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Visio Services 2013Advanced Data LinkingChris HopkinsSenior Consultant - Premier Developer PracticeMicrosoft
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Agenda
Goals & Challenges
Data LinkingCapabilities
Data LinkingBest Practices
Data Graphics & Visualizations
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• Visio Services supports data refreshable diagramsrendered by the server• Easily share diagrams• No client necessary• Not static snapshots• Visualize data in unique /
custom ways
• Refreshable not editable• Meant for consumers• Client for Authors
• Client = Dashboard Designer
What is Visio Services?
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Data Linking –> Shape Data, a 3 step process
1. Import record set(s) from an external data source(s)• Multiple data record sets supported within a single diagram
2. Link records to shape• Link 1 record to N number of shapes• Link 1 record from each record set
3. Configure Data Graphics
• Client refresh• Data cached in the diagram• Shape Data properties updated from linked records
• Server refresh• Data cached for each user request• Cached diagram rendered with visual updates
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Data Visualization using Data Graphics
• Surface Shape Data values• Visual version of ‘Insert Field’
• Dynamic shape behaviors• Icon Sets• Text Callouts• Data Bars• Color by Value
• Build your own• These are just special Visio shapes
Text Callouts
Icon Sets
Data Bars
Color By Value
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Data Visualization using shape behavior
• Build behavior into your shapes which respondto data changes• Change formatting• Change text• Change geometry• Change size and position• Change visibility
• Visio Services evaluates all shapes for rendering• Visio Services in 2010 was limited to Data Graphics
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Aggregate data from refresh
• Shape Data supports formulas• Create a new property for your shapes that performs calculations based on the
other linked Shape Data properties
• Data Graphics also support formulas• {field name}• Otherwise use
ShapeSheetsyntax
• Data Source• Calculated at the source
• Views, Store Procedures, PowerPivot, …
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Demo
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Advanced BI starts with the clientCombine Data Graphic Items
Use Formulas to calculate properties
Link a record to multiple shapesHyperlink to detail pages
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Advanced data scenarios
• Visio Services refreshes from a number of data sources
• Excel Services• Ranges and Tables
• SharePoint Lists• Native Lists• External Lists (BCS)
• SQL• SQL Server• SQL Azure
.NETOLEDBODBC
SP Lists
Excel Servic
es
+
BCS
Custom
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Excel Services
• Requirements for refreshing from a published workbook• User needs access to the diagram and workbook locations
• Refreshed using current user credentials• VSDX/VDW and XLSX published on the same farm
• No network shares, must reside in a document library• No old XLS formats
• Link and Refresh from• Sheets / Tables / Named Ranges / Custom Range
• Refreshed using OLEDB driver• ConnectionString = …Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;User ID=Admin;Data
Source=http://chhopkin-spdev/Shared Documents/Process…
Excel Servic
es
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Excel Services refreshing from SQL
• Visio Services refreshes data from the published XLSX• Best practice = Refresh directly from the ‘root’ data source
Manually edit and upload or edit in browser
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Excel Services refreshing from PowerPivot
• PowerPivot Gallery - scheduled workbook refresh
Every 5 minutes
Workbook content updated
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SharePoint List
• SharePoint Lists are an easy yet powerful data source• Same farm as the Visio diagram• User needs at minimum read access to the list
• Get your data in a list and VGS can refresh from it• Manual Edit• SharePoint Workflow• Timer Job• Web Service• PowerShell Script• Applications or Services
SP Lists
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External List - BCS
• External Lists are fully supported in Visio 2013• This is new from the 2010 release
• BCS add-in for 2010
• BCS allows you to configure external content types for connecting to• External SQL DBs
• SQL On Premises• SQL Azure
• WCF Services• Custom .NET providers
BCS
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Make the most of SQL
• Visio & Visio Services support SQL Server 7.0 –> 2012• No Analysis Services or Reporting Services – at least not directly
• Tables & Views – provided via Visio Data Linking dialog• Refresh from Production DB? Probably not!• Refresh from alternate “Visio refresh database”
• SSIS package scheduled to migrate data as needed• Custom Application / Service that populates your tables
• Can we refresh from Stored Procedures? Yes!• Not available in the Visio client UI for the SQL data source option• Configure BCS to execute the stored procedure – connect Visio via External List
• Setup multiple lists with default parameters for stored procedures that accept parameters
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Custom data sources
• Server Code• .NET assembly deployed to the GAC and registered as a Trusted Data Provider
for the Visio Services service application• Implements AddonDataHandler• Returns a .NET DataSet object to Visio Services
• Client Code• Create and maintain the record set• Set the ConnectionString so Visio Services knows to call your data provider
• Example: Visio add-in for System Center 2012 Operations Manager
Custom
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PowerView System Center
SAPDynamicsWeb Service
Professional Diagrams Quickly• PowerView is not a data source but
a visualization tool for PowerPivot
• Data connect Visio diagrams to the pivot tables in PowerPivot
• Incorporate PowerView in a Mashup with Visio Services connected to the same data source
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PowerView System Center
SAPDynamicsWeb Service
Professional Diagrams Quickly• System Center contains a wealth
of information
• Visio add-in for System Center 2012 Operations Manager
• BCS• PowerShell• Solution code
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PowerView System Center
SAPDynamicsWeb Service
Professional Diagrams Quickly• SAP
• Dynamics
• Web Services• XML, JSON
• BCS• PowerShell• Solution code
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In summary
• Data Linking best practices• Utilize OOB data sources
• Nothing wrong with Custom but limited to Visio Services refresh• Schema Changes – none
• Were not just talking about Data Types, no missing rows or columns• Configure views or queries or filters that give you predictable results
• Multiple data sources, multiple shapes
• Drill downs and Pivots• Just hyperlinking and page navigation
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Thank You
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© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.