Oracle OBIEE Reviews

We are a service-based company and we build reports for the PeopleSoft HRMS system that analyze workforce management or higher labor management. We have a partnership with Oracle and I'm a senior software developer.

The solution has good data visualization features and provides a lot of visualization reports from various data sources. We can also merge the data from different sources. You can get a lot of reporting through the application and I find it to be a good enterprise solution. 

Managing the OB applications requires a high level of experience, and in that sense, the solution is quite heavy. Although the solution offers some direct reporting, I'd like to see something on the database. The way things are now you need to go through an intermediate layer rather than connecting directly to the database which would enable you to immediately start building a report.

I've been using this solution for seven years.

The solution is quite stable and we're able to manage a lot of data. 

The scalability is good. In terms of performance and functionality, we can scale it out. We currently have over 3,000 users. We have three or four people dealing with maintenance on a daily basis. 

We don't have too many problems with technical support but at times there are delays getting a response from Oracle. Initially, they released good documentation but it's not so good anymore and it's often difficult to find what you're looking for. There is definitely scope for improvement. 

The initial setup is not completely straightforward but it's not overly complex either. It requires a lot of planning and a lot of effort to implement but it's okay. 

I'm aware of the other options in this market category. OBIEE is an enterprise solution whereas other products in this category are not robust enough at that level. There are other good products out there but they are not enterprise solutions. 

It's important to understand your source system and then fully utilize all the features because I've worked on projects where we have not utilized many of the powerful features that the product offers. We generally use no more than a maximum of 10% of the features.

I rate this solution seven out of 10. 

The most valuable feature of Oracle Business Intelligence is the ability to drill down and show business value for your customers with the different subject areas they have implemented.

What's improved the functioning of the business is the single source of truth. Everybody pulls the same information from the same set of dashboards. We eliminated duplicate reporting, and we have a single data warehouse.

Some of the new products they have with the mobile version and Day by Day look extremely good. I would like their mobile version to incorporate HTML5, and also go through some accessibility testing, which would incorporate new web standard features.

The stability of the product has been very good. I've been very impressed with the product itself, considering all the users that we have online and being able to prepare the reports that they need.

We have not had to scale it.

Technical support overall has been as good as can be expected. We've had to open up some TARs or some tickets with them. Overall, they've been fine.

We previously used Excel, Microsoft Access and Discover. Everybody had their own report. They would save the open order report on 52 desktops of Microsoft Access. In 2006, we bought Oracle BI, eliminated all those different reports and were able to create a single source of truth. It changed their lives.

The initial setup of version 10.7 was fine, but when we upgraded from version 10 to 11, it was a whole new technology stack; it took extremely long. The nice thing about going from 11 to 12 is that it is the same technology framework, so it looks straightforward for an upgrade. The first upgrade took 15 months; this should take a week.

We also considered Hyperion and there was also Teradata.

We had Oracle E-Business Suite, so we just stayed with the same product suite. It ended up becoming a good bet because right now everything is BI, and mobile and data analytics. Back then, I didn't expect it to be that, but I picked a good horse.

When I’m looking at a vendor such as Oracle, it is important that they're providing new tools all the time, and that they also are very stable; you know they're going to be around. You also feel like they have an integrated solution, so that OBIEE works with the Oracle database, and then you also have Oracle front ends that are also calling Oracle BI reports. It's an integrated solution.

I've actually had to look at different divisions within my organization and try to sell this product. In some cases, I've actually had to go over and help set it up. It's important to look at form and function. Look at the features that they have today; they're looking for the same thing. The proof is in the pudding, by showing them the reports, showing them the functionalities, setting up new dashboards, setting up ad-hoc reports through Answers, and then scheduling those. I've had to do that, and they don't believe that it's that easy.

