SAP Crystal Dashboard Design Introduction

SAP Crystal Dashboard DesignIntroduction SAP UA Version: 1.1 Author: Sonja Hecht, UCC Munich Abstract This module provides an introduction on the topic dashboard design using SAP Crystal Dashboard Design. Product SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, personal edition Level Undergraduate Beginner

Agenda • Introduction • SAP Crystal Dashboard Design overview • Creating the first dashboard

Dashboard definition “A dashboard is a visual display of the most important information needed to achieve one or more objectives; consolidated and arranged on a single screen so the information can be monitored at a glance” (Few, 2004)

Example of a spreadsheet Source: http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/sap-crystal-solutions/dashboards-visualization/demos/index.epx

Example of a dashboard Source: http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/sap-crystal-solutions/dashboards-visualization/demos/index.epx

Other dashboard examples • Daily executive report • Summarizes the daily status of a hospitality company's key performance indicators across different locations • Gives the executive an interactive view of the daily and monthly metrics • Standard income statement • Highlights a new way of presenting typical income statements • By selecting a region from a map, the viewer can see its P&L and net income trend over the last six quarters and compare it with the target values Source: http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/sme/xcelsius/demos/index.epx

Display media for dashboards Source: adapted from Few (2006), p. 124 ff

Evolution of Dashboards Evolution of Automobile Dashboards versus Business Dashboards: Automobile Dashboards Business Dashboards Display: Simple Lamps Function: -Indication of engine issues Display: Simple Charts Function: -Simple monitoring of some business areas First Generation Display: • Lamps • Gauges • Odometers Function: • Indication of engine issues • Measure fuel, etc. • Measure speed, distance Display: • Advanced Charts • Gauges & Indicators • Tables Function: • Advanced monitoring • Drill down to analyze • Monitor key metrics Second Generation Adapted from Rasmussen/Bansal/Chen (2009), p.5 Display: • Lamps • Gauges • Odometers • GPS Function: • Indication of engine issues • Measure fuel, speed, dist. • Show route & destination Display: • Advanced Charts • Gauges & Indicators • Tables • Scorecards • Strategy Maps Function: • Advanced monitoring • Drill down to analyze • Monitor key metrics • Monitor tactics • Monitor strategy Third Generation

Dashboard types I • Strategic Dashboards • Used by executives • Quick overview on the health of the business, including major high-level measures • Few information, simple display mechanisms, static snapshots Analytical Dashboards • Used by analysts • Support interaction with data, e.g. drill-down • Complex data, sophisticated display mechanisms, static snapshots Operational Dashboards • Used to monitor operations • Support alerting for critical events, interaction with data • Detailed data, simple and clear display mechanisms, real-time data Source: (Few 2006, p. 40-42)

Layers of information Summarized Graphical View Purpose: Monitor key performance metrics Display: Graphical indicators, numbers, text Technology: Dashboards, scorecard, portals Top Layer Multidimensional View Purpose: Explore information from multiple dimensions Display: Interactive charts and tables Technology: OLAP, interactive reports Middle Layer Detailed Reporting View Purpose: Examine details before taking action Display: Table or report in separate window Technology: Operational reports, data warehouse queries Bottom Layer Source: Eckerson (2006), p. 15

Dashboard types II • Dashboard versus Portal • Portal = Focus on the integration of different contents under one user interface • Dashboard = Focus on the compression of important facts and figures on one single screen Dashboard versus Scorecard • A scorecard is a specific dashboard including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), usually used on a strategic level

The New Intelligence Platform of SAP Please check sdn.sap.com for latest version • SAP Crystal Dashboard Design (formerly Xcelsius) is • the flagship product for dashboarding and visualization • Rapid development of dashboards by drag and drop • Replacing SAP Bex Web Application Designer • Connectivity through XML and webservice connectors Source: (SAP AG 2009)

SAP Crystal Dashboard Design overview • Building dashboards for different purposes and different hierarchical levels or functions, including dynamic charts and graphs, data presentations and visual what-if scenarios • Data presentation is based on Adobe Flash, export to different applications including PowerPoint, Acrobat 9, Adobe AIR, Adobe Flash, HTML, Business Objects Platform • Dashboards use static data from Microsoft Excel spreadsheet models or live corporate data sources linked using various connectors • Available connectors: Query as a Web Service (QaaWS), Web Service Connections, XML Data Connections, Excel XML Map, Live Office,…

The Workspace Canvas Area Component Browser Object Browser Embedded Spreadsheet Properties Panel

Design time & Run time Design time Run time Visualization Generate dashboard (.swf file with internal data model) Optional: Dashboard (.swf file) deployed on corporate web server Web Server Visualization Design visualization Data bindingData connectivity Workspace Business Logic Dashboard is opened on user‘s machine Spreadsheet model Client Data Source Optional: Dashboard connects to data source to refresh data OLAP XML RDBMS Client

SAP Crystal Dashboard Design and the MVC pattern View (before adjustment) Controller View (after adjustment) Model

Visual components Chart components provide a range of different chart types like line, pie, bar, area, radar, and tree map chart Container components group and display other components Selector components are used to create a visualization with multiple options to select from Single value components are used to add user interactivity to visualizations, these components are linked to a single cell in the spreadsheet Map components create visualizations with geographical representations that can display data by region Text components are used for placing labels and including text into a visualization

Creating dashboards • Three steps to create a new dashboard: • Create the spreadsheet model • Import existing spreadsheet model or • Create new spreadsheet model with Excel functionality • Build the visualization • Select suitable components from the visualization library • Data binding • Publish the dashboard • Export to PPT, Word, Adobe, SWF, Business Objects …

Import spreadsheet model 1. Select Data -> Import… 2. Select existing Excel file… 3. Your business model is now available in the embedded spreadsheet

Select visual components 1. Select a pie chart from the component browser 2. Move the component using drag and drop onto the canvas

Properties and data binding 1. Double click on the component to open the properties panel 2. Edit title of the component: Use static values or dynamic values from spreadsheet model 3. Bind data from spreadsheet model to the component

Properties panel • Title, subtitle • Selection of data source, data binding • Adding drill-down capability for charts • Settings for the visualization of the component • E.g. visibility of component, scaling of axis, animation and effects • Settings for the appearance and formatting of components • E.g. layout, text, and color of component • Settings for alerts for a component • E.g. definition of the number of alert colors used, or target limits

Publish dashboard 1. Save spreadsheet model and visualization as *.xlf file 2. Export as e.g. PDF 3. Launch Dashboard

SAP Crystal Dashboard Design Introduction