Report and Query Tools

This page assists the user in the review and evaluation of various Report and Query Tools used as a part of Decision Support Systems.

Report and Query Tools Products

ACCESS http://www.microsoft.com/access. Vendor: Microsoft Corporation. Product description: Microsoft Access 97 is a relational database tool that enables data to be integrated from other databases, as well as spreadsheets, in order to make sense of vast amounts of information and enable better decision making. As part of the program, it provides a number of wizards which help users find answers easily, share timely information, and build faster solutions. For example, the database wizard can help the novice build a full-featured, customized database, in seconds. Report and form wizards help to bring together desired information to create professional quality applications. Access enables the user to share a relational database over an intranet as well as the Internet. Database replication enables data to be synchronized from anywhere in the world. Finally, Access provides the user the ability to improve the performance and speed of the database through the performance analyzer wizard. Programmable command bars also allow the user to customize the interface. Demo? YES. Evaluation: Wide use of wizards provides direction and ease for the novice. Can be for either personal and/or professional use. Email support link: http://support.microsoft.com/ Phone: (800) 426-9400

ALPHABLOX ANALYSIS SUITE http://www.alphablox.com. Vendor: AlphaBlox Corporation. Product description: AlphaBlox Analysis Suite enables IT organizations to quickly deliver analytical applications that are customized to specific business problems, users or groups, and that are personalized to suit individual needs. Analysis Suite is comprised of two key products: Analysis Server and Application Studio. Analysis Server consists of a series of high level application building blocks-Blox- which can be quickly snapped together in a Web page, resulting in a customized analytical application. Application Studio further speeds application assembly through configurable templates. Analysis Server enables the rapid delivery of a broad range of custom, Web-based analytical applications that accommodate the diverse roles, skills, and information needs of knowledge workers and decision makers. Unlike "one-size-fits-all" query tools, AlphaBlox analytical applications modify to the specific organization--improving application acceptance and reducing training effort. Using Studio, one can quickly assemble a wide variety of easy-to-use, business-specific analytical applications. Demo? NO. Evaluation: Although limited because of its complete Web reliance, the product allows for complete customization for specific business needs. Email: info@alphablox.com Phone: 1-888-BLOX-NOW (1-888-256-9669)

BRIO ENTERPRISE http://www.brio.com. Vendor: Brio Technology. Product description: Brio Enterprise enables end-users easy access to databased information in record time. It allows for the creation of standard data models and reports that can be shared throughout the organization and across the Web. Any changes made to specific databases are able to be synchronized with others, without breaking existing queries and reports. Brio Enterprise is designed for the end-user. Behind a deceptively simple user interface, a powerful SQL engine processes complex queries against a wide array of relational and OLTP data sources. Complex OLAP analysis functions are simplified with intuitive data navigation and visualization tools. Beyond static graphical views of data, Brio Enterprise delivers robust graphical OLAP analysis. Finally, compound reports summarize work by presenting analysis results in a variety of ways such as cross tabs, charts, tables, or a combination. Demo? YES. Evaluation: Company's confidence in its product can be seen through detailed descriptions, and a functioning online demonstration. Designed for the end-user. Email: sales@brio.com Phone:+1-877-289-2746

DB-ONE SUITE http://www.micropages.com. Vendor: Metro One Telecommunications. Product description: The db-One Suite, from Metro One's Database Software Division, consists of a set of powerful products which allow you to retrieve textual data from databases very rapidly and accurately. They are: db-One, dbLens, and Business Category Thesaurus. Both db-One and dbLens are optimized for full text retrieval from large structured data or existing relational databases. db-One is a standalone, full text database system. dbLens is a relational database indexer. Both provide: Top performance - subsecond access with automatic spell correction, Unmatched scalability - small footprint increases performance scalability, and very fast indexing - more than two million records per hour! The Business Category Thesaurus provides an intuitive, simple method for locating a company, product or service, with success even the best full-text search engines can't match. It also provides over 21,000 Yellow Page/business categories and SIC codes published by major telcos and business data providers, as well as over 40,000 common terms and brand names linked to the appropriate category, continuously updated with new data and concepts. Demo? YES. Evaluation: The web site offered a very detailed description of the products. The Business Category Thesaurus appears to be especially interesting and useful in a business setting. Email: info@db-one.com Phone: (716) 377-0580

FASTSTATS http://www.smartfocus.co.uk. Vendor: smartFOCUS. Product description: FastStats is a report and query software product developed by Smart Focus. FastStats recognizes variables as categorical, continuous, multi-answer, etc. and supports missing values to ensure an accurate representation of the data. Marketing queries quickly go beyond the simple filtering offered by general purpose OLAP tools. FastStats adds selection by continuous variables, recency-frequency-value criteria and reference number files. FastStats accepts data from a wide variety of sources, e.g. operational systems, contact histories, etc. and stores it in a highly compressed database. Through use of smart compression and indexing strategies, FastStats achieves incredibly fast performance without imposing the constraints associated with traditional OLAP tools. Demo? NO. Evaluation: Looked like it was fast and had many useful features. Email: info@smartfocus.co.uk Phone: + 44 (0) 1179-435800

