For Business Process Professionals

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	April 2, 2007 Ouch! Get Ready — Spreadsheets Are Here To Stay For Business Intelligence by Boris Evelson with Connie Moore, Jamie Barnett	Average: 8  (9 ratings)

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Executive Summary

Spreadsheets — the most widely used business intelligence (BI) tool — are a permanent fixture in enterprises because no other analytical application outperforms them in flexibility, ease of use, and ubiquity. Spreadsheets' role in BI is no longer limited to simple import/export mechanisms; they now play an integral role in all layers of the BI stack. Yet the lack of controls and security and integrity issues create tremendous challenges. To minimize risks while gaining the inherent BI value of spreadsheets, information and knowledge management professionals must discriminate between the different ways spreadsheets are used. Then, they must help users apply advanced spreadsheet tools and techniques to their daily jobs, while also implementing a tightly controlled (or closely monitored) environment for critical production processes that rely on spreadsheet data. In turn, vendors should take advantage of this market opportunity by introducing tools that will bridge the gap between spreadsheet management and spreadsheet usage in the BI process.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Ubiquitous Spreadsheet Usage Challenges The Enterprise
• Approaches To Rein In The Problem
• The Future: A Comprehensive Approach To Spreadsheets In The BI Stack

RECOMMENDATIONS

• IT — Stop Fighting Spreadsheets; Recognize They Are Here To Stay

WHAT IT MEANS

• Microsoft Will Remain The 800-Pound Gorilla

ALTERNATIVE VIEW

• Web-Based, Centrally Managed Spreadsheets Will Dominate
• Related Research Documents

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