Excel

Description

Microsoft Office Excel 2007 is a powerful tool you can use to create and format spreadsheets, and analyze and share information to make more informed decisions.

Audience

Current Excel Users:
Excel is a very powerful tool for Business Intelligence. With software add-ins and configurations, it can:

• Connect to external data sources directly, including the data warehouse data sets directly without using BusinessObjects
• Create dashboards and scorecards

There is a learning curve to configure Excel to use these features against MAIS data. For instance, Excel does not provide a graphical front-end to the fields in the data warehouse. However, since end-users are typically comfortable with Excel, advanced users may find it worth the investment to learn how to connect to external data sources. 

New Excel Users:
If you are unfamiliar with Excel, product information is located on the vendor website.

Access & Training

No special access is required. Training is available through Excel's online help and from U-M ITCS. There is no documentation specific to U-M about configuring Excel to use MAIS Data sources.

System/Application & Data Sources

Excel is installed on PCS in campus computing sites and is available over the web through virtual sites.

Cost

See current pricing information from ITCS.