I have given this product a perfect rating because they're getting the integrated products within their E-Business suite. They have pre-built analytics. They also have a very developmental-friendly development suite with answers. A lot of it is self-service, where users can subscribe to products. They can also reorganize columns and do everything they need to do to make it friendly for themselves. Now with the new mobile tools, with Day by Day and Sunopsis, they make it even more powerful.

The centralized metadata model component is most valuable. 

We do like Oracle Visual Analyzer, but we do feel that it's quite immature in comparison to its competitors. There is still quite a lot of catch-up to be done, but it does still have some unique value add.

It is not very stable, and it is not consistently improved. There are a lot of gaps when it comes to design. The documentation and support from Oracle on the vision have been pretty bad over the last six years.

It is very biased towards Oracle infrastructure. One of the major red flags we have at the moment against Oracle is that it doesn't support deployment on other cloud providers. We're quite heavily vested in AWS as our infrastructure, and Oracle is yet to formally support deploying on those virtual infrastructure instances. That's quite disappointing, and it also cuts them out of over 70% of the market.

Its deployment is complicated in comparison to other solutions.

I have probably been using it since 2005. 

We're using Oracle Analytics Server, which is the latest version of the solution on site. We have a trial OAC which is the cloud version, but we're primarily on 12.2.1.4 which is the previous release on site.

The platform could definitely be more stable.

It is scalable, but it is very biased towards Oracle infrastructure. The biggest pain point is the alternative cloud support. They're very Oracle cloud-centric. If I need to do anything on our infrastructure that is AWS-centric or Azure-centric, there are loads of issues.

There are thousands of users, but right now, it's suffering from losing its users to Tableau and Power BI because of its various shortcomings.

The documentation from Oracle and the support have been pretty bad over the last six years. We also use Power BI and Tableau. Oracle is very poor in comparison to Power BI and Tableau with regard to user engagement, documentation, and roadmap.

They've got a lot of gaps in the community, support, and documentation. If I try and look up how to do something complicated in Oracle Analytics, I'd surely find it hard to find the information, whereas if I look up the equivalent in Tableau or Power BI, I'll find solutions pretty quickly.

I find their support model very outdated. In order to get support, I have to raise a ticket, and then I have to talk to someone who may or may not very quickly understand the problem, whereas quite often with the other products, the solution is in the community. That's where Oracle is falling behind. Their community is very poor when it comes to finding solutions, and their support is quite traditional. It's very old-fashioned.

The deployment can be done in a day. Once you understand it, the deployment isn't too bad, but the deployment complexity is still very high in comparison to other solutions. 

We did it ourselves. For its deployment and maintenance, we need a whole team of people. We probably have about three or four managers, and we've probably got 15 to 20 technical personnel or developers because many different business units are using it.

Its licensing is yearly.

I can recommend it under certain circumstances. It depends on your deployment, and whether you are starting from scratch. It is heavily dependent on what infrastructure you have and what your current people have. I would recommend it if you're a fully Oracle house. If you're not a fully Oracle house and you're heavily based on Azure or AWS, then I'd be hesitant. I'd need to do an architectural review.

As an end-user, I would rate it a seven out of 10. For an Oracle house, it would be a seven out of 10, and for a non-Oracle house, it would be a five out of 10.

We implemented this solution for reporting purposes primarily. We got it for the client a few months back. This whole system is an EBS system. We used the solution to pull the data from the EDA source system and convert it. Once a data valid solution is developed, we model the data model using RCB, and then we create reports for the service contract module.

The solution helps businesses to make a very quick analysis and can help them make business decisions quickly.

The most valuable aspect of the solution is the fact that hierarchies are centralized. 

The solution offers a condition-based analysis. For example, if the user wants to see two reports on the dashboard based on different categories or different attributes, but they want to see one report at a time, using the condition-based development, they can do so. 

From version 11G to 12C the solution has made a lot of improvements.

The solution is easy to use and very flexible.

