Figure 2-2 The Analytic Chart and Analytic Grid reports represent the bulk of the
analytics functionality in PerformancePoint Server.
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While many examples mentioned in any BI book are financial in nature, monitoring
and analytics are not necessarily focused on financials. The planning module, on the
other hand, does focus on financials. As such, the primary tool for end users to work
with the planning application is Excel. Another tool, called the Planning Business
Modeler, will be used by some in the organization to create financial models
representing the ways the organization handles its financials. Once these models are
created, users will be able to use Excel to add and update data for forecasts.
One of the primary reasons for the creation of the planning module was to ease
the burden of creating strategic plans, budgets, and sales forecasts. The planning
module allows companies to import data from multiple, disparate systems, and
consolidate that data in a central storage location. Models can then be built which
encapsulate business logic and processes. Security plays a big part in the planning
module, with users only allowed to see data they are granted permission to see.
Figure 2-3 ProClarity provides rich graphical capabilities while allowing users virtually
unlimited power to analyze data in cubes.
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All changes are tracked automatically in order to comply with laws requiring audit
trails for financial information.
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