Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning and implementing Self-Service
Business Intelligence services
Self-Service Business Intelligence (BI) is the new buzzword in the data platform, a new
paradigm to the existing BI functionalities. Using Microsoft's Self-Service BI, anyone can easily
build the BI applications using traditional desktop tools such as Office Excel and specialized
services such as SharePoint. The BI application can be built to manage the published
applications in a common way and track data usage having the analytical data connected
to its source. The data customization can be accomplished easily by sharing data in a
controlled way where the customers can access it from a web browser (intranet or extranet)
without using Office applications or Server applications. The external tasks such as security
administration and deployment of new hardware are accomplished using the features of SQL
Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 operating system.
Self-Service BI can be implemented using PowerPivot, which has two components working
together, PowerPivot for Excel and PowerPivot for SharePoint. The PowerPivot for Excel is
an add-in that enhances the capabilities of Excel for users and brings the full power of SQL
Server Analysis Services right into Excel; whereas, PowerPivot for SharePoint extends the
Office SharePoint Services to share and manage the PowerPivot applications that are created
with PowerPivot for Excel. In this recipe, we will go through the steps that are required to plan
and implement PowerPivot for Excel and PowerPivot for SharePoint.
Getting ready
PowerPivot for Excel is a component of SQL Server 2008 R2 and is an add-in of Excel 2010
from Office 2010 suite, along with the Office Shared Features. To get started you will need to
do the following:
F
Download the PowerPivot for Excel 2010 add-in from:
http://www.microsoft.
com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=e081c894-e4ab-42df-8c87-
4b99c1f3c49b&displaylang=en
.
If you install the 32-bit version of Excel, you must use the 32-bit version of
PowerPivot. If you install the 64-bit version of Excel, you must use the 64-bit
version of PowerPivot.
F
To test PowerPivot features in addition to the Excel add-in you need to download the
F
In this recipe, the sample database built in SQL Server Analysis Services 2008 R2
based on an imaginary company will be referred to. It is available for download f
rom:
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