In the 11G model, there are restricted visualizations, whereas in Oracle Analytics Cloud we have multiple different variations of visualization. If there was a way of presenting the data in a pictorial way, it would be very helpful. Right now, the solution, at least in that deployment model, is lacking a number of visualizations.

The solution needs to be easier to scale.

I've been using the solution for almost seven years at this point. The company itself may have used it for about 15 to 20 years now.

I haven't had much chance to really test the stability, however, I don't recall any instances of trouble.

Scalability is not that easy. We need to apply a batch. It would definitely take time to execute and to check all the reports or development work once the batch applied.

We've used technical support in the past and have been quite satisfied with their level of service. Overall, I would rate the solution eight out of ten. Occasionally, we would have issues that remained unanswered, however, it's rare.

The initial setup is not straightforward. It is complex. Oracle introduced another product called Oracle Analytics Cloud, and in that case, the installation of the product is very easy. Comparatively, this product's installation is difficult. It takes time and needs mission instants.

We set up the solution in-house. We didn't need to hire an integrator or consultant.

I'm not sure what the solution costs. I'm not involved with aspects of billing or contract negotiations. I don't know if we pay on a monthly or yearly basis.

I don't recall evaluating other options.

I'm not the latest version of the solution, however, I do have information on the latest one as well. I'm using the 11G version. The latest one is 12C. I worked on it two years ago.

Our company loves the benefits of this solution and has used it for a long time. Even with new products on the market, they continue to use the product.

I'd advise companies considering using the solution to make sure they explore the product quite a bit before fully implementing it.

Overall, I'd rate the solution at eight out of ten. Each version continues to get better and better. I would definitely give 10 out of 10 for OASC, for example, which was recently launched, due to the fact that it is fully on the cloud.

We use this solution for pulling data analytics from our source systems through the enterprise data warehouse provided by Oracle. We also use it to provide dashboard solutions for analytics and operations for the businesses from various departments; operational, finance, marketing, sales, legal, everyone. We are partners with Oracle.

This solution is very easy for people who are building ad-hoc things. It's an enterprise solution so it can be deployed for a lot of users. There are some great new features that come with the 12c like data visualization, desktop BI Publisher, automation and interactive dashboards. The product has good features. 

This solution needs a better security management system and I think there is room for improvement in terms of giving access to people in a more effective way. I'd like to see additional features and performance can be improved too. 

I've been using this solution for 10 years. 

There are no issues with day-to-day activities so it's pretty stable. The new versions have improved and even with a lot of people logging in, it's solid. 

The solution is made for enterprise companies and is scalable.

When we have issues that need Oracle support we reach out to them. The response is sometimes very slow but better at other times. It's a mixed bag even though we have dedicated support. We recently did an upgrade and that went smoothly. 

OBIEE is definitely for enterprise customers. If you have a big user base of say 500,000, then this is the kind of solution you'd want to have. I would definitely advise people to go for the latest version rather than install an old version and then try to do an out-of-the-place upgrade. 

There's room for improvement so I rate OBIEE seven out of 10.

With Oracle OBIEE, business intelligence can be used in any kind of technology you have. A person always wants to see parts like visualizations and intelligence when it comes to what an application can do, the workflow, and everything related to the application, not in Excel sheets, letters, or reports. The reports will be visualized, so it will be easier to connect to any area of any application while also overlaying all your applications. With Oracle OBIEE, you can proceed with overlaying your applications. Oracle OBIEE helps you make the right decision to help achieve accurate results with all the scenarios the product offers for your applications.

The most valuable features of the solution are the various scenarios the product offers and its stability. Oracle Financial Services Risk Management is a useful area in Oracle OBIEE.

Oracle OBIEE is a product that is not easy to implement. The product is also not easy to use. The aforementioned details about the solution can be considered for improvement.

I have been using Oracle OBIEE for eight years. My company sells the solution.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight to nine out of ten.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight to nine out of ten.

When it comes to those who have enterprise accounts and have purchased a subscription for advanced customer support, it is possible to get the best customer service from Oracle.

