“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” – Tony Robbins
In business, change is often a notion that comes with reluctance. The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies to many of us as each fiscal cycle passes. Sometimes, an opportunity for improvement is among us and as technology becomes a more integral part of business, we must look to the future and challenge tradition with innovation.
We sat down with James Tang, one of the longstanding practice leaders at BAASS, to discuss what the future holds for technology in finance and operations. What we found was that there is a huge opportunity for businesses of all sizes to position themselves for success for years to come. After our conversation, it was clear that this opportunity comes in the form of Business Intelligence.
I became interested in learning more about Business Intelligence and pursuing a career in this area after working with clients on their ERP system, who were struggling with extracting meaningful data. I understand that having to pull data manually from multiple places can be a headache in itself. I wanted to be able to help them reduce those headaches because I knew that there had to be a better way to handle the data.
At BAASS I am the Business Intelligence Practice Leader, which means I am the number one expert on Business Intelligence. I also lead a team of BI specialists who are available to help implement, train and support our clients. Alongside being a practice leader for BI, I am also a Sage 300 Consultant. When we boil it right down, I am aiding clients in realizing their needs and make them become a reality.
There are many challenges that clients will come to us for, concerning their data and reporting needs. But some of the common challenges are related to not knowing what tools are available to them. The most common question I ask is - Do you currently use Sage Intelligence? The resounding answer is No. Additionally, most clients are also not aware of different ways that BI can help their organization outside of financial reporting.
Another common challenge is with clients who have compliance-related reports which are required to be sent. In most cases, these reports require data from multiple sources and can take several hours or days to complete. Unfortunately, human error can have huge implications with these types of reports.
As technology advances and software becomes more robust, I encourage individuals to be open to change and not to remain with the traditional way of thinking and gathering data. In most cases, the traditional ways are antiquated and are costing the individual and organization the most valuable commodity - their time.
We make sure to share ample content about Business Intelligence and ERP. I encourage those to stay connected with our social media and blog for education information. We also have a series of webinars, access to host One-on-One demo sessions and One-on-One education sessions as well. But the best place to get more is by attending BAASS Connect. This year I have a variety of topics I will be covering from a BI newcomer to someone who is looking for more advanced reporting.
What is one piece of practical advice you would give someone starting out?
Be curious and always ask questions about the tools you have currently and what is out there that could benefit your organization. The second piece of advice is to explore the tools that are available to you. You may be surprised by the options that come with the out of the box software you have.
What are the best resources for people who want to dive deeper?
To learn more about what James will be speaking about at BAASS Connect, or how you can learn more about the event.
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