Chapter 1 [ 25 ] Installing the Essbase Add-in for Microsoft Excel We have installed Essbase analytic server and EAS and we are left only with the reporting tool. It's well known that most nancial analysts are also Microsoft Excel experts (or believe they are). When you tell them the reporting tool they will be using is Microsoft Excel-based, you are almost certain to get your budget approved. 1. To get started, double-click on the Essbase client executable le supplied by Oracle. Huh? This screen looks familiar from the previous component installations. You know which language to select. Click OK when you are ready. 2. This step welcomes you to the installation of the Essbase client software, also known as the Essbase add-in. As usual, there are some recommendations and warnings, please click Next after you nish reading it. 3. In this step, as we have suggested before, please select the same country that you have chosen in the Essbase analytics server and EAS installations. In case you have forgotten, keeping the country variable consistent across all installed components will make your life easier. Once done, please click Next. 4. This step asks to read and agree to the EULA. Read it carefully, and if you agree and wish to continue, click Next. 5. This step has already detected the Hyperion home directory from a previous installation. If your home directory is different, select your home directory and then click Next. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Installing Oracle Essbase [ 26 ] 6. In this step, you are creating a directory for the Essbase client installation. Please choose c:\Hyperion and click Next when you are done. 7. We recommend that you select Typical and click Next. As stated earlier, the Typical installation gives you all of the tools included with the software. Choosing Custom will really only provide more choices for samples. 8. This step requires you to select ESSLANG. The ESSLANG variable denes the locale of the computer. Just like before, please feel free to select English. 9. This step summarizes all of the components required for the client installation as well as the path. Please look them over carefully. Most importantly, verify the path and that it is correct with consideration to the other components installed on this machine. Click Next when you are satised that everything is correct. 10. This steps shows that the Essbase client installation is in progress and we recommend you not to take any more coffee breaks since you have already taken a lot of breaks in the previous installations. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Chapter 1 [ 27 ] STATUTORY WARNING: Too much coffee drinking is injurious to health! When the installation wizard nishes installing the software, the Next button will be enabled. Please click Next to continue. 11. This step tells you that the Essbase client installation is completed. Click Next when you are ready. 12. Now, open Microsoft Excel. As it loads you should briey see a HYPERION ESSBASE SPREADSHEET ADD-IN splash screen (shown below). Once Microsoft Excel has nished loading, you should see a brand new menu pick named Essbase that is usually located between the Window pick and the Help pick. This tells you that the Essbase client is successfully installed. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Installing Oracle Essbase [ 28 ] A typical network setup In the following diagram, we show you a high-level image of the Essbase installation you have just completed. This is a very typical set up for most operations. Essbase Server Agent installed on network server Network client PC workstations with Microsoft Excel and the Essbase Add-In for Microsoft Excel installed Various sources of data for your Essbase database Essbase Lock- and-Send via Microsoft Excel Add-In Data flat files sent from interfacing systems External RDMS databases 1 Essbase Administration Services (EAS) installed on network client PC workstation 2 3 4 To help you understand and recognize your creation, the network diagram is divided into four sections which are explained below: 1. Raw data: Loading data from a little to a lot is easy in Essbase. Data can be sent directly to the database using the "Lock and Send" feature of the Oracle Essbase Add-in for Microsoft Excel. Flat les received from other systems can be easily rendered Essbase-friendly, using convenient and easy to use data load rules. Finally, vast amounts of data can be loaded using SQL data load rules that interface directly with relational databases. 2. The Essbase server: Running on the Essbase server is also something known as the Essbase agent. Depending on your needs, it is always best to try and use a dedicated server for your Essbase service. But don't worry, if that's not possible, we've found that Essbase does integrate nicely with other applications that have been installed. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Chapter 1 [ 29 ] 3. The developer client: This is on the desktop workstation that EAS is installed on. You will also want to have Microsoft Excel and the Oracle Essbase Add-in for Microsoft Excel installed on this machine as well. A setup like this allows the developer to quickly create and test many pieces of an Essbase application, such as calculation results, data load validations, and so on. 4. End-user PC: This is your typical networked workstation that has decent computing power and storage. Having Microsoft Excel and the Oracle Essbase Add-in for Microsoft Excel installed are all that is necessary to provide the end-user with an extremely capable analysis and reporting tool. Summary You did it! You've made it this far and haven't run away. While the individual installations have probably seemed routine or even mundane at times, we wanted to give you the benet of our experience. This should have helped you avoid small mistakes now that can cause big problems later. What we have created is a very capable basic Essbase installation. Very basic in Oracle Essbase terms means a very powerful set up. Of course, there are many optional conguration settings and tweaks that can make your Essbase system virtually limitless. All this and more, will be discussed in future chapters. Now that we have successfully installed Essbase, it is time for us to dive deeply into the world of Essbase. In our next chapter, we will talk more about Essbase cube design consideration, Essbase application and database types, data storage options. By the end of the next chapter, you will be able to create your rst Essbase application and database. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com . Corcorran on 5th July 20 09 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 794 23 Download at Boykma.Com Installing Oracle Essbase [ 26 ] 6. In this step, you are creating a directory for the Essbase client installation July 20 09 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 794 23 Download at Boykma.Com Installing Oracle Essbase [ 28 ] A typical network setup In the following diagram, we show you a high-level image of the Essbase. databases. 2. The Essbase server: Running on the Essbase server is also something known as the Essbase agent. Depending on your needs, it is always best to try and use a dedicated server for your Essbase