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IBM Planning Analytics vs. Microsoft BI (MSBI) vs. Microsoft Power BI

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    IBM Planning Analytics

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AIBM Planning Analytics, powered by IBM TM1®, is an integrated planning solution designed to promote collaboration across the organization and help keep pace with the speed of modern business. With its calculation engine, this enterprise performance management solution is designed to help users move beyond the limits of spreadsheets, automating the planning process to drive faster, more accurate results. Use it to unify data sources into one single repository, enabling users to build…

    $825

    per month 5 users

    Microsoft BI (MSBI)

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft BI is a business intelligence product used for data analysis and generating reports on server-based data. It features unlimited data analysis capacity with its reporting engine, SQL Server Reporting Services alongside ETL, master data management, and data cleansing.

    $14

    per month per user

    Microsoft Power BI

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft 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.

    $168

    per year per user

    Pricing
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    Editions & Modules
    Essentials
    $825
    per month 5 users
    Standard
    $1,650
    per month 10 users
    Power BI Pro
    $14
    per month per user
    Power BI Premium
    $24
    per month per user
    Power BI Pro
    $14
    per month (billed annually) per user
    Power BI Premium
    $24
    per month (billed annually) per user
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    Free Trial
    YesNoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesYesYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——Power BI Desktop is the data exploration and report authoring experience for Power BI, and is available as a free download.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    Considered Multiple Products
    IBM
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    We have compared and evaluated Microsoft Power BI before moving into IBM Planning Analytics. Compared to Power BI, Planning Analytics provides stronger capabilities in budgeting and forecasting, and what-if analysis. And also it integrates very well with Microsoft Excel. When …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    SAP Business Objects for dashboards development
    Microsoft Power BI
    Both above have possibility to connect to the MS SQL and present SQL data collection
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Scalability and performance.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    In this case, Vena and Planful are considered as other products that can be compared with IBM Planning Analytics, but among them, IBM Planning Analytics is more optimal in terms of user interface and integration. Its preconfigure risk assessment model and its format and …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM PA is like having pivot tables on steroids. Possibilities are endless.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM Planning Analytics is easier to use and setup for me. Easier to make reports. Works fast
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Why IBM Planning Analytics when compared to Oracle Hyperion: Better excel integration Less data movement and duplication Better cloud offering More aforeable licensing
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    I worked with Hyperion a long time ago. It was not a Oracle product yet. One great feature of this solution that was really great at the time, was the modeling process of ir, with a very robust engine for sparse cubes. the performance was excellent at the time. But today I can …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Anaplan does not handle sparsity; this is very problematic for large volume data sets (many 0's). There also are limitations to the number of dimensions that can be used in a module. If more dimensions are required, then separate modules need to be built and intertwined. IBM PA …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Because of its ability in planning, budgeting and forecasting or work progress.it has made it easy in driving sales hence profitability and lowering costs,also with ability to forecast the decision making has never been made this easier.
    The reasons for selecting are on its …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    IBM Planning Analytics was by far the most robust tool we evaluated among several top competitors. It stood out for its place in the industry to provide detailed, integrated, and aggregate integration for data governance. I was impressed with the approach from the sales team to …
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Microsoft BI's strength is in dashboarding, whereas IBM Planning Analytics outshines it with its capabilities in budgeting, forecasting, consolidations, scenario modeling and performance.
    Incentivized
    Chose IBM Planning Analytics
    Better functionality in terms of performance, Excel integration, user volume handling, cloud, and on-premise deployments.
    Incentivized
    Microsoft
    Chose Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    Microsoft BI is ideal for proficient Excel users, and it is the best choice in terms of visualizations. We decided to use Microsoft BI for these reasons.
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    Microsoft is a distant me too in a world that is crowded and drowning in BI Me too products. Visualizations 5/10. Micro Strategy, ClickView, Domo, BOBJ etc will kill this product. The issue is cost and speed to implementation. The cost is far less than any of the previously …
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    128 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    15 Answers
    96%
    Would buy again
    110 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    114 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    15 Answers
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    103 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    125 Answers
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    15 Answers
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    112 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    97%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    89 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    13 Answers
    99%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    69 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    93%
    Implementation went as expected
    104 Answers
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    11 Answers
    95%
    Implementation went as expected
    73 Answers
    Features
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    BI Standard Reporting
    Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.6
