Transform your skills, data, and business—with the power user’s guide to PowerPivot for Excel. Led by two business intelligence (BI) experts, you’ll learn how to create and share your own BI solutions using software you already know and love: Microsoft Excel. Discover how to extend your existing skills, using the PowerPivot add-in to quickly turn mass quantities of data into meaningful information and on-the-job results—no programming required. The book introduces you to PowerPivot functionality, then takes a pragmatic approach to understanding and working with data models, data loading, data manipulation with Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), simple-to-sophisticated calculations, what-if analysis, and PowerPivot patterns. Learn how to create your own, “self-service” BI solutions, then share your results effortlessly across your organization using Microsoft SharePoint®.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Author
We have been working with PowerPivot since its early releases and, as all the new products, it requires some training to be used to its full potential. We wrote a book for end users who want to master PowerPivot, providing many examples and patterns to solve the typical business problems, which sometimes require solutions that are not easy to implement. You will be able to use this book both as a quick reference for common patterns and to learn how PowerPivot works and how to model your data in the good way.
About the Author
MARCO RUSSO is a software consultant and trainer based in Italy who focuses on Windows development and Business Intelligence solutions, including data warehouse relational and multidimensional design. He is the coauthor of Introducing Microsoft LINQ and Programming Microsoft LINQ (Microsoft Press), along with several other books about Microsoft .NET and SQL Server Analysis Services.
ALBERTO FERRARI is a consultant and trainer for the BI development area with the Microsoft suite for Business Intelligence. His main interests are in the methodological approaches to the BI development and works as a trainer for software houses that need to design complex BI solutions.
Alberto and Marco recently co-authored "Expert Cube Development with Microsoft SQL Server® 2008 Analysis Services" published by Packt Publishing and the "SQLBI Methodology". They are also the founders of SQLBI (sqlbi.com).
ALBERTO FERRARI is a consultant and trainer for the BI development area with the Microsoft suite for Business Intelligence. His main interests are in the methodological approaches to the BI development and works as a trainer for software houses that need to design complex BI solutions.
Alberto and Marco recently co-authored "Expert Cube Development with Microsoft SQL Server® 2008 Analysis Services" published by Packt Publishing and the "SQLBI Methodology". They are also the founders of SQLBI (sqlbi.com).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Cab
Format:Paperback
I like the book for two reasons.
First, while explaining how PowerPivot works, it also explains many BI concepts (OLAP cubes, sql joins, normalization) which are not necessarily known to every excel user. However, these help to maximize the usefulness of PowerPivot.
Second, it also shows what you can do with DAX, the new formula language of PowerPivot, which is quite impressive but not so easily mastered, especially here the book is a tremendous help.
First, while explaining how PowerPivot works, it also explains many BI concepts (OLAP cubes, sql joins, normalization) which are not necessarily known to every excel user. However, these help to maximize the usefulness of PowerPivot.
Second, it also shows what you can do with DAX, the new formula language of PowerPivot, which is quite impressive but not so easily mastered, especially here the book is a tremendous help.
15 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being a member of the Analysis Services Insiders group is one of my favorite parts about being a Microsoft SQL/BI MVP. The Insider forums are locked down to select individuals and provide Microsoft experts with a venue to exchange ideas, thoughts, and technical solutions among one another. As a result, overtime I have begun to know both Marco & Alberto, and when I learned they were both working on a collaborative PowerPivot book it peaked my interest. Furthermore, when I learned that the book would have a focus on DAX my interest increased yet again. I received an early copy of the printed manual and over the past 24 hours I have torn thru the book's newly printed pages eager to see what my fellow colleagues across the pond created.
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot is an extremely powerful and yet diverse Self-Service BI (SSBI) toolset. There are aspects of PowerPivot that are more slanted towards information workers (PowerPivot for Excel) while other aspects are intended purely for IT Pros (PowerPivot for SharePoint). The key decision for software-centric book authoring "is it better to drill down on a subset of a larger software product's features or provide complete coverage with less details" still applies today. Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari have clearly decided to focus on the PowerPivot for Excel experience with an advanced exploration of DAX, PowerPivot's best in class information worker expression language.
The book's key driver for purchase is that it is authored by seasoned Microsoft BI experts who exploit PowerPivot for Excel's analytical capabilities to the max. Who better to teach information workers about the advanced analytical capabilities of PowerPivot for Excel (which is driven internally by the in-memory Analysis Services Vertipaq engine) than those who've used past incarnations of similar technology for similar purposes? While I agree that PowerPivot for Excel 100% does not require information workers to be familiar with Analysis Services concepts, the author's background serves them well for the aspects of PowerPivot they choose to attack.
The manual begins with a nice introduction on classic Excel Pivot Tables and then demonstrates how PowerPivot for Excel clearly overcomes the limitations of the older pivot table & VLOOKUP technology. In chapters two and three the book explores PowerPivot for Excel introductory features including an introduction to DAX. The authors then introduce you to the concept of PowerPivot data models in chapter four with the loading of PowerPivot data models being covered in chapter five. Chapter six is where the authors expertise really begins to shine with a treatment of DAX's Evaluation Context and specifically the CALCULATE function.
Chapter seven hones in on using DAX for common time intelligence calculations. Date and time calculations are the crux of any analytical solution. Common expressions such as year-to-date, year-over-year, and beginning/closing balances are covered in detail. You are then taken into a chapter that shows you how to master Excel 2010 Pivot Tables including Classic Pivot Tables, OLAP Pivot Tables, and PowerPivot Pivot Tables.
