Connect a PerformancePoint scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid

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Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010 Enterprise

By using PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer, you can connect a scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid. When you do this, you can use the scorecard item as filter for the analytic chart or grid. Or, you can use an analytic chart or grid to display additional information about a scorecard key performance indicator (KPI).

Begin by selecting or creating a dashboard that contains a scorecard and at least one analytic chart or grid. Then, select the method that you want to use to connect a scorecard item to an analytic report.

In this article:

  • Begin with a dashboard that contains a scorecard and an analytic report

  • Connect a scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid

Begin with a dashboard that contains a scorecard and an analytic report

Make sure that the dashboard page contains a scorecard and an analytic chart or grid that you want to connect to the scorecard. Both the scorecard and the analytic report must use the same SQL Server Analysis Services data cube.

If you do not have such a dashboard, you can create one. To create a basic dashboard, follow these steps.

To create a basic dashboard

  1. Create a data connection that uses SQL Server Analysis Services data. For more information, see Create an Analysis Services data connection (PerformancePoint Services).

  2. Create a scorecard that uses the data connection that you created in Step 1. For more information, see Create an Analysis Services scorecard by using Dashboard Designer.

  3. Create an analytic chart that uses the data connection that you created in Step 1. For more information, see Create an analytic chart or grid by using Dashboard Designer.

  4. Create a dashboard page that uses a two-column page layout template. For more information, see Create a dashboard page by using Dashboard Designer.

  5. Add the scorecard and the analytic chart to the dashboard page that you created in Step 4. For more information, see Add dashboard items to a page by using Dashboard Designer.

  6. Keep the dashboard open for editing, and proceed to Connect a scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid.

Connect a scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid

When you connect a scorecard item to an analytic chart or grid, the method that you use depends several factors. These include the kind of scorecard item that you want to link to the analytic report and whether the scorecard and analytic report use the same data source. To determine the method that you should use, refer to the following table.

Scorecard item to connect Method to use Effect in the dashboard

An item that is associated with a dimension member that is in the same SQL Server Analysis Services data cube that the analytic chart or grid uses as its data source.

Create a connection by using a Member UniqueName

The scorecard item serves as a filter for the analytic chart or grid that is connected to it.

For example, suppose that the scorecard item is a geographical region, and that the geographical region is connected to an analytic grid. By default, the analytic grid displays information across all the geographical regions. However, when dashboard users click the geographical region in the scorecard, the analytic grid updates to show information for only that geographical region.

An item is associated with a measure that is in the same Analysis Services data cube that the analytic chart or grid uses as its data source.

Create a connection by using a custom property

The scorecard item causes the analytic chart or grid to display information for the same measure.

Create a connection by using a Member UniqueName

To create a connection to an analytic chart or grid by using the scorecard item’s Member UniqueName

  1. Begin with a dashboard page that is open for editing in Dashboard Designer. Click the Editor tab for the dashboard page that you want to modify.

  2. Locate the scorecard that you want to connect to the analytic chart or grid.

    In the zone that contains the scorecard, under AvailableFields, locate Member UniqueName.

    Note

    You should see two instances of Member UniqueName: one that corresponds to scorecard row and is located under Row Member, and one that corresponds to scorecard columns and is located under Column Member.

  3. Drag Member UniqueName to the Drop fields to create connections box for the analytic chart or grid that you want to connect to the scorecard.

    When you release the mouse, the Connection dialog box opens.

  4. In the Connection dialog box, the Connect to: and Source value: lists are already populated. These lists contain the recommended solutions for the connection to work. Keep these default settings, and then click OK.

  5. (This step is optional). To additionally configure the connection, you can specify a formula, such as a custom MultiDimensional Expressions (MDX) query or a Time Intelligence formula. To do this, click Connection Formula, specify the expression that you want to use, and then click OK.

    Tip

    For more information about formulas that you can use, see Use the Connection Formula dialog box in Dashboard Designer to configure a filter connection.

