SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.1 Cookbook : Over 100 Simple and Incredibly Effective Recipes to Help Transform Your Static Business Data into Exciting Dashboards Filled With Dynamic Charts and Graphics

Over 100 simple and incredibly effective recipes to help transform your static business data into exciting dashboards filled with dynamic charts and graphics

About This Book

• Create impressive dashboards with SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.1 (formerly known as Xcelsius)
• Find solutions for everyday development challenges using Dashboard Design components
• Step-by-step recipes with practical real-world examples

Who This Book Is For

If you are a developer with a good command and knowledge of creating dashboards, but are not yet an advanced user of SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards, then this is the perfect book for you. Prerequisites include a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel as well as knowledge of basic dashboard practices.

What You Will Learn

• Become fully equipped with best practices when using the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards spreadsheet
• Present data using a wide variety of data visualization components
• Discover how to make dashboard components interactive for an enhanced user experience
• Take advantage of Dynamic Visibility features
• Connect your dashboard to live data sources
• Export and publish the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards model into several environments
• Improve the performance of your dashboards and increase your productivity as a dashboard developer

In Detail

The widely used SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards software lets you transform data from any source into interactive dashboards.

The recipes begin by covering best practices for using the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards spreadsheet. The book then guides you through the exploration of various data visualization components and dashboard interactivity, as well as using alerts, dashboard connectivity, publishing the dashboard, and making the most of the aesthetics of the dashboard. Finally, the recipes conclude by considering the most important add-ons available for SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards, performance tuning, and tips on increasing development productivity.

David Lai

David Lai is a SAP BusinessObjects consultant and specializes in data visualization and data warehousing. He graduated with a degree in computer engineering from the University of Toronto. He has a passion for providing organizations with smart Business Intelligence solutions that encompass best practices and techniques. In addition, he is an active contributor to the community and provides his knowledge in best practices and solutions. He started his Business Intelligence blog (http://www.davidlai101.com/blog) in 2008, where he provides tips, tricks, and best practices for Xcelsius and BusinessObjects-related material. He is a bronze-level contributor to the SAP community network, has presented at SAP InsideTrack, and provides BusinessObjects training to students. Aside from work, David enjoys physical activities such as weight training, basketball, volleyball, and skiing. He also has a strong passion for Latin dance. David is the owner of Xinfinity Solutions, where he provides consulting services as a SAP BusinessObjects consultant. He has worked for a long list of satisfied clients in various industries.

Xavier Hacking

Xavier Hacking is an SAP BI specialist from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and works as a consultant for Interdobs. He has a master's degree in industrial engineering and management science from the Eindhoven University of Technology. He has worked with a wide range of products from the SAP Business Intelligence portfolio, including SAP BW, SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards, Design Studio, Web Intelligence, Crystal Reports, and the SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform. His main focus is dashboard development within the various SAP environments. Xavier is the coauthor of the first edition of this book and the book Getting Started with SAP BusinessObjects Design Studio, SAP Press. He writes for the SAP Experts BI Hub and has his own blog related to Business Intelligence at HackingSAP.com (http://HackingSAP.com/). You can follow Xavier on Twitter (http://twitter.com/xjhacking).