cr-xcelsius ppt final

Crystal Xcelsius

By : Vikash Sharma Wajidth Raja AbbasBy : Vikash Sharma Wajidth Raja Abbas

3-2 Data Warehousing Fundamentals

Topics

• Crystal Xcelsius: At A Glance

• Understand the Xcelsius Process

• Xcelsius Functionality

• Xcelsius Components

• Advanced Features

• Crystal Xcelsius Connectivity Options

• Crystal Xcelsius Designer Integration Features

• Limitations of Crystal Xcelsius

Crystal Xcelsius: At A GlanceCrystal Xcelsius: At A Glance


Introducing… Crystal Xcelsius

Powerful, yet simple, dynamic visualizations

Turn Data into Information

Based on Excel data and formulas

Live XML and Web Service data

Interactive What-If Analysis

Drill-Down, Charts, Gauges, Dials

Export to Office, PDF, and HTML

Flash format – Easy to Embed


Crystal Xcelsius: At A Glance

What is Crystal Xcelsius

Crystal Xcelsius bridges the gap between data analysis and data presentation, converting spreadsheet tables into interactive dashboards.

It is a data visualization design tool that displays summary-level business data in a visually rich and intuitive format that allows users to analyze and interact with their data in order to make better business decisions.

Crystal Xcelsius bridges the gap between data analysis and data presentation, converting spreadsheet tables into interactive dashboards.

It is a data visualization design tool that displays summary-level business data in a visually rich and intuitive format that allows users to analyze and interact with their data in order to make better business decisions.

Understand the Xcelsius ProcessUnderstand the Xcelsius Process


Understand the Xcelsius Process

Source data from:• Excel spreadsheets• XML data• SOAP-based Web Services

1. Create an interactive presentation with point-and-click.

2. Output final interactive analytic or presentation to Crystal Vision Server, BusinessObjects Enterprise, any web page, PowerPoint, Outlook or PDF

3.

Xcelsius FunctionalityXcelsius Functionality


Xcelsius Functionality

Connect to corporate data sources via Web Services, LiveOffice, Query as a Web Service, XML, etc.

1

Data Connectivity

Data Source Tier

Data is populated into Excel model

Visualization Tier Web/Client TierBusiness Logic Tier

Import Excel model into Crystal Xcelsius and generate Visualization

3

Business Visualization

Publish Visualization to Crystal Vision Server or BusinessObjects Enterprise, export to Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.

42


Xcelsius Functionality

Dashboard DeploymentDashboard Deployment

Xcelsius ComponentsXcelsius Components


Xcelsius Components

Chart components

Single value components

Selector components

Map component

Art and Background components

Collaboration components

Web Connectivity Components

Advanced FeaturesAdvanced Features


Advanced Features

Dynamic Visibility functionality

Ignore End Blanks for variable length ranges

Alerts

Use Web Service Option

Using Flash Variables to update a visualization

Using the XML Data Button component

Using collaboration components

Creating templates

Using Global Styles

Crystal Xcelsius Connectivity OptionsCrystal Xcelsius Connectivity Options


Crystal Xcelsius Connectivity Options

Crystal Xcelsius relies upon an internal XML parser and the HTTP connectivity of the Flash engine to receive external data.This can be accomplished by Four different methods:

XML Maps in Excel 2003

Web Services (Dynamic Web Query)

XML Data button.

Query as a Web service (QaaWS)



Step 1.

Map the XML file to a new Excel spreadsheet, and then pull the XML data into the Excel spreadsheet. This can be done by clicking on Data > XML menu > XML Source.Step 2.



Step 3

Your data presentation is now configured to automatically pull data from the XML file every 5 seconds.

Refreshing Using a Refresh Button

The second option for updating the data is to add the XML Map Refresh button and set up its Properties panel to available XML Maps.



What are Web Services Web services are application components

Web services communicate using open protocols Web services are self-contained and self-describing Web services can be discovered using UDDI Web services can be used by other applications

XML is the basis for Web services XML provides a language which can be used between different platforms and programming languages and still express complex messages and functions.

