Birst Reviews

Some valuable features in this product are:

• Auto modelling: Simply by uploading Excel, we can start reporting.
• Birst's auto feature creates ETL in the back-end by analyzing data.
• Cloud-based: This cloud-based tool is easy to maintain and can be managed with a single window.
• Single-window development: No need to maintain / install multiple tools for metadata, reports development and service management.

We use Birst for developing solutions and prototypes, that are helpful for our customers.

For complex reports with heavy calculations, performance can be improved. I would appreciate more customization options in measure calculations.

Earlier, we were challenged during one of the previous versions (maybe Birst version 5.18). We wanted to define a new measure and build a complex calculation using the custom and existing measures. Then, there were certain restrictions in using the custom measure.

We are currently using version 5.23 and an update is due for us. Birst (currently updated to version 5.24) is very dynamic and there is another update (version 5.25) which will be released by them soon. We never tried to explore in the recent version and unsure if customization is available already.

I have used this product for a period of 18 months.

Product upgrades are frequent. In this manner, Birst tries to introduce new features and fix issues from existing versions. However, during upgrades we had to redevelop certain report prompts (and in rare cases the report itself).

Data processing time increases as volume of the data increases. However, if you are in the typical data load cycle schedules for end-of-day loads during off-business-hours, the time is minimal.

Birst provides quick and helpful support on raised queries. Overall, the level of technical support is good.

Previously and still now, we use Oracle BI (OBIEE). I find Birst are pioneers in Cloud BI platforms.

The setup was straightforward. Birst being a cloud-based solution, it does not require installation on servers. Allocation of space happens fast and with easy steps.

Birst has subscription based pricing policy, with a commitment for certain minimum time period.

We evaluated other solutions namely Oracle BI Cloud Service, GoodData.

It is important to identify a use case and deliver business benefits. Then gradually, you can expand to users (or other use cases) in different functions and shorter sprints.

This tool possesses valuable features such as its ability to perform ETL, extract data from various sources (flat files, relational DBs, application connectors) and dashboard scheduling.

Unfortunately for us, we are looking for better options other than Birst as it is not so user friendly.

Birst needs to improve various features, namely:

• Application connectors as existing ones aren’t quite reliable.
• Resolve issues of frequent timeouts.
• Provide a friendlier UI.
• The BQL (Birst Query Language), which is used for applying filters in dashboards, conditional formatting, custom calculations, etc., needs a more constructive syntax.
• The error messages displayed need more useful information about resolving issues.
• Build an external forum/community for online help. The in-built Birst community is relevant only for simple tasks.
• Provide concepts for Dev, QA and Production environments.

I have used this tool for about a year and half.

Owing to the above reasons, we could not make use of the Birst tool productively. Hence, we will not be able to make a fair comment.

Owing to the above reasons, we could not make use of the Birst tool productively. Hence, we will not be able to make a fair comment. In addition, this tool does not allow frequent updates.

Personally, I have not interacted with their support team but when my colleagues did they received an average response.

Initially, we have used Tableau, SSAS, BO. At first, we were quite impressed with Birst’s capabilities. Now we understand that it is still a maturing tool.

Recently we have evaluated Looker, Sisense & Qlikview. Tableau seems to be the best amongst the lot. Sisense would follow thereafter.

There is no doubt that Birst possesses great abilities. However, it becomes too time consuming to understand and implement this product. It is important to decide the main criteria for selecting this tool whether just as a dashboard function or to provide start to end solutions from ETL to visualization. This product requires users to come out of their comfort zone and explore it.

• Scalability: Because the product can be set up in cloud-based systems, the scalability is there.
• Availability: The user interface is fully browser-based, so no installation for users is always a big plus.
• ‘Networked BI’-approach: In technical ways, it makes all of the core measurements consistent throughout the company. It tackles the issue related to inconsistency in reporting inside company departments.

Licensing has been shown to have some issues.

There are specific Birst connectors included in the out-of-the-box price tag, and there are several more connectors available in Birst that have their own license fee.

Thinking from a customer perspective, this is really important to know. As per my experience, the out-of-the-box price tag is the one that is used and the extra license of connectors available was sort of a ‘surprise’. However, this was explained by Birst and it is understandable that their other connectors cost extra.

My own experience just made me think that this was a hidden cost that they tried to hide, but keeping that in mind, it might only be my experience as to how this surfaced for us, because I had this image of Birst that you pay _this_ amount and get everything.

I have used it for a few months.

I have not encountered any stability issues so far. It will be interesting to see how it handles actual several-user usage.

I have not encountered any scalability issues so far. Scalability is one of the core features of this product that makes Birst great.

I have not used technical support. However, answers to product-related questions are sometimes buried quite deep.

Initial setup from the customer point of view is straightforward but as an administrator, it has its own complexities. However, the main focus is that Birst setup for the ‘actual’ user is clean, straightforward and easy.

Pricing is ok. However, the kind of data you have can alter the price through Birst connector license costs.

GoodData was an option; however, it did not fulfill the requirements as well as Birst did (one year ago).

Check your needs, what actually is required and what kind of data you have. Then look into Birst and similar products for the most suitable to _your_ needs.

Data visualization: The company I worked for had clients all across US. It was important for us to visually present the details to the senior management so that they were able to relate to the analytics very easily. Additionally, analysts were able to easily build visualizations and explain them when they were presented. Data in charts/maps speak more than data in a spreadsheet.

Also, in the customer-facing portal, it was easier for the customer to see visually than reading a report.

Data can be downloaded unto the Birst server, which means the analyst can run their own analysis without issues.

• Performance was not that great; in-memory processing would help.
• Real-time streaming.
• At the time that I looked at this product, it was in a incubation/stabilization mode. We ran into challenges with the performance. We were told that we will be able to build our star schema model and run our dashboards easily. But, when we had to do a lot of summarization, the performance was not that great.

I have used it for three months.

I have not encountered any stability issues.

I encountered scalability issues.

Technical support is good.

I previously used in-house analytical solutions using Cognos and some of our native Java code base.

Initial setup was straightforward, because it was a cloud-based solution.

Negotiate.

Before choosing this product, I also evaluated Tableau.

If you are looking for a cloud-based, lightweight data mart and reporting, this tool is good.