Microsoft Business Intelligence For Dummies

Learn to create an effective business strategy using Microsoft’s BI stack

Microsoft Business Intelligence tools are among the most widely used applications for gathering, providing access to, and analyzing data to enable the enterprise to make sound business decisions. The tools include SharePoint Server, the Office Suite, PerformancePoint Server, and SQL Server, among others.

With so much jargon and so many technologies involved, Microsoft Business Intelligence For Dummiesprovides a much-needed step-by-step explanation of what’s involved and how to use this powerful package to improve your business.

• Microsoft Business Intelligence encompasses a broad collection of tools designed to help business owners and managers direct the enterprise effectively
• This guide provides an overview of SharePoint, PerformancePoint, the SQL Server suite, Microsoft Office, and the BI development technologies
• Explains how the various technologies work together to solve functional problems
• Translates the buzzwords and shows you how to create your business strategy
• Examines related technologies including data warehousing, data marts, Online Analytical Processing (OLAP), data mining, reporting, dashboards, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Simplifies this complex package to get you up and running quickly

Microsoft Business Intelligence For Dummies demystifies these essential tools for enterprise managers, business analysts, and others who need to get up to speed.

Table of Contents

Part I: Embracing a Microsoft Business Intelligence Solution
Chapter 1: Surveying Microsoft Business Intelligence from 50,000 Feet
Chapter 2: Blazing a Trail through the Data Jungle
Chapter 3: Adopting Microsoft Business Intelligence

Part II: Wrapping Your Head Around Business Intelligence Concepts
Chapter 4: Using Data to Inform and Drive Business Activities
Chapter 5: Taking a Closer Look at Data Collection
Chapter 6: Turning Data into Information
Chapter 7: Data Mining for Information Gold

Part III: Introducing the Microsoft Business Intelligence Technologies
Chapter 8: Meeting SQL Server
Chapter 9: Excel — Digital Data Power to the People
Chapter 10: SharePoint Shines
Chapter 11: Expressing Yourself with Development Tools

Part IV: Incorporating Microsoft Business Intelligence into Your Business Environment
Chapter 12: Setting Your BI Goals and Implementation Plan
Chapter 13: Evaluating and Choosing Technologies
Chapter 14: Testing and Rolling Out
Chapter 15: Training, Using, and Evaluating Results

Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 16: Ten Microsoft BI Implementation Pitfalls
Chapter 17: Ten Keys to Successful Microsoft Business Intelligence
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Boost Your Bottom Line with Microsoft Business Intelligence