THE DEFINITIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, OFFICIAL GUIDE TO XCELSIUS 2008 DASHBOARDS Using Xcelsius, you can create powerful, interactive dashboards, gather data from spreadsheets or databases, and deliver knowledge that can be instantly understood and acted upon. Now there’s a definitive, authoritative guide to making the most of Xcelsius 2008, the newest version of this breakthrough product. Loren Abdulezer, editor-in-chief of Xcelsius Journal, shares insider’s knowledge that goes far beyond any other book or online help resource. Abdulezer introduces Xcelsius 2008, reviews its core concepts, and demonstrates the wide range of dashboards it can create. After you know what’s possible, you’ll go deep inside Xcelsius, gaining hands-on experience with every feature you need to master. You’ll learn how to quickly represent any data with charting components; use dials, gauges, and speedometers; incorporate multiple layers in your dashboards and visualizations; use Xcelsius to perform more useful analyses and manage more interactively; work with maps, demographics, and segmented data; create “smart data” and alerts; and much more. Abdulezer offers tips and tricks you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll learn how to work with data that isn’t rock-solid--and even how to create your own custom components that go beyond Xcelsius’s built-in features. Whether you’re a business intelligence or database professional, power user, developer, or consultant, this book will help you create superior Xcelsius dashboards--and make better decisions. THE ONLY XCELSIUS 2008 DASHBOARDING BOOK YOU NEED Use Xcelsius 2008 to get better answers, identify emerging trends and opportunities, and manage more effectively Learn hands-on, through step-by-step examples using real business data Discover tips and tricks proven in real-world environments Deliver dashboard content in whatever format works best: as HTML pages, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, or Word documents Fully leverage the information in your Excel spreadsheets--and go beyond Excel to use XML source data, too Implement Xcelsius best practices drawn from the hard-won knowledge of the entire global user community ON THE WEB Registered owners of the book can find all this and more online: All sample files used in the book Additional guides and tutorials to help you build dashboards Templates and example files for new dashboard interfaces Introduction 1 Part I Xcelsius 2008 Fundamentals 1 Motivation for Using Xcelsius 2008 11 2 Showcase of Xcelsius 2008 Dashboards 33 3 Getting Familiar with Xcelsius 2008 43 4 Embedded Spreadsheets: The Secret Sauce of Xcelsius 2008 69 5 Using Charts and Graphs to Represent Data 127 6 Single Value Components: Dials, Gauges, Speedometers, and the Like 157 Part II Xcelsius 2008 Best Practices and Techniques 7 Using Multi-Layer Visibility in Your Dashboards and Visualizations 181 8 Managing Interactivity 203 9 Xcelsius and Statistics 229 10 Financial Analysis 257 11 Maps in Xcelsius 275 12 Smart Data and Alerts 297 13 Working with Less-Than-Optimal Data 315 14 Other Dashboard Techniques and Practices 337 Part III Advanced Features 15 XML and Data Connectivity 353 16 Creating Custom Components for Fun and Profit 371 Part IV Appendices A Supported Spreadsheet Functions in Xcelsius 2008 401 B Xcelsius Product Family Comparison 415 C Xcelsius Best Practice Techniques and Hip Pocket Tips 425 Index 431

Create and distribute data-connected Microsoft Office Visio diagrams and reports Get full details on the powerful features of Microsoft Office Visio 2007 inside this comprehensive volume. Written by Visio expert David Parker, Visualizing Information with Microsoft Office Visio 2007 demonstrates how to effectively visualize, explore, and communicate complex business information. Learn to use PivotDiagrams, Data Graphics, and Smart Tags, as well as link data to shapes and create meaningful Visio documents and reports. Plus, you'll get vital security information, time-saving tips, troubleshooting techniques, and downloadable macros and code samples. Essential Skills for Database Users and Professionals Create shapes and link them to data Summarize and analyze information using PivotDiagrams Use Data Graphics, Smart Tags, and SmartShapes to reinforce information Generate robust Excel, HTML, and XML reports Create custom, reusable templates, stencils, and masters Update and enhance diagrams with Reviewer's comments and markups Integrate Visio diagrams with other Windows applications Publish and securely distribute Visio documents and summaries Extend functionality using VBA macros, add-ins, and wrapper applications

A new edition of this title is available, ISBN-10: 0321580303 ISBN-13: 9780321580306 The second of a two-book series about business intelligence and reporting technology, introduces programmers to BIRT architecture and the reporting framework. Built on the Eclipse platform, this exciting technology makes it possible for programmers to build and deploy customized reports using scripting and BIRT APIs. In addition, programmers can extend the BIRT framework by building new plug-ins using the Eclipse Plug-in Development Environment. Integrating and Extending BIRT This book describes the key components of BIRT architecture, applications, and engines, including installing, deploying, and troubleshooting the Reporting and Charting engines in an Enterprise Java application-server environment.For developers who wish to incorporate custom business logic in their reports or access data from Java objects, the book describes BIRT's extensive scripting capabilities in JavaScript and Java. For developers who want to extend the BIRT framework, the book describes the key extension points to use in creating customized report items, rendering extensions for generating output other than HTML or PDF, and Open Data Access (ODA) drivers for new data sources. The book provides extensive examples of how to build plug-ins to extend the features of the BIRT framework. Topics discussed include Installing and deploying BIRT Deploying a BIRT report to an application server Understanding BIRT architecture Scripting in a BIRT report design Integrating BIRT functionality in applications Working with the BIRT extension framework

Getting started with SAS is easy with The Little SAS Book. This friendly, easy-to-read guide gently introduces you to the most commonly used features of SAS software plus a whole lot more! The book has been revised to include concepts of the Output Delivery System; the STYLE= option in the PRINT, REPORT, and TABULATE procedures; ODS HTML, RTF, PRINTER, and OUTPUT destinations; PROC REPORT; more on PROC TABULATE; exporting data; and the colon modifier for informats. You'll find clear and concise explanations of basic SAS concepts (such as DATA and PROC steps), inputting data, modifying and combining data sets, summarizing and presenting data, basic statistical procedures, and debugging SAS programs. Each topic is presented in a self-contained, two-page layout complete with examples and graphics. This format enables new users to get up and running quickly, while the examples allow you to type in the program and see it work!