Business Intelligence Solution - Introduction

Business Intelligence (BI) refers to technologies and applications used for analyzing data in order to enable informed and effective decision making. For over two decades, BI systems have been implemented in numerous industries, both large and small.

Based on daily analysis of the system data, the system Business Intelligence Solution can generate a multitude of reports, each of which can be used for further analysis, decision making, and planning. Among the data that can be analyzed are sales cycles, profitability, and goal achievement. Each of these can be examined according to numerous dimensions, among them service types, destinations, users, agents, and suppliers.

The Business Logic

  1. System data is collected and stored in the BI module, beginning on the first day of the system activity.

  2. System data is updated in the BI module on a daily basis.

  3. Standard BI reporting, based on actual purchases and sales, is based on data from the following two the system documents: voucher to supplier and invoice to agent.

    1. Voucher to Supplier

      1. For voucher data to be collected in the BI module, the status of the travel file from which the voucher is issued must be Open or Close.

      2. The voucher amount collected in the BI module reflects the amount after a refund has been deducted (if relevant).

        3. For Example:

        A flight has been reserved for two passengers in the amount of US$500 and a voucher in this amount has been issued to the supplier.

        One passenger has canceled and a refund has been issued in the amount of US$250.

        Voucher data in the amount of US$250 will be collected in the BI module.

    2. Invoice to Agent

      1. For invoice data to be collected in the BI module, the following condition must exist:

        • The Agent/C. Client field in the travel file must contain a value.

      2. BI reporting is based on data from both cash and credit invoices.

        3. As opposed to reports based on actual purchases and sales, the BI module can also be used to produce forecast reports.

        1. This report is based on data from vouchers not yet issued or vouchers to suppliers issued for a partial amount.

        2. The transaction associated with the voucher must have one of the following statuses: Confirmed, Request, Waiting List or No Status.

          3. For Example:

          A flight has been reserved in the amount of US$500 and a deposit in the amount of US$250 has been issued to the supplier. As a voucher has not been issued in the full amount, data from this purchase will not be used for reports pertaining to actual sales and purchases.

          As a probability exists that a voucher will eventually be issued in the full amount of US$500, the amount of US$500 will be included in reports forecasting future sales and purchases.

  4. A number of reports in the BI module require the input of data from external sources in order to generate output. The use of data from external sources is used to widen the scope of content beyond that supplied by the system in order to generate a wider spectrum of reports.

    1. Following are examples of reports which can be generated only after the input of external data:

    2. Selling and Profitability Targets where target goals are compared with actual results

      3. For Example:

      The branch manager has established a monthly selling target of US$100,000 for one of his employees. This data is input from an external source.

      At month's end, the employee's sales cycle has reached US$110,000 - 10% more than the expected target. Based on these results, the branch manager can decide to award the employee for his efforts.

    3. Efficiency where gross profit is compared with operational profit

      4. For Example:

      An employee's monthly salary is US$2,000 to which an overhead outlay in the amount of US$500 is added. This data is input from an external source.

      At month's end, the employee's sales cycle has reached US$100,000. This amount is the gross profit.

      The employee's expenses, in the amount of US$2,500, are deducted from the gross profit. The resulting amount is the operational profit. Efficiency can be measured using this figure.