I. Understanding Business Intelligence
A. What is Business Intelligence?
B. Why SharePoint?
C. Business Intelligence Considerations
          • Understanding SharePoint’s Capabilities
          • Business Intelligence Benefits
          • Challenges and Limitations
D. SharePoint Server Architecture
E. SharePoint Administration Architecture

II. Excel Services and Key Performance Indicators
A. Excel Services Overview
          • Excel Services Capabilities
          • Excel Services Limitations
B. Administration of Excel Services
          • Configuration Options
          • Trusted File Locations
C. Excel Services
          • Report Libraries
          • The Excel Web Access Web Part
D. Creating Dashboards
E. Key Performance Indicators
          • KPI Lists
          • KPI Web Parts

Hands-On Labs:
          • Explore Management and Administration Capabilities
          • Setup a Trusted File Location
          • Create a Report Library
          • Publish an Excel Workbook
          • Utilize the Excel Web Access Web Part to Display Excel Workbooks
          • Create a Simple Digital Dashboard
          • Create KPIs based on SharePoint List Data
          • Create KPIs based on Excel Workbook Data
          • Create KPIs based on Manually Entered Information
          • Explore the KPI Web Parts

III. The SharePoint 2007 Enterprise Report Center
A. What is the Report Center?
          • Report Center Capabilities
          • Report Center Limitations
B. PerformancePoint Server
          • Useful Tools
          • Integration Techniques
C. Report Center Features
          • Report Libraries
          • KPI Lists
          • Digital Dashboards

Hands-On Labs:
          • Create a Report Center Using the SharePoint Template
          • Understanding Site Permissions for a Report Center
          • Explore the Default Report Center
          • Publish Excel Workbooks to the Report Center
          • Publish Dashboards to the Report Center

IV. The Business Data Catalog
A. What is the Business Data Catalog?
          • Why Use a BDC?
          • Example Uses for a BDC
B. Understanding the Elements of a BDC
          • Defining the Roles & Responsibilities for the BDC
          • Defining the Goal of the Application
          • Documenting the Data Source
C. Creating the BDC Definition
          • Understanding the Elements of the Definition File
          • Generating the XML Definition File
          • Importing the Application Definition
D. Working with BDC Data
          • Working with BDC Web Parts
          • Using BDC Data in SharePoint Applications

Hands-On Labs:
          • Creating a BDC Definition File
          • Importing the DBC Definition
          • Working with BDC Permissions
          • Working with BDC Web Parts to display information from the BDC
          • Linking SharePoint Data to the BDC

V. Data Connection Libraries
A. Why Use Data Connection Libraries?
B. Creating a Data Connection Library
          • Setting Security for a Data Connection Library
C. Using the Data Connection from a Workbook in Excel Services
D. Using Data from a Data Connection
          • Allowing Excel to Refresh Data
          • Creating Automatically Updating Web Parts

Hands-On Labs:
          • Creating a Data Connection Library
          • Working with Data Connection Permissions
          • Creating a Data Connection Workbook
          • Publishing Through Excel Services
          • Using the Excel Web Parts to Display Data from Your Connection Library

VI. Creating Digital Dashboards with Excel Services and SQL Server Analysis Services
A. What are Digital Dashboards?
          • Defining a Dashboard
          • Planning for Digital Dashboards
B. Where Does the Data Come From?
          • Excel and OLAP
          • Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services
C. Creating an Excel Report Using OLAP Functions
          • Retrieving Data from a Cube using OLAP Formulas
          • Using OLAP Functions
D. Reporting with Key Performance Indicators
          • Creating KPI Lists based on Excel Data
E. Using Filters to Drive Parameters

Hands-On Labs:
          • Create an Excel Workbook using OLAP Functions
          • Creating KPIs to Report on Excel Data
          • Use Filters to Drive Parameters from Excel Services

VII. SQL Server Reporting Services and MOSS 2007
A. What are SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)?
B. Working with the Reporting Services Configuration Manager
C. SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio
          • Creating Reports with the BI Development Studio
          • Accessing Reports through the SharePoint 2007 Report Library

Hands-On Labs:
          • Configure SharePoint for SQL Server Reporting Services
          • Create Reports with the SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio
          • Publish Reports to a MOSS 2007 Report Library

VIII. Searching for External Business Data
A. Understanding SharePoint’s Search Engine
B. Configuring SharePoint Search
          • Setting a Crawl Schedule
          • Configuring Content Sources
          • Configuring Search Scopes
C. Optimizing Search Results

Hands-On Labs:
          • Configure Search Content Sources
          • Set a schedule for content indexing
          • Create search scopes
          • Optimize SharePoint’s Search Results

IX. Deciding Which Technologies are Right For You
A. Technology Wrap-Up
          • Excel Services
          • Digital Dashboards
          • SQL Server Reporting Services
          • The Business Data Catalog
B. Which Technology is Appropriate?
          • Benefits
          • Limitation and Roadblocks
C. Best Practices Overview