1. MicroStrategy Training
Business Intelligence Services
November 21, 2014

2. Section 1
Signing into MicroStrategy

3. Links for MicroStrategy
Link for all Production work: MicroStrategy Production
Link for Training: MicroStrategy Training

4. CAS Authentication
You may see a different list of projects from which to choose.

5. Selecting a Project
Clicking on a project gives this initial presentation. You may have more options based on the what access to features you have been granted.

6. The Virginia Tech Logo
The Virginia Tech Logo on each screen is equal to the “red starburst” in delivered MicroStrategy. It will always have navigation options. In this case for Log Out. The folders on the screen are “Projects”

7. Exercise 1
Sign on to the PPRD/Training link using your CAS PID/Password
Select the Training MicroStrategy Tutorial Project
When Finished Log out of MicroStrategy(from the Virgina Tech Logo Drop down)

8. Result of Exercise 1
Note: You will see more options on the VT Logo, select Logout.
NOTE: Close your browser to make sure you have exited CAS.

9. Result of Exercise 1 Continued
Note: You can also use the Sign Out selection on the right hand side of the screen to sign out of MicroStrategy. In MicroStrategy there is often several ways to accomplish a task.

10. Section 2- Getting Started
Shared reports
Selecting Prompts and running a document
* Remember this answer option
Document Headers
Document Summary and Details
Many more features in following videos

11. Shared Reports
Shared reports is where all reports with authorized access is located. From there you can navigate to the desired reporting area to access your reports. The ribbon at the top of the screen will show your current path.

12. Selecting Shared Reports
You will see folders that you have been awarded access. You navigate through the folders and select the report you would like to run.

13. Selecting Prompt and running a document
When selecting a document to run, if it needs prompts you will be asked for appropriate input. Double Clicking or using the arrows moves selections. If you check “Remember this Answer” then the same selections will appear for you the next time you run the report. When Finished select Run Document in the lower line of the screen to execute the report.

14. Document Headers
Virginia Tech will deliver production documents with a standard header containing the logo, report name and description and a link to Help. On this link, right clicking brings up a menu of various help resources.

15. Help Links Business Intelligence Services MicroStrategy Reources
Help for this Document will give you specifics about that document. The BI Hub is a user community where you can ask questions and work with others using the system. The Data Dictionary, Frequently Asked Questions and who to contact for more information is also located on this list of links.

16. Document Summary and Details
The bottom of every report will have a Summary of the report and details of all filters. At the bottom of each page is the name of the person running the report, the date and time the report was run, the instance and page number. Many more features will be described in the following videos.

17. Section 3 Navigation and Features Part 1
Express Mode vs Interactive Mode
Creating a personal view
My Subscriptions
Sharing links to a report
Scheduling delivery to a history list
Exporting data
Re-prompt/Reset Settings
Going back to home

18. Express Mode vs Interactive Mode
Express Mode and Interactive mode give different functionality within a document. Express mode is usually the default mode and has the least functionality. Both will be described in Later Videos.
Note: if you mouse over the icons in the toolbar, you will see a title. Don’t worry, even experienced MicroStrategy users need to use the titles to tell the difference between these icons!

19. Creating a Personal View
Creating a personal view allows a user to manipulate a report and save that version as a shortcut in their own subscriptions. It saves the need of re-performing the same formatting each time the report is run, or the subscriptions can serve as a favorites list to save navigation to many folders for reports.
Hovering over the icons in the tool bar will display what the icon does. This is often helpful in determining which icon is which!
You can name the personal view anything you wish.
Personal Views serve as your “Shortcuts”

20. Subscriptions
There are multiple ways to view your subscriptions. All go to the same location.

21. My Subscriptions (Cont)
If you want to remove a report from your Subscriptions, select it and click unsubscribe. You can also change the name of the subscription and further personalize the report with the other options.
NOTE: The question marks at the far right are links to base line Microstrategy documentation for additional information on the application.

22. Scheduling Delivery to History List
If you want a report to be ready for you on a regular basis you can schedule it to run to your history list. The history list items also will appear in your subscriptions.

23. Exporting Data
Exporting works similar to other products.

24. Re-Prompt/Reset Settings
Re-Prompt allows you to re-run the report with different prompt selections.
Note: The behavior of Reset Settings is not consistent. Suggestion is to not rely on it.

25. The Home Key
This provides a means to return to the home page of the project. The back and forward arrows and the “move up a folder” option also allow for moving around in the application.
NOTE: Do not rely on the browser back button!

