Extend PerformancePoint dashboards by using Time Intelligence

 

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010 Enterprise

When you create dashboards by using PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer, you might want to consider adding Time Intelligence to dashboard items. Time Intelligence enables you to display dynamic information that is always up to date. For example, you can create a Time Intelligence dashboard filter to show information for rolling time periods, such as the last two years, the last six months, or the last 60 days. Or, you can create a key performance indicator (KPI) for a scorecard that uses Time Intelligence to show performance information about a period-to-date basis, such as year to date or month to date.

In this article:

  • What is Time Intelligence in PerformancePoint Services?

  • How can I add Time Intelligence to a PerformancePoint dashboard?

What is Time Intelligence in PerformancePoint Services?

Time Intelligence is functionality that enables you to create dashboards that display information for dynamic time periods that are relative to the current date. For example, you can configure dashboard content to display information for a range of time, such as Last Six Months or Quarter to Date. Or, you can configure dashboard content to display information as of a particular date.

In PerformancePoint Services, you add Time Intelligence to your dashboard content by specifying formulas that use a particular syntax. This syntax is called Simple Time Period Specification syntax, and it is used to define expressions that include some combination of time members, functions, and operators.

A time member is a unit of time, such as a year, month, week, or day. An operator enables you to specify a range of time or to combine periods of time. There are only two operators that are used with Time Intelligence in PerformancePoint Services: the colon (:), which is used to indicate a range of time; and the comma (,), which is used to combine time members.

Examples of Time Intelligence formulas are included in the following table.

Formula Description

<Member>ToDate

This period-to-date formula causes information to be displayed for information from the beginning of a particular time period to now.

For example, YearToDate would cause information to be displayed for the period of time ranging from the beginning of the current year to now.

<Member>:<Member>-5

This formula causes information to be displayed for the range of time from the current time period to six time periods ago.

For example, Month:Month-5 would cause information to be displayed for the past six months.

<Member>,<Member>-1

This formula causes information to be displayed for the current time period and the previous time period.

For example, Month, Month-1 causes information to be displayed for the current and previous month.

For more information about Time Intelligence formulas, see PerformancePoint Time Intelligence quick reference.

How can I add Time Intelligence to a PerformancePoint dashboard?

You can add Time Intelligence to a PerformancePoint dashboard in several different ways, as described in the following table.

Method Description

Create a Time Intelligence dashboard filter

You can create two kinds of Time Intelligence dashboard filters:

  • Time Intelligence dashboard filters that include a list of dynamic time periods that you specify

  • Time Intelligence Connection Formula dashboard filters that use a calendar control to specify information as of a particular date. When you create a Time Intelligence Connection Formula dashboard filter, you do not specify a formula until you connect that filter to a report or a scorecard.

For more information, see Create a Time Intelligence filter by using Dashboard Designer.

Configure a scorecard KPI to use Time Intelligence

You can configure a KPI to include a Time Intelligence filter in a metric, such as an Actual or Target value. For example, you can configure the KPI to show information for just the current year, or for the past six months.

For more information, see Add a Time Intelligence filter to a PerformancePoint KPI.

Important

For Time Intelligence to work correctly, you must configure each data source that is used in your dashboard reports and scorecards to work with Time Intelligence. For more information, see Configure data sources to work with Time Intelligence by using Dashboard Designer.

See Also

Concepts

PerformancePoint Time Intelligence quick reference
Plan, design, and implement a PerformancePoint dashboard
Create advanced PerformancePoint dashboards