How do you choose the right analytics platform for improving your operation?  This discussion will clarify these options by outlining the levels of analytics that are fit-for-purpose when using the PI System.  We will review scenarios that illustrate when is it appropriate to use PI AF and when you should consider advanced calculation tools like MATLAB.  Data science and machine learning can also play a role and the features of PI AF can greatly help in the data preparation, testing and operationalization of developed algorithms.