F U E L I N G B E T T E R D E C I S I O N S
Business Intelligence Software:
What It Is and Why It Is Necessary
Oscar Rodriguez, Chief Financial Officer
WorldTelemetry, Inc.
Geoffery Simpson, Manager of Software Developement
WorldTelemetry, Inc.
Abstract
Business Intelligence Software are applica-
tions that build on existing data warehouses
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and provide analytical processing tools that
allow users to more effectively analyze
such data. This, in turn, permits businesses
to more rapidly develop existing and new
analyses and reports for improved decision-
making power and information dissemina-
tion capacity.
By generating valuable information from
page multiple sources, companies can increase
their competitive edge, provide better ser-
vice, streamline operations and make bet-
ter business decisions for increased profits.
Business Intelligence Software enables com-
panies to quickly sort through large amounts
of data and use that data to detect trends and
patterns. Business Intelligence Software also
provides companies with effective analytical
modeling tools that more accurately predict
the financial impact of future actions than
manually generated projections.
The economics of managing fuel storage is
a complex business. An end-to-end solution
that gathers accurate, timely data and pro-
vides automatic analysis allows managers
to make the best decisions possible while
utilizing all available information.
W H I T E P A P E R
Reducing the Cost of Analyses
People are continually overwhelmed with
information. Every business, no matter how
small, produces large quantities of data that
need analysis. Operationally, structurally and
financially, all companies generate analytical
reports that are often time-consuming, costly
and untimely. BIS applications that rapidly
develop updated analytical reports provide
companies with the necessary tools to iden-
tify the best actions and best strategies to
implement.
The most important factors impacting the
costs associated with analysis are:
• The amount of manual labor involved in
producing the analyses: The more manu-
al labor is involved, the more room there
is for improving the process (i.e. replace
manual processes with automated pro-
cesses).
• The number of analysts needed: Good
analysts tend to be a scarce and expen-
sive resource for most corporations. The
more projects and activities they can be
stretched across, the better; so it makes
sense to give them the tools to make
their work easier and quicker.
 F U E L I N G B E T T E R
• The frequency of analysis: The more fre-
quently a periodical or recurring analysis
is required, the greater the benefits become
that are associated with automating it (i.e.
create the supporting work once, the up-
dates will be automated).
By utilizing Business Intelligence (BI), com-
panies have the ability to gather and use infor-
mation to maintain their competitive advan-
tage in the market place. Business Intelligence
Software (BIS) enables companies to quickly
gather all the data, analyze the information and
then make recommendations that are carried
out in a timely manner. This, in turn, helps
management track statistics in order to under-
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stand and operate the company more effec-
tively, while promoting growth.
Sadly, many businesses continue to produce
their analytical reports manually. The chal-
lenges associated with manual analysis include
not only the labor costs associated with hir-
ing analysts or keeping analysts on staff, but
also the limitations placed on how often these
page
manual analyses can be performed. Analyses
produced by different personnel are also prone
to inaccuracies, as each analyst may use a dif-
ferent method to arrive at his conclusion. The
more human calculation is involved in the cur-
rent method of analysis, the more companies
will benefit from automating the process.
General Rule of Thumb: The
more diverse the people are who
generate various analytical reports,
the greater the chance for error and
inconsistencies to creep in, resulting in
the ‘rogue spreadsheet.’
Taming the Rouge Spreadsheet
The reign of the rogue spreadsheet is caused
by many factors. The reasons can range from
D E C I S I O N S
differences in judgment to clerical errors
and personal agendas that dictate who in the
organization gets information and when. This
combination of inconsistencies causes indi-
viduals to relate to different sets of numbers ─
hampering effective decision-making.
Good analysts are a rare and expensive re-
source. It makes financial sense to give them
secure and manageable BIS tools to make their
work easier, quicker and more reliable, while
assuring automated distribution to all those
with a need to know in the organization.
Turning Data into Business Gold
Many companies have some automated re-
porting already in place. BIS provides the
layer that has been missing from most data
gathering systems, including Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). BIS
combines statistical analysis, mathemati-
cal modeling and empirical information. It is
comparable to a person’s daily decision-mak-
ing process. BIS, however, is much more than
a collection of analytical tools.
In fuels storage applications, for example, BIS
can analyze individual tanks to model most de-
sirable tank levels, which optimizes deliveries.
At the location level, BIS allows the profiling
of individual storage tanks and multiple tanks
to generate aggregate modeling. BIS can also
create geographic modeling, which helps fuel
managers predict trends and better forecast
fuel usage to decrease costs.
BIS profiles can then be statistically analyzed
against historical profiles to predict future
fuels usages. BIS-generated profiles can form
the basis to create ‘what if’ scenarios to ana-
lyze the effects of changing storage profiles
at selected locations, as well as perform cost
 F U E L I N G B E T T E R D E C I S I O N S

benefit analysis over a specified time period. Conclusion

With manually generated reports, by the time
the analysis is produced, it is too late to react.
Vendor-managed services are a differentiator
in a commoditized industry, i.e., all gasoline
is equal and the price is similar. What sets
vendors apart is their ability to provide better
service. With properly designed BIS, vendors
can detect trends more quickly and be more
proactive to meet their clients’ needs.
Companies that use BIS to uncover flawed
business processes are in a much better posi-
tion to successfully compete than those busi-
nesses that use BIS merely to monitor what’s
Business Intelligence Software results in a
huge payoff by allowing companies to monitor
operational performance, evaluate competi-
tive information, make better action plans and
predict future financial health. When config-
ured to fill defined needs, Business Intelligence
Software will not only help fuel and tank farm
managers ask the right questions, it will help
them contribute the information their compa-
nies need on where to grow and how to get
there.

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happening. It’s no secret that the BIS you
choose will impact your profit and loss (P&L)
target and return on investment (ROI).

In the past, small to medium-sized companies

were at a significant disadvantage. Forced to
deal with the giants (SAP, Oracle and Micro-
soft), the modest BIS budgets of smaller busi-
nesses did not match what the big software
page providers had to sell.

With today’s technology advances, it is of-

ten possible to leverage companies’ existing
metadata ─ a fact that many big BIS provid-
ers fail to relate. Dealing with an end-to-end
provider who knows your type of business
can help your company achieve the benefits of
enterprise power without the enterprise cost. A
single-source solution with simple, ease-of-use
tools at a cost that makes sense are the keys
to finding the perfect BIS fit to enhance your
decision-making capabilities ─ while keep-
ing your P&L and ROI where they need to be,
now and in the future.