OfficeWriter and the Application Platform

OfficeWriter and the Microsoft Application Platform

OfficeWriter Overview• End-user and developer tool to create data-

driven Excel, Word content• Runs safely on the server• Option to use SQL Server Reporting Services

(SSRS) as back-end query engine, scheduler and production engine, serves as export renderer

• Template-driven for self-service• Full document object models for developers

What’s Important• OW enhances integration between Office,

SharePoint, SSRS

• It’s all about data Full fidelity reporting in Excel, SharePoint

dashboards Relational, in-memory, cloud and big data

Object Model

• Similar to VBA/Visual Studio Tools for Office object models, but without Office dependency

• Produces/reads both binary (Office 2003 and earlier) and XML (Office 2007, 2010, “15”) file formats

• Runs on server safely, yet still familiar for Office devs

• Includes SharePoint integration object

The Paradigm

• Use Reporting Services as a query engine and scheduler

• Design and deliver reports in Excel or Word

• Data Markers make it easy to create reports in Excel Without programming

• Work data into content instead of exporting Without PivotTables

Extras

• Even support for PivotTables SSRS Excel Export can’t do that

• But SSRS is optional Support for MS Query and/or coded data

binding lets you do everything in Office

• Spreadmart mitigation Allows user to report on data instead of

copying it

BI Data Sources (via SSRS)

Scenarios

Data Platform

• OW Enhances SQL Server

• Not just core product, but numerous components RDBMS, SSRS, SSAS Multidimensional,

SSAS Tabular DW Appliances (Fast Track, PDW) too

• Big Data beyond the Hive add-in OW can query Hadoop via Hive

System Center• Data Warehouse tracks System Center:

Service Manager Virtual Machine Manager Configuration Manager Operations Manager

• Use existing reporting infrastructure SSRS-based

• Or query Data Marts, OLAP cubes from scratch They are just SQL DBs (3) & SSAS cubes (6)

More info here

Other Operational

• BizTalk – Business Activities Monitoring Primary import database and SSAS cubes

• Team Foundation Server Has data warehouse and cubes

• SQL Server Management Studio Standard Reports Download from here

The Developer Story

• OW makes Office doc creation easy Stable on the server Simpler than OOXML API

• Mix and match two models Templated, with grouping and nesting Object model

• Data binding Stream an xls/doc in 6 lines of code

Web

• Generate Office docs on the server

• Create a service that streams back the doc

• Use object model to work imperatively

• Use templates and work declaratively

• Mix data access programming with Office content

• Data binding too

Adding Value to Windows Azure

• Runs on Azure VMs

• Connects to Azure SQL Database

• Can use SSRS or Azure SQL Reporting

• Report on Azure Marketplace (via OData)

SharePoint

Dynamics

• Dynamics CRM, AX data exposed through OData endpoints Access via SSRS

• Standard SSRS reports available too Use their datasets

• Dynamics CRM features standard database and OLAP cubes Query directly or via SSRS