Developing Advanced BI Visualizations with VisioChris HopkinsSenior ConsultantMicrosoft Premier Developer Support

SES-B304

Session Objectives And TakeawaysBuilding a BI dashboard using Visio + Visio ServicesUnlock advanced capabilities using out-of-the-box features

Data Linking Best PracticesExcel ServicesSharePoint ListsSQL Server – On Premises + AzureBCSCustom

Advanced Dashboard CapabilitiesWeb Part ConnectionsMash up APICustom Integration

Capabilities

Visio Services…• Renders diagrams in the browser

• High quality PNG(s) for full fidelity• No dependence on Silverlight• Native support for Visio file format• Diagram consumers do not need a Visio client • Available across devices using desktop browsers and mobile browsers

• Users interact with content• Pan, Zoom, Hyperlinks, View Shape Data

• Accessible only via SharePoint• On premises & in cloud using Office 365

Visio Services…• supports data refreshable diagrams

• Not static snapshots• Managed data refresh• Visualize data in unique /

custom ways

• Refreshable not editable• Meant for consumers• Client for Authors

• Client = Dashboard Designer

Data Visualization using Data Graphics• Surface Shape Data values

• Visual version of ‘Insert Field’

• Dynamic shape behaviors• Icon Sets• Text Callouts• Data Bars• Color by Value

• Build your own• These are just special Visio shapes

Text Callouts

Icon Sets

Data Bars

Color By Value

Data Visualization using shape behavior• Build behavior into your shapes which

respondto data changes• Change formatting• Change text• Change geometry• Change size and position• Change visibility

• All shapes evaluated for rendering• Visio Services in 2010 was limited to Data Graphics

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Data Linking - a 3 step process1. Link record set(s) to diagram

• Multiple data record sets supported within a single diagram• Data is cached in the diagram for portability

2. Link record(s) to shape(s)• Link 1 record to N number of shapes• Link 1 record from each record set to the same shape

3. Configure Data Graphics• Rules evaluate based on values / formulas

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Aggregate data from refresh• Shape Data supports formulas

• Create a new property for your shapes that performs calculations based on the other linked Shape Data properties

• Data Graphics support formulas• {field name}• Otherwise use

ShapeSheetsyntax

• Data Source• Calculated at the source

• Views, Store Procedures, PowerPivot, …

Demo

Getting the most out of Visio Services when building a diagram for BI

Advanced BI starts with the clientCombine Data Graphic Items Use Formulas to calculate properties

Link a record to multiple shapesHyperlink to detail pages

Data sourcebest practices

Advanced data scenarios

• Visio Services refreshes from anumber of data sources• Excel Services

• Ranges and Tables• SharePoint Lists

• Native Lists• External Lists (BCS)

• SQL• SQL Server• SQL Azure

.NETOLED

BODBC

SP Lists

Excel Servic

es

+

BCS

Custom

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

BCS&SQL

Custom

Data Source Best Practices• Refreshed using current user

credentials• User needs access to the diagram and

workbook locations• Must reside in a document library

• No network shares• VSDX and XLSX on the same farm

• XLSX format, no old XLS formats• Link and Refresh from

• Sheets / Tables• Named Ranges / Custom Range

• Refreshed using OLEDB driver• Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12…

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

BCS&SQL

Custom

Data Source Best Practices

Excel Services&PowerPivotGallery

SharePoint Lists&BCS

BCS&SQL

Custom

Data Source Best Practices

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

BCS&SQL

Custom

Data Source Best Practices• SharePoint Lists are an easy yet

powerful data source• Same farm as the Visio diagram• User needs read access to the list

• Get your data in a list and VGS can refresh from it

• Manual Edit• SharePoint Workflow• Timer Job• Web Service• PowerShell Script• Applications or Services

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

SQL &SQL Azure

Custom

Data Source Best Practices• BCS allows you to configure

external content types for connecting to

• External SQL DBs• SQL On Premises• SQL Azure• WCF Services• Custom .NET providers

• External Lists are fully supported inVisio 2013

• BCS add-in for 2010

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

SQL&SQL Azure

Custom

Data Source Best Practices• Support for SQL Server 7.0 –> 2012

• + SQL Azure• No Analysis Services or Reporting

Services• at least not directly

• Tables & Views• provided via Visio Data Linking dialog

• Can we refresh from Stored Procedures?