  6. In the Workspace Browser, right-click the dashboard, and then click Save.

Create a connection by using a custom property

When you create a connection between a KPI and an analytic chart or grid by using a custom property, you begin by identifying a custom property that contains an MDX query.

To verify that a custom property was defined for a KPI

  1. Begin with a dashboard page that is open for editing in Dashboard Designer. Click the Editor tab for the dashboard page that you want to modify.

  2. Locate the scorecard that you want to connect to the analytic chart or grid. In the Workspace Browser, double-click the name of the scorecard to open it for editing.

  3. Locate the KPI that you want to connect to the analytic chart or grid. In the Workspace Browser, double-click the name of that KPI to open it in the center pane. Then, click the Properties tab.

  4. In the Custom Properties section, view the custom properties that have been defined for the KPI. Verify that at least one custom property uses an MDX query in the Value column.

    Note

    If no custom properties are listed, or you cannot find a custom property that contains an appropriate MDX query, then you must define one for the KPI.

To define a custom property that uses an MDX query

  1. Begin with a KPI that is open for editing in Dashboard Designer. In the center pane, click the Editor tab.

  2. In the Custom Properties section, click New Property.

    The Property Type Selector dialog box opens.

  3. Select Text for the property type, and then click OK.

    The new property is listed in the Custom Properties section.

  4. In the Value column, specify the MDX query that you want to use. This query will pass context from the scorecard to an analytic chart or grid that uses the same Analysis Services data cube.

    The actual query that you specify will vary, depending on the data cube that you are using and the information that you want to display.

    For example, suppose that a scorecard contains inventory control KPIs to display performance information for inventory control in various countries. In addition, suppose that an analytic grid displays detailed information about product inventory for those same countries. In this case, you could use [Product].[Product].DEFAULTMEMBER. Then, when you connect the custom property to the analytic grid, the scorecard will send product information to the analytic grid so that the grid will display information for only the country that a dashboard user has clicked.

    Tip

    For more information about how to use MDX with PerformancePoint Services, see Extend PerformancePoint dashboards by using MDX queries.

  5. In the Custom Properties section, in the Name column, select the default text and type the name that you want to use for the custom property.

  6. (This step is optional.) In the Description column, type a brief description for the custom property.

  7. In the Workspace Browser, right-click the KPI, and then click Save.

To create a connection by using a KPI’s custom property

  1. Begin with a dashboard page that is open for editing in Dashboard Designer. Click the Editor tab for the dashboard page that you want to modify.

  2. Locate the scorecard that you want to connect to the analytic chart or grid. Under Available Fields, in the KPI section, click the custom property that you want to use and drag it to the Drop fields to create connections box for the analytic chart or grid.

    When you release the mouse button, the Connection dialog box opens.

  3. In the Connection dialog box, the Connect to: and Source value: lists are already populated. These lists contain the recommended solutions for the connection to work. Keep these default settings, and then click OK.

  4. (This step is optional.) To apply a formula that additionally filters the content, click the Connection Formula button. The Connection Formula dialog box opens.

    In the Connection Formula dialog box, type a formula that will be applied to filter the data before it reaches the report. The formula that you specify can include a Time Intelligence statement or an MDX query.

    Tip

    For more information about the kinds of formulas that you can use, see Use the Connection Formula dialog box in Dashboard Designer to configure a filter connection.

    After you have specified a formula, click OK to close the Connection Formula dialog box.

  5. Click OK to close the Connection dialog box. In the center pane of the workspace, in the Connections box for the analytic chart or grid, you can see the name of the scorecard that you have connected to it.

  6. In the Workspace Browser, right-click the dashboard, and then click Save. Deploy the dashboard to view and test the filter connection.

See Also

Concepts

Define custom properties for a PerformancePoint KPI
Create a scorecard by using Dashboard Designer
Create an analytic chart or grid by using Dashboard Designer
Use the Connection Formula dialog box in Dashboard Designer to configure a filter connection