Test drive of PerformancePoint and SSRS on SharePoint

Question

I need to build advanced reports on SharePoint, where radars, pivots and cumulative values are involved. One obvious option is Excel Services, but I'd be interested to compare it with PerformancePoint and SSRS.

Is there an easy way to try out these tools in a SharePoint environment?

If not, I'd be interested in a comparison of the three options. My need is for SharePoint 2010 only, I don't have any connection to other data sources.

Answer 1

You could also have a look at PowerView (that is if you have a SQL Server 2012 available to run SSRS). Here is a blog with a rough feature comparision: http://businessintelligist.com/2012/04/02/comparing-performancepoint-powerview-excel-services-and-reporting-services/

Answer 2

I've used ssrs within Sharepoint and it is great. It's very easy to use within the SP environment. This may help: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff686706.aspx

good luck.

Answer 3

PerformancePoint without any other data sources is very limited.

If you have a SharePoint environment, find out if you can have access to an instance of SSAS on the SQL Server. You'll then be able to either locate a cube you have access to, or copy over the AdventureWorks SSAS database.

PerformancePoint comes to life when you have analytical data sources (cubes), as the interactive charts are what really shine in PPS.

Answer 4

Powerpivot worked well for a Executive Portal I developed. Consider that solution. For the right problem, it is one hellava solution.

Agree with James Love about PPS.

Disagree with Michael about Enesys. Enesys data connection to Infopath library did not fulfill the intended need. May work well for basic lists, though.

Watch out for the rendering delays of sparklines and indicators in SP-SSRS integrated mode. This is a bug and it will bite you if you expect to put 20 or 30 indicators or sparklines on a page.

Answer 5

With advance reports performance is major concern, I will go with Performance Point its very powerful but you can only build KPI by selecting Sharepoint List as data source, when you want advance charts you have to build SSAS cubes, but you cannot directly build SSAS cube on top sharepoint as sharepoint is not a relational database, so you will end up doing following :

1: Creating relational Data Warehouse.

2: Creating SSIS package to sync your Data Warehouse with Sharepoint Lists Data.

3: Creating Analysis service (OLAP) Cubes on top of your Data Warehouse.

4: Finally creating Reports using SharePoint Performance Point Dashboard Designer.

I have a blog post which discuss this process in detail here

Answer 6

We use a combination of Enesys and reporting services to do something similar. We found excel services to be rather limited for our needs as well as a configuration hazard. Enesys is cheap and a simple enough language that any business analyst or developer in your team can hit the ground running with it.

Note: Not affiliated with Enesys in any way, shape, for form - just a happy customer!