Board reviews

Pluspunten: As a complete BI solution, BOARD allows a developer to easily create the structures required to build extremely powerful and fast data models by using 'sparsity' - the method of calculating the actual space required for cube objects. A great strength in modelling is the ability to rename and change relationships on the fly. With a logical and very visual interface, BOARD is a pleasant environment to work in,which enhances productivity.
BOARD is able to provide end users the ability write back to cubes and create and amend entities. This ability makes the creation of workflows and security processes possible; a manager can add users and determine their level of access without returning to the developers. real time dynamic geo-charts allow for contextual maps to be created. BOARD have now opened the BOARD Community where users can ask questions in forums as well as help other users. Example data models can be uploaded as well as associated documentation and videos. The community site is one of the best forums I have ever used and the community members are clearly passionate about the software, as well as very knowledgeable. There are a number of unique concepts which, once understood, really open up the power of BOARD and through the community, all users can gain this knowledge quickly and in a fun way as well as discuss ideas with their peers and consultants alike. The forum is in addition to the formal support portal. I have used several enterprise BI systems and BOARD is by far the most exciting, fun and logical system I have ever used. It makes work truly enjoyable and provides a great sense of satisfaction when the developer discovers something new all the time.

Minpunten: Without the community forum, learning the unique skills to leverage BOARD over other apps was a slow process, even after attending the full training package in London. However, with the latest release and with direct access to BOARD experts and peers, BOARD has become a very exciting and enjoyable app to work on everyday and I cannot, at this point, state any cons. That is not to say that there are'nt any, just that what issues I did have have all been addressed in the latest release and with access to the community

Pluspunten: When looking to partner with a BI software vendor, we had a few key capabilities that we were looking for in a solution. These capabilities included: 1) the product must be easy to setup and configure and not require lengthy project implementation timelines; 2) the product must be able to empower the end users to create dynamic visualizations to support the needs of their business; 3) support for the analytics must not require an army of developers or technical personnel to maintain the application Many of our customers are mid-market companies that can't afford large expensive reporting solutions, but still require the quality and usability factors that users get from the more expensive off the shelf products. BOARD provided all of this and so much more. Our customers begin realizing value almost immediately following the initial implementation, visualization their business in ways they have never been able to before through dynamic interactive dashboards and reports. The product also offers our customers with a way to quickly keep up with their changing business. With BOARD, as the business changes and new questions need to be asked, the product provides the subject matter experts with the ability to dynamically create valuable visualizations to find their answers. No need for report writers when you have a controller or back office user who knows the right questions to ask to affect the performance of the organization. With this product, gone are the days of the technical business analyst trying to interrupt the request from the business, and instead the business is now creating exactly what they need with little involvement from IT.

Minpunten: There is some redundancy in the product, which at times can and will require users to have to repeat a formula on multiple reports instead of making the change once and all the reports get updated. This is an area that I see the product improving in overtime.

Pluspunten: I like my relationship with the sales team the best. The front end reporting features and functions. I also like the flexibility of Board to be a BI, FP&A, Consolidation, and Reporting tool and that Board is 100% GUI interface - no programming. I can always find someone to help with my questions. I also like the ease of installing and updating Board Software. It is pain-free compared to a lot of software I've experienced. Finally, how wonderful Board demos to customers.

Minpunten: What I like the least is the limited Board Data Reader for flat files. It does not specify what fails to load in detail from the Board Data Reader log.It does not allow for both field and columns reading at the same time. We should never have to massage/manipulate any files GL extracts to load into Board. It does not allow for exception maps (i.e. all data is mapped one-to-one except for the following). On-line documentation and Knowledge Base is limited. It should include all Customer Case call resolutions and Server installation requirements. Nexel is a good start, but needs to be on Rows, besides Columns. Also, there's a bug with only reading the 1st column. Next, we need formatting in DataViews (e.g. Cell level Underlines, Double Underlines, Changes in font, Bolding, Annotations, etc.). Another opportunity is Dependency Reporting for dynamic DataView Reports showing specified levels. Lastly, Class Attribute Filtering calculations (this may be available is some form, just haven't figured it out, yet.) Offering Advanced implementer training and certifications would be helpful.

Pluspunten: We were one of BOARD’s first Customers in Australia, and we have been using this product in our business for over 10 years. We found BOARD to be an easy to use and extremely flexible tool that has improved our business processes. As a programmer who would spend countless hours developing reports to meet the ever changing business requirements, I was blown away in the POC by the user-friendly interface and the ease to create reports so quickly on the fly to meet our entire business needs. I have not created another report program since, as BOARD can do it all. Not only is it a powerful tool for creating reports and dashboards, but the forecasting and budgeting functions that allows write back to cubes and the running of scenarios, makes it an all in one BI tool. One feature over the years that our business has embraced is the Excel Add-in feature, and due to its easy to use interface, users are able to run reports in Excel themselves.

