ISG Software Research Analyst Perspectives (37)

DataStax Provides a Platform for Data in Motion and at Rest

Posted by Matt Aslett on 27 July 2022

Streaming data has been part of the industry landscape for decades but has largely been focused on niche applications in segments with the highest real-time data processing and analytics performance requirements, such as financial services and telecommunications. As demand for real-time interactive applications becomes more pervasive, streaming data is becoming a more mainstream pursuit, aided by... Read More

Topics: Data, Streaming Analytics, Streaming Data Events

Field Service Heads for Greater Automation and Integration

Posted by Keith Dawson on 26 July 2022

Field service is a segment of customer experience that is dominated by two elements: the complexity of the issues handled, and the high cost of providing on-site services. It is recognized as a critical component of the service experience, especially when managing the condition of high-precision equipment in the medical, manufacturing and utility industries. It is also a high-risk moment in the... Read More

Topics: Customer Experience, Voice of the Customer, Contact Center, agent management

Tableau Brings Business Intelligence to Business Users

Posted by David Menninger on 26 July 2022

Organizations are collecting vast amounts of data every day, utilizing business intelligence software and data visualization to gain insights and identify patterns and errors in the data. Making sense of these patterns can enable an organization to gain an edge in the marketplace and plan more strategically. Tableau is a data visualization software company, acquired by Salesforce in 2019, that... Read More

Topics: embedded analytics, Analytics, Business Intelligence, AI and Machine Learning

Adopt the Fast Follower Paradigm for Finance

Posted by Robert Kugel on 26 July 2022

Although the digital transformation of the finance department was a topic of discussion before 2020, it became a front-and-center issue as organizations locked down and in-office interactions became impossible. Finance and accounting departments were immediately confronted with a challenge because of their limited adoption of technology that would support a virtual working environment. As our... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Financial Performance Management, ERP and Continuous Accounting

Data-Driven Agenda for Organizations

Posted by Matt Aslett on 21 July 2022

When joining Ventana Research, I noted that the need to be more data-driven has become a mantra among large and small organizations alike. Data-driven organizations stand to gain competitive advantage, responding faster to worker and customer demands for more innovative, data-rich applications and personalized experiences. Being data-driven is clearly something to aspire to. However, it is also a... Read More

Topics: embedded analytics, Analytics, Business Intelligence, Data Governance, Data Integration, Data, Digital Technology, natural language processing, data lakes, data operations, Streaming Analytics, Streaming Data Events, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

A Faster Close Fixes Other Accounting Issues

Posted by Robert Kugel on 21 July 2022

Since its inception 20 years ago, Ventana Research has advocated for a shorter accounting close because it can improve the performance of the entire organization, not just finance and accounting. An important benefit of a shorter close is increased staff time for analysis and the preparation of reports and narratives that improve communications with the board and outside investors. Similarly, the... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Financial Performance Management, ERP and Continuous Accounting

Salesforce Commerce Cloud Targets the Segment of One

Posted by Stephen Hurrell on 20 July 2022

There are more digital channels in the commerce space than ever before: the web, mobile apps, text, voice-activated “agents,” video and social channels. Conversational computing and hyper-personalization are transforming customer engagement, and organizations may need to undergo a digital platform renovation to optimize customer and product experiences or risk lagging behind competitors. B2B... Read More

Topics: Digital Commerce, Office of Revenue

Data Governance, Then and Now

Posted by David Menninger on 20 July 2022

We’ve recently published our latest Benchmark Research on Data Governance and it’s fair to say, “you’ve come a long way, baby.” Many of you reading this weren’t around when that phrase was introduced in 1968 to promote Virginia Slims cigarettes, but you may have heard the phrase because it went on to become a part of popular culture. We’ve learned a lot about cigarettes since then, and we’ve... Read More

Topics: Big Data, Data Governance, Data Management, Analytics and Data

Oracle ME Aims to Drive Employee Engagement, Productivity, Retention

Posted by ISG Research on 19 July 2022

In my more than two decades in the world of human resources and human capital management technology, I have never seen a topic become so completely ubiquitous so quickly as has employee experience. This is great news from my perspective. As I addressed in this recent analyst perspective, market factors have forced organizations to acknowledge the tremendous bottom-line value of an engaged... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, employee experience, Digital Innovation Awards

Finance Research Reveals No Progress to a Shorter Close

Posted by Robert Kugel on 19 July 2022

We conducted our recent Smart Close Dynamic Insights Research in part to assess to what extent the substantial disruptions of the pandemic have impacted the accounting close. When office lockdowns began in the first quarter of 2020, many finance departments were challenged by having to do their quarterly close remotely without their normal face-to-face interactions. In the United States, the... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Financial Performance Management, ERP and Continuous Accounting

