Are you a developer or a consumer?
BIRS primarily works with two categories of users with different needs and levels of expertise, developers and consumers. The category of user helps you and BIRS determine the appropriate services and training needed.
Developers
Report Developers sit with the business unit and spend much of their time working with data and using analytics tools. Developers have knowledge of a report’s data source(s) and a working knowledge of data tables, subject areas, criteria, and joins. Developers may have additional folder level permissions in the reporting catalogs.
Consumers
Report Consumers run reports and analyze data, but they do not frequently use analytics tools.
Developer vs Consumer Checklist
| Requirements | Developer | Consumer |
|---|---|---|
| Level of Data Source Knowledge | – | – |
| None to limited knowledge | – | Yes |
| Limited to average knowledge | Yes | Yes |
| Extensive knowledge | Yes | – |
| Data source table joins/criteria | Yes | – |
| Report Types | – | – |
| Run Once a Term/Quarterly/Annually | – | Yes |
| Run Monthly | – | Yes |
| Run Weekly | Yes | Yes |
| Run Daily | Yes | Yes |
| Build a New Report | Yes | – |
| Modify an Existing Report | Yes | – |