Minpunten: I have no dislikes of the product and am impressed by the improvements made to BOARD over the past years, as it shows they are future thinking in understanding what Businesses are after.

Opmerkingen: Numerous... can better manage our biz to ensure optimal decisions are made for both tactical and strategic problems and opportunities.

Pluspunten: -- Extremely easy to set up and use. It's easy to train new users and integrate with new data sources.
-- Powerful capabilities to "slice and dice" data, analyze different datasets, create KPIs and broadcast reports to others. We utilize Board beyond the financials... use for operational, sales, logistics, customer service and environmental applications.
-- Excellent support from Board on both "how-to" questions and any internal IT issues that may arise. They take recommendations and act on them. They connect customers to share best practices.
-- Frequent new releases that extend capabilities. Board stays ahead of the curve and provides new features to address their customers' potential needs in the future.
-- Good price point with several license types for different user profiles.

Opmerkingen: Company budget that includes workflows and complex allocation and distribution of cost is possible with this software as well new reporting capabilities helps to receive tuned information.

Pluspunten: It combines BI reporting plus CMP features. New version has improved a lot Web view and collaboration for developing.
From version 9 graphics are more flexible and new GeoMap helps for location.
New ways for database development.
From version 10 Predictive tool has been included as well functions inline per column calculation.

Minpunten: We need to improve the rapid development features.
Sometimes dataentry si too estrict.
Predictive tool called BEAM licence is too high.

Pluspunten: I've started to use Board in 2007, with 6.0 version. In this 11 year of use Board continue in develop easy to use and easy to develop Environment. I like most the support, in particular when they give not only solve to the problem, but give develop solution. Another issue I like is Board in "ALL IN ONE", so you don't need another tool to make your CPM environment .
I think that this tools to give to customer the best quality price Ratio (CPM Product)

Minpunten: I really don't have anything to say in this box, but if I must say something, the documentation could be improved.

Pluspunten: - Very flexible software that can be setup in a couple of days
- User can setup it's own reports either in BOARD directly or in the Excel/Powerpoint environment
- The smaller size of the vendor allows a good relationship with consultants, technicians and marketing experts from the headquarter
- Good working interface to SAP, CRM MS Dynamics and Cognos TM1
- Very logical setup of the database structure

Minpunten: - Limited performance of the Excel addin causes some crashes
- When purchasing the software as a BI tool it has to be considered the need of a datamart.

Opmerkingen: Faster reporting with more flexibility, more reports, more engagement from stakeholders due to increased communication around pertinent and timely information.

Pluspunten: Board is great at merging useful data from multiple outside sources including Accounting software, Payroll, time and attendance, and even scheduling software. Through relationship management we have been able to analyze data that wasn't previously available to us.

Minpunten: With every flexible system there is a degree of maintenance and Board is no stranger to that maintenance. Unless you keep up with it, it can become overwhelming.

Opmerkingen: We use it every day as our controlling tool. As i am a Developer I am able to build procedures, but I want to be better in doing that by visiting trainings in a regular period of time.

Pluspunten: - less error-prone than Excel (more stable)
- clear demonstrative grafics
- you are able to limit someones rights to change anything

Minpunten: - sometimes shuts down without a reason
- the wording is not always clear
- the need of an additional software for presentations (convertion into Power Point as a Picture is not the best solution)
- Export into Excel destroys the whole formatting

Opmerkingen: Increased productivity and efficiency in work quality.

Pluspunten: The software is easy to use and has streamlined our daily and monthly processes. The hours we have saved from using the software have been invaluable. Working with our point of contact at Board, Jason, was extremely easy. He worked with us to ensure that we had all of the tools that we needed and any issues we had were handled immediately. Any updates or modifications we have needed have been handled in a timely fashion.

Minpunten: I do not have any cons for Board. As with any new software there are growing pains and glitches to be resolved, but they were easy handled. The software has been tailored to serve us in the highest capacity.

Opmerkingen: We are very glad, having this excellent software as our reporting tool. We rolled it out nearly over the whole world and everybody is happy. Our management team likes it as well.

Pluspunten: Different sources as base;
easy to implement tailored reports for every different kind of user;
communication between users within BOARD;
having reports as favourites (presentation);
easy to use/ navigate
available in web browser

Minpunten: It doesn't work offline properly
print outs are not that nice (unfortunately neccessary)
export to Excel as flat table not possible from web browser

Opmerkingen: I can produce data for analysis in a easiest way and faster. I made the user independent in its own job for control and planning and gave to the management the visibility of the trend of business with simple dashboards

Pluspunten: It was easy and fast to create a lot of dashboard and reports with a very large amount of data so that final users can do analysis of the business in few time. All new requests can be performed without trouble.

Minpunten: I appreciate very much this software and I didn't find any big issue till now. There's only one thing I have noticed: in a dashboard containing a summary table it's not possible to place the sum of the columns in the first row but only at the end and this is not helpful in case of a large number of rows.