• Yes!• Not available in the Visio client UI for

the SQL data source option• Configure BCS to execute the stored

procedure – connect Visio via External List

Excel Services

SharePoint Lists&BCS

SQL&SQL Azure

Custom

Data Source Best Practices• Server Code

• .NET assembly deployed to the GAC and registered as a Trusted Data Provider for the Visio Services service application

• Implements AddonDataHandler• Returns a .NET DataSet object to Visio

Services• Client Code

• Create and maintain the record set• Set the ConnectionString so Visio

Services knows to call your data provider

• Example: Visio add-in for System Center 2012 Operations Manager

Integration

SharePoint Integration options

• Visio Web Access web part• Build a custom page focused on a particular diagram and customize

the user experience• Auto Refresh

• Web Part Connections• Setup part to part communications to enable predetermined

integration scenarios

• JavaScript Mash-up API• Write your own custom dash board using JavaScript, ASP .NET, etc.

Visio Web Access web part

• Control the experience for the diagram• Set Pan, Zoom, Selection, and Hyperlink behavior• No Chrome experience for clean integration• Auto refresh capability by the minute

• Web Part Connections• Set the diagram that is being rendered in the web part• Set the view to a specific shape in the diagram• Highlight a specific shape(s)• Filter the diagram• Send Shape Data to a consumer

Visio Services is extensible…

• JavaScript client side API• Investigate pages, shapes, shape data, hyperlinks• React to events like users clicking on shapes• Additional APIs for Commenting features

• HTML Overlays• Embed HTML5 elements at runtime

• Canvas• Videos• Audio• Animations

Demo

Enhancing the dashboard experienceusing web part connectionsand JavaScript API

Other integration opportunities• PowerView is not a data source but

a visualization tool for PowerPivot

• Data connect Visio diagrams to the pivot tables in PowerPivot

• Incorporate PowerView in a Mashup with Visio Services connected to the same data source

PowerView System Center

SAPDynamicsWeb Service

Other integration opportunities• System Center contains a wealth of

information

• Visio add-in for System Center 2012 Operations Manager

• BCS• PowerShell• Solution code

PowerView System Center

SAPDynamicsWeb Service

Other integration opportunities• SAP

• Dynamics

• Web Services• XML, JSON

• BCS• PowerShell• Solution code

PowerView System Center

SAPDynamicsWeb Service

Advanced capabilities

Diagram Generation

Demo

Enhancing the dashboard experienceusing web part connectionsand JavaScript API

Conclusion

In Review: Session ObjectivesData Linking best practicesUtilize OOB data sources - Nothing wrong with Custom but limited to Visio Services refresh

Schema Changes – Were not just talking about Data Types, no missing rows or columnsConfigure views or queries or filters that give you predictable results

Multiple data sources, multiple shapes, Shape Data formulas

Drill downs and PivotsJust hyperlinking and page navigation

MashupsJavaScript API

Online Resources for VisioOfficial Product Sitehttp://visio.microsoft.com

Product Team bloghttp://blogs.office.com/b/visio/

SCOM Add inhttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=29268

SCOM MP Designer for Visiohttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30170

Chris Hopkins Visio Bloghttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/chhopkin/

Related content

Hands-on Labs (session codes and titles)SES-H315 Creating a data-connected dashboard using Visio Service

Breakout Sessions:SES-B304 Developing Advanced BI Visualizations with Microsoft Visio and SharePoint in the Cloud

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