While reports and spreadsheets are necessary and very useful, GIS provides another way of viewing the same data in a way that reveals patterns more easily. A GIS alone cannot replace tables or databases. These are structures that power a GIS. The addition of a GIS map enhances and quickens the transfer of knowledge.

Information Builders and ESRI have collaborated to deliver a Geographic Business Intelligence Solution (GBIS) that combines the real-time enterprise business intelligence and reporting capabilities of WebFOCUS with ArcIMS and ArcGIS Server. The combined solution allows users throughout the extended enterprise to rapidly and intuitively analyze real-time information with a spatial component by presenting business intelligence information in the context of physical location.

A GBIS improves decision-making and responsiveness while extending the reach of GIS to address a wider range of business applications and integrate natively with more than 85 data sources.