Empowers efficient report generation and quick data processing while reducing developer dependency
What is our primary use case?
I am currently simultaneously working with Power BI, ThoughtSpot, Snowflake, and Postgres as the products and solutions. ThoughtSpot is deployed on AWS.
It was implemented as a POC model because we previously used Oracle-based business intelligence, such as OAC. Due to cost considerations, we moved to Power BI, which is working fine currently. Because of recent advancements, ThoughtSpot is excellent at processing huge amounts of data. Where Power BI lacks processing compute power, we conducted a POC to check the accuracy and design capabilities of the dashboards. We worked on ThoughtSpot, tried to replicate existing reports, reconcile them, and then implemented it for one project.
What is most valuable?
The best feature is usability from the customer and client perspective. Usually, we would need a dedicated developer for creating reports in Power BI. However, ThoughtSpot is really easy to work with. The connectivity is easy with other databases, and the amount of data it consumes and the generation power is impressive. In Power BI, refreshing the same amount of data takes almost half an hour, while in ThoughtSpot it takes approximately 10-15 seconds.
Once all the datasets and configurations are set up, the usability in ThoughtSpot is excellent. Users can utilize NLQ and get quality results. The entire dashboard functionality is superior compared to Power BI's Q&A and recently introduced Co-pilot, as ThoughtSpot understands the data better.
We have seen areas where improvements are needed for predictions with natural language search. While we can derive normal Gaussian curve predictions, there are additional aspects that could be enhanced.
What needs improvement?
AI-driven insights in ThoughtSpot have not been implemented yet as our organization has not approved releasing the data to AI. This process is still pending approval.
The prediction model needs improvement. While NLQ is working perfectly fine and the data understanding capabilities of ThoughtSpot are good, there is room for improvement. Compared to Oracle's DV or Microsoft Power BI, it is more advanced. However, when implementing it for finance, general ledger, profit and loss, and balance sheet applications, we faced some challenges as these areas require very accurate data.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using ThoughtSpot for approximately six months.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
There were no challenges with the initial setup of ThoughtSpot. It was straightforward.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not experienced any glitches or downtimes with ThoughtSpot. After delivery, we haven't received any negative feedback from our brokers.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We haven't attempted to scale it up because it's being used by a small group. Scaling might be necessary when we implement it for bigger projects.
How are customer service and support?
We have not yet required technical support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The initial setup of ThoughtSpot was straightforward. It would be beneficial if ThoughtSpot had an integration tool for migration purposes. For example, when moving from Oracle-based analytics to ThoughtSpot or from Power BI to ThoughtSpot, a tool that could pull in all connections, understand the design in Power BI, and replicate it in ThoughtSpot would be valuable. This would eliminate most migration challenges, make the process smoother, and require less manpower.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of ThoughtSpot was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the deployment myself and purchased ThoughtSpot from the vendor.
What was our ROI?
Compared to Power BI, ThoughtSpot is more expensive. This is why we haven't implemented it for most projects currently. Based on our implementation in one project, we are trying to raise more funding to expand its use.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The main difference is the heavy reliance on developers for visualization development and data modeling in other technologies compared to ThoughtSpot. Additionally, the in-memory computation power is significantly lower in competitor products. Oracle DV has recently gained attention due to its predictive model capability and flexible design options.
What other advice do I have?
ThoughtSpot is quite intuitive. We haven't used it for workflows yet as most workflows and pipelines are developed in Snowflake using Snowpipe and PL/SQLs. The main benefit is the reduced dependency for generating reports.
Two major benefits are the reduced reliance on developers to get accurate data and the impressive data processing capabilities.
The organization-level setup is straightforward, and the integration with AD server is seamless. The SSO configurations work smoothly.
It would be beneficial to have more variety of visuals included in ThoughtSpot, though the current offerings perform adequately.
The in-memory computing and NLQ capabilities are significant advantages compared to other technologies in the market.
On a scale of 1-10, I rate ThoughtSpot an 8.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Data to insights
What do you like best about the product?
Empower users to gain insights from data
What do you dislike about the product?
Data setup upfront in order to gain insights
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Empower marketer to insights without analyst
Need Metrics? Thoughtspot's the answe!
What do you like best about the product?
