The “start point” for the Olap software industry has always been analysis, concentrating on high-end functionality required by power users. These tools have evolved to offer data mining capability such as sampling and statistical analysis coupled with advanced graphical visualization. The audience for these tools is analysts and power users, professionals who understand and work with data as the main activity in their job.

The true value of OLAP contained within multi-dimensional data is in extending the information available to non-power users – those many users who need such information but who are not willing (or able) to extend their skill base beyond their day-to-day utility tools of choice contained within Microsoft Office. At iT-Workplace we target the potential of Olap for business reporting. The dimensional representation of data inherent in Olap solutions makes it easy for non-technical users to navigate large data sets to locate and extract information. The hierarchical aggregation of data lends itself to most reporting applications.

Intelligencia is intended for widespread use by a variety of information workers whose primary business role does not involve data processing. By building an application that is specifically targeted for business reports and incorporating this into Microsoft Office we have created a tool that is ideal for collaborative departmental reporting. To deliver this successfully our fundamental guiding principle for the design of Intelligencia for Office, a Microsoft Office add-in is simplicity. Our mantra is:

• Simple to use
• Simple to deploy
• Simple to buy
• Simply elegant

In addition, for the power user community we include features that make complex reporting requirements simple. Advanced query and formatting capability makes Intelligencia for Office an ideal choice for financial and compliance reporting where narrative content has to be combined with data.

Simple to Use

Microsoft has raised the bar for usability with the introduction of the fluid user interface in Office 2007. The ribbon menu makes application functionality easy to find, galleries provide one-click tools for setting multiple attributes, task panes expose advanced features as they are required.

Intelligencia for Office 2007 applies the fluid user interface to the art of query building and embeds the result back into Word and Excel where end-users will already feel comfortable. Queries are visually built by working with dimensions, hierarchies and fields that represent familiar business structures. There is no need to understand the underlying database design or be exposed to technical query languages. Calculations can be added to queries using spreadsheet formulae via a unique patented technology breakthrough.

OK –despite being the ultimate goal we cannot quite deliver a report in one-click but every aspect of Intelligencia for Office is designed to produce an attractive, functional report with the minimum of effort. Default query options ensure that totals within data hierarchies appear at the bottom of the group, format and layout galleries provide attractive ways to create typical business reports.

With access to Sql Server Analysis Services and other Olap databases via the same user interface Intelligencia for Office provides flexibility to report from several data sources within the same document or spreadsheet. Users do not need to learn different interfaces for each new data source and can easily combine data from planning and warehousing projects within the same report.

Simple to Deploy

With Intelligencia for Office 2007 users interact directly with the data from within Word and Excel. There is no separate desktop application to deploy and learn, no server application required to manage templates and publish reports, no administration other than setting security within your database.

Users take advantage of your existing IT infrastructure to share reports via email and collaborative portals such as Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS). This suits the organic and dynamic needs of modern end-user reporting leaving IT to concentrate on strategic projects.

Simple to buy

Whether you want to start with a small group of users or deploy reporting to the entire enterprise Intelligencia for Office licensing can be flexed to meet your needs. Low per-user pricing allows departments to purchase a few licenses for specific reporting needs from within existing budgets. For wide scale deployment enterprise licensing allows Intelligencia to be distributed with every machine with payment flexed as actual usage increases.

Simply Elegant

You might think that all this simplicity would come at the cost of functionality or performance; this is far from the case! Intelligencia for Office offers advanced features not found in other products.