The BI Requirements Checklist is designed to provide a framework for gathering user requirements for BI

The checklist is divided into various major sections with individual points. Points are accompanied by desc
Once your users have completed the checklist, you will have an overall understanding of what they perceiv
Nice to Have rating totals 1 to 4 Good to Have rating totals 5 to 7 Must Have
It should be noted that no single product, can fulfill all the items on the checklist. BI solutions are a collectio
Users from different areas will have different requirements. Marketing people will have a need for segmen
Name: Department:
Email:
Requirement Description

Data Inquiry
Simple Ad Hoc real time inquiry The ability to enter and execute a query retrieving
information, containing information having, simple
sums, counts and averages, grouped by
specified values.

Computed Columns The ability to have columns of

information that are calculated and not stored.

Prompted Ad Hoc inquiries The ability to execute predefined inquiries, which

prompt you for
constraints, but always retrieve the same columns
of information
Scheduled data extracts The ability to have queries executed at
predetermined times, or related to business events.

External Sources of Information The ability to integrate information from outside the
Data Warehouse.
Examples:
 Spreadsheets
 Files from outside sources, vendors, suppliers,
catalogs
 Files external to the Data Warehouse such as
VSAM files,
IMS databases, flat files, other databases.
user requirements for BI technology. The framework covers, not only the obvious BI functions, but also the follow-up
are accompanied by descriptions to help clarify the question being asked.
nding of what they perceive their needs to be, to support their business activities. Follow the data gathering with an a
als 5 to 7 Must Have rating totals 8 to 10 Not Required rating total of 0
BI solutions are a collection of tools that are used to satisfy the business requirements.
have a need for segmentation, while financial users will have a need for specific financial calculations. Your data ga
Position: Telephone:

Rating
1 to 10
, but also the follow-up actions a user may need to perform, with the information gathered using the BI technology. In

ata gathering with an analysis of the responses, grouping the answers into:

ulations. Your data gathering should account for the diversity of requirements by business function, and job function
Telephone:
using the BI technology. In some cases, normal Office automation tools, may be the answer, but applets or macros

s function, and job function.

wer, but applets or macros may be required to help with integration.
Requirement
Data Inquiry
Import information for personal use
Retrieve small amounts of information
Retrieve large amounts of information
Use Summary Information
Use Detail Information
Description
The ability import inquiries into P/C based
packages for further analysis.
Examples:
 Import into a spreadsheet
 Import into a personal database
A few hundred rows of information, which may
fit comfortably into a
spreadsheet
A few thousand, or more rows of information,
not likely to fit comfortably into a spreadsheet.
May be stored in a personal database for further
analysis.
Information that is aggregated to pre- determined
levels.
Example:
Product sales by region and time
Information captured at the detail level, perhaps at a
transaction level.
Rating
1 to 10
Requirement Description

Data Manipulation
Workgroup Databases
Custom Forms Presentation
Spreadsheet View
Interactive Updates
The ability to extract information for local storage
and further analysis
The ability to view and update information using a
custom form
The ability to view information in a row and column
format
The ability to change information in real time

Batch Updates The ability to store changes for processing later

Data Warehouse Write Back The ability to have changes made put back into the
Data Warehouse.
Requirement Description

Data Analysis
Forecasting
Budgeting
Time Series Analysis The ability to perform a time based analysis

Business Modeling/What If scenarios The ability to create models to reflect possible

outcomes.
Goal Seeking The ability to define a desired goal, and have
various factors evaluated to
achieve that goal.
Regression Analysis The ability to analyze how different variables affect
an outcome, and use
that data to predict outcomes for other data series.

