Business analytics is the practice of using data, statistics and quantitative analysis to understand how a business is performing, work out why, and decide what to do next.
The four types of analytics
Descriptive
What happened? Reports and dashboards on sales, costs and customers.
Diagnostic
Why did it happen? Breaking a number down to find the cause.
Predictive
What is likely to happen? Forecasts and models of demand or customer churn.
Prescriptive
What should we do? Comparing options and recommending the action with the best expected result.
Where business analytics is used
- Marketing: understanding customers, measuring campaigns and spotting who is likely to leave.
- Finance: risk management, fraud detection, forecasting and portfolio decisions.
- Operations: supply chains, inventory and process efficiency.
- Human resources: hiring, retention and workforce planning.
- Product: finding which features customers use and what to build next.
Business analytics vs data science
| Business analytics | Data science | |
|---|---|---|
| Main question | What should the business do? | What can we predict or automate? |
| Typical output | Analysis, dashboard, recommendation | Model or data product |
| Typical tools | SQL, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, some Python | Python, machine learning libraries, cloud platforms |
| Closest to | Business teams | Engineering teams |
The two overlap, and many analysts move towards data science over time. See What is Data Science?
Career roles
Common titles include business analyst, data analyst, marketing analyst, financial analyst, HR analyst and operations analyst. These roles exist across finance, healthcare, retail, e-commerce, marketing and consulting.
What you need to learn
- StatisticsEnough to know whether a pattern is real or just noise.
- Spreadsheets and SQLThe everyday tools for pulling and shaping data.
- VisualisationTableau or Power BI, and charts that make a point clearly.
- Python or RFor larger analyses and predictive models.
- Business senseKnowing what a finance or marketing head actually needs to decide.
- CommunicationAn analysis only matters if someone acts on it.
Learn this at Aegis
The Aegis Full-Time PGP in Business Analytics is an 11-month program in Mumbai, with cohorts in February 2027 and September 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is business analytics in simple words?
It is using a company's data to understand what is happening in the business and to decide what to do about it.
Is business analytics a good career?
It suits people who like both numbers and business problems. Most sectors now use analysts, and the skills also carry over into data science and management roles.
What is the difference between business analytics and data science?
Business analytics focuses on decisions and usually produces analysis and recommendations. Data science focuses more on building predictive models and data products. The two overlap.
Do I need coding for business analytics?
SQL is close to essential. Python or R helps a great deal for larger work, but many roles begin with SQL, spreadsheets and a visualisation tool.
How much do business analysts earn in India?
Pay depends on city, sector and experience, so check current job listings for the role you want. Ask the Aegis admissions team for placement details for the program.