In our recent Early Summer Release, Birst introduced Salesforce Connect, a data connector that allows salesforce.com customers to easily analyze their Salesforce CRM data, including custom objects, within Birst.
So, you're probably thinking as you yawn, don't a lot of other companies do this already? What's the big deal?
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="160" caption="It's more exciting than you think."]
[/caption]There are a few big reasons that this is an exciting development. Yes, other companies connect to Salesforce information and analyze it. What Birst does differently is:
- Analysis and reporting on custom objects, in addition to standard Salesforce data. Many companies have customized their Salesforce solution to fit the unique information and processes required by their business. So they have built what are known as "custom objects." Other solutions can easily handle standard data, but they can't analyze nor report on custom objects. If it were important enough for a company to build the custom objects in the first place, they probably want some reporting on them. That's where Birst comes in.
- Analyze your Salesforce information with information from other systems and databases that are important to you. Birst also allows business users to analyze data from other systems, such as marketing, finance, and operations, along with their Salesforce CRM data. This means that you can run reports that you simply can't do with other solutions -- you can see, for example, which marketing campaigns (marketing system) are driving opportunities in Salesforce CRM and real revenues (financial system).
- Enterprise class business intelligence that's easy to use and scale. If you are a larger company, you're probably looking beyond standardized charts and reports - you want in-depth analytics that's easy to use and easy to scale over time. Before, your only choice was going with Salesforce in combination with a complicated, traditional BI provider. Now, you have an easier to deploy, easier to use, on-demand option.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="207" caption="Did you say custom objects and multiple data sources? Now we're paying attention."]
[/caption]It's for reasons like these that Birst has already been chosen by customers like Rackspace Hosting. As Sean Wedige, the Vice President of Sales Technical Operations at Rackspace Hosting said, “Birst was the only vendor that we believed could quickly get us a powerful business intelligence solution that not only handles custom objects, but also combines information from other systems".
Salesforce Connect is available to all levels of Birst customers, including users of the introductory free version, Birst Free. Birst also offers rapid implementation services for custom deployments, and has a network of systems integrator partners to assist with implementations.
You can see Birst on the Force.com App Exchange by clicking here.
To check out the full press release and see what else Sean had to say, click here.
To go to the Birst for Salesforce microsite, go to www.birst.com/salesforce