EVERYTHING! It has made my life so easy, it gives me data of any kind, and it's very easy to use. Every time I need some sort of data, I use ThoughtSpot.
What do you dislike about the product?
Nothing, it's perfect! I love how the UI is easy and now how I can use Sage Ai too.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Thoughspot measures my data, mainly sales, all kinds of metrics and numbers you can think of. It has made my life easier.
AI-driven insights improve data exploration and streamline report creation
What is our primary use case?
I am working for a telecommunication company where we use
ThoughtSpot to create monthly, weekly, and daily ad hoc reports for business needs. We work for both B2B and B2C, creating various KPIs on sales performance. We generate data dumps for backend data models, enabling users to create their own reports, which helps steer business initiatives, plan marketing campaigns, and manage incentives for teams.
What is most valuable?
ThoughtSpot's powerful AI-driven engine is very beneficial. When I upload a data dump, AI analytics suggest possible data visualizations and insights, which I can pin to dashboards or live boards for modification. Its ability to turn English queries into coding tasks enhances data exploration. Additionally, it integrates well with many databases and platforms like Teams,
Slack, and
Jira, simplifying user management and role-level security.
What needs improvement?
ThoughtSpot lacks an intermediate layer for data loading, unlike Qlik, which affects dashboard stability when the database has issues. The platform also has fewer formulas and functions compared to Power BI and Qlik, limiting the creation of complex functions directly within ThoughtSpot.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with ThoughtSpot for four and a half years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
I experienced a straightforward deployment of ThoughtSpot. It connects directly via ODBC to any database and doesn't require maintenance once set up.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
ThoughtSpot is stable, although any issues in the connected database can affect its dashboard functions.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of ThoughtSpot is good. As our data has grown, I have validated huge datasets and complex models without significant issues.
How are customer service and support?
I have escalated several questions to ThoughtSpot's technical support, which has helped resolve connection glitches and other issues. I would rate the technical support eight out of ten. When issues occur, they assist effectively.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously migrated from Qlik to ThoughtSpot because Qlik was very expensive. The management decided to switch, and I was not involved in the evaluation process.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of ThoughtSpot was straightforward, taking about half an hour to one hour with no complex challenges encountered.
What was our ROI?
ThoughtSpot saves a significant amount of time compared to other tools and is very user-friendly.
What other advice do I have?
The recommendation to potential users is to consider the size and specific requirements before choosing ThoughtSpot. I rate ThoughtSpot nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Using intuitive UI and UX features enables effective marketing report visualizations, and the alerting system supports timely KPI monitoring
What is our primary use case?
Currently, our company is using
ThoughtSpot for marketing reporting. We build reports based on the tables in the cloud, utilizing the outlet views for
ThoughtSpot, which then visualizes them. The system includes filters, aggregation levels, time periods, and a lot of marketing KPIs, such as coupon views and incentivized spend.
What is most valuable?
I very much like the UI and UX of ThoughtSpot. The visualization and user experience are very nice. They frequently add new features, and my favorite is the alerting system that allows you to set up alerts on the KPIs. This alerting feature is very beneficial for our company at the moment, and we use it extensively. Additionally, ThoughtSpot is much easier to work with and maintain than other BI solutions, and it significantly reduces costs related to manual labor.
What needs improvement?
There are a few areas where ThoughtSpot could improve. A crucial feature we needed is missing, which involves restricting views of certain KPIs when users select conflicting parameters. We had to create a workaround, which impacted performance by loading pinboards slowly. Disabling drill-down features without affecting sorting in tables is another issue. Also, the process to push new feature requests is lengthy and requires a lot of upvotes, even if you have dedicated support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the solution for a year and a half now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We had a situation where a missing ThoughtSpot feature required us to implement a workaround. This workaround consumed a lot of resources and led to reduced performance, with pinboards loading for approximately two minutes for each filter criterion. We had to add extra resources to resolve this issue, which increased our costs significantly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I do find ThoughtSpot scalable. There are so many opportunities for them to implement additional features.
How are customer service and support?
I find ThoughtSpot's technical support to be quick with responses, but they are not always helpful. We have dedicated support contacts for our company, but pushing through features we need requires long processes and upvotes on their website despite the support. Overall, I would rate the technical support as six out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In my personal experience, I have worked with Power BI from Microsoft and a custom solution called Qlik for reporting. There was also another custom solution called GetHandsome, which no longer exists.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup takes time to understand, but there was nothing extremely complex or complicated.