    116 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    9.0
    53 Ratings
    10% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    8.1
    198 Ratings
    1% below category average
    Pixel Perfect reports7.6102 Ratings8.546 Ratings8.1169 Ratings
    Customizable dashboards7.7116 Ratings9.653 Ratings8.6197 Ratings
    Report Formatting Templates7.5109 Ratings8.951 Ratings7.7180 Ratings
    Ad-hoc Reporting
    Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.0
    122 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    8.5
    53 Ratings
    6% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    7.9
    196 Ratings
    1% below category average
    Drill-down analysis8.5119 Ratings8.548 Ratings8.4193 Ratings
    Formatting capabilities7.9120 Ratings8.253 Ratings7.7193 Ratings
    Integration with R or other statistical packages7.992 Ratings8.342 Ratings7.4143 Ratings
    Report sharing and collaboration7.8118 Ratings8.953 Ratings8.2191 Ratings
    Report Output and Scheduling
    Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.1
    116 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    8.5
    52 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    7.9
    189 Ratings
    4% below category average
    Publish to Web7.9109 Ratings9.348 Ratings8.1179 Ratings
    Publish to PDF8.2109 Ratings9.148 Ratings7.7174 Ratings
    Report Versioning8.3106 Ratings7.444 Ratings7.7145 Ratings
    Report Delivery Scheduling8.298 Ratings8.547 Ratings8.3148 Ratings
    Delivery to Remote Servers00 Ratings8.426 Ratings7.9111 Ratings
    Data Discovery and Visualization
    Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.5
    117 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    8.7
    52 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    7.7
    189 Ratings
    4% below category average
    Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)8.1117 Ratings9.651 Ratings8.3183 Ratings
    Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization7.7109 Ratings8.748 Ratings8.1168 Ratings
    Predictive Analytics7.8107 Ratings7.845 Ratings7.2138 Ratings
    Pattern Recognition and Data Mining6.638 Ratings8.76 Ratings7.339 Ratings
    Access Control and Security
    Comparison of Access Control and Security features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.0
    122 Ratings
    5% below category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    9.3
    53 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    8.3
    180 Ratings
    2% below category average
    Multi-User Support (named login)8.1120 Ratings9.449 Ratings8.6169 Ratings
    Role-Based Security Model7.7121 Ratings9.347 Ratings8.1148 Ratings
    Multiple Access Permission Levels (Create, Read, Delete)8.0122 Ratings8.949 Ratings8.1160 Ratings
    Report-Level Access Control7.549 Ratings9.36 Ratings8.149 Ratings
    Single Sign-On (SSO)8.4114 Ratings9.431 Ratings8.5141 Ratings
    Mobile Capabilities
    Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    7.6
    105 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    8.0
    42 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    7.9
    162 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Responsive Design for Web Access7.7102 Ratings8.239 Ratings7.6152 Ratings
    Mobile Application7.666 Ratings8.030 Ratings7.5133 Ratings
    Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile6.676 Ratings7.839 Ratings7.8155 Ratings
    Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting
    Comparison of Budgeting, Planning, and Forecasting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.4
    131 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power BI
    -
    Ratings
    Long-term financial planning8.0127 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial budgeting8.4130 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Forecasting8.7130 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Scenario modeling8.6129 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management reporting8.6129 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Consolidation and Close
    Comparison of Consolidation and Close features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.5
    122 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power BI
    -
    Ratings
    Financial data consolidation9.1118 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Journal entries and reports9.2108 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multi-currency management8.5110 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Intercompany Eliminations8.4107 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Minority Ownership8.6101 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Local and consolidated reporting7.8114 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Detailed Audit Trails8.1115 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Financial Reporting and Compliance
    Comparison of Financial Reporting and Compliance features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.8
    123 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power BI
    -
    Ratings
    Financial Statement Reporting8.2119 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management Reporting8.7120 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel-based Reporting9.4122 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Automated board and financial reporting9.1111 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    XBRL support for regulatory filing8.680 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Analytics and Reporting
    Comparison of Analytics and Reporting features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.4
    125 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power BI
    -
    Ratings
    Personalized dashboards8.7124 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Color-coded scorecards8.4119 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    KPIs8.1122 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost and profitability analysis8.2120 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Key Performance Indicator setting8.5119 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benchmarking with external data8.590 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration
    Comparison of Integration features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    8.7
    123 Ratings
    7% above category average
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power BI
    -
    Ratings
    Flat file integration8.7120 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Excel data integration9.0120 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Direct links to 3rd-party data sources8.6112 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding
    Comparison of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding features of IBM Planning Analytics and Microsoft BI (MSBI) and Microsoft Power BI
    Feature
    IBM Planning Analytics
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft BI (MSBI)
    8.5
