SharePoint 2013 vs. 2010 – Part 5 – Business Intelligence

BI in SharePoint 2013 provides comprehensive BI tools that integrate across Microsoft Office applications and other Microsoft technologies. Here are some of the new and enhance features: New features Enhanced features  

1. Excel BI:
   1. Data exploration improvements: Users can more easily explore data and conduct analysis in reports that use SQL Server Analysis Services data or PowerPivot data models. For example, users can point to a value in a PivotChart or PivotTable report and see suggested ways to view additional information. Users can also use commands such as Drill Down To to conduct analysis.
   2. Calculated measures and members: In Excel, users can define calculated measures and calculated members by using Analysis Services data.
   3. Enhanced timeline controls: Users can easily create timeline controls in Excel to display information for certain periods of time in reports and dashboards.
   4. In Memory BI Engine (IMBI): The In Memory multidimensional data analysis engine (IMBI), also known as the VertiPaq engine, allows for almost instant analysis of millions of rows and is a fully integrated feature in the Excel client.
   5. Power View Add-in for Excel: Power View ("Crescent") is powered by the BI Semantic Model and the VertiPaq engine, and enables users to visualize and interact with modeled data by using highly interactive visualizations, animations and smart querying. Users will be able to present and share insights with others in the organization through rich storyboard presentation capabilities.
   6. Independent PivotChart and PivotTable reports: Users can now create PivotChart reports without having to include a PivotTable report on the same page.
   7. Trend analysis: Excel supports the ability to conduct trend analysis from cells in PivotTable reports that use OLAP data, such as Analysis Services cubes or PowerPivot data models.
2. Excel Services:
   1. Data exploration improvements: Users can more easily explore data and conduct analysis in Excel Services reports that use SQL Server Analysis Services data or PowerPivot data models.
   2. Field list and field well support: Excel Services enables users to easily view and change which items are displayed in rows, columns, values, and filters in PivotChart reports and PivotTable reports that have been published to Excel Services.
   3. Calculated measures and members: Excel Services supports calculated measures and calculated members that are created in Excel.
   4. Enhanced timeline controls: Excel Services supports timeline controls that render and behave as they do in the Excel client.
   5. Application BI Servers: Administrators can specify SQL Server Analysis Services servers to support more advanced analytic capabilities in Excel Services.
   6. Business Intelligence Center update: The Business Intelligence Center site template has been streamlined. It not only has a new look, it is easier to use.
3. PerformancePoint Services:
   1. Dashboard Migration: Users will be able to copy entire dashboards and dependencies, including the .aspx file, to other users, servers, or site collections. This feature also allows the ability to migrate single items to other environments and to migrate content by using Windows PowerShell commands.
   2. Filter Enhancements & Filter Search: The UI has been enhanced to allow users to easily view and manage filters including giving users the ability to search for items within filters without having to navigate through the tree.
   3. BI Center Update: The new BI Center is cleaner, and easier to use with folders and libraries configured for easy use.
   4. Support for Analysis Services Effective User: This new feature eliminates the need for Kerberos delegation when per-user authentication is used for Analysis Services data sources.
   5. Customize your Dashboards to match your Company style: In PerformancePoint Services in SharePoint 2013, users can use styles to have greater flexibility in the look and feel of their dashboards and the SharePoint themes.
   6. PerformancePoint Support on iPad: PerformancePoint dashboards can now be viewed and interacted with on iPad devices using the Safari web browser.
4. Visio Services: The following feature are all new in SharePoint 2013:
   1. Maximum Cache Size: A new service parameter, it is located on the Central Administration Visio Graphics Service Application Global Settings page. The default value is 5120 MB.
   2. Health Analyzer rules: New corresponding Health Analyzer rules have been added to reflect the new Maximum Cache Size parameter.
   3. Updated PowerShell cmdlet “Set-SPVisioPerformance”: This cmdlet has been updated to include the new Maximum Cache Size parameter.
   4. Commenting on drawings supported: Users can add meaningful comments to a Visio Drawing (*.vsdx) collaboratively on the web via Visio Services in full page rendering mode.