Help with BusinessDecision

BusinessDecision is a reporting and mapping service that provides small and local businesses extensive consumer household data, market segmentation data, population forecasts and demographic data with state of the art mapping technology. BusinessDecision is available free to all Grand Rapids Public Library patrons. Funding for this service is generously provided by the Titche Family Fund--Ryerson Library Foundation.

Getting Started: choose Databases from the library's homepage. Users outside the library will be asked to enter their GRPL card number. On the Database page, click on BusinessDecision, under the Business heading. Once at the BusinessDecision homepage, read the user license agreement and click "I accept". The screen refreshes to display the two logon options:

Express Log In enables you to immediately access BusinessDecision. However, you will not have the benefits offered by the "My Account Log In" below. And, if you use Express Log In, the projects, reports, and maps you create can be viewed by others unless you manually delete them at the end of your session. For directions on using Express Login, click here.

My Account Log In enables you to save projects, reports, maps, and preferences in your own private space. No one else will have access to your account. New users will need five minutes and access to an email account to register. For directions on creating an account, click here.

Once logged in, you can begin the research process by creating a report.

Creating Reports:

1. Define Location
To get started, click on the My Projects tab. Name your project, then specify a location by address or standard geographical unit such as a county, city, or ZIP Code.


2. Choose Reports
Next, choose from the following reports to analyze your location, the lifestyle, and the buying behavior of the households in your market:
• Tapestry Area Profile
• Demographic and Income Profile
• Census 2000 Summary Profile
• Retail Expenditures
• Market Profile
• Housing Profile
• Graphic Profile


3. View Reports
When the report has finished processing (this may take a few minutes), click "View Reports" to see your most recent report project. You can view your reports online, and print them if desired. If you have created an account, the report will also be emailed to you.