Web services platform elements SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

Format for sending msg, platform Independent and access web services UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration)

Directory for storing information about web services WSDL (Web Services Description Language)

Describe and Locate Web services



Step 1. Step 2.

Step 3.

After selecting the Range Go To File -> Export Settings and select Use Web Service Option.

The URL that we will specify will be the name of our XML file.



Step 4.

When the SWF file was created, Xcelsius also created an XML file with the same name.

The XML file is located in the same directory as the SWF file. If you open up the XML file you will see a basic row and column format

Open the Flash file in Internet Explorer, and open the created XML file in notepad.

Make a change to one of the data items in the XML file,and save. You will notice that within 5 seconds the data within the SWF file has changed to reflect the update.


Web Services (Dynamic Web Query)Format of XML File<data><variable name="CompanyOrderDetails"><row><column>CompanyName</column><column>Quantity</column></row><row><column>Laughing Bacchus Wine Cellars</column><column>17</column></row><row><column>Old World Delicatessen</column><column>70</column></row></variable></data>The other important feature of this format is thevariable tag. The variable name must match to the name of the Range in Xcelsius.


XML Data button

Using a Script on the Server to Return XML data

Add XML Data Button and then define the URL which will be called by your dashboard or data presentation (Flash file) when the XML Data button is pushed. The URL can be any script or application that will return the correctly formatted XML data source.


Query as a Web Service

Overview:

• Query as a Web Service lets you create custom web services for specificqueries using Business Objects Web Services.

• Query as a Web Service provides new types of user-driven client solutions for businesses. For example, it enables Crystal Xcelsius to aggregate multiple disparate data sources into a trusted BI view.

• Using Query as a Web Service, business users define their own query from a universe, and then easily and securely publish that query as a standalone web service.

Overview:

• Query as a Web Service lets you create custom web services for specificqueries using Business Objects Web Services.

• Query as a Web Service provides new types of user-driven client solutions for businesses. For example, it enables Crystal Xcelsius to aggregate multiple disparate data sources into a trusted BI view.

• Using Query as a Web Service, business users define their own query from a universe, and then easily and securely publish that query as a standalone web service.



Architecture

Query as a Web Service is based on the W3C web service specificationsSOAP, WSDL, and XML. It has two main components:

• Server component

• Client tool

Architecture

Query as a Web Service is based on the W3C web service specificationsSOAP, WSDL, and XML. It has two main components:

• Server component

• Client tool



Consuming Query as a Web Service in XcelsiusConsuming Query as a Web Service in Xcelsius

1. Drag and drop this object to Panel.

2. Double click and open Property window and put web service URL.

1. Drag and drop this object to Panel.

2. Double click and open Property window and put web service URL.



Consuming Query as a Web Service in XcelsiusConsuming Query as a Web Service in Xcelsius

3. Submit the URL and select required cell from excel file for login and password.

4. Check the refresh option checkbox to call web service from the Behavior tab of property window.

3. Submit the URL and select required cell from excel file for login and password.

4. Check the refresh option checkbox to call web service from the Behavior tab of property window.

Crystal Xcelsius Designer Integration FeaturesCrystal Xcelsius Designer Integration Features


Storing XLF file to Enterprise Folder

Opening XLF files from an Enterprise folder

Exporting SWF files to an Enterprise folder

Viewing SWF files in InfoView

Storing XLF file to Enterprise Folder

Opening XLF files from an Enterprise folder

Exporting SWF files to an Enterprise folder

Viewing SWF files in InfoView

Crystal Xcelsius Designer Integration FeaturesCrystal Xcelsius Designer Integration Features

Storing Xcelsius files in BusinessObjects EnterpriseStoring Xcelsius files in BusinessObjects Enterprise

Limitations Of Crystal XcelsiusLimitations Of Crystal Xcelsius


Limitations Of Crystal Xcelsius

• Most of complex Excel Functions are not supported in Xcelsius when data is being retrieved dynamically into Excel using web services e.g. Vlookup, Substring, Search etc.

• Xcelsius does not support Macro.

• If data is populating dynamically in Excel file then it is slowing down the Xcelsius Dashboard performance as we use XML file or web service in midway to get data.


Questions ?

cr-xcelsius ppt final

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