# Infor Birst: Documentation, BQL and Smart Insights Explained

> Source: https://netray.co/erp-help/infor-birst-documentation-bql-smart-insights
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: ERP Help

## Short answer

Infor Birst is a cloud analytics and BI platform that connects to ERP data, models it into a semantic layer and lets users build dashboards and reports. BQL (Birst Query Language) is its SQL-like query language over that model, and Smart Insights uses automated analysis to point out drivers and outliers. Official documentation is published by Infor.

## Kind

how-to

## System

infor-os

## Erp

Infor Birst

## Module

Analytics / BQL / Smart Insights

## Query

infor birst documentation

## Alternate Queries

- infor birst bql
- how to use infor birst
- infor birst smart insights

## Applies To

Infor Birst as delivered with Infor OS and Infor CloudSuite analytics; features vary by licence and tenant version.

## Steps

### How to get started building in Infor Birst

**Items:**

- Find the official documentation on the Infor documentation site (docs.infor.com) and the Birst help for your tenant version, plus the Infor Support community.
- Confirm which data sources are connected: ERP via the Data Lake or a direct connector, files, or databases. Connection is set up by an administrator.
- Open the space (the Birst workspace for one subject area) and review the data model: dimensions, measures and hierarchies.
- Start a new dashboard or report in the visualisation tool, choose a measure and a dimension, and let the tool propose chart types.
- Apply filters and prompts so users can slice by site, period or product line without editing the report.
- Use Smart Insights on a result to see suggested drivers and anomalies, then verify them against the underlying numbers before sharing.
- For logic the visual tool cannot express, write a BQL query or a calculated measure; test it against a small filter first.
- Publish to the right audience using Birst or Infor OS security so row-level restrictions follow the user.

## Sections

### What BQL is and when to use it

**Body:**

BQL is a query language that looks like SQL but runs against the Birst semantic model rather than raw tables. You select logical dimensions and measures, and Birst works out joins and aggregation using the model definitions.

Use it when you need a calculated measure, a filtered measure, or a query that the drag-and-drop interface cannot build. Keep reusable logic in the model so every report shares one definition of the number.

**Code:**

- -- Illustrative BQL shape (names depend on your space)
SELECT [Order Date.Month], [Product.Family], [Orders.Revenue]
FROM [All]
WHERE [Order Date.Year] = 2026

### Smart Insights in practice

**Body:**

Smart Insights runs automated analysis on a measure to surface which dimensions explain a change and which values are unusual. It is a fast way to ask why revenue or scrap moved without building ten reports.

Treat the output as a hypothesis. It reflects the model and data quality: a mis-mapped dimension or a late data refresh produces a convincing but wrong insight.

### Getting ERP data right first

**Body:**

Most Birst problems are data problems: refresh schedules that lag, a measure defined two ways, or a dimension that does not conform across modules. Agree on definitions before building dashboards.

If your ERP is on-prem and you must keep data in house, check where the Birst data actually resides, since it is a cloud service. Some manufacturers keep sensitive analytics on a private stack instead.

## Pitfalls

- Building reports before agreeing on the definition of core measures such as revenue or on-time delivery.
- Trusting Smart Insights output without checking the source data and refresh time.
- Granting broad access to a space that contains restricted data because row-level security was not set up.
- Copying logic into many reports instead of putting it in the model once.
- Assuming Birst is available for on-prem-only data without checking where data is stored.

## Ai Angle

Birst answers questions you have already modelled. When people ask new questions in plain language over live ERP data, a grounded assistant (for example ERPray) can generate and show the query against the ERP, read-only and under the user's own roles. Netray can deploy it privately for sites that cannot send ERP data to a cloud analytics service.

## Faq

### Where is the Infor Birst documentation?

**Answer:** Infor publishes Birst documentation and release notes on its documentation site and in the Infor Support portal, available to customers with credentials. Your tenant version determines which features apply.

### Is BQL the same as SQL?

**Answer:** It is similar in syntax but queries the Birst semantic layer, not database tables. You reference logical dimensions and measures and the platform generates the SQL.

### What is Smart Insights in Birst?

**Answer:** A feature that automatically analyses a measure to suggest influencing dimensions and unusual values, helping users find explanations quickly. Validate suggestions against the underlying data.

### Do I need Infor OS to use Birst?

**Answer:** Birst is commonly delivered with Infor OS and CloudSuite analytics, and the Data Lake is a typical source. Licensing and connectors depend on your agreement, so confirm with Infor or your partner.

## Search terms

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