OneStream’s Sensible ML Tasks AI for Business Planning

Posted by Robert Kugel on 15 July 2022

OneStream offers a platform designed to serve the needs of accounting and financial planning and analysis organizations. The software handles financial close and consolidation, planning and budgeting, analysis and reporting. For me, the most significant announcement at the company’s recent user conference was the unveiling of its Sensible ML (Machine Learning) offering, which is in limited... Read More

Topics: Business Planning, Financial Performance Management, ERP and Continuous Accounting, AI and Machine Learning

TigerGraph Promotes Graph Database for Data Science with ML Workbench

Posted by Matt Aslett on 14 July 2022

I recently wrote about the growing range of use cases for which NoSQL databases can be considered, given increased breadth and depth of functionality available from providers of the various non-relational data platforms. As I noted, one category of NoSQL databases — graph databases — are inherently suitable for use cases that rely on relationships, such as social media, fraud detection and... Read More

Topics: business intelligence, Analytics, Cloud Computing, Data, Digital Technology, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

Lead to Cash – What does it really mean to you?

Posted by Stephen Hurrell on 13 July 2022

“Lead to cash” is an often-used term and is a companion to “quote to cash” and “order to cash”. What they all represent is an approach which recognizes that there is a process designed to convert a lead from a qualified interest to an active sale, through quote and contract negotiation, to order or contract, invoice and payment. “Quote to cash” and “order to cash” are subsets of this process,... Read More

Topics: Office of Revenue

A Data Pantry Speeds Development of Machine Learning Models

Posted by Robert Kugel on 12 July 2022

A few years ago – somewhat tongue in cheek – I began using the term “data pantry” to describe a type of data store that’s part of a business application platform, created for a specific set of users and use cases. It’s a data pantry because, unlike a general-purpose data store such as a data warehouse, everything the user needs is readily available and easily accessible, with labels that are... Read More

Topics: Data Management, Business Planning, Financial Performance Management, ERP and Continuous Accounting, AI and Machine Learning

Zoho Unifies Data and Analytics

Posted by David Menninger on 07 July 2022

Organizations are continuously increasing the use of analytics and business intelligence to turn data into meaningful and actionable insights. Our Analytics and Data Benchmark Research shows some of the benefits of using analytics: Improved efficiency in business processes, improved communication and gaining a competitive edge in the market top the list. With a unified BI system, organizations... Read More

Topics: business intelligence, embedded analytics, Data Governance, Data Management, natural language processing, data operations, Streaming Analytics, AI and Machine Learning

Ahana Offers Managed-Services Approach to Simplify Presto Adoption

Posted by Matt Aslett on 29 June 2022

I previously described the concept of hydroanalytic data platforms, which combine the structured data processing and analytics acceleration capabilities associated with data warehousing with the low-cost and multi-structured data storage advantages of the data lake. One of the key enablers of this approach is interactive SQL query engine functionality, which facilitates the use of existing... Read More

Topics: Analytics, Business Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Data, Digital Technology, data lakes, data operations, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

Semantic Models Benefit Analytical Processes

Posted by David Menninger on 28 June 2022

I’ve never been a fan of talking about semantic models because most of the workforce probably doesn’t understand what they are, or doesn’t recognize them by name. But the findings in our recent Analytics and Data Benchmark Research have changed my mind. The research shows how important a semantic model can be to the success of data and analytics processes. Organizations that have successfully... Read More

Topics: Business Intelligence, Data Management, data operations, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

AI Will Create Strategic Advantage for the Office of Finance

Posted by Robert Kugel on 24 June 2022

Artificial intelligence using machine learning has passed through the bright, shiny object stage and software vendors are well into the process of making the concept a reality in their offerings. Ventana Research defines AI as the use of technology to process information in much the way humans do, including improving accuracy in recommendations, actions and conclusions as more data is received. I... Read More

Topics: Planning, Machine Learning, Budgeting, Business Planning, Financial Performance Management, forecasting, AI and Machine Learning

Dremio Embraces Data Lakehouse with Cloud Launch

Posted by Matt Aslett on 24 June 2022

I previously explained how the data lakehouse is one of two primary approaches being adopted to deliver what I have called a hydroanalytic data platform. Hydroanalytics involves the combination of data warehouse and data lake functionality to enable and accelerate analysis of data in cloud storage services. The term data lakehouse has been rapidly adopted by several vendors in recent years to... Read More

Topics: business intelligence, Analytics, Data, data lakes

Total Compensation Imperatives for Every Organization

Posted by ISG Research on 22 June 2022

Compensation management is a key talent management process involving all workers and managers within an organization. Determining and providing the appropriate compensation for each person — whether it involves base pay, merit pay, or variable pay and incentives such as bonuses — is critical to being able to attract and retain productive members of the workforce, including full- and part-time... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, Total Compensation Management