PowerPivot comprises a set of technologies for easy access to data mining and business intelligence analysis from Microsoft Excel and SharePoint. Power users and developers alike can create sophisticated, online analytic processing (OLAP) solutions using PowerPivot for Excel, and then share those solutions with other users via PowerPivot for SharePoint. Data can be pulled in from any of the leading database platforms, as well as from spreadsheets and flat files. PowerPivot for Business Intelligence Using Excel and SharePoint is your key to mastering PowerPivot. The book takes a scenario-based approach to showing you how to collect data, to mine that data through insightful analysis, and to draw conclusions that drive business performance. Each chapter in the book is focused on a specific challenge that you'll encounter when using PowerPivot. Each chapter takes you through a solution technique that's been proven in the real world. Covers the leading technology for bringing data analytics to the desktop Presents real-world solutions to real-world scenarios Written by a Microsoft Virtual Technical Specialist (VTS) for Business Intelligence What you'll learn Install and verify the PowerPivot software Integrated existing, available data to deliver business intelligence Leverage Time Intelligence to report change over time Write Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) to create custom measures Identify and implement solutions for role-playing dimensions Recognize and work-around PowerPivot's missing features Who this book is for PowerPivot Solutions for Excel and SharePoint is aimed at information workers and data analysts who typically use Excel to drive business decisions. The book shows how you can apply PowerPivot to problems typically addressed through complicated and arcane spreadsheet techniques. Business people without the time and interest in learning Excel arcane will especially appreciate how PowerPivot enables them to easily create models and perform analysis far in advance of anything they could do using Excel alone.

Best practices and invaluable advice from world-renowned data warehouse experts In this book, leading data warehouse experts from the Kimball Group share best practices for using the upcoming "Business Intelligence release" of SQL Server, referred to as SQL Server 2008 R2. In this new edition, the authors explain how SQL Server 2008 R2 provides a collection of powerful new tools that extend the power of its BI toolset to Excel and SharePoint users and they show how to use SQL Server to build a successful data warehouse that supports the business intelligence requirements that are common to most organizations. Covering the complete suite of data warehousing and BI tools that are part of SQL Server 2008 R2, as well as Microsoft Office, the authors walk you through a full project lifecycle, including design, development, deployment and maintenance. Features more than 50 percent new and revised material that covers the rich new feature set of the SQL Server 2008 R2 release, as well as the Office 2010 release Includes brand new content that focuses on PowerPivot for Excel and SharePoint, Master Data Services, and discusses updated capabilities of SQL Server Analysis, Integration, and Reporting Services Shares detailed case examples that clearly illustrate how to best apply the techniques described in the book The accompanying Web site contains all code samples as well as the sample database used throughout the case studies The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit, Second Edition provides you with the knowledge of how and when to use BI tools such as Analysis Services and Integration Services to accomplish your most essential data warehousing tasks.

This book is about using business intelligence as a management information system for supporting managerial decision making. It concentrates primarily on practical business issues and demonstrates how to apply data warehousing and data analytics to support business decision making. This book progresses through a logical sequence, starting with data model infrastructure, then data preparation, followed by data analysis, integration, knowledge discovery, and finally the actual use of discovered knowledge. All examples are based on the most recent achievements in business intelligence. Finally this book outlines an overview of a methodology that takes into account the complexity of developing applications in an integrated business intelligence environment. This book is written for managers, business consultants, and undergraduate and postgraduates students in business administration.

Business Intelligence (BI) software is everywhere. It is the code and tools that allow you to view different components of a business using a single visual platform, making comprehending mountains of data easier. With SharePoint 2010, Microsoft has married one of the most-used team collaboration tools with its business intelligence products, including PerformancePoint Services and Excel Services. Now, users of SharePoint can have a single place to get a view of their business, its organization and processes, and its financial performance. Constructing this type of portal is a process unique to each business. With Pro SharePoint 2010 Business Intelligence Solutions, authors Sahil Malik and Srini Sistla take you through the different tools, services, and frameworks available for building a BI portal atop SharePoint 2010. With comprehensive coverage of Visio Services, PerformancePoint, Excel Services, and a practical look at building scorecards, dashboards, and other reporting solutions, this book answers the fundamental questions about why and how BI can work for your business.

