Oracle Discoverer (discontinued) vs. Visual KPI

Discoverer is well suited as a reporting tool where data integration doesn't play a major role. Discoverer suits very well situations where a user has to run a query every day. Discoverer reports can be scheduled and the user can just view the data instead of running the query manually. Also, Discoverer takes away the pain of managing the database credentials. Discoverer is not well suited to situations where the whole enterprise wants to view the same dashboard. Discoverer is more of a departmental BI tool. Discoverer doesn't offer many options to integrate data unless one has to create and handle integration using PL/SQL.

Incentivized

[Visual KPI is well suited for:] 1. Maintenance or field worker in oil & gas/chemical/ process industry mostly; machines status on the map & functionality for tracing exact location of the machines. 2. Key personnel of the site is always in move within the site/plant; useful for monitoring key performance indicators of the plant 3. KPIs to be built based on multiple data sources as well as integration with ERP tool

Incentivized

• SQL friendly which allows for fast adoption for those users who know how to write in SQL. This makes integration with other programs much easier.
• Accessing data is very fast even with larger data sets.
• The layout is clean and organized similar to a spreadsheet which allows for easier viewing and analyzing of the data.

Incentivized

• The latest user interface makes it easier to use.
• The search function helps find projects quickly.
• It covers a lot of areas of your business so there is intrinsic value to how robust it is.

Incentivized

• There is always room for more scalability and optimization of performance.
• Oracle BI changes a lot from version to version. A smoother transition into a new version would be very helpful.
• Oracle BI's reporting tool is a little hard to use at first. The UI/UX of the tool can use improvement.

Incentivized

• Intelligent prediction & AI
• Deep integration is limited to OSISoft's PI AF; bit time consuming for large integration for other historians > mapping hierarchy
• Template to create Apps like OEE, Cycle time etc for rapid deployment

Incentivized

1. At large it was successful implementation. - [Users] are empowered to find out performance measures easily - issues like machine downtime, trend analysis, location specific downtime information, roll out functionalities, up time of the machines or area, alert based on run hour of the machines/ pumps, manual data entry to capture reason code for any downtime

Incentivized

1. Online documentation 2. How to do videos 3. Very supportive customer support 4. Excellent & user centric sales team

Incentivized

Discoverer was already in place when I joined the company so I was not involved in the selection process. However, I have been involved in the review of Discoverer as compared to alternatives including Business Objects, OBIEE, and SSRS. On a cost benefit analysis Discoverer always came out on top. Changing to another tool never provided enough additional functionality to overcome the cost of conversion and ongoing maintenance.

Incentivized

Most of these products serve as the master source for managing data, but they all seem to have their own focus for what kind of data and metrics they monitor, visualize and analyze. I think Visual KPI holds its own against the competition because it serves so many purposes for so many departments at your organization.

Incentivized

• We have used Discoverer to respond to state sales and use tax audits and saved the company more than the cost of the product. Discoverer has thus assisted in our objective of managing costs.
• Discoverer is used to provide reports for EEOC reporting assisting our goal of complying with all government requirements.

Incentivized

• Duration to realize the benefit is less
• OpEx requirement is steady since system is very robust
• Minimum to no training required for users; VisualKPI is very intuitive

Incentivized