EPM Excel based Dashboard: how keep the data updated?

[Vit]

Hi all,

I was researching a dashboard solution for my EPM (MOSS 2007 and
Project Server 2007) and I have found the following website:

http://blogs.msdn.com/chrisfie/arch...rvices-sample-reports-for-project-server.aspx

the solution proposed is PERFECT!!!! the only thing that I don't
understand is: how are the excel files automatically updated???

here you are the step that I followed:

- Created a new document library to store the excel files (Excel
Reports.aspx)
- Saved in the library the Excel Files (in the download there is also
a file called "Cube MSP_Portfolio_Analyzer.odc" and from my
understanding is the file connection with the Cube database....)
- Created a new document library to store the dashboards web pages
(Dashboard.aspx)
- Created a new web page and insert an excel service web part and link
the web page to the relative excel file...

everything works fine... but how can I refresh automatically the data
stored into the excel file??? where I need to put/use the .odc file???

thanks all

Vit

 

[Gary Chefetz]

The Excel spreadsheets retain their connection to the data unless you
disconnect them. So, opening the spreadsheet is usually enough to refresh
the data.

 

[Jonathan Sofer [MVP]]

I believe you will need to open the excel file and save it each time you
want to refresh the data.

 

[Vit]

thanks all...

I still not get the exel service works...

I'm trying to implement something like this:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver/HA102078901033.aspx
and the connection file will refer to the relative cube...

but I cannot figure out why it doesn't work...

does anyone know the "step by step" procedure to make excel services
web part connected "live" to a cube???

thanks

Vit

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Hi Vit,

here are a couple of things you need consider when using Excel Services:

Firstly, you dont need to re-open the excel file to get the latest data.
Excel Services always gets the latest information if it settup correctly.

Setting up Excel Services:
Ensure that you have a trusted connection set up and have Trusted Excel
document library set up ( as per Christophes documentation).

When you set up Excel Services you need to consider how MOSS is set up. If
MOSS ist setup based on a Web Server and DB Server you will need to know if
you have NTML setup or Kerbros settup. Your IT admin should be able to tell
you this. If you have NTML settup you will need to settup SSO ( Single Sign
On). There is a lot of stuff regarding the settup on the web. If you use
Kerbos you dont need to have SSO setup.

In order to see exaclty what your issue is, we need to know exaclty where
you are within the deployment process. Can you access the Cube using Excel?
if so than all you need to do is save the connection string to the trusted
connection library and the Excel file to the trusted Excel file library. When
you save the Excel file to the library does Excel We Access opens up in a
browser and shows you the excel file?

Let me know exactly what you have done and what error message you get and I
will be able to help you. i have settup Excel Services many times and it
works well once it is settup ( the settup can be tricky )
Thanks

 

[Vit]

Hi Vit,

here are a couple of things you need consider when using Excel Services:

Firstly, you dont need to re-open the excel file to get the latest data.
Excel Services always gets the latest information if it settup correctly.

Setting up Excel Services:
Ensure that you have a trusted connection set up and have Trusted Excel
document library set up ( as per Christophes documentation).

When you set up Excel Services you need to consider how MOSS is set up. If
MOSS ist setup based on a Web Server and DB Server you will need to know if
you have NTML setup or Kerbros settup. Your IT admin should be able to tell
you this. If you have NTML settup you will need to settup SSO ( Single Sign
On). There is a lot of stuff regarding the settup on the web. If you use
Kerbos you dont need to have SSO setup.

In order to see exaclty what your issue is, we need to know exaclty where
you are within the deployment process. Can you access the Cube using Excel?
if so than all you need to do is save the connection string to the trusted
connection library and the Excel file to the trusted Excel file library. When
you save the Excel file to the library does Excel We Access opens up in a
browser and shows you the excel file?

Let me know exactly what you have done and what error message you get and I
will be able to help you. i have settup Excel Services many times and it
works well once it is settup ( the settup can be tricky )
Thanks

Thanks Marc,

the following list show what I'm doing to make excel services run (but
it doesn't work...):

- Setup SSO on the server (as service) and setup the SSO on cetral
admin (MOSS)
- Created a Data Connection Library
- Created a Document Library
- Created an Excel file with a connection to the Cube (and it works
fine)
- Setup the SSP for the excel services : added the trusted document
library and added the data connection trusted library
- Saved the Connection file into the data connection trusted library
(it's an odc file)
- Saved the Excel file into the document library

at this point MOSS should manage the connection... but when I open the
Excel spreadsheet the only connection that I can see is the one that
is inside the file (not the one stored into the data connection
library) and it doesn't work...

where can be the error???

thanks

Vit

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Hi Vit,

It would help a lot if you could give me the error message. Does the Excel
Speadsheet actually show in Excel Web Access and you only get the error if
you want to filter? Or does Excel Web Access display an error when you
navigate to the Excel Sheet.

In regards to the connection. When you setup the Excel Spreadsheet with the
connection, you will need to point to the trusted connection and you will
have to tell the conneciton to Use SSO, otherwise Excel Services does not
know which connection.
Hope this helps

 

[Vit]

Hi Vit,

It would help a lot if you could give me the error message. Does the Excel
Speadsheet actually show in Excel Web Access and you only get the error if
you want to filter? Or does Excel Web Access display an error when you
navigate to the Excel Sheet.

In regards to the connection. When you setup the Excel Spreadsheet with the
connection, you will need to point to the trusted connection and you will
have to tell the conneciton to Use SSO, otherwise Excel Services does not
know which connection.
Hope this helps

I've solved it.... it was wrong the SSO configuration..

thanks to all

Vit