26. Options on the VT Logo
Options are mostly repeated elsewhere on the screen except the Projects – which returns the user to the original list of projects.
The options on the VT Logo vary, but are all repeated in other areas of the screen except the option to return to projects which sends the user back to the original screen at sign on.

27. Left Navigation Options - Search

28. Search
Typing in a selection in Search allows you to find reports even if you don’t know what folder they are in.

29. Create
You will only see items in the Create option that you are granted through security. This is a more advanced feature.

30. Section 4 Navigating in Express Mode
Tabs
Grouping
Sorting
Moving between Rows and Columns

31. Tabs in a Document
The tabs in a document represent different presentations of the data in the report. Clicking on the tab causes the different versions to display.

32. Grouping
Grouping allows the user to quickly jump to pages of a report instead of scrolling through a long document.

33. Sorting and Moving Data elements
Hovering over any column until an arrow appears and then clicking on the arrow will show the sorting and moving options for an Express Report.

34. Section 5 – Navigation in Interactive Mode
Dataset Objects vs Grid Objects
Drilling
Advanced Sorting
Attribute Forms

35. Dataset Objects vs Grid Objects
Each document is built using at least one report or dataset. There may be more objects in the datasets than are displayed on the document grid (in Blue here). In interactive mode, the user may move objects from the grid to the report or dataset or add objects to the grid.

36. Drilling
Right clicking on any item on the grid will display drilling options. In this case right clicking on Department allows the user to drill down to Course Level. Selecting that adds Course level to the report hierarchy.

37. Drilling Continued
Notice the counts – the department count remains the same for both lines in Biological Sciences because it is an absolute measurement. It reflects the total number of sections in the department regardless of course level. If the metric name says “Dynamic” it is a count that would changed based on what is on the report. A dynamic metric would reflect the number of sections at each course level within the department.

38. Advanced Sorting
Selecting Sort Grid when clicking on a header will allow you to create a more customized sort for your report with levels.

39. Attribute Forms
You have the option to display different forms of attributes. For the department attribute you could elect to see the code and the description or just the code on your report. The default in this case is to display just the description for department. Some attributes such as person will contain many forms for items such as name, gender, phone, etc. So if you don’t see what you want on a report check out attribute forms.

40. Section 6 Advanced Interactive Mode Features
Edit Totals
Edit View Filter
Advanced Formatting – Threshholds
Renaming elements

41. Edit Totals
Edit totals option apprears in Interactive mode when right clicking on a header.

42. Edit Totals
The subtotals editor offers a wide variety of options – to be explored!

43. Edit View Filter
Allows the user to focus on a subset of the report data. Any existing filters are displayed.

44. Sample View Filter
Multiple conditions can be added to filter the data. Clear all will remove all existing view filters.

45. Advanced Formatting
Again this is available at each header – many options to change the look and feel of the report.

46. Threshholds
Visual way to highlight bands of data to identify outliers.

47. Renaming objects
Can only change the name of headers as a report consumer role.

48. Section 7 – More Advanced Features
The Tools Menu
Inserting Metrics
Resize Columns and Rows

49. The Tools Menu
The options on the tools menu cause various display changes. Notes are a way for the report developer to communicate with report users, who can view but not update notes. The pivot and sort buttons allow manipulation of the data. The data set may give more data elements that can be added to the grid or filters. The document details page displays the SQL used and is very useful when understanding how the report selects the data for those understanding SQL.

50. Insert Metric
You can do a pre-built percent to total and rank metric by right clicking on any column and selecting the options. A new column is added with the calculation.

51. Insert Metric
A new metric using a formula with any of the available metrics in the dataset can also be added to the report.

52. Resize Rows and columns
This option on the right click of a column gives the ability to resize any row or column on the report.

53. Section 8 – Importing Data for Dashboards
Importing from a file
Brief intro to MicroStrategy Dashboards
Every user in Microstrategy has the ability to import data from spread sheets or files and manipulating the data in the dashboard application known as Visual Insight. Advanced users may have additional features in this area.

54. Section 8 – Importing data for Dashboards
You are able to import data from your computer to use with the dashboarding tool at any level of access. Analysts are able to connect that data with existing data sets in the system.

55. Import Data

56. Browse to file to upload

57. Make any adjustments
Get this by hovering on the right side of a header. Give it a name on Continue

58. Create Dashboard

59. Start analyzing!
See the video for a visual on how to start exploring the slots data set.

60. Questions?
Visit the BI-Hub for discussion and help! Microstrategy Resource site