by Anurag Barua, Senior Director, GyanSys, Inc.
May 23, 2013
Straight from the field, learn about seven features in SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, edition for OLAP that are prompting companies to transition from ad-hoc analysis in SAP BEx to Analysis.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
April 11, 2013
See how to use the BusinessObjects 3.1 Universe Designer tool to set and manage BusinessObjects universe parameters. Doing so allows you to effectively control the functionality of a universe.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
March 15, 2013
Interested in how the new Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack helps convert reports into a BusinessObjects 4.x environment? Consider joining SAP’s feedback group.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
February 06, 2013
Learn the various ways to set universe access restrictions in your BusinessObjects 3.1 system via the widely used Universe Designer function. Find out how to create and manage row- and object-level security, override a connection, control queries, and amend SQL generation options, among other access-restriction actions.
by Xavier Hacking, SAP BI Consultant, Interdobs B.V.
January 10, 2013
Get the details behind eight add-ons to SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards that can help you with printing dashboards, importing data from CSV files, integrating dashboards with Google Maps, and other functions.
by Frank Rambo, Director, Customer Solution Adoption EMEA, SAP
December 27, 2012
Walk through features in SAP Visual Intelligence that might appeal to BusinessObjects users and business analysts.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
December 20, 2012
Sort out the authentication options offered for BusinessObjects Enterprise and see how to use them.
by Jennifer McKune, Senior Consultant, Decision First Technologies
December 03, 2012
Save time creating Web Intelligence reports by learning best practices for correctly implementing a corporate reporting standard at the outset of a project. Explore the benefits of a consistent, enterprise-wide report format and learn who within your organization should be involved in the creation of a standardized template.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
November 19, 2012
Users sometimes "want everything" to appear in a dashboard, which is not feasible because of performance concerns. Find out what other options are available to give dashboard users access to the data they need.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
October 04, 2012
Get an overview of the features in Crystal Reports and Web Intelligence, and learn how to determine which tool to use for specific reporting, query, and data analysis needs.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
September 06, 2012
Find out about best practices for universe design and testing universe design. Also read why the transition from the old Universe Designer to the new Universe Design Tool in BusinessObjects 4.0 has been effective.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
July 23, 2012
Walk away with a basic understanding of how to use the BusinessObjects Import Wizard, including a seven-step breakdown of how the wizard works.
by Kelly Bilodeau, Contributing Writer, BusinessObjects Expert
July 02, 2012
Get seven expert pointers from a trainer about how to improve user adoption when rolling out BusinessObjects BI 4.0.
by Ming Kai Goh, SAP NetWeaver BW-certified consultant
June 28, 2012
Discover how you can use Xcelsius (now known as BusinessObjects Dashboards) to create a dashboard solution that enables decision makers to drill down through their organizational structure for hierarchical sales information in an intuitive manner.
by Jim Brogden, Daugherty Business Solutions
June 21, 2012
Now that Desktop Intelligence has been retired and direct access to SAP Business Explorer queries has been added, Web Intelligence will be used more than ever before. As Web Intelligence continues to evolve and new features are added, query, analysis, and reporting capabilities continue to improve.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
June 08, 2012
Take a tour of the basic security access levels offered in BusinessObjects, including overviews of how to manage these levels, how to assign advanced rights to users or groups, and how to use inheritance options to save time.
by Prakash Darji, Vice President and General Manager, Data Warehousing Solutions and SAP HANA Platform
May 11, 2012
Learn how SAP HANA works within BusinessObjects landscapes through examples that explain the details behind using SAP HANA as an operational data mart or Agile data mart.
by Adam Getz, Practice Manager, Business Intelligence, DCS Consulting, Inc.
May 03, 2012
In today’s business world, dashboards and scorecards have become key tools for decision-makers to quickly and intuitively understand the current state of their organization’s operations and effectively monitor the execution of operations. Learn the definitions and key aspects of dashboards and scorecards, with clarifying examples to distinguish between them so that you can avoid confusion. Find out what makes these two products similar and what makes each unique.
by Ryan Goodman, CEO and Founder, Centigon Solutions
April 02, 2012
In a follow-up to his webcast about Xcelsius design, consultant Ryan Goodman answers participant questions from the show.
by Prakash Darji, Vice President and General Manager, Data Warehousing Solutions and SAP HANA Platform
March 13, 2012
Gain an understanding of the key differences between SAP HANA and traditional relational database systems in a BusinessObjects environment, and learn how BusinessObjects has been optimized for SAP HANA.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
February 13, 2012
Intelligent calendars can automate certain functions for BusinessObjects reports, eliminating potential human errors.
