Scope of Business Intelligence (BI) Which of the following describes tasks that BI systems do NOT perform?
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AAnalyze past and current activities (descriptive and diagnostic analytics).
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BProcess and record transactions only (e.g., capture sales into the order table).
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CBoth A and B are not done by BI.
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DNeither A nor B; both are done by BI.
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EServe as the primary system of record for inventory counts.
Answer
Correct Answer: Process and record transactions only (e.g., capture sales into the order table).
Explanation
Introduction / Context:BI systems are designed for analysis—descriptive, diagnostic, and sometimes predictive or prescriptive. By contrast, OLTP systems are optimized to process and record transactions in real time with strict integrity and latency. This question checks if you can separate analytical workloads from transactional ones.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- BI includes reporting, dashboards, ad-hoc queries, and data mining.
- OLTP includes order capture, payments, and inventory updates.
- “Only” in an option means that is the sole or primary focus.
Concept / Approach:
Option A (analyzing past/current) is a core BI activity. Option B (processing and recording transactions) is OLTP. Therefore, the task not performed by BI is B. Do not be tricked by “only” in A—BI indeed analyzes past and current activity (and may forecast), so A is still something BI does.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Map each option to BI vs OLTP.2) A → BI; B → OLTP.3) The question asks what BI does not do → choose B.4) Options C/D are meta-answers; they do not fit once A and B are evaluated.Verification / Alternative check:
Reference architectures keep analytical stores (warehouses/lakes) separate from operational systems to prevent workload interference and maintain ACID guarantees for transactions.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- A: Clearly a BI function.
- C/D: Contradict the evaluation of A and B.
- E: Primary system of record is OLTP/ERP, not BI.
Common Pitfalls:
- Thinking BI replaces OLTP; it complements it.
Final Answer:
Process and record transactions only (e.g., capture sales into the order table).