ThoughtSpot
by ThoughtSpot
by ThoughtSpot
Profile Information Last updated on: 1 July 2024
Profile Information Last updated on: 1 July 2024
We help make selecting a software for your business effortless, economical and efficient.
by ThoughtSpot
by ThoughtSpot
Profile Information Last updated on: 1 July 2024
Profile Information Last updated on: 1 July 2024
The typical implementation process for ThoughtSpot software involves several stages, each designed to ensure that the software is effectively integrated into an organization's existing systems and that users can leverage its capabilities fully. The process can vary in duration depending on the specific needs and readiness of the organization, but it generally includes the following phases:
1. Preparation and Planning: This initial phase involves defining the scope and objectives of the implementation, including identifying the key stakeholders, the data sources to be integrated, and the specific use cases the organization aims to address with ThoughtSpot.
2. Installation and Configuration: During this phase, the ThoughtSpot software is installed either on-premises or configured in the cloud, depending on the deployment model chosen by the organization. This includes setting up the necessary hardware and software environments and configuring the system settings to meet the organization's requirements.
3. Data Integration: This critical phase involves connecting ThoughtSpot to the organization's data sources. This could include cloud data warehouses, on-premises databases, or other data repositories. The goal is to ensure that ThoughtSpot can access and query the data needed for analysis.
4. User Training and Onboarding: To maximize the adoption and effectiveness of ThoughtSpot, training sessions are conducted for end-users. This training typically covers how to use the ThoughtSpot interface, how to perform searches, and how to interpret the results. The complexity and duration of the training can vary based on the users' familiarity with BI tools and the specific features being deployed.
5. Testing and Validation: Before going live, the implementation undergoes a testing phase where the configured setups, data integrations, and user workflows are tested to ensure everything works as expected. This phase helps in identifying and fixing any issues before the system is fully deployed.
6. Go-Live and Monitoring: After testing, the system goes live. This phase often includes close monitoring to ensure the system operates smoothly and to quickly address any issues that might arise post-deployment.
7. Ongoing Support and Maintenance: ThoughtSpot provides ongoing support and maintenance to address any emerging issues and to ensure the system continues to function optimally. This includes software updates and potentially scaling the solution as the organization's needs grow.
The duration of the implementation process can vary, but organizations should plan for it to take several weeks to a few months. This timeline can be influenced by factors such as the complexity of the data environment, the specific needs of the business, and the readiness of the IT infrastructure.
ThoughtSpot software can be customized to fit specific business needs across various aspects, from data exploration and integration to security, collaboration, and embedding analytics into applications.
1. User-Friendly Data Exploration: ThoughtSpot is designed to be intuitive, allowing users of all backgrounds to easily search for data, create custom reports, and visualize information through interactive dashboards without the need for coding.
2. AI-Driven Insights: The platform leverages artificial intelligence to augment data analysis capabilities, offering AI-driven insights and recommendations to help discover hidden patterns, trends, and outliers in data.
3. Data Security and Governance: ThoughtSpot prioritizes data protection with robust access controls, data encryption, and comprehensive auditing features, ensuring sensitive information remains safe and compliant with industry regulations.
4. Seamless Integration: It integrates with a wide range of data sources, including databases, cloud platforms, and third-party applications, allowing for the connection and combination of disparate datasets.
5. Collaborative Analytics: ThoughtSpot facilitates collaboration by enabling users to easily share reports, insights, and visualizations, fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making.
6. Mobile Access: The platform's mobile app ensures that users can access data and insights on the go, making informed decisions wherever they are.
7. Customization of the Modeling Settings: Users can customize the modeling settings to make the data even easier and more intuitive to search for end users. This includes adjusting settings like column names, visibility, and data definitions to improve the search experience.
8. Customizable Look and Feel: Organizations can brand the ThoughtSpot application to match their company's style, including application logos, chart visualization fonts, table visualization fonts, and chart color palettes.
9. Embedded Analytics: ThoughtSpot offers embedded analytics capabilities, making it easy to embed dashboards and custom charts into business portals or applications. This feature is particularly useful for industries looking to integrate analytics directly into their products or services.
