Microsoft Power BI is a visualization and data discovery tool from Microsoft. It allows users to convert data into visuals and graphics, visually explore and analyze data, collaborate on interactive dashboards and reports, and scale across their organization with built-in governance and security.
Good for large organizations but can be used across various industries from manufacturing to even medical. Also very Citrix publishing friendly to allow multiple users located anywhere to use AspenOne Supply Chain Management across the organization while consolidating their data in a centralized secure place. This ability to consolidate and centralize applications and data within the same facility makes migration, high availability in DR scenario easier to configure as well.
In operations we use the tool for many different topics, from factory quality systems to high level reviews. We have created kind of an internal "App Store" based on Power BI where you have a lot of different dashboards for different solutions (cost, cash, health and safety, sales, factories, distribution centers...) and you as an user just need to get in that "App Store" and enter in whatever tool can be useful for you. It is open to all the operations employees and can use on demand. Also it has raised the imagination of our colleagues, as they are not only working by themselves creating new reports, but also raising fantastic ideas that can be extended for the usage of all the community.
While AspenOne Supply Chain Management generate a wealth of data and information, the ability to organize and create reports can be time consuming as well as steep learning curve.
While incremental updates are predictable, AspenOne major version updates can be difficult to implement with wide user impact causing more downtime than we prefer.
Report merge and legacy version conversion tools can be made easier to use with more GUI (graphical user interface) options and less command base as well as status progress graphic and confirmation of completion would be very helpful.
The desktop app is great but needs a lot of performance improvements
No MacOS Version for the Desktop app, this is a big limitation for business since executives prefer Macs
Premium Cloud Version of Power BI is awfully expensive
On-Premise Version of the Power BI Reports Server is bundled only with SQL Server Enterprise License and cannot be purchased separately and requires Software Assurance Subscription
On-Premise Power BI Report Server doesn't support ADFS, AzureAD or any Claims-Based authentication platform, a sad disadvantage for enterprises
At this point, I think we all know who has taken the lead in the business intelligence and analytics market worldwide. With fresh new updates every other day on top of an already robustly built product with all features that one can dream of is a no brainer, I feel. Microsoft will invariably be synonymous with quality and professionalism.
I can't really speak to the support overall, [but] I will say that in the almost three years I have used the system, I have only needed to contact their support team once. I think the team was helpful, but it did take some time for us to resolve the issues/ request that they had. I guess the good news is that the system is pretty stable, and I personally have rarely needed to contact their technical support team.
AspenOne Supply Chain Management was a cheaper alternative to SAP HANA and while as not feature-ful and not as easy to integrate with SAP data, the interface was easy enough to configure without the need for HANA. It was also easier and quicker to deploy and implement which alleviated our business pain point. It's like an old saying the best software is the one you can use, now! Our management and supply chain team members have been happy with the product and very few complaints arise from the production usage or performance.
[Microsoft] Power BI is practical and effective, like a hammer for a nail, it is easy to use and produces very quickly the results that in most cases are urgently required by clients (nice reports to share on the web). To start using [Microsoft] Power BI you need a business email address, with that you create an account in Power BI Service and in less than 1 hour you will have installed Power BI Desktop, a report will have been created and it will have been published on the web .
We needed AspenOne Supply Chain Management quickly back in 2013 since our biggest pain point was tracking movement of products and ability for multiple departments and locations to access the information to complete their responsibilities within the organization. Was able to successfully implement in three quarters for go-live.
Since our initiation implementation our two major version upgrades did not go as smooth as we would like causing downtime of user access and the system does not have flexibility to run previous version while upgrading to new version. Upgrade path needs to improve to minimize downtime.
The business reported quick ROI of better than expected results and the software paid for itself in under three years which beats projection.
Centralized implementation makes disaster recovery (DR) configuration easier to manage.
