Download The BI Accelerator Package
You can download BIA packages, for many different ERP platforms, directly from the www.targit.com web site.
Make sure you select the correct platform (SQL Server version) upon which you want to deploy the BIA Data Warehouse.
Extract Package; Run Accelerator
Extract executable files from the downloaded BI Accelerator package to a folder from where it can run and re-run as often as you like.
Check for Required Software
The BI Accelerator will check for software requirements according to the selected SQL server platform before proceeding to the next steps.
Required TARGIT Decision Suite
The TARGIT Decision Suite is required to complete the configuration of the TARGIT BI Accelerator. If not already installed, you can install the version that comes with the Accelerator package.
License
The Accelerator needs a license to proceed. This could be an existing license, a newly purchased license or a Demo license that is requested through the Accelerator Configuration Wizard.
Product Version; Business Areas
The Accelerator needs a license to proceed. This could be an existing license, a newly purchased license or a Demo license that is requested through the Accelerator Configuration Wizard.
Source DB and Companies
This step is for selecting the source database, in this case an AX demo database, and also for selecting what companies to include in the deployed solution.
Data Marts; Data Refresh Schedule
In the Data Mart step you select then instances on your SQL Server where you want to deploy the Relational and the Multidimensional Data Marts.
Furthermore, the Update Schedule option lets you select at what time of the day you want the solution to be automatically refreshed with new data from the source system.
Model; Table Match
The Accelerator will use a Model upon which the solution will eventually be deployed. The Model anticipates a number of tables to be available from the previously selected source database. A too low match percent may indicate a mismatch of selected product version and actual source database or a highly customized database.
Warnings
If you run the Accelerator more than once, you will be overwriting all databases, SSIS packages etc. that have previously been deployed by the tool. This is particularly harmful if, in the meantime, you have made customized modifications to the solution. Hence the Warnings page. Read the warnings and understand the consequences before proceeding.
TARGIT Server Options
The default option for the TARGIT Server is to overwrite any existing connection. This option can be changed from the Advanced / TARGIT tab of the Accelerator.
TARGIT Analyses and Reports
The default option for the TARGIT Analyses and Reports is to overwrite any existing documents. This option can be changed from the Advanced / TARGIT tab of the Accelerator.
Backup and Restore
The default option for the TARGIT Analyses and Reports is to overwrite any existing documents. This option can be changed from the Advanced / TARGIT tab of the Accelerator.
Calendars
You can choose your own format for your time dimensions: Normal Calendar dimension as well as a Fiscal Calendar dimension, if necessary.
Renaming Databases
If necessary, you may rename the databases - e.g. in order not to overwrite existing databases.
DB and Log Size
For performance reasons, it is advised to consider and set proper initial DB and Log Files sizes.
Concurrent Table Transfers
For various reasons, e.g. limitations on your SQL Server platform, you may need to alter the maximum number of concurrent table transfers during the SSIS process. Also, you have the option to run SSIS packages int 32 bit mode, if necessary.
Master Cube
The 'Master Cube' option will deploy the solution with just one cube, combining data from all Business Areas into one master cube. As opposed to the default setting of deploying one cube per Business Area. Each option has its' pros and cons.
User Defined Attributes
You can add new attributes to existing dimensions from any of the source tables.
New Dimension
This video will show you how to add a new dimension to your Data Warehouse before executing the Accelerator.
Add table to Table Collection
When working with dimensions, you may need to add further attributes to one of the existing dimensions. If that attribute originates from a column in a table that is currently not part of the dimension, you must add the new table to become part of the dimension's Table Collection.
Dimension Attribute from Calculated Column
Suppose your source dimension table does not contain information in the exact way you would like to present these data to the end-users. In that case, you can add a Calculated Column to your dimension tables. A Calculated Column lets you define custom content, e.g. a concatenation of two existing columns, potentially mixed with static text. The Calculated Column is then immediately available to be used as a new attribute within your dimension.
Dimension Hierarchies
Define your own custom hierarchies on basis of available attributes within the dimension.
User Defined Measure
The BI Accelerator comes with a number of useful default measures, directly out of the box. On the Advanced step of the BIA Wizard, you have the option to add further User Defined Measures, simply by selecting them from the available transactions (fact) tables.
Measure from Calculated Column
You can create a new measure from a calculated column. The calculated column is added to the transactions (fact) table as a new column. E.g. if each transaction contains two measures already, a SalesQuantity and a SalesAmount per transaction, you may calculate a TotalSalesAmount as SalesQuantity * SalesAmount.
Important: It is important to understand that a Calculated Column will contain calculated data per transaction. You may also think of a Calculated Column as a calculation that is done before processing of data - i.e. before data has been summarized.
Measure as a new Calculcation
You can create a create a calculated measure as an expression. The measure can be based on logical expressions which may include other measure columns or other custom content. E.g. a calculated Profit measure may be expressed as a subtraction between two existing measure columns, Revenue and Cost.
Important: It is important to understand that the result for a Calculated Measure will be calculated at query time. You may also think of a Calculated Measure as a calculation that is done after processing of data - i.e. after data has been summarized.
Saving and Restoring BIA Projects
Working with BI Accelerator Project files enables you to save all customizations you may have made during the Advanced step of the BIA Wizard.
When you at a later point need to re-run the BI Accelerator, this Project file may be re-opened to restore all customized settings.
Visual Studio Solution
If, for any reason, you need to manually modify the contents of the cubes, dimensions, measures or SSIS packages created from the BI Accelerator, first, you will need to create a Visual Studio solution containing the SSAS and SSIS projects.