End-to-End SQL ServerPowerPivot

Peter Myers, SolidQ Mentor

July 2011

Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leadermark@designmind.com

Bay Area Microsoft Business Intelligence User Group

07 July, 2011

End-to-End SQL Server PowerPivot

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Abstract

Speaker: Peter Myers of SolidQ

This session is for IT professionals, data analysts, managers, and anyone looking to drive more productivity from Excel.

One of the pillars of the SQL Server 2008 R2 release is Managed Self-Service BI.

Peter will introduce:

• SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel

• SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint

You will learn:

• How you can effectively leverage the add-ins with your own data and analysis requirements

The SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel add-in is a key offering in this pillar, and delivers an entirely new analytic experience to Excel 2010. This add-in allows analysts to load and prepare large volumes of data from various sources to create a multidimensional model. The model can be enriched with sophisticated calculations. Then the model can then be used as the source for PivotTable and PivotChart reports.

With the SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint add-in, the Excel workbooks that host the PowerPivot model can be catalogued in SharePoint and exposed as a data source for other Excel and Reporting Services reports. These SharePoint hosted models can then be managed by IT with scheduled data refreshes from the originating data stores.

Peter Myers of SolidQ is a Microsoft MVP and specializes in OLTP database design and development, DBA support and Data Warehousing/Business Intelligence with SQL Server.

http://www.meetup.com/San-Francisco-Bay-Area-Microsoft-BI-User-Group/events/16622177/

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Presenter Introduction

•Peter Myers

•Mentor, SolidQ

•BBus, MCITP (Dev, DBA, BI), MCT, MVP

•14 years of experience designing and developing software solutions using Microsoft products, today specializing in Microsoft Business Intelligence

•Based in San Francisco

•pmyers@solidq.com

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Agenda

• Introducing SQL Server PowerPivot• Creating PowerPivot Models• Creating Reports• Enriching Models with DAX Calculations• Working with PowerPivot in SharePoint Server 2010• Next Generation OLAP From Microsoft• Resources

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Introducing SQL Server PowerPivot

•PowerPivot empowers end users to create self-service BI solutions in Excel 2010

• Facilitates the sharing and collaboration of PowerPivot solutions in SharePoint Server 2010

• These capabilities are achieved by two add-ins:

• SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel Add-in

• SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint Add-in

•Both add-ins are available for download from Microsoft at no cost

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SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel Add-in

•Client add-in that extends Excel 2010 to support creating data models

• Achieved with a client-side version of SQL Server Analysis Services, known as the VertiPaq processor

• Can efficiently load data volumes far greater than what Excel has been designed to do

•A separate PowerPivot Window is used to load, explore, relate, and enrich data with calculations

• Imports and relates data from corporate, local, and ad hoc data stores

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SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel Add-inContinued

•Results in a new data connection embedded in the Excel workbook that can become the basis for interactive reports

•Prerequisites include:

• Excel 2010 (32-bit or 64-bit)

• Windows XP SP3 (32-bit) or higher

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

• The add-in version (32- or 64-bit) must match the installed version of Office on the client

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SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint Add-in

• Collection of server components that provide query processing and management control for PowerPivotworkbooks that are published to SharePoint Server 2010

• Extends Excel Services by pairing its large scale data processing capability with the data rendering services that Excel provides

• Server components include:• Analysis Services to provide server-side processing for Excel workbooks that contain a PowerPivot model

• PowerPivot System Service that works alongside Analysis Services, and adds SharePoint integration and request allocation support

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Creating PowerPivot Models

• The PowerPivot Window

• Loading Data

•Preparing Data

•Defining Measures

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The PowerPivot Window

• Interface used to load, explore, relate, and enrich data• Launched from the PowerPivot tab onthe Excel ribbon

• Provides wizards and tools to loadtabular data from:

• The clipboard (copy and paste)

• Databases and data feeds

• Local Excel workbook tables

• Relationships can be defined between the tables• Calculated columns can be created•When saved, all PowerPivot data and metadata is embedded within the Excel workbook

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Loading Data

•Data can be loaded into the PowerPivotWindow by:

• Copying and pasting data

• Loading external data sourced from:

o Databases – including all Microsoft database products

o Reporting Services reports

o Data feeds

o Files

• Linking Excel tables

•Data is loaded into tables

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Preparing Data

• Tables can be renamed, moved, and deleted

•Columns can be renamed, copied and deleted

•Relationships can be established between the tables

•Calculated columns can be created

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Creating Reports

• The PowerPivot Field List

• PivotTable

• PivotChart

•Creating Free-From Reports

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The PowerPivot Field List

•Use the PowerPivot Field List to design PivotTable and PivotChart reports:

