# Self-service analytics · Glossary
An approach that lets business users explore data and build their own reports without relying on a central data team for every question.
[Glossary](/glossary) · Analytics engineering and analytics

# Self-service analytics

     An approach that lets business users explore data and build their own reports without relying on a central data team for every question. It depends on governed, well-documented data and tools suited to non-specialists.

## Why it matters

     Central teams cannot answer every question quickly, and business users often know which questions matter most. Self-service can shorten the time from question to answer considerably.

     Without certified data, clear definitions and training, self-service tends to multiply inconsistent reports. The foundations have to come first.

## In practice

     For example, a UK fashion retailer might give merchandisers access to certified sales, stock and margin models in a BI tool, with a short guide to each metric, while the central team focuses on building new models and maintaining quality.

## Where Rodan fits

     Rodan builds the governed foundations that make self-service reliable in [Analytics and Intelligence](https://rodan.io/what-we-build/analytics-intelligence) work. See also [the difference between analytics, business intelligence and AI](https://rodan.io/insights/the-difference-between-analytics-business-intelligence-and-ai-and-why-it-matters).

## Related terms

- [Semantic layer](/glossary#semantic-layer)

- [Dashboard](/glossary/dashboard)

- [Text-to-SQL](/glossary/text-to-sql)

- [Single source of truth](/glossary/single-source-of-truth)

- [Data catalogue](/glossary/data-catalogue)

- [Data maturity](/glossary/data-maturity)
HTML: https://rodan.io/glossary/self-service-analytics