This book examines decision making in general, the translation of knowledge about decision making into a DSS model, and the actual programming of a DSS. In addition, it combines the theoretical underpinnings of the topic with practical application using tools and technology currently available. Topics are discussed on three levels: general theory, implications for DSS design, and code development. This approach provides readers with practical examples than can be adopted into systems design. The Second Edition has been completely updated to reflect new technologies as well as the demands upon technology that have evolved since the publication of the First Edition in 1996. The book utilizes a combination of Dreamweaver and Cold Fusion, which are both popular software products that follow industry standards. (The First Edition utilized Level 5 Object, but all references to the software have been removed as it is not deemed a viable tool any longer.) In light of the numerous advances in the field of DSS over the years, there are many topics throughout the book that have updated and revised. For example, data warehousing has increased substantially in importance since the First Edition, and this section has been completely revised. The topic of business intelligence has been added, and similarly, data mining coverage has been increased via additional discussion and examples. In addition, transnational corporations have become more prevalent and are addressed accordingly.

Business Intelligence (BI) software allows you to view different components of a business using a single visual platform, which makes comprehending mountains of data easier. BI is everywhere. Applications that include reports, analytics, statistics, and historical and predictive modeling are all examples of BI. Currently, we are in the second generation of BI software—called BI 2.0—which is focused on writing BI software that is predictive, adaptive, simple, and interactive. As computers and software have evolved, more data can be presented to end users with increasingly visually rich techniques. Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies such as Microsoft Silverlight can be used to transform traditional user-interfaces filled with boring data into fully interactive analytical applications that quickly deliver insight from large data sets. Furthermore, RIA applications now include 3D spatial-design capabilities that move beyond a simple list or grid and allow for interesting layouts of aggregated data. BI 2.0 implemented via an RIA technology can truly bring out the power of BI and deliver it to an average user on the Web. Next-Generation Business Intelligence Software with Silverlight 4 provides developers, designers, and architects with a solid foundation in BI design and architecture concepts for Microsoft Silverlight. This book covers key BI design concepts and how they can be applied without an existing BI infrastructure. Author Bart Czernicki provides you with examples of how to build small BI applications that are interactive, highly visual, statistical, predictive—and most importantly—intuitive to the end-user. BI isn't just for the executive branch of a Fortune 500 company—it is for the masses. Let Next-Generation Business Intelligence Software with Silverlight 4 show you how to unlock the rich intelligence you already have.

A Complete Blueprint for Maximizing the Value of Business Intelligence in the Enterprise The typical enterprise recognizes the immense potential of business intelligence (BI) and its impact upon many facets within the organization–but it’s not easy to transform BI’s potential into real business value. In top BI expert Mike Biere presents a complete blueprint for creating winning BI strategies and infrastructure, and systematically maximizing the value of information throughout the enterprise. The New Era of Enterprise Business Intelligence, This product-independent guide brings together start-to-finish guidance and practical checklists for every senior IT executive, planner, strategist, implementer, and the actual business users themselves. Drawing on thousands of hours working with enterprise customers, Biere helps decision-makers choose from today’s unprecedented spectrum of options, including the latest BI platform suites and appliances. He offers practical, “in-the-trenches” insights on a wide spectrum of planning and implementation issues, from segmenting and supporting users to working with unstructured data. Coverage includes • Understanding the scope of today’s BI solutions and how they fit into existing infrastructure • Assessing new options such as SaaS and cloud-based technologies • Avoiding technology biases and other “project killers” • Developing effective RFIs/RFPs and proofs of concept • Setting up competency centers and planning for skills development • Crafting a better experience for all your business users • Supporting the requirements of senior executives, including performance management • Cost-justifying BI solutions and measuring success • Working with enterprise content management, text analytics, and search • Planning and constructing portals, mashups, and other user interfaces • Previewing the future of BI

The Profit Impact of Business Intelligence presents an A-to-Z approach for getting the most business intelligence (BI) from a company's data assets or data warehouse. BI is not just a technology or methodology, it is a powerful new management approach that – when done right – can deliver knowledge, efficiency, better decisions, and profit to almost any organization that uses it. When BI first came on the scene, it promised a lot but often failed to deliver. The missing element was the business-centric focus explained in this book. It shows how you can achieve the promise of BI by connecting it to your organization’s strategic goals, culture, and strengths while correcting your BI weaknesses. It provides a practical, process-oriented guide to achieve the full promise of BI; shows how world-class companies used BI to become leaders in their industries; helps senior business and IT executives understand the strategic impact of BI and how they can ensure a strong payoff from their BI investments; and identifies the most common mistakes organizations make in implementing BI. The book also includes a helpful glossary of BI terms; a BI readiness assessment for your organization; and Web links and extensive references for more information. A practical, process-oriented book that will help organizations realize the promise of BI Written by Nancy and Steve Williams, veteran consultants and instructors with hands-on, "in the trenches" experience in government and corporate business intelligence applications Will help senior business and IT executives understand the strategic impact of BI and how they can help ensure a strong payoff on BI investments

