SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform Reviews

Vendor: SAP

3.9 out of 5

104 reviews
90% willing to recommend

6,435 followers

What is SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform?

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform is a versatile and flexible solution for reporting and dashboards, focusing on analytics and ad hoc reporting. It can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. The solution includes tools such as Web Intelligence, Crystal Reports, SAP Lumira, and Analytical Cloud and is primarily used for comprehensive business intelligence reporting.

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SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform is the #5 ranked solution in top Business Intelligence Tools. PeerSpot users give SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform is most commonly compared to Microsoft Power BI: SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform vs Microsoft Power BI. SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 71% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 16% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform

April 2025

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Featured SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform reviews

Mo Sayed

SAP enterpise cloud architect at ECC Experienced Certified Consulting

This platform is very important to us because it offers a dashboard and includes SAP Analytics Cloud for reporting. The analytics is a reporting platform with a separate license from the planning platform. We use this primarily for dashboarding The important features include a dashboard and…

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MukeshMathur

Business Analytics Manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

As per my opinion, because SAP is a very worldwide product or very useful product, I'm not talking about improvement, because I just think that SAP can focus on the pricing factor. The cost of this product, so every company is not suitable to use it. Because of the very huge amount of integrations, every organization can not use it. So, it is a very costly product. Secondly, from an educational point of view, So, it is not easy to adapt to each and every IT person because some, most, in India, most cities, such as Delhi, Bangalore, or Chennai, only metro support the educational platform for that. So, just my suggestion is SAP should focus on every user; it should be easy to pick the product and, easy to carry, easy to use in every life. So, SAP must try to improve in this part.

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Paul Grill

President & CEO at Infosol Inc

We would like to see the semantic layer opened up to other popular BI tools like Tableau and PowerBI. This integration makes a lot of sense for most organizations. We would also like to see a native version of BusinessObjects and Web Intelligence created for the cloud. It would be nice to see some native integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and capabilities to really take Web Intelligence to the next level of Business Intelligence. This could be integrated with existing popular AI tools instead of new development.

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SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform mindshare

As of May 2025, the mindshare of SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform in the BI (Business Intelligence) Tools category stands at 3.7%, down from 5.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools

PeerResearch reports based on SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	BI (Business Intelligence) Tools	May 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform vs Microsoft Power BI	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform vs Tableau	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform vs Amazon QuickSight	May 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Microsoft Power BI	4.0	21.4%	93%	321 interviews Add to research
Tableau	4.2	17.1%	89%	303 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform's most valuable features include its semantic layer, which simplifies data access, and flexibility in report and dashboard development. Web Intelligence and Crystal Reports facilitate ad-hoc and scheduled reporting. The platform supports integration with multiple data sources and robust security, ensuring centralized management. Users appreciate its intuitive interface, enterprise scalability, and the ability to create custom visualizations with tools like Dashboard Design.

"The return on investment from this solution is high, with the highest ROI observed."
"First of all, visualization tools, productivity, and predictive forecasting are mature."
"What I like the most about SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform is that it has significantly improved our decision-making process."

Room for Improvement

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform requires better performance, integration, and user interface. Users face challenges with patch methodology, dashboarding capabilities, and service pack testing. Integration with SAP's ecosystem and third-party tools is problematic. Enhancements are needed for visualization, predictive analytics features, and documentation clarity. Licensing costs and support response times are concerns. The platform's setup complexity and lack of flexibility deter users, while its transition toward cloud solutions creates challenges.

"The cost of this product, so every company is not suitable to use it. Because of the very huge amount of integrations, every organization can not use it."
"There is room for improvement in providing more user-friendly and versatile reporting options."
"The financial area in the solution has certain shortcomings that need improvement."

ROI

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform contributes to ROI through its development and data insights. Organizations experience high returns when volume is significant and setup is correct. While some deem it costly, its integration with existing SAP systems can reduce costs. Despite varying opinions on exact ROI figures, users acknowledge its essential role across departments and its capability to deliver insights. ROI realization can occur within six to twelve months depending on various factors.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers find SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform costly, particularly in comparison to competitors like Power BI. The user licensing model is complex and perceived as expensive, with limited flexibility for organizations with varying user needs. High setup and maintenance costs contribute to the perception of being a premium-priced platform. Some companies leverage negotiated deals for better licensing terms, yet overall, the pricing remains a significant consideration for medium-sized businesses evaluating their options.