What was our ROI?
While there is no straightforward way to calculate the ROI of ThoughtSpot, it reduces costs by minimizing the manual labor required for reporting.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is on the higher end but reasonable for what ThoughtSpot offers.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have worked with Power BI and a custom reporting solution called Qlik.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate ThoughtSpot as an eight out of ten. I recommend it because it is easy, clean, and nice to work with, despite some rules to consider. It is easier to work with compared to Power BI and does not require a complex skill set to create visualizations. Based on my experience, I would rate the product an overall eight out of ten.
Love how I can share insights with my team
What do you like best about the product?
Sharing insights is quick and easy. Instead of sending static reports or endless emails, I can share a live link, and everyone sees the latest data. No need to refresh or ask for updates.
Collaboration is smooth too. Team members can apply their own filters or adjust views in real time which makes discussions more productive.
What do you dislike about the product?
Setting permissions for external users takes a little extra effort.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It keeps all of us on the same page without constant back-and-forth messages. Decisions get made faster.
ThoughtSpot makes it easy to add analytics to our app
What do you like best about the product?
We wanted to add analytics to our app without making it difficult. ThoughtSpot’s embedding feature made that easy. Now, our users can search their data directly inside our product, just like they would in Google.
The setup was faster than we expected and we didn’t need our dev team to get it working. It connects well with our existing data sources and updates in real time, so users always see fresh insights.
Another thing I like is how ThoughtSpot’s AI suggests questions and insights. It helps our users find trends they might not have thought to look for.
Their support team has also been really helpful whenever we needed guidance.
What do you dislike about the product?
It’s fast and easy to use, but sometimes we run into minor limitations that require extra steps.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Before ThoughtSpot, we struggled with making data accessible to our customers. We had reports, but they weren’t interactive, our users had to wait for updates.
Now, our customers can ask their questions and get answers instantly. They don’t have to wait on pre-built dashboards or wait for someone to pull data for them. It’s made our product much more valuable and improved customer satisfaction.
Great support team that actually helps
What do you like best about the product?
I really like how helpful the support team is. Anytime I run into a issue or have a question, they respond quick and actually give real answers instead of just copy pasting something from docs. They take the time to understand my problem and help fix it.
I also appreciate the training sessions and documentation they provide. It made it way easier for me to get comfortable using ThoughtSpot.
What do you dislike about the product?
Sometimes, more complex issues take longer to fix especially if they need engineering support. But the team is always responsive and keeps me updated, so it's not too bad.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
ThoughtSpot saves me time by making it easy to find and use data without extra steps.
Fast and easy analytics for everyone
What do you like best about the product?
I like how easy it is to analyze data without needing to know sql. I can just type a question and get charts or tables right away. It’s really fast and saves me from waiting on reports.
Another thing I like is how interactive everything is. If I need to dig deeper, I can click on the data and explore more without starting over. It makes business intelligence and analytics simple and quick.
What do you dislike about the product?
Some advanced analytics need extra setup, and it takes a bit to learn all the features. But once you get used to it, its really powerful.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
ThoughtSpot makes it easy to find insights without waiting for reports or needing technical skills.
Easy way to get answers from data
What do you like best about the product?
I like the way our team gets the data we need without a data expert. ThoughtSpot’s search function makes it easy to just type in a question and get answers right away. No complex querys and no waiting. It saves us so much time.
Another thing I like is how easily it connects to different data sources. We set it up with our existing systems without any problems, and it updates in real time. So we always have the latest data.
The built-in AI is also a big plus. It helps find insights we might not have thought to look for
Their support team is also great.
What do you dislike about the product?
It takes a little getting used to. especially if you’re used to traditional BI tools like Tableau.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I used to waste so much time waiting for reports or trying to write big querys just to get the data I needed. If I needed something quickly, I had to ask the data team. It wasn’t always an option. It slowed everything down and made decision-making harder.
With ThoughtSpot, that problem is gone. Now, I can just type in a question and get answers immediatley. I don’t have to depend on anyone else or spend hours figuring out querys. It’s made my work so much faster and easier.