"While business analytics sounds like a complex subject, this book provides a clear and non-intimidating overview of the topic. Following its advice will ensure that your organization knows the analytics it needs to succeed, and uses them in the service of key strategies and business processes. You too can go beyond reporting!"—Thomas H. Davenport, President's Distinguished Professor of IT and Management, Babson College; coauthor, Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results Deliver the right decision support to the right people at the right time Filled with examples and forward-thinking guidance from renowned BA leaders Gert Laursen and Jesper Thorlund, Business Analytics for Managers offers powerful techniques for making increasingly advanced use of information in order to survive any market conditions. Take a look inside and find: Proven guidance on developing an information strategy Tips for supporting your company's ability to innovate in the future by using analytics Practical insights for planning and implementing BA How to use information as a strategic asset Why BA is the next stepping-stone for companies in the information age today Discussion on BA's ever-increasing role Improve your business's decision making. Align your business processes with your business's objectives. Drive your company into a prosperous future. Taking BA from buzzword to enormous value-maker, Business Analytics for Managers helps you do it all with workable solutions that will add tremendous value to your business.

Learn to create an effective business strategy using Microsoft's BI stack Microsoft Business Intelligence tools are among the most widely used applications for gathering, providing access to, and analyzing data to enable the enterprise to make sound business decisions. The tools include SharePoint Server, the Office Suite, PerformancePoint Server, and SQL Server, among others. With so much jargon and so many technologies involved, Microsoft Business Intelligence For Dummies provides a much-needed step-by-step explanation of what's involved and how to use this powerful package to improve your business. Microsoft Business Intelligence encompasses a broad collection of tools designed to help business owners and managers direct the enterprise effectively This guide provides an overview of SharePoint, PerformancePoint, the SQL Server suite, Microsoft Office, and the BI development technologies Explains how the various technologies work together to solve functional problems Translates the buzzwords and shows you how to create your business strategy Examines related technologies including data warehousing, data marts, Online Analytical Processing (OLAP), data mining, reporting, dashboards, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Simplifies this complex package to get you up and running quickly Microsoft Business Intelligence For Dummies demystifies these essential tools for enterprise managers, business analysts, and others who need to get up to speed.

An unparalleled collection of recommended guidelines for data warehousing and business intelligence pioneered by Ralph Kimball and his team of colleagues from the Kimball Group. Recognized and respected throughout the world as the most influential leaders in the data warehousing industry, Ralph Kimball and the Kimball Group have written articles covering more than 250 topics that define the field of data warehousing. For the first time, the Kimball Group's incomparable advice, design tips, and best practices have been gathered in this remarkable collection of articles, which spans a decade of data warehousing innovation. Each group of articles is introduced with original commentaries that explain their role in the overall lifecycle methodology developed by the Kimball Group. These practical, hands-on articles are fully updated to reflect current practices and terminology and cover the complete lifecycle—including project planning, requirements gathering, dimensional modeling, ETL, and business intelligence and analytics. This easily referenced collection is nothing less than vital if you are involved with data warehousing or business intelligence in any capacity.

Praise for Business Intelligence Success Factors: Tools for Aligning your business in the Global Economy "Olivia Parr Rud does a remarkable job of weaving together many topics in a strategic way. As 'quants,' we're fascinated with data and fact-based decision-making. But success only comes when you consider the human factor, especially effective communications. Making topics like evolutionary biology, complexity science, and systems thinking relevant for business success is a unique and compelling view. As Max Frisch said, 'We hired workers and human beings came instead.'" —Anne Milley, Senior Director, Technology Product Marketing, SAS "Business Intelligence Success Factors is a must-read for anyone implementing BI on an organizational level. This book explains the business landscape and the underlying reasons for our current volatility, offering clear guidance on navigating our information rich global economy." —Ron Powell, Editorial Director, Business Intelligence Network Transform challenges into opportunities with emerging Business Intelligence technologies Written by an expert in data mining and statistical analysis, this valuable resource unveils the connection between the increased use of BI and the need for new, proven theories and models in BI, as well as the guidance to implement them successfully in your organization. Are you ready to become adaptable? Learn how to harness today's rapidly evolving global economy with Business Intelligence Success Factors.