HARBORLIGHT http://www.harbor.com/HarborLight.html#AutoJoin. Vendor: Harbor Software. Product description: HarborLight is a report generator for relational databases made by Harbor Software. Application development is entirely graphic. HarborLight provides a set of blocks that represent data sources and operations on data. The user puts the blocks together to create custom reports. For common reports, HarborLight includes templates that produce complete report procedures when connected to a source of data. Once the logic of the report is created, the appearance of the output can be tuned with WYSIWYG editors - one for forms and one for passive and active reports. HarborLight allows knowledge workers to create and modify reports they use, generate reports for others, and run applications created for them from HarborView. HarborLight reports are created with a combination of point & click and drag & drop skills that are natural to most computer users. HarborLight supports Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, SQLServer, and InterBase databases. A single HarborLight procedure can access several databases, remote or local, even several databases of different types. Demo? NO. Evaluation: Looks good for report generating but wish there was a display of the software. Email: web-master@harbor.com Phone: (978) 526-1376

MACOVA CASE MANAGEMENT http://microaccess.com Vendor: MicroAccess. Product description: Macova Case Management is designed to help solve criminal cases more effectively for law enforcement. It utilizes the latest computer technologies to manage the case and lab processes. Macova Case Management allows crime investigators, DA's, and crime lab personnel to organize their work, streamline their work flow, improve their communications, and keep track of the custody of the evidence. Ultimately, it coordinates the team work that is vital in solving criminal cases. It can be customized. Demo? NO. Evaluation: The Mocova Case Management system seemed to be very beneficial to the investigation process as it has certain icons and terms used by professionals using the software. It seems that it would save officers and investigators time and ultimately help them to do there job more effectively which would solve more crimes. Email: information@microaccess.com Phone: (617) 272-5670

MACOVA DATASCOPE http://www.microaccess.com. Vendor: MicroAccess. Product description: Macova DataScope is an end-user database query and reporting tool made by MicroAccess Computer Center, Inc. It utilizes ODBC/SQL and provides an innovative point-and-click user interface for query specifications. Complex queries can be derived in an incremental approach. Data can be analyzed on-line or off-line. Queries can be shared in a workgroup with security. It can be customized and integrated in an application. Macova DataScope is designed for application developers, IT professionals and End Users. The single license price is $495 (USD). Demo? YES. Evaluation: Looked very user-friendly and reminded me a lot of Microsoft Access. Email: information@microaccess.com Phone: (978) 952-6142

SAFARI INFOTOOLS http://www.intersw.com/prods/safit.htm Vendor: Interactive Software Systems, Inc. Product description: Interactive software systems is known to the world's top corporations for developing and supplying the report writing and data management tools they need to turn data into useful information. Safari users can quickly integrate, process, and analyze information from multiple sources, resulting in increased productivity. Demo? YES. Evaluation: Safari Infotools is very easy to navigate through as well as easy to find the information needed to complete the task at hand. Email: webmaster@safariinfotools.com Phone: (303) 987-1001

STRATEGY http://www.showcasecorp.com/strategy/strategy.html Vendor: ShowCase Corporation. Product description: The end-to-end data warehousing product. It is a fully integrated data warehousing solution for superior business intelligence. It offers an organization three capabilities: (1)Simple Implementation, (2)Simple Orientation, and (3) Simple Environment. ShowCase Strategy 2.5 Architecture can be downloaded easily to your computer. Demo? NO. Evaluation: Easy to move through the website to find what you need, easy to download. Email link: http://www.showcasecorp.com/info.html Phone: (800) 829-3555

VISIONARY http://www.informix.com/informix/products/tools/visionary/vision.htm Vendor: Informix. Product description: Informix Visionary is a useful business visualizer that enables the user to develop flexible, easy, low-cost solutions for insightful decision making. Visionary allows users to graphically explore their business enterprises and obtain immediate analysis of trends and situations without programming skills. Demo? YES. Evaluation: Visionary is a could be very useful for many companies searching for trends and help with decision making. Email link: http://www.informix.com/ Phone: (800) 331-1763

Decision Support Systems Resources is maintained and copyrighted (c) 1995-1999 by D. J. Power, Professor of Information Systems and Management, College of Business Administration, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50613-0125, Work phone: 319 273-2987, FAX: 319 273-2922, E-Mail: Daniel.Power@UNI.edu, this page was created April 20, 1999 by Jon Turk, Kyle Wilcox, Tony Olson, and Neil Schmidt, see disclaimer.