Statistical Functions Use simple and advanced statistical functions, like

skew and variance.
Financial Functions Use financial functions like IRR and NPV

Segmentation The ability to define groups based on a

criteria, and then re-use that group for further
analysis.
Rating
1 to 10

Rating
1 to 10
Requirement Description

Reporting
Report Types
Columnar Information listed in columns by column heading

Cross Tab or Pivoted Information listed in Columns, but data values can
form column headings
Banded Information listed in horizontal bands, with each
band having it’s own content and possibly spanning
multiple lines.
Aggregation Having the ability to create totals, and sum duplicate
rows of information
Computed Columns The ability to have columns of information that are
calculated from queried data.

Complex Calculations The ability to have complex calculations

Examples:
 Percent of Total
 Rolling Sums
 Period Comparisons

Drill Up and Drill Down
Mixed Text and Graphics
Cosmetic Control
Database Publishing
Exception Reporting
The ability to view information at a specific level,
and drill to other levels of information on a selected
value.
Example:
 Drill Country ->Region ->District.
The ability to produce reports that contain both text
and graphics
The ability to control fonts, bolding, or display report
data in specialized forms
The ability to create documents that are driven by
report data.
Examples:
 Product Catalogs
The ability to produce reports that only report on
specific business problems. Examples:
 Product Sales drop by 10%
 Customers having Late Payments

Controlled Calculations The ability to control the calculations used, so that

everyone uses the same
formulas.
Report Templates The ability to create report layouts that
server as starting points for creating custom reports

Prompted Reports The ability to create reports that prompt you for
content and constraints.
Reporting Preferences The ability to set preferences for constraints, or
content.
Requirement Description

Graphics
Chart Types
 Pie
Bar
Stacked Bar
Line
High/Low
Radar
Area
Histograms
Other
Combination The ability to mix chart types on a single chart.
Example:
 A Bar chart having a Line Chart superimposed
on it.

2D 2 Dimension Charts for Data Analysis

3D 3 Dimension Charts for presentation
Multiple Scales The ability to have multiple scales displayed for
different data series.
Split Scales The ability to have scales change their
range to reflect vastly different data series

Median Line The ability to place a line showing the median for
comparison purposes
Custom text Placement The ability to randomly place text for annotation
purposes
Slide Shows The ability to create slide shows for presentation
purposes
Custom Drawing The ability to perform drawing
functions to adjust the look of a graphic, or create
new objects
Maps The ability to create geographical diagrams

Clip Art
Chart Templates The ability to create templates for common chart
generation
Automatic Update The ability for charts to automatically
reflect new information when the data changes.

Requirement Description

Data Security
Database level The ability to protect access to the database in
general
Table level The ability to protect which tables of information can
be accessed
Field Level The ability to protect which fields on a table can be
viewed
Example:
 HR can see employee personal information, but
others cannot.
Field Content The ability to protect data according to the content
of the data.
Example:
 Managers can only see information for their
departments data
Rating
1 to 10

Rating
1 to 10
Rating
1 to 10
Requirement Description

Documents
Small Text Only
Small Text and Graphics
Large Text Only
Large Text and Graphics
Group editing of documents
Rating
1 to 10
Requirement
Automation
Task automation
Complete/Advanced Automation
Scheduled Automation
Requirement
Portability and Accessibility
Remote access to tools
Stand Alone access to BI Tools
Internal Collaboration
External Collaboration
External Access
Description
The ability to automate frequently used tasks.
Usually in the form of macros and small applications
that serve as
assists
The ability to fully automate a business function
requiring many steps
The ability to have common tasks executed at
predetermined times or according to Business
Events
Description
The ability to use BI tools from remote locations.
Examples:
 Mobile Devices
 VPN over Internet
The ability to use the tools when not connected to
the network Examples:
 Laptops
 Smart Phones
 Tablets
The ability to share BI work with persons inside the
company.
Examples:
 Email
 Publish to a group in a Portal
The ability to send BI work to persons outside the
company.
The ability to have external resources use the BI
applications.
Examples:
 Suppliers checking inventory levels
 Vendors Checking Returns
Rating
1 to 10

Rating
1 to 10