• Search for tables and columns in the PowerPivot model

• Define slicers

• Design the report layout

• Create and modify measures

• Review messages and notifications

o Model updated

o Relationship needed

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Creating Free-Form Reports

• Five of the seven Excel CUBE functions deliver free-form reporting based on PowerPivot models:

• CUBEMEMBER

• CUBEVALUE

• CUBESET

• CUBESETCOUNT

• CUBERANKEDMEMBER

• The remaining two CUBE functions are not relevant:• CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY, CUBEKPIMEMBER

• The PowerPivot model data connection is always named PowerPivot Data

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Creating Free-Form ReportsContinued

•Reports can be further enhanced with native Excel features:

• Conditional formatting

• Sparklines

• Slicers

• Charts

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Enriching Models with DAX Calculations

• Introducing DAX Fundamentals

• Introducing the DAX Functions

•Creating Calculated Columns

•Creating Measures

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Introducing DAX Fundamentals

•DAX = Data Analysis EXpressions

•Designed to deliver easy-to-use constructs that allow extending the PowerPivot model with calculations

• Used to define two distinctly different types of calculations:

• Calculated Columns that define new columns in PowerPivot tables (calculation is evaluated for each row in the table)

• Measures that define new fields in the PowerPivot Field List (calculation is evaluated when placed in the Values area of the PivotTable or PivotChart and within the filter context)

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Introducing DAX FundamentalsContinued

• The PowerPivot model from an analyst perspective appears tabular, so DAX provides functions that implement relational database concepts

• The function libraries consist of many familiar Excel functions, as well as additional functions to support:

• Relationship navigation

o Many-to-one and one-to-many

• Aggregation over tables

• Context filtering

• Time Intelligence

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Introducing the DAX Functions

• DAX functions can be categorized into the following groups:• Excel functions (~80 functions)

• Table functionso Return tables that are input to other DAX functions

o For example, FILTER, ALL, DISTINCT

• Aggregate functionso Over columns: SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX

o Over tables: SUMX, COUNTAX, AVERAGEX, MINX, MAXX

• Relationship navigation functionso Many-to-one: RELATED

o One-to-many: RELATEDTABLE

• Context modification functionso CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE

• Time Intelligence functionso Numerous time-related functions

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Creating Calculated Columns

• Calculated columns are introduced as new columns in existing PowerPivot tables

• The values for each calculated column are materialized in the PowerPivot model

• Common examples:• Produce derived columns:

o Concatenate FirstName with LastName

o Multiply OrderQuantity by UnitPrice

• Reference related column values (Many-to-One):o Look up the sales transaction’s state TaxRate

• Reference aggregate related column values (One-to-Many):o Produce the sum of Sales for the State

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Creating Measures

•Measures are created on the Excel PowerPivot ribbon tab or from the PowerPivot Field List

• They are assigned to a PowerPivot table and can be named differently for the model and current PivotTable

• The formula box includes Intellisense and auto-completion

• The Check Formula button validates the expression

• Common examples:• Aggregate fields

• Produce ratios:o Sales over All Product

• Produce year-to-date (YTD) calculations

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Working with PowerPivot in SharePoint Server 2010

• The PowerPivot Gallery

• The PowerPivot Management Dashboard

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The PowerPivot Gallery

• The PowerPivot Gallery is a library template used to:

• Preview contents by moving mouse over thumbnails

• Configure alternate views and sort order

• Create new analytic experiences based on a workbook

o Clients simply connect to the SharePoint URL for PowerPivotworkbook

• Configure data refresh policies

o Each data source in model can have separate schedule

o Schedule can be set to run after business hours

o Notification can be sent in the event of data refresh failure

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The PowerPivot Management Dashboard

• Collection of Web Parts and PowerPivot reports that display data related to the PowerPivot service application

• Server health

• Query response times

• Workbook usage

• Data refresh status

• Access to dashboard is limited to service application administrators

• Usage data available in PowerPivot Management Data.xlsx report for customization

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Next Generation OLAP From Microsoft

•Microsoft have recently announced a new direction for OLAP solution development with Analysis Services in the next release of SQL Server Project “Denali”

• PowerPivot will be just one of three supported approaches to produce a multidimensional model (cube)

• Named the BI Semantic Model, it will support multidimensional and tabular development approaches

•Watch the TechEd North America video What's New in Microsoft SQL Server Code-Named "Denali" for SQL Server Analysis Services and PowerPivot• http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/TechEd/NorthAmerica/2011/DBI206

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Resources

• PowerPivot Site• http://powerpivot.com

• Analysis Services and PowerPivot Team Blog• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powerpivot

• PowerPivotGeek Blog (Dave Wickert)• http://powerpivotgeek.com

• PowerPivot(Pro) Blog (Rob Collie)• http://powerpivotpro.com

• TechNet PowerPivot for SharePoint• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210682.aspx

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Thank you!

To learn more or inquire about speaking opportunities, please contact:

Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader

mark@designmind.com