IFS Analysis Models

General

IFS Analysis Models provide a platform for high performance interactive visualizations from a range of different tools, both from Microsoft as well as from other vendors on the market. The Analysis Models can also be accessed directly from IFS Lobby.
The Analysis Models can be used in many different scenarios, e.g. :

Interactive ad-hoc analysis with Microsoft Excel pivot tables, so called slicing and dicing
Fixed format reporting with e.g. Microsoft Report Builder
Interactive dashboards for public use with Microsoft Excel using pivot graphs and slicers
Interactive dashboards for public use with Microsoft Power BI with graphical filtering
Visualizations in IFS Lobby with interactive filtering capabilities

The Analysis Models are pre-packaged for direct use together with IFS Applications after initial configuration and data load. The models offer a wide range of predefined and ready to use measures, KPIs and dimensions in several areas of IFS Applications.

The Analysis Models are implemented as OLAP Cubes, powered by Microsoft BI. The OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) technology holds pre-aggregated data, normally in-memory, which offers high performance information delivery in interactive analysis scenarios.

Information Model and Analysis Capabilities

The Analysis models are implemented as star schema models, offering a business oriented view of IFS Applications information, prepared and optimized for analysis and reporting.

Each model, or OLAP cube, offers a platform for analysis and reporting in a specific application area. The model is based on input from one or, in most cases, a number of Information Sources. In addition to the measures and dimension attributes directly provided from the Information Sources, there is a large number of additional calculated measures as well as additional dimension related capabilities such as hierarchies. These additional calculated measures and dimension capabilities offer much more extensive and direct analysis capabilities compared to directly using Information Sources. Some examples are:

Predefined measures for most amounts, counts and day counts on values for Previous Year, YTD, YTD Previous Year, Rolling 12, Rolling 12 Previous Year
Predefined financial measures for actuals, budget, current and next forecast with values for Opening Balances, Period Balances, Period Previous Year, YTD, YTD Precious Year, Rolling 12 and Rolling 12 Previous Year
Predefined financial measures for both absolute and relative differences between actuals, budgets and forecasts
Calculated measures with amounts in a selected reporting currency to support analysis in a common currency in multi company analysis scenarios
User configured measures for Financial KPIs defined in KPI Services
Predefined hierarchies for dates for interactive drill down from year to quarter to month/period to date
Predefined and configurable hierarchies for Income Statement and Balance Sheet for interactive drill down
Predefined hierarchies for organization structures in HR

IFS Lobby

IFS Lobby can use OLAP cubes as a data source. The data source can connect to both IFS standard OLAP cubes as well as customer defined cubes. The cube content, i.e. the measures and dimension attributes, is in the data source designer presented in a navigator structure and can be dragged into the design area to be used for display or filtering.

Microsoft Tools

Fixed format reporting based on OLAP cubes can be made with Report Builder, a tool included in SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services). Report design is made on model level without the need to use any query language.

Excel can be used for interactive ad-hoc analysis or producing more fixed format analysis models including graphs. Excel is directly connected to the OLAP cube via other external sources in the Excel ribbon. The automatically created pivot table can be used for analysis by dragging/selecting relevant measures into the design areas. With the use of available hierarchies, it is possible to drill down into details directly in the pivot table. Slicers can be used to enhance interactivity and pivot graphs can be used to visualize information in many different ways.

With Power BI it is possible to build graphical dashboards and reports that can be published for different user communities. Power BI can connect directly to OLAP cubes and reports can be created by dragging and dropping design items into the design areas and apply different visualization alternatives. Power BI supports a wide range of different visualizations including geographical visualizations like BING and ESRI. Power BI reports are fully interactive with graphical filtering in combination with slicers affecting all relevant visualization elements within a report. This offers a high level of interactivity and possibility to analyze details.

Technical Information

The information in the OLAP cubes is prepared by loading data from IFS Information Sources. In most cases, one OLAP cube is based on combined data from several Information Sources. The data load process is based on a data warehouse implemented in SQL Server, using traditional ETL (Extract Transform Load) technology in SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services). With this approach, the information is optimized for efficient load of the OLAP cubes. The data warehouse can also act as an integration point for other applications or legacy systems in cases where an OLAP cube is used to consolidate information on enterprise level combining information from several different sources. Integrations can be made by using standard Microsoft SSIS tools.
The data load frequency from the Information Sources can be configured individually for each customer case.

Cubes Delivered in IFS Analysis Models

The following cubes are pre-packaged and delivered as a part of IFS Analysis Models