Turning Data Into Information

Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP, once said:

“The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight.”

It can be inferred from this quote that data, on its own, isn’t much use to anyone. Raw numbers, statistics, stream of figures - these things are useful only to a point. Data only becomes truly useful once it becomes information. Information has relevance, context, and background. Information is something more than just data, it is data with an added ‘oomph’. Data is needed, but information is useful.

One of the key ways of turning data into information is by presenting, and then interpreting it in the appropriate manner. One of the more common ways of doing this is through the use of dashboards. The key property of a dashboard is that it presents data in an easy, ‘understand at a glance’ manner. In this way, it helps transition data into information.

We spend a lot of our time here at Infragistics working with dashboards. We have some exceptional tools geared specifically toward helping our customers work directly with information. One of these tools is ReportPlus, which is a dashboarding app that allows end users to build interactive dashboards right on their iOS device.

The app features the following:

• Compatibility with iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch
• Connectivity with data sources such as: Excel, SharePoint, Dynamics CRM, SalesForce, SQL Server, OData sources
• Ability to create rich interactive dashboards on the fly
• Branding options for both images and logos
• Alleviate IT overhead by providing Self-Service with no special server software
• Share live updating dashboards with other ReportPlus users
• Export Dashboards to PowerPoint to annotate and share
   

ReportPlus allows users to turn data into information in new and exciting ways:

• The Business Analyst: If you are the traditional enabler of your business' processes, data repositories and reports/dashboards, you're intimately familiar with the struggle to provide up to the minute data no matter what the circumstances. Taking data from any source and being able to apply analytics and build reports that seamlessly transition between platforms is non-negotiable for you and the ability to display your data is paramount so that you can speak intelligently and accurately about the entirety of your business' verticals and scope. 
   
• The Road Warrior: If you are on the move a lot, you’re familiar with the need for a mobile device to get work done. This works fine most of the time, but you always have to bear in mind the handicap of working with a smaller screen size or differing input methods. Navigating through an Excel spreadsheet on an iPhone is rarely a smooth experience, nor is looking up some CRM data on your iPad. ReportPlus is built specifically for mobile use, and makes working with these types of data sources infinitely easier.
   

• The Salesperson: If you spend your working day pitching or presenting in meetings and boardrooms, you understand the importance of first impressions. A captive audience is only captive for so long, so you know you need to make your message count. ReportPlus is an effective way to communicate your message in the most efficient way. Instead of the same old static presentation and Excel graphs, why not hand out a couple of iPads running ReportPlus? Let your audience interact with our stunning visualizations right there in the meeting. Not only will your point get across more effectively, but your meeting will likely be one to remember.
   

Regardless of what role you fill, ReportPlus allows you to take the next step with your data and turn it into information, making it more valuable for you and all of your business initiatives. Check it out on your iOS device today!