3. Using PerformancePoint
PerformancePoint server 2007 used a separate database to
store all of its necessary information. That has changed, because all
the necessary information is now stored inside of lists and document
libraries; lists that contain dashboards definitions, reports,
scorecards, filters, KPIs, and indicators as well as document libraries
that contain exported dashboards and datasources.
Now that you have
properly configured PerformancePoint both in central administration and
in the site collection you now have available all the list definitions
and the necessary content types to get started.
Create a new list based on the "PerformancePoint Content List" list definition and call it "PerformancePoint Content".
Create a new document library called "Dashboards " based on "Dashboards Library" list definition.
Create another document library called "Data Connections " based on the "Data Connections for PerformancePoint" list definition.
In the PerformancePoint content list, you would see all the necessary content types as shown in Figure 4.
One thing is clear, the
driving force behind PerformancePoint services are nothing but content
types. Therefore, anything that applies to content types, reusability,
queryability, structure, information management policies, all of that
can be used with PerformancePoint content.
Click on any one of them and
that should launch a click once application which is your dashboard
designer. Once the dashboard designer is launched, you can then work
entirely in the dashboard designer to create various artifacts. Start by
saving your dashboard as MyDashBoard.ddwx on your local disk before you
add any new items in the workspace. At this point, your workspace in
the dashboard designer should look Figure 5.
Before you can start
creating any artifacts in PerformancePoint, let's first set up the
database that you will use. PerformancePoint services is very versatile
and can work with various backend sources such as Excel services,
analysis services, a regular SQL table, or even reporting services.
To begin, set up the adventure works sample databases downloaded from http://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/releases/view/24854.
Once
you have downloaded and installed the adventure works sample databases,
open the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Tools\Samples\AdventureWorks 2008R2 Analysis Services
Project\enterprise\Adventure Works.sln project in the BI Studio of SQL
Server 2008.
After
opening the solution, in the Solution Explorer double-click the
"Adventure Works.ds" data source. Click the Edit...button just below the
Connection String box. Supply your SQL Server (database engine) server
and instance name (if it's a named instance). Click the Test Connection
Button. If the test succeeds, click OK to save the changes.
Right
click the solution in Solution Explorer, choose Properties. On the
Adventure Works DW 2008 SE Property Pages dialogue, choose the tree item
for Deployment. Change the Target ~TRA Server property to your Analysis
Services server name and instance name (if it is not a default
instance).
In the solution explorer, right-click the solution (Solution 'Adventure Works') and click Deploy.
Once the project is
deployed, right-click the data connections document library in your
dashboard designer and choose to create a new data source. Create a new
Analysis services based project, using the "Adventure Works DW 2008R2"
database and use the "Adventure Works" cube. This can be seen in Figure 6.
Choose to save this data connection as "AdventureWorks".
Next, right-click the
PerformancePoint content list and choose to add a new report. When
prompted, choose to add a new analytic chart. Choose the new
AdventureWorks Data connection you have just created as the data source
for this analytic chart. In the new report, drag and drop product
categories in the Series and in the bottom axes drag drop geography.
This can be seen in Figure 7.
Save this report as
"AdventureWorks Products". Once this report is saved in your list, note
that it is saved as a certain content type. I'd like to point out here
that if you were to add that content type in any other list, you would
be able to save your reports in any list in SharePoint you wished. This
really gives you the maximum flexibility you need.
Back on your SharePoint
site on the default page, put the page in edit mode and drop the
PerformancePoint report WebPart. Then, point this WebPart to this newly
created report that you'vejust uploaded in your SharePoint site. You
would note that the report is running in full interactivity on the
SharePoint site. You should see a big blue bar called all geographies.
Go ahead and click on the big blue bar, and the report should update
giving you the various products available. This can be seen in Figure 8.
So far, so good. Why is it that
my bike sales are so high? I'm not asking this, but I know my business
users will. When you see the bright red bar, right-click it and choose
decomposition. This would bring up a decomposition tree for the
underlying data source, and it would immediately tell you that you are
selling a lot of road bikes (see Figure 9).
Why are you selling so many Road
bikes? As an analyst now, you can click on it and easily choose the
dimension you wish to expand upon (see Figure 10).
Let's expand on Geography,
which reveals that you are selling a lot of bikes in California.
Expanding further by city reveals that you are selling a lot of bikes in
Carson City, and especially in the months of May, November, August, and
February. This is a pattern that repeats every year! This can be seen
in Figure 11.
This clearly tells you that
the Carson City market is pivotal to your company's success! And, you
were able to know this without bothering a developer. How nice!