"This readable, practical book helps business people quickly understand what business intelligence is, how it works, where it's used, and why and when to use it-all illustrated by real case studies, not just theory." Nigel Pendse Author of The OLAP Report www.olapreport.com So much information, so little time. All too often, business data is hard to get at and use-thus slowing decision-making to a crawl. This insightful book illustrates how organizations can make better, faster decisions about their customers, partners, and operations by turning mountains of data into valuable business information that's always at the fingertips of decision makers. You'll learn what's involved in using business intelligence to bring together information, people, and technology to create successful business strategies-and how to execute those strategies with confidence. Topics covered include: • THE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE MINDSET: Discover the basics behind business intelligence, such as how it's defined, why and how to use it in your organization, and what characteristics, components, and general architecture most business intelligence solutions share. • THE CASE FOR BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: Read how world leaders in finance, manufacturing, and retail have successfully implemented business intelligence solutions and see what benefits they have reaped. • THE PRACTICE OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: Find out what's involved in implementing a business intelligence solution in your organization, including how to identify your business intelligence opportunities, what decisions you must make to get a business intelligence project going, and what to do to sustain the momentum so that you can continue to make sense of all the data you gather.

Deliver BI Solutions with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Maximize the powerful BI tools available in PerformancePoint 2007 with help from this practical guide. You will learn how to collect and store data, monitor progress, analyze performance, distribute dynamic reports, and create maintainable projects and forecasts. Business Intelligence with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 provides full details on creating scorecards and dashboards, performing advanced analysis on data, and setting up business plans. You will also learn how to integrate PerformancePoint with ProClarity, Excel 2007, and SQL Server Reporting Services. Configure, deploy, and secure all the PerformancePoint components Create KPIs, scorecards, reports, and dashboards with the Dashboard Designer Create business models with the Planning Business Modeler and create budgets and forecasts with Excel 2007 Enable advanced data analysis with PerformancePoint Server and ProClarity tools Take advantage of the enhanced analytic capabilities of Excel 2007 Use SQL Server Reporting Services for analytics Align performance with organizational objectives

You're intelligent, right? So you've already figured out that Business Intelligence can be pretty valuable in making the right decisions about your business. But you’ve heard at least a dozen definitions of what it is, and heard of at least that many BI tools. Where do you start? Business Intelligence For Dummies makes BI understandable! It takes you step by step through the technologies and the alphabet soup, so you can choose the right technology and implement a successful BI environment. You'll see how the applications and technologies work together to access, analyze, and present data that you can use to make better decisions about your products, customers, competitors, and more. You’ll find out how to: Understand the principles and practical elements of BI Determine what your business needs Compare different approaches to BI Build a solid BI architecture and roadmap Design, develop, and deploy your BI plan Relate BI to data warehousing, ERP, CRM, and e-commerce Analyze emerging trends and developing BI tools to see what else may be useful Whether you’re the business owner or the person charged with developing and implementing a BI strategy, checking out Business Intelligence For Dummies is a good business decision.

Praise for Successful Business Intelligence "If you want to be an analytical competitor, you've got to go well beyond business intelligence technology. Cindi Howson has wrapped up the needed advice on technology, organization, strategy, and even culture in a neat package. It's required reading for quantitatively oriented strategists and the technologists who support them." --Thomas H. Davenport, President's Distinguished Professor, Babson College and co-author, Competing on Analytics "When used strategically, business intelligence can help companies transform their organization to be more agile, more competitive, and more profitable. Successful Business Intelligence offers valuable guidance for companies looking to embark upon their first BI project as well as those hoping to maximize their current deployments." --John Schwarz, CEO, Business Objects "A thoughtful, clearly written, and carefully researched examination of all facets of business intelligence that your organization needs to know to run its business more intelligently and exploit information to its fullest extent." --Wayne Eckerson, Director, TDWI Research "Using real-world examples, Cindi Howson shows you how to use business intelligence to improve the performance, and the quality, of your company." --Bill Baker, Distinguished Engineer & GM, Business Intelligence Applications, Microsoft Corporation "This book outlines the key steps to make BI an integral part of your company's culture and demonstrates how your company can use BI as a competitive differentiator." --Robert VanHees, CFO, Corporate Express "Given the trend to expand the business analytics user base, organizations are faced with a number of challenges that affect the success rate of these projects. This insightful book provides practical advice on improving that success rate." --Dan Vesset, Vice President, Business Analytics Solution Research, IDC

