Tracking daily merchandise shipments, checking on warehouse inventory, drilling into sales and revenue data, these are some of the typical business intelligence functions mobile workers access on their laptops.
But MicroStrategy Inc., a McLean, Va.-based software firm, has recently rolled a mobile BI app that will transform Apple’s iPad from a consumer gadget into a powerful business tool. The app also works on iPhones and an earlier version has been available for some time now to BlackBerry users.
The iPad and iPhone are perfect platforms for mobile BI applications, according to Brian Brinkmann, director of product marketing for MicroStrategy. “People don’t lug around their desktops and bulky laptops wherever they go. But everyone has his or her smartphone, and now iPad, with them all the time.”
He said the iPad and iPhone are ideal for displaying what he calls “app-centric BI”, or business intelligence data designed to help frontline workers make on the spot decisions, as opposed to traditional BI which is geared towards deeper analytics.
For ITBusinesss.ca’s complete story on MicroStartegy’s mobile BI app for the iPad click on New analytics app for iPad, iPhone could benefit frontline workers also check out Mobile BI — a bonanza for many businesses.
Nestor Arellano is a Senior Writer at ITBusiness.ca. Follow him on Twitter, read his blog, and join the IT Business Facebook Page.