    24 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft Power BI
    7.6
    116 Ratings
    2% below category average
    REST API00 Ratings9.221 Ratings7.7104 Ratings
    Javascript API00 Ratings8.821 Ratings7.485 Ratings
    iFrames00 Ratings8.820 Ratings8.055 Ratings
    Java API00 Ratings8.718 Ratings6.769 Ratings
    Themeable User Interface (UI)00 Ratings8.021 Ratings7.391 Ratings
    Customizable Platform (Open Source)00 Ratings7.319 Ratings8.444 Ratings
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    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
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    Medium-sized Companies
    Centage
    Score9.4 out of 10
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    Score8.1 out of 10
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    Score8.1 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management
    Score7.2 out of 10
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    Score7 out of 10
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    User Ratings
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (132 ratings)
    8.9
    (77 ratings)
    8.6
    (199 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.1
    (5 ratings)
    8.0
    (25 ratings)
    9.6
    (3 ratings)
    Usability
    7.8
    (69 ratings)
    8.9
    (19 ratings)
    8.3
    (115 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.3
    (93 ratings)
    8.9
    (15 ratings)
    10.0
    (52 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.9
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.6
    (7 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Data Sharing and Collaboration
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    8.5
    (42 ratings)
    8.5
    (82 ratings)
    Data Sources
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    8.4
    (41 ratings)
    9.0
    (81 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    IBM Planning AnalyticsMicrosoft BI (MSBI)Microsoft Power BI
    Likelihood to Recommend
    IBM
    Ideal for large organization with complex multi-dimensional data, large budgets and dedicated administrator support. The performance of the TM1 data base is unmatched. The PAW and PAX options providing planners to work in both Excel and workspace environment. Higher Implementation efforts due to the greenfield implementations. Visualization features are not up to the mark.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Microsoft BI has a lot of features and is a very powerful tool, especially if you have folks on your team that know how to utilize all of its capabilities. To truly unlock all that it can do, it does require people to have a deep understanding of its capabilities. That's where the software really shines. If you are looking for a simpler, more basic reporting tool, there are other programs available that do not require such a steep learning curve.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Has significantly improved collation of data and visualisation especially with business across Europe. Has given me the ability to see the Site availability at the click of a button to see which Site is in the "money" and seize opportunities based on Market data
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    IBM
    • Handle very large data volumes.
    • Scale to a large number of users.
    • Not having to compromise on business complexity.
    • It can be run by business users.
    • Availability of highly qualified consultants to support businesses.
    • REST API allows for an open eco system and a variety of solutions to extend the product.
    • Vast integration possibilities.
    • AI-infused engine with IBM Watson.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Comparatively easy to use compared to other data analytics solutions, collaborating with other colleagues on data work is simple.
    • Using Visual Studio for database, ETL, reporting, and analytics development save time and money.
    • Transfer of data from one application to another via Excel and comparison of data attributes between applications
    • Dashboard functionality, as well as Python support, are available, allowing you to add additional charts and graphs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Options for data source connections are immense. Not just which sources, but your options for *how* the data is brought in.
    • Constant updates (this is both good and bad at times).
    • User friendliness. I can get the data connections set up and draft some quick visuals, then release to the target audience and let them expand on it how they want to.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    IBM
    • sometimes it is hard to produce pixel perfect reports from the Web UI. I know it is not made for this, but still, it'll be great
    • getting in e.g. an Excel file just by drag and drop, and the AI should "understand" what the data is all around
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • MSBI designs can work on increasing data processing capabilities enough to handle the huge datasets etc.
    • It would be a lot better if it is a little low on cost.
    • it needs to create opportunities little more than they do regarding customization of some very unique visualization effects
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • It would be easier for users could Microsoft Power BI and Excel used the same programming languages.
    • Would like to see the online version of Microsoft Power BI be as powerful as the desktop version.
    • Publishing a Microsoft Power BI file online and then having to save the file is somewhat redundant.
    • Would like to export each page or chart as an image.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    IBM
    Since IBM Cognos Express is suitable only for medium data warehouse environment, we are not sure if this tool solves the long term need as the business keeps growing rapidly. So its a 50/50 ratio to renew Express license. But having said that, the components of IBM Cognos Express are also available in other Cognos BI suites like Cognos 10.x version. So we will probably upgrade our environment to IBM Cognos 10.x which comes with more new features.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft BI is fundamental to our suite of BI applications. That being said, Northcraft Analytics is focused on delighting our customers, so if the underlying factors of our decision change, we would choose to re-write our BI applications on a different stack. Luckily, mathematics are the fundamental IP of our technology... and is portable across all BI platforms for the foreseeable future.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Power BI is an excellent and scalable tool. It has a learning curve, but once you get past that, the sky is the limit and you can build from the most simple to the most complex dashboards. I have built everything from simple reports with only a few data points to complex reports with many pages and advanced filtering.
    Read full review
    Usability
    IBM
