Databases contain tremendous amounts of useful information. Metrics such as Key Performance Indicators and
tools like Balanced Scorecards deliver this information extremely well.
By automatically answering many questions, people are freed up to ask more questions and seek more
opportunities.
At some point a new set of questions cannot be answered by the existing facilities. This is a critical spot where
problems and opportunities come to light. And this is precisely where the gap is.
Analysts go after the data, with or without IT help. A data dump is created in Excel. Links are created to additional
sheets to do the new analysis, and more links are made to reporting sheets.
When more analysis is needed, more data is brought in. This breaks the data links, and much or all the set up
work is repeated, and mistakes creep in. A few star performers do it well, and they get pegged to do this work
instead of analysis.
The new analysis is put into the database. A project is created with IT and user staff. Weeks or months later the
new questions are automatically answered by the existing tools.
This is appropriate for business as usual. If an answer is needed in 48 hours this approach falls short. If the
analytical rules / algorithms are a but fuzzy, the project lives on and on through version modifications.
ClearView users are authorized database users. It is already their job to use the data. ClearView pulls data into
Excel for them, in seconds. Right where users want it, cell by cell, not in some data dump sheet.
All Excel functionality remains. Insert rows and columns. Add cell formulas and macros. There are no linked
sheets to break, so more data can be brought in from the database anytime, and all existing work is unscathed,
including formatted reports. No starting over, no penalty for not getting it exactly right the first attempt.