10. API and Extensibility: ThoughtSpot provides REST APIs that allow for programmatic management of users, sessions, privileges, and metadata objects, enabling further customization and integration with other applications.
11. Data Modeling and Settings: ThoughtSpot allows for lightweight data modeling, enabling users to define metadata and other aspects of their data to make it more searchable and intuitive. This includes configuring settings for individual data tables or system-wide through a modeling file.
These customization capabilities demonstrate ThoughtSpot's flexibility in adapting to specific business needs, from enhancing data exploration and ensuring security to integrating with existing systems and fostering collaboration.
1. Consumption-Based Pricing: ThoughtSpot offers a consumption-based pricing model, where costs are incurred based on the usage of the product, specifically the number of queries run or the amount of data processed. This model can lead to variable costs that increase with usage.
2. Metadata Queries at Night: Users have reported that ThoughtSpot can run metadata queries automatically at night, which could consume the allocated data rows and potentially increase costs unexpectedly.
3. Query-Heavy Dashboards: For clients with query-heavy dashboards, the cost of opening a single dashboard for a single user could be around $5-6. This indicates that extensive use of the analytics features could lead to significant additional costs.
4. Annual Costs: On average, ThoughtSpot users may pay up to $30,000 per year, which suggests that the total cost of ownership could include more than just the base subscription fees.
5. Credits System: ThoughtSpot bills based on credits for consumption-based pricing. Activities such as performing a search, viewing or editing Liveboards or Answers, and making administrative changes consume credits, which could lead to additional costs depending on the level of activity.
6. Unlimited Users but Variable Costs: While ThoughtSpot offers plans with unlimited users, the consumption-based pricing means that the more users interact with their dashboards and data, the higher the potential costs due to the unpredictable nature of consumption.
7. No Mention of Free Trial for Certain Plans: The absence of a free trial for some pricing plans could mean that users have to commit financially to test the full capabilities of the software, potentially adding to the overall cost if the software does not meet their needs.
8. Support and Training: While support options are mentioned, such as live chat, phone, and email, there is no explicit mention of additional charges for these services. However, custom training options could imply additional costs depending on the level of service required.
ThoughtSpot offers a comprehensive range of training and support options to new users, ensuring they can effectively deploy and use the software.
Training Options
1. End-User Functionality Training: ThoughtSpot provides specific training aimed at end-users, focusing on the software's functionality. This training is designed to help users navigate the platform, utilize core search functionalities, and understand how to work with answers and Liveboards. The training includes hands-on exercises to allow users to gain direct experience with ThoughtSpot in a training environment.
2. Business User Learning Path: For those new to ThoughtSpot, there is a Business User Learning Path available. This foundational course introduces learners to ThoughtSpot and its role in the Business Intelligence landscape. It covers navigating the user interface, using the platform's core search functionality, and customization of visualizations. Completing all courses in this path earns users a badge they can add to their LinkedIn profile, showcasing their proficiency with ThoughtSpot.
3. Support for Various Training Formats: ThoughtSpot supports a variety of training formats to cater to different learning preferences. This includes documentation, in-person training, live online sessions, videos, and webinars. These resources are designed to provide users with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use ThoughtSpot.
Support Services
1. ThoughtSpot Support Handbook: The ThoughtSpot Support team is committed to ensuring users' success with the platform. They offer assistance with deploying and using ThoughtSpot, including scheduling and performing product updates. For cloud customers, updates are performed automatically on a monthly basis. Users can create new support cases through the ThoughtSpot Support Portal or over the telephone. The handbook also provides information on how to access additional resources such as Office Hours, Documentation, Training, and User Groups.
2. Support Portal and Contact Options: Users can access the ThoughtSpot Support Portal to submit cases or view their existing cases. The portal suggests Knowledge Base articles based on the keywords provided in the case's subject and description, potentially resolving issues quickly. For those preferring to speak directly with support, phone numbers are available for various regions. The support team works closely with users to identify the right team and plan for their ThoughtSpot experience, focusing on adoption, benefits, and competency building.