The time for the setup phase of the solution depends on the client and how big the project is, along with another factor, which is the partner who will be a part of the implementation phase of the product.

The solution is deployed on a hybrid cloud.

There are no licensing costs attached to the solution anymore. A person only needs to pay towards the subscription costs since it is a cloud-based solution. I use the free version of Oracle OBIEE.

I recommend the solution to those who plan to use it. I also recommend Microsoft Power BI to others as an alternative to Oracle OBIEE. Microsoft Power BI is very powerful and very easy to use, making it easy for anyone to implement it.

I rate the overall solution an eight to nine out of ten.

Our primary use case of this solution is for public reporting, creating a dashboard for our users so they can create their own reports. If they're using Tableau and other things, we give them a dashboard to use. It provides a structure or enterprise solution or framework, which gives you a free hand to create your own reports. We have some form of partnership with Oracle and I'm an ABB.

The ability for a user to create their own reports is one of the valuable features. The solution also allows you to manage your access roles, like permissions, directly from the port. There is also a separate enterprise manager where groups and other roles can be created and given access. Finally, if we have certain scripts, we can add chipping into that scheduling function as well as a dashboard and the like. In the newer version, there's a visual analyzer which is more Tableau driven and gives you a free hand. From a user perspective, it's an advantage and will provide us with an additional asset if we do upgrade. 

Implementation is a little cumbersome and requires expertise. From the support perspective, it seems that they are a level behind. Another, thing is if you're working in the 12.2.1.3 version, fields don't come with proper venues and proper testing is lacking. For an additional feature, I'd like to see data science and functions added.

I've been using this solution for five years. 

Most of the time the solution is stable but it depends on who is doing the set up configuration. A senior person will know how much memory is required, without that there might be problems. So lots of configuration files need to be optimized according to the usage. There may also be other parameters that need to be set up and if you are aware of this then the system will be stable. 

This is a scalable solution. 

Customer service is sometimes very good. At other times it's very, very dense and they ask for irrelevant information. It could definitely be improved. 

The initial setup was quite complex and I didn't do it in one go because when we deployed something, there were some problems that needed sorting out and that took around five to six hours. Deployment probably took close to six hours. The deployment was carried out internally. In my department we have over 300 users and the solution is used on a daily basis. 

This is an expensive solution and I think people tend to stop using this product as a result. Cost is a major factor in companies choosing other solutions. 

It's important to have an understanding of your requirements because if people are looking for visualization and realization, this is a very good solution that can work with thousands of users generally and can work on billions and billions of records. 

I rate this solution a seven out of 10. 

Oracle OBIEE is a database tool that is comparable to many other databases. It is commonly used to demonstrate to clients how their business is performing. With the use of graphs and visual aids, companies can be shown their current and future performance.

The utilization of Oracle OBIEE enables businesses to track their cash flow and identify areas where costs can be reduced. The solution offers valuable insights into customers' businesses, which can be used to make improvements and drive progress.

The most valuable features of Oracle OBIEE are the ease of logging in, the dashboard, and showing the problems in the data. Additionally, the reports are well integrated and it has good technology.

There should be more integration in the solution. For example, there should be one solution with multiple functionalities so that other solutions are not needed. Having one solution with all the needed functionality would be helpful.

I used Oracle OBIEE within the last 12 months.

This solution is suited for larger-sized companies.

There are many community forums that can provide a lot of information. It is helpful for everyone. We have used it often to help us in many areas.

I rate the support of Oracle OBIEE a ten out of ten.

Positive

The price of Oracle OBIEE is expensive, it is difficult for a small business to afford.

I rate the price of Oracle OBIEE a seven out of ten.

My advice to experts that might use Oracle OBIEE is it's a good tool and has many features. You are able to make reports to display where a company is going overall for success.

The solution is useful for developers and regular business users.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Oracle OBIEE a nine out of ten.