Business Intelligence Armoury – What’s the Best Tool for the Job?Mark Macrae

Mark Macraemark@id-live.com @m_macrae

•MCTS SharePoint/BI• Intelligent Decisioning Ltd • 7 Yrs SharePoint Project Experience• SUGUK

Outside SharePoint…Football Coach, Krav Maga, West Ham (shhh)

Agenda or Summary Layout

•Microsoft Vision• A Little History• Toolkit for 2010

• Tactical•Operational• Enterprise

Microsoft’s VisionOverview

Delivered through a familiar environment

Integrated into business collaboration infrastructure

Built on a trusted and extensible platform

Improving organizations by providing business insights to all

employees leading to better, faster, more relevant decisions

Microsoft BI Stack - 2006Overview

Strategic• SQL Server 2005 (SSAS, SSRS, SSIS)• Sound foundations• Acquisition of ProClarity

Tactical• MS Excel 2003, MS Visio 2003• SSRS Report Builder 1.0• Business Scorecard Manager

Operational• SharePoint 2003 • Poor delivery mechanism Gartner Magic Quadrant (BI) - Jan 2007

Microsoft BI Stack - TodayOverview

Strategic• SQL Server 2008 R2 (SSAS, SSRS, SSIS)• PerformancePoint Services 2010• Excel Services 2010• Power Pivot

Tactical• MS Excel 2010, MS Visio 2010• SSRS Report Builder 3.0• PPS Dashboard Designer• Chart Web Parts

Operational• SharePoint 2010

Gartner Magic Quadrant (BI) - Jan 2010

Everyday tools – Excel, Access, Visio

Tools in the ArsenalBy Ease of Deployment

Chart/Map Web PartsKPI Status Lists

Strategic Data LayerControlled, publication of reportsPerformancePoint, SSRS, Power Pivot

Tactical

Operational

Enterprise

Tactical Solutions

• Scope• Single User• Team

• Data Sources• Mixture (SP Lists, Excel, SQL)• Generally local

• Setup• Quick, simple

• Cost• Mixture, but look out for freebies

Chart Web PartWhat can it do?

• Enterprise• Connect to data from

• SP List• BCS• Excel• Another WebPart

• Extensive design options• Cannot Roll Up and chart

counts

Google Chart API• Free Web Parts (check

licensing)• Requires Internet

Connection to setup• Web Parts available

which connect to SPLists• Simple design options• Can Roll Up (count, sum

etc)

Status ListsIn a nutshell

• KPI Lists in 2007• Lightweight Scorecard• Connect to

• SP Lists• Excel• Analysis Services

• Actual, Goal, Thresholds

Operational SolutionsEveryday Tools (Excel, Visio, Access)

• Scope• Single User• Team• Enterprise

• Data Sources• SP Lists, Excel, Access• SQL Server / OLEDB / ODBC

• Setup• As simple or complex as you wish

• Cost• Enterprise Licenses• Infrastructure, Server Power

Visio Services

• Only author requires Visio client• Pictorial representation e.g.

• Network Diagrams• Maps, plans• Flow chart / workflow / project plans

• Hook up to data from:• SP Lists, Excel, Access, ODBC, SQL

• Selective usage

Excel Services

• Most popular tool for BI• Most feature rich product• Most versatile• Excel Services Enterprise Only• Most data sources

Enterprise SolutionsStrategic Tools for Mature Data Sources

• Scope• Team / Enterprise

• Data Sources• SP Lists, Excel, SQL, ODBC• Analysis Services OLAP Cubes

• Setup• Well structured Data Warehouse / OLAP is key• Actual report building straightforward

• Cost• Enterprise Licenses• Infrastructure, Server Power

PerformancePoint Services

• Primarily OLAP Cube Browser• Interactive, Exploratory• Supplementary data analysis• Avoid ODBC/Flat Data Sources• Limited Customisations (SDK?)• Configuration much easier

SQL Reporting Services

• Print Quality Reports• ‘Hot link’ to sub reports• Geospatial mapping• 2008 R2 Supports SP Lists

natively• OLAP Cube Query Builder• Report Parts for centralised

core• Workflow, Document

Management• Report Builder 3.0• Foundation

Power Pivot

• SQL 2008 R2• Excel Add-In• Large data sets (millions of rows)• High spec client machines• Self serve cube building• Complex Setup• Niche tool

Summary*Options available for customisation

Setup Customise* Cost Scope Training

Chart Parts

Status Lists

Excel

Visio

PPS

SSRS

Power Pivot

Thanks!

• James Love @jimmywim

• Alex Clark @sharepointalex

Questions?