This two-day course is geared toward users of Essbase and the Excel Add-In and / or Smart View. The goal on the first day is to enable students to understand more about the possibilities of using Essbase for analysis and building new analytical models. It goes beyond basic Excel Add-In and Smart View training by getting users familiar with some of the back-end processes used in designing and developing Essbase models. We show students how to take existing excel models and reports, and re-model them in Essbase. We also show them the basics of loading data and the calculation capabilities in Essbase. These students finish day one with the ability to determine additional appropriate uses for Essbase, which helps leverage their investment in the software, as well as having a solid understanding of Essbase which enables them to be very successful with the reporting and analysis.

The second day focuses on the mechanics of doing reporting and analysis with the Excel Add-In and/or Smart View. We show students all the features and tricks for extending the power of Excel into Essbase reporting. Next, we move into the mechanics of building reports with the Excel Add-In and explore some of the more advanced features such as the Query Designer and cascading reports. For customers on Essbase System 9 or later that are planning on using Smart View, we go into the mechanics of using Smart View for ad-hoc analysis. We go through most of the ad-hoc equivalents that were covered in the Excel Add-In portion of the class. We finish the class with a hands-on workshop using the customer’s Essbase application. This allows students to tie the concepts learned throughout the day to their own world.

Here is the course description for this 2 day class in detail:

Essbase Essentials
We quickly introduce our students to Essbase with a review of Essbase topics and terminology.

Administrative Tool Overview
This overview shows the Administration tool at a high level with an eye toward the next subject of Modeling Databases. Depending on the tool being used in-house, this overview will focus on either Application Manager or Essbase Administration Services.

Modeling Database Dimensions
Students learn about modeling outline design and mechanics. Students are shown how to take existing Excel analytical models and reports and re-model them in Essbase Dimensions, options for Time modeling, attribute alternatives, and many other fundamental design considerations.

Load Rule and Calculation Overview
Essbase allows for massive uploads of metadata and data. Here we provide an overview of loading data into Essbase with load rules. We then cover the basics of calculations, including understanding calculation order, the effects of calculating across dense and sparse dimensions, and the most important settings. Students leave with a basic understanding of calculation capabilities within Essbase.

Excel Add-In Spreadsheet Reporting Basics
We start building ad-hoc reports and show you the drilling behaviors and the member selection options. All the essential mechanics of connecting, retrieving, drilling, and pivoting reports are covered. Students gain an understanding of the reporting rules that govern valid report creation.

Excel Add-In Reporting Options
This is an exploration of all the essential options that allow users to control the interface behavior of the add-in with Essbase. We look at display, zoom, mode, style, and global settings and what the best practices are for setting these up.

Excel Add-In Advanced Reporting Options
Some of the more advanced features of the Add-In are covered: using member selection, cascading reports, working with formulas, creating asymmetric reports, and using the Essbase Query Designer.

Smart View
Many users of Essbase may be familiar with the Excel Add-in for interfacing with Essbase. As of System 9, the new Smart View client provides similar functionality. Hyperion’s vision is that Smart View will become the sole Excel interface for all of their applications – Essbase, HFM, and Planning. We cover the mechanics of building reports that interface with Essbase including drilling, pivoting, limiting selections with keep only. We also focus on some of the more advanced features such as understanding the options, and POV selections. We explore key differences between Smart View and the Excel Add-in including both what we consider enhancements and limitations that we find.

Report Challenges
Users complete a series of reports designed to re-enforce their skills and bring together many of the concepts from the class.

Custom Workshop
End-user training includes an afternoon workshop in which students develop spreadsheet reports from scratch using your application. Users will complete a series of reports designed to familiarize themselves with their application, re-enforce their end-user skills, and bring together many of the concepts from the class.