The document provides an overview of a presentation by Peter Myers on SQL Server PowerPivot aimed at IT professionals and data analysts, highlighting its features for enhancing productivity in Excel 2010. It covers the functionalities of the PowerPivot add-ins for Excel and SharePoint, which enable users to create and manage large data models and reports efficiently. The session also introduces DAX calculations and the management of PowerPivot in SharePoint for improved data analytics.

1. End-to-End SQL Server
PowerPivot
Peter Myers, SolidQ Mentor
July 2011
Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader
mark@designmind.com

2. End-to-End
SQL Server
PowerPivot
Bay Area Microsoft Business Intelligence User Group
07 July, 2011

3. 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/
© 2011 SolidQ 2

4. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 3

5. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 4

6. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 5

7. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 6

8. SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel Add-in
Continued
• 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
© 2011 SolidQ 7

9. SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint Add-in
• Collection of server components that provide query
processing and management control for PowerPivot
workbooks 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
© 2011 SolidQ 8

10. Creating PowerPivot Models
• The PowerPivot Window
• Loading Data
• Preparing Data
• Defining Measures
© 2011 SolidQ 9

11. The PowerPivot Window
• Interface used to load, explore, relate, and enrich data
• Launched from the PowerPivot tab on
the Excel ribbon
• Provides wizards and tools to load
tabular 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
© 2011 SolidQ 10

12. Loading Data
• Data can be loaded into the PowerPivot
Window 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
© 2011 SolidQ 11

13. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 12

14. Creating Reports
• The PowerPivot Field List
• PivotTable
• PivotChart
• Creating Free-From Reports
© 2011 SolidQ 13

15. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 14

16. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 15

17. Creating Free-Form Reports
Continued
• Reports can be further enhanced with native
Excel features:
• Conditional formatting
• Sparklines
• Slicers
• Charts
© 2011 SolidQ 16

18. Enriching Models with DAX
Calculations
• Introducing DAX Fundamentals
• Introducing the DAX Functions
• Creating Calculated Columns
• Creating Measures
© 2011 SolidQ 17

19. 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)
© 2011 SolidQ 18

20. Introducing DAX Fundamentals
Continued
• 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
© 2011 SolidQ 19

21. Introducing the DAX Functions
• DAX functions can be categorized into the following groups:
• Excel functions (~80 functions)
• Table functions
o Return tables that are input to other DAX functions
o For example, FILTER, ALL, DISTINCT
• Aggregate functions
o Over columns: SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX
o Over tables: SUMX, COUNTAX, AVERAGEX, MINX, MAXX
• Relationship navigation functions
o Many-to-one: RELATED
o One-to-many: RELATEDTABLE
• Context modification functions
o CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE
• Time Intelligence functions
o Numerous time-related functions
© 2011 SolidQ 20

22. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 21

23. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 22

24. Working with PowerPivot in
SharePoint Server 2010
• The PowerPivot Gallery
• The PowerPivot Management Dashboard
© 2011 SolidQ 23

25. 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 PowerPivot
workbook
• 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
© 2011 SolidQ 24

26. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 25

27. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 26

28. 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
© 2011 SolidQ 27

29. Thank you!
© 2011 SolidQ 28

30. To learn more or inquire about speaking opportunities, please contact:
Mark Ginnebaugh, User Group Leader
mark@designmind.com