Extract and analyze mission-critical enterprise data using Microsoft Office 2007 This authoritative volume is a practical guide to the powerful new collaborative Business Intelligence tools available in Office 2007. Using real-world examples and clear explanations, Microsoft Office 2007 Business Intelligence: Reporting, Analysis, and Measurement from the Desktop shows you how to use Excel, Excel Services, SharePoint, and PerformancePoint with a wide range of stand-alone and external data in today's networked office. You will learn how to analyze data and generate reports, scorecards, and dashboards with the Office tools you're already using to help you in your everyday work. Create Excel PivotTables and PivotCharts and apply Conditional Formatting Convert Excel spreadsheets into Excel Tables with Conditional Formatting and Charting Connect external data to Excel using Office Data Connections and SharePoint Create SharePoint dashboards that display data from multiple sources Add Key Performance Indicators and Excel Services reports to your dashboards Harness advanced SQL Server 2005 data analysis tools with the Excel Data Mining Add-In and Visio Cluster Diagrams Generate integrated PerformancePoint Scorecards Create Visio PivotDiagrams and Windows Mobile spreadsheets

Up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of the Oracle database and business intelligence tools Written by a team of Oracle insiders, this authoritative book provides you with the most current coverage of the Oracle data warehousing platform as well as the full suite of business intelligence tools. You'll learn how to leverage Oracle features and how those features can be used to provide solutions to a variety of needs and demands. Plus, you'll get valuable tips and insight based on the authors' real-world experiences and their own implementations. Avoid many common pitfalls while learning best practices for: Leveraging Oracle technologies to design, build, and manage data warehouses Integrating specific database and business intelligence solutions from other vendors Using the new suite of Oracle business intelligence tools to analyze data for marketing, sales, and more Handling typical data warehouse performance challenges Uncovering initiatives by your business community, security business sponsorship, project staffing, and managing risk

In this IBM Redbooks publication we describe and discuss DB2 Data Warehouse Edition (DWE) Version 9.1, a comprehensive platform offering with functionality to build a business intelligence infrastructure for analytics and Web-based applications, and best practices for deployment. DB2 DWE integrates core components for data warehouse construction and administration, data mining, OLAP, and InLine Analytics and reporting. It extends the DB2 data warehouse with design-side tooling and runtime infrastructure for OLAP, data mining, InLine Analytics, and intra-warehouse data movement and transformation, on a common platform based on DB2 and WebSphere. The platform pillars are based on the technology of DB2, Rational Data Architect (for physical data modeling only), the SQL Warehousing Tool, Intelligent Miner, DB2 Cube Views, and Alphablox. DWE includes an Eclipse-based design environment, DWE Design Studio, that integrates the DWE products (with the exception of Alphablox and Query Patroller) with a common framework and user interface. The new SQL Warehousing Tool enables visual design of intra-warehouse, table-to-table data flows and control flows using generated SQL. DB2 Alphablox is the tool for developing custom applications with embedded analytics-based visual components. DWE enables faster time-to-value for enterprise analytics, while limiting the number of vendors, tools, skill sets and licenses required.

In this IBM Redbooks publication, we describe and demonstrate how to implement enterprise performance insight. This is an initiative that has a primary focus on the integration of Business Process Management and Business Intelligence. With this capability, management has an enterprise-wide view of their business that can enable proactive business management. We discuss the techniques, architectures, and processes used to define and implement such an environment. Among the specific techniques and technologies used are key performance indicators, process alerts, management dashboards, analytic applications, application integration, process modeling and monitoring, and real-time business intelligence. The products featured are DB2 UDB, DB2 Alphablox, WebSphere Information Integrator, WebSphere Portal, WebSphere Business Monitor, and WebSphere Business Modeler. Performance insight is an element of a more global initiative called business innovation and optimization (BIO). With this, we can enable business performance management, an initiative for the effective use of people, processes, assets, and technology to proactively achieve business goals and measurements. It enables strategic alignment of business and technology, resulting in real-time access to data and continuous process and data flow, for proactive business management, and business goal attainment.