1. Delivering KPIs With Analysis Services Peter Myers Mentor SolidQ

2. Abstract Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are important measurements that influence behavior and allow an organization to evaluate whether they are meeting target for specific objectives. This session will commence by introducing how KPIs are defined in Analysis Services, in both the Unified Dimensional Model (UDM) and the upcoming release of PowerPivot, and then made available for consistent reporting using Excel, Excel Services, Reporting Services and PerformancePoint Services. Next, consideration will be given to where the KPI sources its target data from. The session will explore additional capabilities of the UDM to collect planning data, specifically by using cube write-back, and Data Mining to seed planning values. Finally, the session will introduce how the Excel 2010 What-If Analysis feature can be used to support the collection of planning data from users.

3. Presenter Introduction Peter Myers SolidQ – Mentor and Trainer BBus, MCP, MCITP, MCT, MVP 14 years of experience designing, developing and supporting software solutions based on Microsoft data and development platforms Based in San Francisco pmyers@solidq.com

4. Session Outline Defining KPIs KPI Data Requirements Introducing Analysis Services 2008 R2 Defining Analysis Services KPIs Delivering Analysis Services KPIs –Excel 2010 –Reporting Services 2008 R2 –PerformancePoint Services 2010

5. Defining KPIs KPI = Key Performance Indicator Quantifiable measurements comparing actual values to target values, and are used to monitor performance Aligned with corporate strategy and objectives Designed to drive desired behavior Presents a measure of overall organizational health when combined into a collection for a business scorecard

6. Defining KPIs Example

7. KPI Data Requirements A KPI at minimum requires an actual value and a target value Ideally corporate data systems will deliver both values Actuals are typically retrieved from operational databases Targets can be retrieved from formal planning systems The absence of planning systems may involve: –Maintaining target values in supplementary data stores –Defining KPIs with fixed target values

8. Introducing Analysis Services 2008 R2 OLAP component –Delivers high performance query results –Aggregates and organizes data from business data sources –Performs calculations difficult to perform using relational queries –Supports advanced Business Intelligence, including KPIs Data mining component –Discovers patterns in both relational and OLAP data –Enhances the OLAP component with discovered results

9. Demonstrations Preparing the cube to store target values Seeding target values based on historic actual values using: –Simple factor –Data Mining (Time Series) Contributing target values using writeback with Excel 2010

10. Defining Analysis Services KPIs KPIs can be defined as part of the cube metadata –Use the KPI tab of the Cube Designer, or –Use the CREATE KPI statement in the cube’s MDX Script Less common, KPIs can be defined at session scope

11. Defining Analysis Services KPIs KPI Properties: –Value –Goal –Status –Trend −StatusGraphic −TrendGraphic −ParentKpiID −Weight −AssociatedMeasureGroupID −CurrentTimeMember MDX expressions Note: Tabular development approaches in Analysis Services for SQL Server 2012 can also define KPIs

12. Demonstrations Defining Analysis Services KPIs

13. Delivering Analysis Services KPIs Excel Add KPIs to PivotTables Use the CUBEKPIMEMBER function to retrieve specific KPI members: kpi_property: 1=Value, 2=Goal, 3=Status, 4=Trend, 5=Weight, 6=CurrentTimeMember Share workbooks using SharePoint Excel Services =CUBEKPIMEMBER(connection, kpi_name, kpi_property, [caption])

14. Delivering Analysis Services KPIs Reporting Services 2008 R2 Retrieve KPI data using the Analysis Services data provider Present KPI values and supplement with Gauges and Indicators

15. Delivering Analysis Services KPIs PerformancePoint Services 2010 Import KPIs Add KPIs to scorecards Embed scorecards into dashboards and enrich with analytic reports

16. Demonstrations Delivering the Analysis Services KPIs with: –Excel 2010 –Reporting Services 2008 R2 –PerformancePoint Services 2010

17. Summary KPIs are quantifiable measurements comparing actual values to target values, and are used to monitor performance Analysis Services can be used to define KPIs Analysis Services can also be used to store and manipulate data surfaced by KPIs Excel, Reporting Services and PerformancePoint Services can easily represent data queried from Analysis Services KPIs

18. Thank you! For attending this session and PASS SQLRally Nordic 2011, Stockholm