by Jim Brogden, Daugherty Business Solutions
February 02, 2012
Learn best practices for integrating Web Intelligence data into BusinessObjects Dashboards, with a focus on how to use Web services generated in Web Intelligence Rich Client. This type of integration allows dashboards to become dynamically loaded applications rather than manually refreshed visual models.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
January 26, 2012
Find out three things that a power user needs to know before starting to test a revised or new universe.
by Adam Getz, Manager BI and Reporting, TMA Resources
January 13, 2012
Designing BusinessObjects universes for an entire organization takes skill and knowledge of best practices. Learn about two unique approaches for designing and deploying BusinessObjects universes at the enterprise level so that all database tables and fields from every business unit, department, and subject area are incorporated.
by Andrew Joo, Senior Manager, Hitachi Consulting
December 22, 2011
Find out how a global energy company — after developing Xcelsius dashboards (now known as BusinessObjects Dashboards) using a Rapid Management Cockpit methodology — followed up on the effort by designing future architecture to integrate dashboards to an enterprise data layer. In doing so, the company fully built out its business intelligence and performance management capabilities without following traditional processes.
by Andrew Joo, Senior Manager, Hitachi Consulting
December 22, 2011
See how a global energy company quickly jump-started its business intelligence (BI) capabilities using Xcelsius dashboards (now known as BusinessObjects Dashboards) and the Rapid Management Cockpit methodology. It was able to deliver up-front business value without undertaking traditional bottoms-up BI development processes, which can be costly and time-consuming. BI end users, analysts, administrators, and developers were instrumental in this process by driving the planning, designing, and developing of the solution.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
December 16, 2011
Take a balanced approach to BusinessObjects security access by considering methods to maintain security while keeping the day-to-day duties of users in mind.
by Jeswin Davidson Ebenezer, SAP BusinessObjects Consultant, YASH Technologies
December 09, 2011
Extracting the right data from your transaction system for analysis and decision making is important. You can standardize and correct data using BusinessObjects Data Services. A real-time data migration example illustrates the concepts and walks you through the process. The scenario can help technical teams in any organization understand the data quality process for data migration. You can use this process in a non-SAP environment when data warehouses are built on top of relational database systems for reporting and analysis. You can also use it when the target is in an SAP system.
by Adam Getz, Manager BI and Reporting, TMA Resources
November 28, 2011
Get a high-level, side-by-side comparison of the features in Crystal Reports 2011 and Crystal Reports for Enterprise, and gain an understanding of the new functions available in Crystal Reports for Enterprise.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
November 03, 2011
Web Intelligence 4.0’s greatest strength may be the way it allows users and report developers to control all aspects of chart appearances.
by Jim Brogden, Senior Consultant, Daugherty Business Solutions
October 17, 2011
Timely and accurate information are two of the foundational requirements of a successful business intelligence implementation. Without relevant and well-timed information, incorrect and potentially catastrophic decisions could be made at an organization. This type of risk can be minimized or even completely eliminated when printed reports are replaced by dynamic dashboards. In addition, by doing so, you’ll be going green and reducing your company’s carbon footprint.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
October 05, 2011
Beyond its tabbed appearance, Crystal Reports for Enterprise also offers beneficial changes for connecting to multiple data sources and developing charts.
by Jim Brogden, Senior Consultant, Daugherty Business Solutions
September 23, 2011
By adding links to other BusinessObjects documents in your Web Intelligence reports, you can provide “drill-through” capabilities to reports and significantly cut down on the time it takes to analyze a dataset. Learn the details about how to create and edit links to reports.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
September 13, 2011
Introduce yourself to several new features in BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0, including what’s available in the new Dashboard Design start page and a tour of user enhancements for query browsing.
by David Allison, SAP Business Intelligence Consultant, Bluefin Solutions, Ltd.
