SharePoint is Microsoft’s web application platform largely used for bringing Business Intelligence (BI) tools to management teams looking to organize, interpret, and analyze data. SharePoint 2010 pushes the boundaries of what BI means and what it is capable of accomplishing. Most companies employing any one of the myriad of Business Intelligence methodologies which exist is doing so in an attempt to manage pertinent data. These companies are receiving new data at an incredible rate and it all needs to be put to use if it is to be of any benefit, otherwise it will merely be an additional cost to store and a potential liability if security happens to be breached. Data needs not only to be used properly but quickly. The longer it sits idle the less value it offers. Collecting and then presenting the appropriate data immediately to whomever on your team needs it most poses interesting challenges for managers charged with improving decision-making.

SharePoint 2010 attempt to address some of the areas of concern for BI professionals by providing a long list of powerful tools aimed at managing data. Microsoft Excel, the PowerPivot Add-in for Excel, Excel Services, Visio and Visio Service, PerformancePoint Services, Report Builder, and Reporting Services all help users to create documents that can then be accessed by anyone allowed by the manager. Even greater functionality can be brought to documents created in the SharePoint environment through dynamic data retrieval from various sources, updating spreadsheets and other files in real-time. Updating quickly saves time, effort, and money not only by hastening the input of data but by providing the data in a usable way to decision makers when the data is most compelling. Read the rest of this entry »