International Business Intelligence (BI) vendor, Yellowfin, has released the new version of its BI solution – Yellowfin 5.1 Socialize, Visualize & Decide.
The new release includes several notable new features and has a big focus on enterprise collaborative decision-making (CDM).
Collaborative decision making capabilities
Yellowfin 5.1 includes several new Web 2.0 inspired components to facilitate CDM around reporting and analytics.
Knowledge and content sharing
A YouTube style Java script export in the form of an embeddable widget, dubbed Yellowfin Connect, enables reports to be shared across platforms by copying the Java script fragment into the HTML page.
Discuss and overlay knowledge on business data
A Web-based discussion forum within Yellowfin itself allows users to create and participate in real-time threaded conversations around reporting and analytics from inside or outside the company. Users can embed reports and other contextual information in threaded conversations, and add annotations to further explain patterns and trends in the data. Conversations can be centered on a single report or entire discussion topic.
Collectively decide action
The Yellowfin discussion forum also includes a decision widget to enable voting or polling within threads to help push conversation towards a specific and measurable course of action.
Why we did it
The collaborative components within Yellowfin 5.1 are designed to help organizations spread fact-based decision-making throughout the enterprise. Yellowfin 5.1 creates a business environment that empowers all relevant decision makers with the ability to use the insight generated through reporting and analytics accurately, maximizing its potential to underpin better, faster decisions and support operational objectives.
New chart types
Yellowfin 5.1 includes new data visualization options to help users to turn data analysis into actionable knowledge. There are six new chart types:
1. Stacked area chart: Makes it easier to show ratios of two or more series
2. Proportional horizontal bar: Shows the value for a series by displaying how close each category is to the maximum and provides an alternative to standard bar charts
3. Stepped line: A new line chart that helps to distinguish the difference between points on various gradients
4. Numeric display: Allows users to view an individual value as a large LCD alarm clock
5. Week density: Breaks a time-series data-set down into different granularities, allowing users to view the same data-set on a per day or per hour basis
6. Time series bubble chart: Displays dates along the horizontal axis to enable data to be viewed via time factors
Why we did it
Cognitive psychology and educational theory research reveals that visual learning is one of the best proven methods for teaching people of all ages new information. In a business environment, using visual aids in crucial reports and presentations can help identify and explain trends, improve information absorption and retention, leading to enhanced productivity, efficiency and knowledge sharing. Data visualizations enable management to reach steadfast and timely conclusion and recommendations based on data analysis.
New Client Organization Management User Interface
A new Client Organization Management User Interface provides a mechanism for managing and editing the details of client organizations through the Yellowfin interface rather than via web services.
Why we did it
This multi-tenancy management console allows for customized configuration options for easier management of different client organizations’ details, saving Yellowfin customers time and money.
Notable upgrades
Yellowfin 5.1 also includes major upgrades to its mobile application and Meta-data layer.
Upgraded mobile application
Yellowfin’s mobile applications for android devices, iPad and iPhone include new filtering capabilities and menu displays. The filtering enhancement allows users to actively filter their reports for the data sets they need, in addition to being able to drill down and through data. A new menu bar at the bottom of the screen introduces a range of functions, with users able to add reports to favorites, email and comment on reports, and toggle between chart and table mode.
Improved Meta-data layer
Yellowfin has incorporated dynamic, easy to set-up, date hierarchies into the view builder. The introduction of date hierarchies allows users to add date components, calculations, conversations and hierarchies to reports using calculated fields without the need for an external date lookup table.
Why we did it
With shorter business timeframes, intensified marketplace competition and increasingly dispersed workforces, organizations are harnessing mobile reporting and analytics capabilities to keep them up-to-date and in-the-know. The updates to Yellowfin’s mobile reporting platform are designed to ensure business decision-makers can quickly and easily access the benefits of real-time reporting and analytics anywhere and anytime.
A simplified Meta-data layer makes it even easier for business users to perform independent data analysis to improve the speed of data-based decision-making.
You can find out more by visiting the Yellowfin website: www.yellowfinbi.com