September 06, 2011
Find out how to simply implement user-definable inputs that can be used within Web Intelligence reports so users can take advantage of dynamic values needed for more interactive reporting.
by Anurag Barua, Director
August 23, 2011
While there is widespread recognition of the value that dashboards generate, there is also an incipient apprehension that they are not secure. Walk through some ways you can validate the security in dashboards using BusinessObjects Dashboards as an example, while maintaining the user-friendliness that is expected in a dashboard.
by Jim Brogden, Senior Consultant, Daugherty Business Solutions
August 03, 2011
Effective Web Intelligence report design is generally measured by a user's level of satisfaction with their ability to efficiently analyze business data in a report. The likelihood of success improves greatly when reports are designed for a particular group of users and a specific purpose. Among the key factors to consider when designing reports include the placement and relative position of elements on the report canvas, customization of formatting properties, and adjustment of page layout settings.
by Jim Brogden, Senior Consultant, Daugherty Business Solutions
July 20, 2011
Walk through common scenarios for adding sections and breaks to a Web Intelligence report, and learn how to edit section and break properties. These steps make information easier to use and improve navigation for users.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
June 29, 2011
In this Q&A, representatives from the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba discuss how BusinessObjects Enterprise helped the agency in its goal of transitioning from paper to electronic claims and related documents.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
June 24, 2011
Two new releases of BusinessObjects Crystal Reports point to more significant future changes in the software.
by Ingo Hilgefort, Director, Solution Management, SAP
June 17, 2011
Learn the basic steps to use BusinessObjects Explorer, including how to search for answers, explore the data, and use common functionality.
by Evan J. Albright, Contributing Editor, insiderPROFILES
June 13, 2011
Discover what attracted a beer brewer to BusinessObjects Explorer.
by Jim Brogden, Senior Consultant, Daugherty Business Solutions
June 08, 2011
Formulas, variables, and functions are important elements in BusinessObjects Web Intelligence data analysis and report creation. The extensive set of functions used in combination with operators allows for the creation of complex, unique, and informative custom objects. The ability to add formulas and modify existing ones while viewing reports provides users with an increased level of convenience.
by Ryan Goodman, CEO, Centigon Solutions, Inc.
June 02, 2011
A collaborative process between business and IT stakeholders is the key to a successful dashboard strategy. Learn strategies to improve this collaboration and gain insight into development issues that users can influence.
by Chris Dinkel, IT Leader, Deloitte Consulting, and J.C. Raveneau, Director of Customers and Field Engagement, SAP, based on their book, Discover SAP BusinessObjects, published by SAP Press
May 27, 2011
Read why customers who already had an investment in BusinessObjects solutions should consider this investment safe and continue to rely on the solutions for their business moving forward.
by Ashwani Sharma, SAP BI and BusinessObjects Consultant, Accenture
May 19, 2011
Learn about the new architecture of the SAP Business Objects Information Design Tool and see how it can improve Web Intelligence reporting.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
May 18, 2011
Learn how users can help designers during Xcelsius dashboard development.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
May 17, 2011
Take away a trio of ideas that can bridge the gap between BusinessObjects users and IT.
by Lorelle Gibson, Senior Consultant, Column5 Consulting
May 14, 2011
Extending the visualization capabilities of Xcelsius to display data from SAP BusinessObjects enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions requires an evaluation of data sources and complexity. Learn two approaches to related data integration and discover insights for enabling Xcelsius Enterprise 2008 connectivity to EPM solutions.
by Praveen Misra, BI Architect, Systech Integrators
May 13, 2011
BusinessObjects Web Intelligence and BusinessObjects Voyager offer different ways to approach reporting. Find out how these two front-end options compare and who the target user is for each one.
by Sandesh Darne, Lead Consultant, ERP Service, L&T Infotech
May 09, 2011
Users and administrators with an interest in dashboard design can learn about a systematic approach to dashboard development using Xcelsius. Realize typical challenges in dashboard user interface design and data modeling. Find out how to simplify the development cycle and reduce the time frame needed to generate dashboard applications.
by David Hannon, Features Editor, SAPinsider and insiderPROFILES
May 05, 2011
Learn how Colgate-Palmolive adeptly achieved its goals to roll out new BusinessObjects Dashboards features.
by Scott Wallask, Managing Editor, BusinessObjects Expert
May 03, 2011
Learn about changes with running queries that Business Explorer Analyzer users can expect with the new BusinessObjects Analysis.
by Davin Wilfrid, Senior Analyst, insiderRESEARCH
May 03, 2011
SAP’s roadmap for business intelligence (BI) has been the subject of intense focus and debate since SAP bought BusinessObjects in 2008. The user-facing applications from the renamed SAP BusinessObjects have been the strategic direction for BI for more than three years, but still many companies struggle to move forward. Learn four tips for project managers gleaned from a new research report.
by Davin Wilfrid, Senior Analyst, insiderRESEARCH
May 03, 2011
See how Emergency Medical Associates is using out-of-the-box functionality from SAP BusinessObjects to track the spread of the H1N1 flu virus in order to stay one step ahead of a potential epidemic.