Dive into the business intelligence (BI) features in SharePoint 2010--and use the right combination of tools to deliver compelling solutions. This practical guide helps you explore several BI application services available in SharePoint 2010 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2. You'll learn each technology with step-by-step instructions, and determine which ones work best in specific BI scenarios--whether you're a SharePoint administrator, SQL Server developer, or business analyst.

• Choose the BI tools that meet your needs--and learn how they work together
• Examine the BI lifecycle, from determining key performance indicators to building dashboards
• Take Microsoft Excel further--gain more control and functionality with web-based Excel Services
• Mash up data from multiple sources using PowerPivot for Excel 2010
• Create data visualizations with objects, context, and metrics using Microsoft Visio Services
• Build dashboards, scorecards, and other monitoring and analysis tools with PerformancePoint Services
• Use SharePoint to view BI reports side by side, no matter which tools were used to produced them

Your companion web content includes:

• Interactive exercises that help you try out concepts or techniques
• Code samples that enable you to work with the exercises