Chapters nine and ten focus on DAX and data model patterns. SSBI users will find both of these chapters are extremely well tailored for them addressing common analytical challenges such as ratio calculations, ranking calculations, banding, and even a demonstration of how to overcome unsupported relationships with DAX. The manual concludes with chapter eleven covering the publishing of PowerPivot for Excel workbooks including a primer on PowerPivot for SharePoint via SharePoint data refresh settings & configuration.
Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel 2010 is without question the best book on PowerPivot for Excel I've read to date. The authors have executed well on a no-holds-barred approach to exploiting PowerPivot for Excel and everything that the client-experience can provide users. Both information workers and business intelligence professionals alike who use or intend to use PowerPivot for Excel should consider the book as required reading. Additionally, due to the sheer volume of DAX coverage, readers should retain the book as a must-have DAX reference.
Bravo!
Derek Comingore, Microsoft SQL/BI MVP
Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot is an extremely powerful and yet diverse Self-Service BI (SSBI) toolset. There are aspects of PowerPivot that are more slanted towards information workers (PowerPivot for Excel) while other aspects are intended purely for IT Pros (PowerPivot for SharePoint). The key decision for software-centric book authoring "is it better to drill down on a subset of a larger software product's features or provide complete coverage with less details" still applies today. Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari have clearly decided to focus on the PowerPivot for Excel experience with an advanced exploration of DAX, PowerPivot's best in class information worker expression language.
The book's key driver for purchase is that it is authored by seasoned Microsoft BI experts who exploit PowerPivot for Excel's analytical capabilities to the max. Who better to teach information workers about the advanced analytical capabilities of PowerPivot for Excel (which is driven internally by the in-memory Analysis Services Vertipaq engine) than those who've used past incarnations of similar technology for similar purposes? While I agree that PowerPivot for Excel 100% does not require information workers to be familiar with Analysis Services concepts, the author's background serves them well for the aspects of PowerPivot they choose to attack.
The manual begins with a nice introduction on classic Excel Pivot Tables and then demonstrates how PowerPivot for Excel clearly overcomes the limitations of the older pivot table & VLOOKUP technology. In chapters two and three the book explores PowerPivot for Excel introductory features including an introduction to DAX. The authors then introduce you to the concept of PowerPivot data models in chapter four with the loading of PowerPivot data models being covered in chapter five. Chapter six is where the authors expertise really begins to shine with a treatment of DAX's Evaluation Context and specifically the CALCULATE function.
Chapter seven hones in on using DAX for common time intelligence calculations. Date and time calculations are the crux of any analytical solution. Common expressions such as year-to-date, year-over-year, and beginning/closing balances are covered in detail. You are then taken into a chapter that shows you how to master Excel 2010 Pivot Tables including Classic Pivot Tables, OLAP Pivot Tables, and PowerPivot Pivot Tables.
Chapters nine and ten focus on DAX and data model patterns. SSBI users will find both of these chapters are extremely well tailored for them addressing common analytical challenges such as ratio calculations, ranking calculations, banding, and even a demonstration of how to overcome unsupported relationships with DAX. The manual concludes with chapter eleven covering the publishing of PowerPivot for Excel workbooks including a primer on PowerPivot for SharePoint via SharePoint data refresh settings & configuration.
Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel 2010 is without question the best book on PowerPivot for Excel I've read to date. The authors have executed well on a no-holds-barred approach to exploiting PowerPivot for Excel and everything that the client-experience can provide users. Both information workers and business intelligence professionals alike who use or intend to use PowerPivot for Excel should consider the book as required reading. Additionally, due to the sheer volume of DAX coverage, readers should retain the book as a must-have DAX reference.
Bravo!
Derek Comingore, Microsoft SQL/BI MVP
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By MAD
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Most of the book is well written, it would be nice to have some application exercises so you could do the process step by step and later check the answer. Otherwise it is too much theory.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly receommnded!
Great book for anyone, but especially for someone that desires to teach others about mining for data! A must buy!
Published 2 months ago by John K. Atkinson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the investment
The projects are great to work through and business friendly. Definitely worth the investment in time and effort. Read more
Published 3 months ago by smarin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thorough and detailed guide
The most difficult part of PowerPivot is adjusting to how its formulas work or don't work in alternative situations. Read more
Published 6 months ago by David Hansen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lavorare con Excel
eccelente guida per chi deve lavorare con le tabelle Pivot, potenza di calcolo oltre a qualunque attesa, buon manuale operativo
Published 6 months ago by Omar leal
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good place to start
It was a good introduction to the world of power pivot. You don't need a significant amount of experience with BI to get started.
Published 7 months ago by ChrisR
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful for Business QA vs the top texts
I've taught both MBA and Master's in Management classes online and physically at MIT, Harvard (GE Crotonville) and Phoenix State University. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Library Picks Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Professional Resource
This is simply the best book out there to understand the great power that is behind this tool. If you take short time to sit down and read it, it can save you endless hours of... Read more
Published 8 months ago by roberbaron
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice Intro
Nice intro to the topic, but I found another book that was better. Still, not to detract from the book, it does provide good coverage.
Published 12 months ago by Backbutton
5.0 out of 5 stars
A landmark in conceptual knowledge: a must in your library
I have had the pleasure to share multiple spaces with Alberto and Marco, being a SQL Server MVP myself. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Alejandro Leguizamo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel 2010: Give Your Data Meaning
This is a must have book. One of the biggest problems with PowerPivot is the translation of Denormalizatied tables into Excel Pivot Tables. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Daryl Turk