3. 24/7 Live Support and Email Ticketing: ThoughtSpot offers email or online ticketing support with response times within 4 hours during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm). A 24/7 service is available upon request at an additional cost, depending on the size of the environment. Phone support is also available during business hours, and onsite support can be provided at an extra cost.
ThoughtSpot employs a variety of security measures to protect data and ensure robust data governance. These measures are designed to safeguard personal data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, and to maintain compliance with industry standards.
1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): ThoughtSpot uses role-based access control to manage users and groups, assigning privileges based on roles. This system ensures that users only have access to the functionality and data relevant to their roles, enhancing data security and privacy. Privileges can include view and edit access to data, downloading saved answers, and uploading user data.
2. Data Encryption: ThoughtSpot ensures the security of data both in transit and at rest through robust encryption methods. This prevents unauthorized access to data as it moves across networks or while it is stored in databases.
3. Row-Level Security: This feature allows for fine-grained control over which data rows users can access based on their privileges. Row-level security works in tandem with other security features to provide comprehensive data protection.
4. Cloud Security and Governance Controls: ThoughtSpot implements various cloud security measures and governance controls to manage and protect data within cloud environments. This includes configurations that comply with industry standards and regulations.
5. Physical, Administrative, and Technical Safeguards: ThoughtSpot has implemented a range of safeguards that include physical security measures, administrative processes, and technical solutions to protect against unauthorized access and data breaches.
6. Regular Security and Privacy Program Evaluations: ThoughtSpot regularly evaluates and revises its security and privacy programs to ensure they remain effective and compliant with current data protection principles and regulations.
7. Access Control and Authentication Methods: ThoughtSpot employs advanced access control and authentication methods to verify the identity of users and ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.
8. Object Security and Privileges Management: Permissions to view and edit tables, worksheets, and pinboards are managed through a detailed system of object security, which is integrated with the role-based access control system.
These security measures collectively ensure that ThoughtSpot provides a secure environment for data analysis, protecting organizational data from potential threats and unauthorized access.
ThoughtSpot software releases updates regularly, and the management of these updates is structured to ensure smooth transitions and minimal disruption to users.
1. Release Schedule: ThoughtSpot does not specify a fixed schedule for all updates but does roll out updates frequently. The management of these updates is carefully planned to ensure that they are implemented efficiently and effectively.
2. Types of Releases: ThoughtSpot's software features go through several stages before becoming generally available. These stages include Beta, Early Access, General Availability (GA), Deprecated, and Removed. This structured lifecycle allows ThoughtSpot to gather user feedback and make necessary adjustments before wide release.
3. Management of Updates: For cloud customers, ThoughtSpot manages the software updates, which includes scheduling and performing product updates. This management approach is particularly evident in the ThoughtSpot Cloud version, where ThoughtSpot takes on the responsibility of managing the platform for its customers, including the initial deployment and updates. This reduces the administrative burden on IT departments and accelerates deployment and time to value for businesses.
4. Upgrade Process: Upgrading ThoughtSpot involves checking the health of the cluster, downloading the necessary release, and applying the upgrade. The entire patch process is designed to be quick, taking about 10 minutes to complete. ThoughtSpot ensures that the operating system is also patched during upgrades, maintaining security and functionality.
5. Support During Upgrades: ThoughtSpot provides support during the upgrade process. Users are encouraged to take specific training courses offered through ThoughtSpot U, such as the "Upgrade & Patch a Cluster" course, to better understand the upgrade process and ensure successful implementation.
6. Notification and Scheduling: ThoughtSpot Support contacts customers to schedule updates when a new minor or major upgrade becomes available. This proactive approach helps in planning and reduces potential disruptions.
ThoughtSpot's policy on data ownership and portability emphasizes that customers retain ownership of their data. The software does not assert ownership over any content provided by users. Instead, it operates under the principle that customers maintain control and ownership of their data, which aligns with standard practices in data management and cloud services.
Regarding data portability, ThoughtSpot supports the right to data portability, allowing customers to transfer their personal information to a third-party provider of services if needed. This is part of ThoughtSpot's commitment to comply with relevant data protection regulations and to provide flexibility for its users in managing their data.
