Introduction to exporting Business Intelligence data

You can export Business Intelligence data from Powerproject projects to an external spreadsheet or database, in a form that is optimised for convenient reporting using a reporting tool of your choice. Powerproject includes a Business Intelligence export to Microsoft Excel® as standard, which means that you can use Excel's reporting tools to create unique reports on your data. More advanced users can download and install the Business Intelligence Controller, an application that enables you to specify the way in which you want data to be exported to an external database.

When you export Business Intelligence data, the data is exported according to a Business Intelligence export model, which defines the information that is included. You can set up as many Business Intelligence export models as you need, with each one defining a different set of information to be exported. When you export Business Intelligence data, only data that your security group's access rights allow you to view are exported.

You can use the Business Intelligence Controller to export data from one or more standalone projects or from projects that are stored in a data source on an Enterprise server.

Exporting to an external database

Exporting Business Intelligence data to an external database is the best option if you want to export a large amount of data, or data from multiple projects, and if you want to be able to query the data after it has been exported. Database queries can do much more than searching for particular bits of data: you can use queries to join information from different places, to perform simple mathematical calculations and to work with the data so that it is ready to be displayed in a report.

You export Business Intelligence data to an external database using the Business Intelligence Controller, which you can download and install from the Elecosoft Knowledge Base. Click here for more information.

You can export data to any of the following types of database:

Microsoft SQLServer®.
Oracle®.
SQLite®.

The Business Intelligence Controller updates the target database using ODBC - Open Database Connectivity.

When you export Business Intelligence data to an external database, reports are not created automatically; you will need to create your own reports using a reporting tool of your choice, for example SAP Crystal Reports®, Microsoft Power BI® or SQL Server® Reporting Services. Reporting tools such as these require skilled staff to design and implement reports. If your organisation already has a preferred reporting solution in-house, it is likely that you can produce your own reports using Business Intelligence data that you have exported to an external database.

Exporting to Microsoft Excel

Exporting Business Intelligence data to Microsoft Excel can be a good option if you only want to export a small amount of data, from a single project.

You export Business Intelligence data to Microsoft Excel using a dialog in Powerproject. You do not need to download and install the Business Intelligence Controller and associated tools to export data to Excel.

When you export Business Intelligence data to Excel, it appears in Excel in a tabular format. You can use Excel's inbuilt functionality to present the data in the most suitable way. If you want to use a dashboard to interpret the Excel data, you will need to create an Excel template. Refer to the following websites for information on how to do this:

Refer to the Powerproject Help for more information on how to export Business Intelligence data to Microsoft Excel.