"The SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform has to improve its licensing cost."
"It is not a subscription model, but you must purchase a perpetual license for this."
"There is an annual license to use SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform for comprehensive business reporting and analytics. It excels in creating static dashboards, financial and management reports, and supports ad-hoc reporting. Widely used across various sectors like healthcare, finance, and education, it integrates multiple data sources and supports complex environments. Key features include data security, scalability, and operational function, offering tools like Web Intelligence, Crystal Reports, and Analysis for Office for diverse reporting needs.

Service and Support

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform's support experiences vary. Some find it responsive and knowledgeable, while others report delays and insufficient expertise. Technical support effectiveness often depends on the issue complexity and priority. Many users leverage community forums for solutions. Customer service ratings range from satisfactory to patchy, with some facing challenges in communication and escalation. SAP's improvements in recent years are noted, yet users still see room for enhancement.

Deployment

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform's initial setup ranges from straightforward to complex, heavily influenced by deployment scenarios and organizational requirements. Simple installations tend to be easy with adequate documentation. Larger, clustered, or customized setups present more challenges, often necessitating technical expertise and collaboration across teams. Users report issues with version compatibility, load balancing, and server configurations. Familiarity and experience with SAP systems help streamline the process, while community support and documentation aid in managing setup tasks.

Scalability

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform offers strong scalability, supporting vertical and horizontal expansion to accommodate organizational needs. Users find the platform scalable, easy to scale by adding servers or clustering. Performance remains efficient even with thousands of users and large data volumes. Some report complexity with configuration, but enhancements in newer versions have addressed previous challenges. The platform excels in enterprise-wide deployment, handling numerous reports and diverse user needs effectively.

Stability

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform shows variable stability. Users mention stability issues often arise from configuration and resource allocation, while some view it as quite stable. There are reports of bugs and incompatibilities, but many find it reliable with adequate support. Patches and updates have shown mixed effects. Correct sizing, configurations, and infrastructure can enhance stability, making the platform mostly stable with occasional challenges during updates or migrations.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Retailer

Healthcare Company

University

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Energy/Utilities Company

Media Company

Insurance Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Hospitality Company

Construction Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Non Profit

Mining And Metals Company

Consumer Goods Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Transportation Company

Legal Firm

Pharma/Biotech Company

Outsourcing Company

Logistics Company

Non Tech Company

Performing Arts

Compare SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform with alternative products

Learn more about SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform

The most valuable features include excellent reporting features, good technical support, scalability, and the ability to translate database data into business language. The solution has helped organizations by providing analytics, monitoring KPIs, and making important decisions as a financial business.

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Key Features

Central management: Access all your BI from a single, central launchpad that can be customized to meet user-specific needs. The launchpad provides business users with access to all their BI tools, reports, notifications, and applications in a single place. This includes the ability to launch SAP Analytics Cloud.
Data visualization and analytics: Create powerful visualizations, dashboards, and applications to assess risk, improve efficiency, identify opportunities, and enable users to analyze developments and data. Business insights can be shared with colleagues across enterprises.
Integration with Microsoft Office: Integrate with SAP Business Warehouse and SAP HANA to power real-time analytics. For large-scale data analysis, you can integrate with Microsoft Excel to discover in-depth business insights and forecasts. Data analytics information can also be embedded into Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
Cloud support: Extend and expand your BI on the cloud. SAP Analytics Cloud connects your BI to the cloud and offers enterprise planning and advanced analytics from a single online solution.

Reviews from Real Users

SAP BusinessObjects BI stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Several major ones are its user-friendly dashboard, its impressive reporting and analytic features, and its ability to integrate with multiple solutions.

A managing partner at a tech services company writes, "One of the most valuable features of SAP BusinessObjects is that it's not a dashboarding solution. It's a real product. You can create operational reports and publish it to anyone. You can create schedules. You can create a Universe, semantic layers. There's also a security configuration. It's a huge product, so if there is a business need, SAP BusinessObjects can cover it."

An associate manager at a consultancy notes, "It provides flexibility for creating reports. It is very good for creating highly complex reports. I like this solution because when I buy BusinessObjects, it comes with many components, such as reporting, dashboard, and data visualization tools. Its performance is good. It is running on top of SAP BW and SAP HANA."

A manager of data analytics and interfaces at a healthcare company says, "It has got great flexibility. As a reporting tool, it has a great deal of flexibility for numerous data resources that you can bring into it. It allows you to write your SQL query directly within the product. It has great visualization.

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform was previously known as SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform, SAP BusinessObjects, Business Objects.