    IBM Planning Analytics is generally good in terms of functionalities. It can be used reduce time for budget planning, resource planning, demand forecasting, etc. The performance of IBM Planning Analytics is acceptable, but user interface can be improved. It would be good to see new features that allow users to customise the dashboard.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    The Microsoft BI tools have great usability for both developers and end users alike. For developers familiar with Visual Studio, there is little learning curve. For those not, the single Visual Studio IDE means not having to learn separate tools for each component. For end-users, the web interface for SSRS is simple to navigate with intuitive controls. For ad-hoc analysis, Excel can connect directly to SSAS and provide a pivot table like experience which is familiar to many users. For database development, there is beginning to be some confusion, as there are now three tool choices (VS, SSMS, Azure Data Studio) for developers. I would like to see Azure Data Studio become the superset of SSMS and eventually supplant it.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Automating reporting has reduced manual data processing by 50-70%, freeing up analysts for higher-value tasks. A finance team that previously spent 20+ hours per week on Excel-based reports now does it in minutes with Microsoft Power BI's automated Real-time dashboards have shortened decision cycles by 30-40%, enabling leadership to react quickly to sales trends, operational bottlenecks, and customer behavior.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    The product has been reliable.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) can drag at times. We created two report servers and placed them under an F5 load balancer. This configuration has worked well. We have seen sluggish performance at times due to the Windows Firewall.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    IBM
    IBM support has been very quick to respond and handle the very few issues we've had. We've had a third-party who partners with IBM to be our consulting team which has helped greatly reduce the need for us to contact IBM directly. I highly recommend researching and selecting a well-respected partner to help with an implementation as well as ongoing support as needed.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    MSBI natively has a site that allows you to vote on user enhancements and bug fixes. This allows the largest nagging issues to float to the top and the development team can prioritize accordingly. As mentioned earlier, the large community base of MSBI developers assist technical resources in handling technical questions.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    It is a fantastic tool, you can do almost everything related with data and reports, it is a perfect substitutive of Power Point and Excel with a high evolution and flexibility, and also it is very friendly and easy to share. I think all companies should have Power BI (or other BI tool) in their software package and if they are in the MS Suite, for sure Power BI should be the one due to all the benefits of the MS ecosystem.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    This training was more directed toward what the product was capable of rather than actual programming.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    I have used on-line training from Microsoft and from Pragmatic Works. I would recommend Pragmatic Works as the best way to get up to speed quickly, and then use the Microsoft on-line training to deep dive into specific features that you need to get depth with.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    We are a consulting firm and as such our best resources are always billing on client projects. Our internal implementation has weaknesses, but that's true for any company like ours. My rating is based on the product's ease of implementation.
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    Microsoft
    It was integrated with our erp easily and was accessible on cloud.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    IBM
    For strong technical teams and flexibility IBM Planning Analytics is the way to go. For quicker adoption and less technical teams Anaplan is the best option. If consolidation, financials, and moving from legacy tools are main focus than OneStream will be a really good choice. If deeply invested into SAP already than the SAP BPC will be the best fit to maintain the investment.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    We have used the built in ConnectWise Manager reports and custom reports. The reports provide static data. PowerBI shows us live data we can drill down into and easily adjust parameters. It's much more useful than a static PDF report.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Microsoft Power BI is free. If I didn't want to create a custom platform (i.e. my organization insisted on an existing platform that I *had* to use), I'd use Microsoft Power BI. For any start-up or SMB, I'd just use Claude & Grok to build it quickly, also for free. Would not pay for Tableau or Sigma anymore. Not worth it at all.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    IBM
    • Automate direct data connections to multiple data sources
    • One secured version of the the truth (for data and formulas)
    • Ability to scale to much more detailed planning with option to create predictive forecasts at detail
    • Business user friendly with powerful Excel integration
    • Very flexible and powerful modeling, can handle custom modeling needs at scale
    • Can make the same data available across finance and ops, but at the level of details and timeline that makes sense for them
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • As a SaaS provider we see being able to provide self-service BI to our client users as a competitive advantage. In fact the MSSQL enabled BI is a contributing factor to many winning RFPs we have done for prospective client organisations.
    • However MSSQL BI requires extensive knowledge and skills to design and develop data warehouses & data models as a foundation to support business analysts and users to interrogate data effectively and efficiently. Often times we find having strong in-house MSSQL expertise is a bless.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • Power BI usage reduced the effort of analytical reports creation by about 80%
    • Empowered all the level of employee to be more vigilant of the data and business insights, gained the profit of 8% overall.
    • AI-powered predictive analytics improved forecasting accuracy by 17%, that topped the overall sales.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    IBM Planning Analytics Screenshots

    Screenshot of Workflow managementScreenshot of Income statementScreenshot of Margin analysisScreenshot of Metrics managementScreenshot of Income statementScreenshot of Expense analysis

    Microsoft Power BI Screenshots

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