Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 - What's New: Analytics for IT Professionals

This topic describes the new features for online analytical processing (OLAP) in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Deployment of cubes

The process for deploying the default Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX has changed. The following sections provide more information.

The Setup wizard has changed

To deploy the default cubes that were included with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, you had to install the analysis extensions when you ran the Setup wizard. In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, the Setup wizard has been changed. The Setup wizard no longer includes an option for installing the analysis extensions.

When you run the Setup wizard, you can select the Analysis Services configuration option. When you select this option, the Setup wizard will:

• Verify that prerequisite software has been installed on the server that runs Analysis Services.

• Prompt you to specify the domain accounts that will be used to process cubes. The Setup wizard gives these accounts read access to the online transaction processing (OLTP) database for Microsoft Dynamics AX.

The Setup wizard does not deploy the default cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. To deploy the cubes, you must run the Analysis Services Project wizard or use Windows PowerShell.

The Analysis Services Prng 0 &Zi3 been added

The Analysis Services Project wizard has been added to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. This wizard helps you complete the following tasks:

•     Deploy the default cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX.

•     Configure an Analysis Services project after you disable a Microsoft Dynamics AX configuration key.

•     Update an existing Analysis Services project.

•     Create a new, custom Analysis Services project.

Windows PowerShell commands have been added

If you are using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, you can use Windows PowerShell commands to deploy the default cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Upgrade information

The instructions for upgrading the cubes differ based on the version of Microsoft Dynamics AX that you are upgrading from.

• If you are upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 to any version of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 – When you upgrade, you must create new cubes to display the information that your old cubes displayed.

• If you are upgrading from the initial release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 or Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 – When you upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, use the Analysis Services Project wizard to upgrade the cubes.

New default cubes

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides cubes you can use to analyze your business data. The cubes that are available to you depend on the version of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 that you are using.

The following cubes are included with the initial release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack:

• Accounts payable cube
• Accounts receivable cube
• Customer relationship management
• Environmental sustainability cube (new in the initial release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012)
• Expense management cube
• General ledger cube
• Production cube
• Project accounting cube
• Purchase cube
• Sales cube
• Workflow cube (new in the initial release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012)

The following cubes are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2:

• Accounts payable cube
• Accounts receivable cube
• Budget control cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Budget plan cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Environmental sustainability cube
• Expense management cube
• General ledger cube
• Inventory value cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Production cube
• Profit tax totals cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Project accounting cube
• Purchase cube
• Retail cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Sales and marketing cube (new in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2)
• Sales cube
• Workflow cube

Configuration of cubes

The default cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX require that you enable all configuration keys. In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, if you disabled a configuration key, you had to manually update your Analysis Services project in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio. During this update, you removed the measures, dimensions, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that were no longer available (because the configuration key was disabled).

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, if you disable a configuration key, you must complete the following tasks:

1. Run the Analysis Services Project wizard to remove the measures, dimensions, and KPIs that are no longer available.
2. Modify or remove the reports that require the configuration key.

Date dimensions

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, you can add date dimensions to your cubes. Therefore, you can now examine the data in a cube by using different time periods, such as months, quarters, or weeks.

To add date dimensions to your cubes, follow these steps:

1. Use the Date dimensions form to specify the date dimensions by which you want to examine the data in a cube.
2. Run the Analysis Services Project wizard to add the date dimensions to your cube.

Support for data partitions

A Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 installation may consist of multiple data partitions. You must deploy cubes for each partition in your installation.

For example, suppose that you have two partitions: Partition 1 and Partition 2. To deploy the cubes that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX for both of these partitions, follow these steps:

1. Start the Analysis Services Project wizard.
2. Select the default Analysis Services project, which is named Dynamics AX.
3. Deploy the project for each partition in your installation by selecting the partitions. In this example, you would select Partition 1 and Partition 2.
4. Complete the wizard.
5. Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the Analysis Services instance. Notice that there is now a database (and cubes) for each partition.

Improvements to the Business Overview web part

Business Overview web parts, which are used on Role Center pages, can display financial indicators or key performance indicators (KPIs).

• A financial indicator is a data calculation across various time periods. An indicator represents a measure in an online analytical processing (OLAP) cube.
• A KPI is a business metric, such as the total revenue, gross profit margin, or current ratio. A KPI can help you track your organization’s progress toward a performance goal.

The following enhancements have been made to the way that you display indicators and KPIs in the Business Overview web part in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.

You can apply multiple filters to indicators and KPIs

Suppose that you have selected to display your organization’s sales total. You can filter this KPI so that it displays only the sales that were made in 2012 by a specific salesperson. In this case, the filters resemble the following filters:

• Filter 1: Year = 2012
• Filter 2: Salesperson Name = Kim Ackers

You can filter by relative dates or actual values

Suppose that you have selected to display your organization’s sales total. If you want to filter this KPI by a relative date, you can display only the sales that were made last year, last month, or last quarter. If you want to filter this KPI by an actual value, you can display only the sales where Year = 2012.

You can split the data

You can display the individual elements that the whole indicator or KPI is made of. For example, suppose that you have selected to display your organization’s sales total. You can split the sales total by salesperson to display the sales totals of all salespeople, or you can split the sales total by region to display the sales totals of each region.

You can also filter the list of elements. For example, you can display only the top 10 salespeople or the 10 regions where the fewest sales were made. Alternatively, you can filter out the regions where no sales occurred.

You can link to menu items or URLs

You can format the name of the indicator or KPI as a hyperlink. The hyperlink can direct users to the following items:

• Microsoft Dynamics AX client menu item
• Enterprise Portal menu item
• URL

My above blog is based on Microsoft's Official information.
 

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