Opmerkingen: The ability to actually see what you want from empty table; there are no limitations to the application to build.

Pluspunten: Open tool no limitations to what you want to do ; ability to see what is needed with no limitations.
The time for development is short : you can rapidly see results
Wide range of reports, tables and graphs can be made out of it
Applications can be built, and modified several times without rewriting codes

Minpunten: Perhaps the lack of a program to load flat files: I could not find a pre-written tool for reading ascii files.

Opmerkingen: I have been using Board Mit for one year in my previous working experience.
Later, I had chance to get in touch with IBM Cognos, MS SQL based BI Tools, Oracle BI and Qlikview.
I am defentively acknowledged that Board MIT is the best tool outhere: unique platform (IT skill huge savings), easy to use (fast adoption across the departments), fully functional on dashboarding, reporting, analisys, analytics, what-if and what-for scenarios (save tons of money and time).

Pluspunten: Easy to use, complete, scalable, desireable for business orchestration.

Minpunten: The platform in itself is an instrument.
To gather the best out of your investment you have to run a proper partner selection.
Software Houses add lower value respect to business oriented consultants

Pluspunten: - Few hardware requirements
- Great technical support
- Each user is able to obtain all the information needed in autonomy
- Easy to develop procedure without programming knowledge
- Excellent Integration and normalization data from different sources
- Fast database engine
- Office add-in (in particular Excel add-in) is a plus

Pluspunten: We were introduced to BOARD after many years of experience with using alternative multidimensional budgeting, planning and reporting solutions.
While many of BOARD's competitors have come and gone, BOARD has shown both a commitment to support performance management and importantly a commitment to innovation. We use the product for a number of our subsidiaries as well as deliver solutions for our clients on it.

Minpunten: The initial engagement with the product is slightly different to other approaches and does take a little time to re-educate yourself to its methods, but once you do the reasons BOARD chose this way becomes clear.

Opmerkingen: I used this tool for more than a year. The tool uses a multi dimensional functionality which helps retrieve the data faster for reports and forms, which increases the performance .

Pluspunten: Very easy to learn, use and deploy. There are on-premises and cloud versions available which makes this tool platform free. Various interesting BI functionalities available in this tool. Efficient in reporting, dash-boarding and planning/budgeting.

Minpunten: Only disadvantage I found about this tool is it can be installed on Windows only.

Opmerkingen: We use the Software for different Departments like: Controlling; Sales; Customer Service; Product Management; Development; Global Procurement, Production; Logistic; Planning

Pluspunten: self service, easy to use, Overall function one Software for all Reporting / planning topics

Minpunten: Statistics function of the USER uses could be better;
User Profile function could be better

Pluspunten: Very powerful, we have found that the only limit to how much we can manipulate and enrich our data is our understanding and creativity when it comes to designing data flows.

Minpunten: It does take a while to learn and feel comfortable using the more advanced features in Board. There was more trial and error than some people may feel comfortable with.

Pluspunten: Great tool for creating financial reports and dashboards. Customer support is very proactive. They come up with the solution to a problem with great ease.

Minpunten: No cons. With every update, they keep getting better and improving. With the Boardville community, it is even more faster to find solutions.

Opmerkingen: We brought Board in as a tool for inventory projections, to replace the excel spreadsheets that relied on multiple vlookup and match-index formulas, which took forever to load and equally long to update. Now with Board, the process takes minutes and updates are painless. We can also use the multiple objects in Board to present the data in more visually appealing forms than the standard spreadsheet format.

Pluspunten: - Provides the consolidation of data and data structures of various source systems.
- Standard reports are defined and simplifies the daily work, so that manual effort is no longer required.
- The aggregated data allows ad hoc evaluations according to defined criteria across different data sources.
- No programming skills are required for the user.
- Budget planning based on past values is possible.

Minpunten: - Data quality is only as good as they are maintained in the source systems (obviously).
- Data can be evaluated according to defined criteria only .
- Graphical technology for column, line or pie diagrams could be more modern; though, guess that was done in version 9 (working with version 8.1.4 still).

Pluspunten: Quickest implementation from start to finish for smaller to mid-size project needs. Large feature set for a low manageable cost.

Minpunten: Differentiated support for layouts and features comparing the web and client implementation. Distribution and updating of add-on's is manual and difficult to manage for virtual teams.

Pluspunten: BOARD is an extremely powerful tool that is allowing us to more quickly analyze and manage our business. It is very user-friendly for creating new reports, dashboards and analyses, and we have expanded its use in numerous areas of the company. We find new uses for it nearly each day. Lastly, the support staff at BOARD is very responsive and great to work with.
I have used multiple “business intelligence” tools in the past, and BOARD is, without a doubt, the best. I would 100% recommend this tool to businesses of all sizes and industries.

Minpunten: Nothing of note; Product keeps getting better with each release.