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Workday buys analytics startup Stories

The deal is meant to support Prism Analytics, Workday's data-as-a-service effort.
Written by Natalie Gagliordi, Contributor

Video: Using machine learning to understand driver performance

Workday is buying analytics startup Stories.bi, the company announced Tuesday. The deal is meant to support Workday's analytics ambitions, namely Prism Analytics.

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Stories specializes in augmented analytics, an approach "that leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to automate analysis and deliver insights into what's happening in a business," Workday said in a blog post.

Specifically, the software identifies top-line trends and issues from company data and then delivers insights to the business user in an easy to digest, conversational headline. From there, the system suggests drivers behind the headline and what actions to take next.

"With the addition of this incredible team and technology, we will power our analytics products to be more intelligent and our UX to be more conversational," wrote Peter Schlampp, VP of Workday Analytics. "This means our customers can find even more opportunities to improve their business without having to dig through data or wait on detailed reports."

Read also: How predictive analytics can help companies - TechRepublic

This year the company has made machine learning a focal point for acquisition targets.

In January, Workday bought SkipFlag, makers of a so-called AI knowledge base that builds itself from a company's internal communications. With that deal, Workday said it was taking another step in its efforts to invest in the areas of machine learning, advanced search, and natural language processing.

Read also: Business analytics: The essentials of data-driven decisions

Workday also recently bought Rallyteam, makers of talent management software for enterprises. Its platform uses machine learning to help companies better understand their workers, and Workday said it would incorporate Rallyteam's technology to existing products.

Workday's core analytics service Prism also stems from an acquisition -- the company's purchase of Platfora in June 2016. Workday spent much of 2017 integrating Platfora onto one code base instead of bolting systems together in a what would be another addition to a cloud menu.

Insight Platforms as a Service

Previous and related coverage:

Workday rolls out new data visualization tool

The new data discovery capability is part of Prism Analytics, Workday's self-service business insight product.

Workday buys analytics startup Stories

The deal is meant to support Prism Analytics, Workday's data-as-a-service effort.

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