eazyBI is a sophisticated and well-known business intelligence (BI) platform. It is known for  customisability and powerful reporting capabilities. 

And it shines in environments where complex, detailed reporting is crucial, particularly in large modern enterprises.

eazyBI's strength lies in its depth and breadth. Users can create elaborate reports, manipulating data in various ways. This is especially valuable for large organisations handling vast data sets from multiple sources. It can incorporate data from various systems, and has a separate database for storage to minimise performance impacts on tools like Jira when running complex reports.

But it is often not really right for non-enterprise businesses. Why?

1. It’ll burn resources. Unlike plug-and-play solutions, eazyBI requires a labor-intensive setup and ongoing maintenance, demanding considerable time and technical skills. Creating new reports in eazyBI can be resource-intensive, requiring a dedicated team for development and turnaround, which might not be feasible for smaller organizations.

2. You’ll need expertise. eazyBI's complexity necessitates a certain level of technical knowledge, particularly in multidimensional expressions (MDX) and data cubes. This can be a significant barrier for smaller teams or businesses without in-house technical resources.

3. Complexity overkill. For many organisations, especially those with simpler reporting needs, eazyBI's capabilities might be overkill. Its detailed reports can sometimes offer more information than necessary, making them difficult to digest and act upon.

4. Data storytelling gap. While eazyBI excels in data manipulation, it may fall short in contextualizing data, an essential aspect for teams needing to quickly grasp key project insights without extensive analysis.

eazyBI stands out for its power and flexibility in data reporting and analysis, making it a preferred tool among large enterprises with complex, multifaceted reporting requirements. 

But it won’t quite fit the bill for other kinds of businesses, such as SMBs, scale-ups or teams with specialised infrastructure.

So let’s look at three alternatives.

1. Stepsize AI

Stepsize AI is a Jira plugin designed for modern product development teams.

This tool uses artificial intelligence to observe activities in Jira boards and then generates insightful dashboards and reports. 

Unlike traditional tools, it minimises manual effort, offering context and commentary for better understanding of project statuses without extensive configuration.

Key features:

• Automatic dashboard and report generation with AI
• Detailed context and commentary alongside metrics
• Delivery risk flagging with analysis
• AI-generated project summaries and security-first approach

Ease of integrating with Jira:  Stepsize AI boasts the most straightforward integration process, requiring only a few clicks and no technical expertise, thanks to its AI-driven setup.

Ease of setup and maintenance: The setup is exceptionally user-friendly with zero manual configuration needed. Maintenance is minimal as the AI continuously adapts to changes in Jira.

Pricing: Priced at $29 per Jira board per month.

Verdict: Stepsize AI is best suited for mid-sized product development teams (around 50-1000 employees) who seek to streamline their reporting process without intensive manual effort. It may not be ideal for teams looking for highly customisable reporting tools.

Learn more about Stepsize AI

2. Tableau

Tableau, a part of Salesforce, is renowned for its powerful data visualisation capabilities and user-friendly interface.

Tableau distinguishes itself with a strong focus on creating interactive, visually appealing data presentations. It is accessible for beginners but requires technical expertise to fully utilize its advanced features.

‍Key features:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for easy visualisations
• A wide array of visualisation options for diverse data presentation
• Effective handling of multiple data sources

Ease of integration: Tableau integrates with Jira via data warehouse connections or third-party tools, needing some initial technical setup and expertise.

Ease of setup and maintenance: The initial setup is moderately technical, and maintaining advanced features requires ongoing technical skills.

Pricing: Tableau Creator license is required for dashboard creation at $75/month, while Explorer ($42/month) or Viewer ($15/month) licenses are available for less intensive use.

Verdict: Tableau is best suited for teams that prioritise high-quality data visualisation and possess a mix of skill levels. It might be overly complex for small teams or those without specialised skills, and possibly excessive for small to medium-sized teams.

Try Tableau here

3. Keypup

Keypup is tailored for software teams using Jira, offering intelligent analytics and versatile dashboard customisation.

Keypup stands out with its focus on software development teams, providing a DIY solution for creating dashboards and metrics. Its flexibility and ease of use suit a wide range of software teams.

Key features:

Pre-built metrics templates and customisable dashboards

Advanced data modelling for unified data analysis across platforms

Intelligent analytics specifically designed for software teams

Ease of integration:  Keypup integrates easily with multiple data sources, offering a straightforward setup process.

Ease of setup and maintenance: Setting up Keypup is reasonably simple, and maintenance is low-effort, making it accessible to teams of varying sizes and technical abilities.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $9/month for a single Jira project or board, with a tiered pricing structure up to $800/month for 100 Jira projects or boards.

Verdict: Keypup is an excellent choice for a broad spectrum of software development teams, from small startups to large enterprises. Its ease of use makes it accessible, but teams should be prepared to invest time in customising their dashboards.

Learn more about Keypup