools that collect, prepare, analyze and visualize business data to support decisions.

    Flow-alerta.cab (2026): Business Intelligence (BI). https://flow-alerta.cab/en/glossar/business-intelligence-bi. Editorially reviewed on: 09 October 2026.

    How much detail would you like?

    Practical

    Central for SMEs to consistently evaluate data from sales, finance, production or service and make decisions less dependent on manual Excel stands.

    Example scenario: Sales, quotation and order data from multiple systems are combined in a common dashboard with consistent key figures.

    Start with a few decision-relevant KPIs, unify data sources and definitions, and establish responsibilities for data quality.

    At a glance

    Core
    Business Intelligence connects data from operational sources, prepares them and makes metrics accessible through reports, dashboards and analytics. BI does not describe a single product type and can be distinguished from advanced data science or AI, but can integrate it.
    Use
    Central for SMEs to consistently evaluate data from sales, finance, production or service and make decisions less dependent on manual Excel stands.
    Example
    Example scenario: Sales, quotation and order data from multiple systems are combined in a common dashboard with consistent key figures.
    Limits
    Build beautiful dashboards without clear metric definitions; mix different data levels; equate BI with AI; ignore data quality and permissions.

    In context

    Dashboard

    A dashboard condenses relevant key figures and states for a specific decision or monitoring task.

    ETL

    ETL extracts data, transforms it and then loads it into a target system.

    Data Warehouse

    A data warehouse integrates and historicizes data for reliable analyses, key figures and reports.

    Questions about this term

    Is BI the same as AI?

    No.

    Does BI need a data warehouse?

    Not mandatory.

    What is more important than a dashboard?

    Consistent data and key performance indicator definitions.

    All details and background

    Business Intelligence connects data from operational sources, prepares them and makes metrics accessible through reports, dashboards and analytics. BI does not describe a single product type and can be distinguished from advanced data science or AI, but can integrate it.

    ELI5 – Explained simply

    BI makes company data visible and comprehensible so that teams can see what is happening and where action is needed.

    Why it matters in practice

    Central for SMEs to consistently evaluate data from sales, finance, production or service and make decisions less dependent on manual Excel stands.

    Example

    Example scenario: Sales, quotation and order data from multiple systems are combined in a common dashboard with consistent key figures.

    Pitfalls and limits

    • Build beautiful dashboards without clear metric definitions; mix different data levels; equate BI with AI; ignore data quality and permissions.

    Origin & history

    Modern BI platforms combine data processing, semantic models, visualization and self-service analysis. Power BI documents these functions together with the connection of various data sources.

    Use in mid-sized companies

    • Start with a few decision-relevant KPIs, unify data sources and definitions, and establish responsibilities for data quality.

    Related terms

    Matching Flow-alerta service

    AI assistants & automationAI assistants & automation: test a suitable process with clear rights and human test points.

    Matching tool / use case

    View use casesTool example: Microsoft Power BI; Use Case: consolidated management dashboard from multiple data sources.

    Sources

    Quellenprüfung: 09.10.2026. Definition und dokumentierte Einordnung abgeglichen; Beispiele beschreiben mögliche Anwendungen.

    Editorially reviewed on:

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