IFS Business Analytics is a Business Intelligence solution that extends
Microsoft Excel from a desktop productivity tool to a full-fledged,
enterprise-scale client for planning, reporting and analysis. IFS Business
Analytics provides easier, more efficient, secure reporting, no matter what your
function is in the organization.
IFS Business Analytics is mainly a tool for Analytical Reporting. It transforms
transaction based data into structured information. The combination of using the
Information Source data layer to retrieve data from IFS Applications together
with the Excel calculation functionality enables a flexible and efficient report
design not requiring a deeper knowledge of the database design. Business
Analytics is particularly suitable for efficiently aggregating and grouping
structured data in several dimensions into information on a higher level. All
this with the presentation capabilities of Excel.
IFS Business Analytics is a report based tool. Each new report update is
initiated by starting a new execution and providing relevant parameters.
Updating the content of the report is made by re-executing the report with new
parameter values. The execution time is dependant on the data volumes and the
complexity of the report.
The results from a report execution is presented in Excel and are intended to be
viewed from Excel. For page based reporting intended for printing, IFS Business
Analytics is limited to the capabilities of Excel for controlling printout
formats and paging.
Functionality Overview
Report Design in Excel
Business Analytics is based on MS Excel functionality. IFS specific
functionality is used for more advanced reporting features such as report
parameters, filter criteria, design row and columns, repeaters, sheet
repeaters, offline data entry, fixed sheet, zoom-in and URL
Efficient design based on row and column repeaters. Data is expanded at
execution
Structure repeaters can be used to include data from IFS structures,
e.g. accounting or project structures
Sheet repeaters
Extended Repeater Connection used to connect compatible attributes from
different Information Sources, more or less simulation a virtual dimension.
Function based BA parameters, especially useful to handle calculated
report parameters that are based on input parameters.
Supporting Global BA Parameters, defined and managed in IFS Enterprise
Explorer.
Writeback of planning data, e.g. budgets and forecasts. Complete or
modified writeback can be performed, i.e. all data or only changed data
MS Excel Pivot functionality is used for ad-hoc analysis
Include Excel charts in the design
Utilize most of Excel's calculation and formatting functionality for IFS
specific features.
Excel security options fully supported, i.e. defined Excel security in
design mode will affect the access end user mode (in the executed report)
Report Execution in Excel
Online execution from Excel
Online ordering of published reports from Report Repository
Use filter criteria for efficient report execution
Detailed information with zoom-in and drill down. Direct access to IFS
Enterprise Explorer
IFS/Information Sources
The main data source for IFS Business Analytics
Gives user access to data in IFS Applications when designing BA reports
The default access type is Online, but
Data Mart is also available in most cases
IFS/Solution Manager
User interface for IFS Business Intelligence Services
Administration and configuration of Information Sources
Control Drill-down, Zoom-in, Write Back and URL relationships
Configuration of Client Navigator and Client Navigator indicators
Definition of Global BA Parameters, i.e. allows for centralized
parameter handling outside Business Analytics, affecting one or many BA
reports
Management of Materialized Views
Monitor and configure actions related to BA run-time performance
Monitor and manage Incremental Load of Information Sources
BA Execution Server
A Business Analytics specific server application for complete rendering of scheduled Business Analytics reports
IFS/Report Repository
Database storing and publishing of reports
IFS/Reporting
Online and scheduled report execution and delivery
Output execute reports in PDF format
IFS/Document Management
Scheduled reports can automatically be stored in Document Management
Accurate and secure data storage; document version control
Secure workspaces for collaboration and sharing information
