The document discusses problems with traditional business intelligence (BI) reporting and proposes a different, more pervasive approach. It provides an example of how Westland Milk Products implemented a BI solution using a centralized data repository and Microsoft tools like Excel and SharePoint to provide self-serve access to consistent, timely data and reduce reliance on IT. The document also outlines new features in Microsoft's upcoming SQL Denali product that aim to improve data visualization, discovery and semantic modeling for BI.

1. BI now and in the future
Derek Lamb & Anna Tarasoff
10 August 2011

2. BI now and in the future
Agenda
 Current reporting problems
 A Different Approach
 Real Life Example
 Microsoft SQL Denali
 Questions

3. BI now and in the future
What Problems?

4. BI now and in the future
Management Reporting Problems
People turn up to meetings with different versions of
the truth
It takes accounting a week to turn around month end
reports
Information is too late to make business decisions
I end up getting reports from different areas and
combining in Excel
I have to trawl through lots of reports to identify the
information that is meaningful

5. BI now and in the future
Finance Reporting Problems
People don’t have access to the ERP system so have to
ask us for data
Too much time spent answering routine questions
Time spent reconciling multiple systems at month end
I get asked for analysis of data which I end up dumping
data into Excel
It takes our reporting department a week to create a
report and by the time I get it I want a different view

6. BI now and in the future
IT Reporting Problems
Our users don’t understand the complexity of the data
We already have a corporate BI tool that is not used
Business logic in reports has to be recreated
Too much time spent creating or modifying reports
We don’t want to roll out another application for our
users to learn

7. BI now and in the future
Approach needs to change…
 Data Warehousing Institute found on average 18% of
potential BI users actively use BI tools, which flies in the face
of vendors talking up “Pervasive BI”
 Traditional implementation approach has seen promised
benefits either not delivered or only partially delivered

8. A different Approach

9. BI now and in the future
Make BI more Pervasive
Self Service
BI – ad-hoc Reduced
The availability of reporting complexity of
BI through critical access and
standard, familiar aggregation of
tools Data
Access to up to date,
timely information
Confidence in
Centralised Portals reporting on data
for collaboration that is consistent
and high quality

10. BI now and in the future
Improve quality & availability of Data
Reduce
complexity of
data to end
Centralised data users Reduce reliance
repository with on IT for report
standardised writing
business logic
Small iterations for
quick wins
Greater access to
Utilise existing IT quality and
investment timeliness of data

11. Real Life Solution

12. BI now and in the future
Westland Milk Products

13. BI now and in the future
Issues
 The line of business systems were siloed.
 Bespoke systems had been developed to address
specific business requirements
 Some good MS Office skills but internal IS resources
were technically ‘light’ or non-existent
 Fast Growing company

14. BI now and in the future
Centralised Portal, Self Serve Access,
Collaboration
Self Serve Access, Data ,
Exploration & Analysis
Centralised Repository & Business Logic
Logistics Milk ERP CRM

15. BI now and in the future

16. BI now and in the future Excel Services

17. BI now and in the future KPI’s & Reports

18. BI now and in the future Chart Parts

19. BI now and in the future
BI Benefits
 Improved decision
making
 Single source of truth
 Easier, quicker access to
information for decision
makers
 Reduced demand on
report writing resource

20. BI now and in the future
The Gain
 “Our Business Intelligence environment is outstanding.
Intergen used the WhereScape RED tool to rapidly build
SQL Server Analysis Services cubes over our
Dynamics NAV, plant control, milk collection and CRM
systems. This is presented through Excel 2007 and
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to our users,
providing them with the information they need to make
decisions to improve the performance of our
organisation.”
Wayne Leach, CFO, Westland Milk Products

22. BI now and in the future
SQL DENALI BI FEATURES
BI Semantic Model
 The new centralised repository
 Credible, consistent data
Project "Crescent”
 Data Visualisation tool
 Rapid data discovery

23. BI now and in the future

24. BI now and in the future

25. Anna Tarasoff

26. BI now and in the future
Summary
 Pervasive BI with familiar tools like Excel
 Utilise a centralised repository for Data
model
 Small Iterations provide best returns
 Great Tools are coming

27. Questions

28. Thank you