Xcelsius Dashboards – using QAAWS and Live Office

Hi All,

Hope you did not encounter any issues in integrating Xcelsius with SQL Server Reporting Services and SharePoint data.  In this blog, I would like to explain to you on integrating Xcelsius dashboard with Query As A Web Service (abbreviated QAAWS) and Live Office.

Introduction

• QAAWS is an Xcelsius provided web service that gets data from a Business Objects Universe using queries and exposes the URL that can be used to fetch data at run-time from the database using the universe metadata.
• Live Office integrates with Microsoft Office, embedding up-to-the-minute corporate data in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word documents.
• The server component of QAAWS is installed automatically when BusinessObjects Enterprise XI Release 2 Service Pack 2 with Web Intelligence.

• The server component of Live Office is installed automatically with BusinessObjects Premium while keys need to be purchased for Professional edition.
• Client tool for QAAWS needs to be purchased as a separate license.
• Client components of both Live Office and QAAWS are available in the collaterals CD in the Adds-on folder.

Xcelsius Connector to be used

• Using Query as a Web Service client tool installed in the user’s machine, login and connect to the universe from where data needs to be fetched for the dashboard
• Generate a WSDL (Web Service Definition Language) similar to creating a query using a desktop intelligence report query.  Result objects and Filter objects will be defined in the WSDL.
• Prompts can be specified in case parameters need to be passed between the queries.
• In the Xcelsius dashboard, the Query as a Web Service component should be used to fetch data using the URL created through the client tool as described above.

• Live Office client once installed on a machine appears as another Tool Bar option in Office tools.
• Using the menu, data from Web Intelligence reports and Crystal reports can be fetched into Excel that can be a source of information for the dashboard.
• Similar to QAAWS, the Web Intelligence and Crystal Report queries can have prompts to pass parameters between queries at run-time.
• In the Xcelsius dashboard, the Live Office component can be used to fetch data from Web Intelligence reports and Crystal reports.

Dashboard Features

• For a dashboard shown as sample that depicts the Service Requests (SRs) handled for a client, there are three queries to fetch the data.
  • SRs raised, opened and closed
  • High and Critical SRs open more than 3 days
  • High and Critical SRs opened today

• For the first two queries Live Office queries is used to fetch data and the third query QAAWS is used to fetch data.
• Live Office queries are used when data needs to be fetched in the form of cross-tabs which is not possible through QAAWS.
• Using both QAAWS and Live Office, it is possible to fetch data from more than one data source.
• On clicking a specific month, details of the SRs would be displayed in a new window.  The details are typically a drill down in business intelligence terminology.
• Drill downs

• • Drill down can be provided from the main dashboard to another Xcelsius dashboard with more details or a Web intelligence / Crystal report
  • Even PDF documents that have been generated from other tools can be viewed in the Xcelsius dashboards
  • Flash variables can be used to pass data from the main dashboard to the drill down dashboard
  • opendocument URL can be used to call drill down reports and pass parameters from the dashboard to the drill down reports
• Security
  • Xcelsius dashboards can handle the security similar to web intelligence documents.  The dimension level security specified in the universe, applies to the dashboards too.
  • In the specific sample shown, if the SRs are from different applications, it is possible for managers, to view only the applications to which they are responsible for.

We have provided ways of integrating Xcelsius dashboards with live data using QAAWS, Live Office, Reporting Services and SharePoint Consumer, Provider and Param components.

Let me know if you would like to know more on other dashboard topics.  Get back to me in case on any specific queries.  I would be happy to assist you.  Happy reading!

Read More about  QAAWS