ThoughtSpot provides flexible scaling options to meet the changing needs of organizations. The software can easily scale up or down to accommodate business demands, ensuring that users can access insights no matter where they are working. This capability is particularly emphasized in ThoughtSpot's cloud-based solutions, which allow for dynamic scaling according to the volume of data and the number of users. This approach supports organizations in managing their resources efficiently, adapting to varying workloads without compromising performance or accessibility.
The terms and conditions for contract renewal and cancellation for ThoughtSpot software are outlined in their legal agreements, specifically in the ThoughtSpot Cloud Subscription Agreement and the general End User License Agreement.
Contract Renewal
1. Automatic Renewal: ThoughtSpot's subscriptions typically renew automatically at the end of the subscription cycle. This is common for cloud-based services, ensuring uninterrupted access to the software.
2. Renewal Terms: The specific terms of renewal, including the duration of the renewal period, are likely detailed in individual contracts or order forms. These documents would specify whether the renewal term is annual, monthly, or another duration.
3. Notification and Adjustment Period: While not explicitly detailed in the provided sources, standard practice in the industry includes provisions for notifying customers prior to renewal, offering them a chance to adjust or negotiate the terms of the renewal based on their current usage and needs.
Cancellation
1. Cancellation Policy: Customers can cancel their subscription, but the specific terms, such as the notice period and the process for cancellation, are typically outlined in the service agreement. For cloud services, cancellation often involves simply not renewing at the end of the current billing cycle.
2. Fees Upon Cancellation: Any fees specified in the applicable Order Form are immediately due and payable upon termination of the terms or cancellation of the account for any reason. This ensures that all outstanding obligations are settled at the point of cancellation.
3. End-of-Contract Data Handling: At the end of a contract or upon cancellation, customers would need to follow specific processes for data extraction and deletion. ThoughtSpot likely provides guidelines on how to handle data at the end of a contract, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
4. No Refunds: Fees for services are typically non-refundable, which means that customers would not receive a refund for any pre-paid but unused services at the time of cancellation.
These terms ensure that both ThoughtSpot and its customers have a clear understanding of the process for renewing or ending their service agreements. Customers are encouraged to review their specific contract details as these can vary based on the service model and any negotiations made at the time of purchase.
ThoughtSpot software meets several key compliance standards, ensuring it adheres to industry-standard regulations and maintains a robust security posture.
1. ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification: ThoughtSpot has achieved the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, which specifies security management best practices and controls for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS). This certification demonstrates ThoughtSpot's commitment to maintaining a secure and effective ISMS that keeps pace with changes to security threats.
2. Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II Audit: ThoughtSpot has successfully completed the SOC 2 Type II audit. This audit verifies the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of ThoughtSpot’s information security policies, procedures, and operations to meet the standards for security, availability, and confidentiality. The SOC 2 report is a testament to ThoughtSpot's adherence to high standards for managing and protecting customer data.
3. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA): ThoughtSpot is compliant with HIPAA, which sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Organizations that deal with protected health information (PHI) are assured that ThoughtSpot has the necessary security measures in place to ensure HIPAA compliance. A ThoughtSpot Business Associate Addendum is available to execute as needed, further emphasizing its commitment to meeting HIPAA requirements.
4. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): For customers making data available to ThoughtSpot under GDPR, the Data Processing Agreement (DPA) may be countersigned to impose additional commitments on ThoughtSpot. This indicates ThoughtSpot's commitment to adhering to GDPR requirements, which include protecting the personal data and privacy of individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area.
5. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS): While ThoughtSpot does not directly store or process any cardholder information and thus does not come under the scope of PCI-DSS as a processor, merchant, or service provider, its existing security program addresses many concerns related to PCI-DSS. ThoughtSpot continues to assess the benefits of obtaining compliance, indicating a proactive approach to meeting and exceeding industry security standards.
These compliance standards reflect ThoughtSpot's dedication to maintaining a secure environment for its customers' data, ensuring that it meets and exceeds the necessary regulatory and industry-specific requirements.
By ThoughtSpot