This chapter will describe how Excel 2007 can be
used as an analytics tool for working with Analysis Services 2005 cubes.
Using the PivotTable
The first step in working with Analysis Services 2005 from Excel 2007 is to connect
to the Analysis Services database or a specific cube. On the Data ribbon in Excel 2007,
users can click on the From Other Sources button and then choose From Analysis
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Services from the menu. This opens the Data Connection Wizard, which has a first
screen that asks for a server name and login credentials. After clicking next, the user
is presented with a page that has a drop-down list box of all the databases, and for
each database, a list of cubes. As shown in Figure 9-1, there is a check box that asks
whether the user wants to connect to a specific cube or table; unchecking this box
merely prompts the user later in the process, which means that leaving it checked and
selecting a cube now is often easier.
As Figure 9-1 shows, a database may contain both cubes and perspectives. A
perspective is similar to a view in a relational database, in that it restricts what is
seen to just what the cube developer has specified. For example, a cube may contain
a number of dimensions, measure groups, measures, KPIs, and so forth, covering a
broad range of the business. A cube developer may choose to create one perspective
that includes just the items related to finance and another related to just human
resources, for example.
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