Guidelines Document
Introduction
This document provides guidelines on how to use Power BI as a presentation layer for Workbench data, leveraging Sharperlight as a secure querying tool. This setup ensures that all data accessed and displayed through Power BI is securely extracted, transformed, and delivered without exposing direct connections to the database.
Objective
To enable users to create dynamic reports and dashboards in Power BI while ensuring data security and system performance through the integration of Sharperlight.
System Architecture
Workbench Database: Contains all operational data.
Sharperlight: Acts as an intermediary that queries, transforms, and securely exposes data to Power BI.
Power BI: Used for visualising and analysing data provided by Sharperlight.
Getting Started
Setup Sharperlight:
Ensure Sharperlight is installed and properly configured to interact with the Workbench database.
Define and configure the data models within Sharperlight to align with the reporting requirements.
Data Security and Performance:
Use Sharperlight to manage data access permissions and ensure secure data handling practices.
Utilize Sharperlight’s capability to abort slow-running queries and to stage data for long-running operations to maintain system performance.
Guidelines for Effective Use
Connecting Power BI to Sharperlight:
Open Power BI and select ‘Get Data’.
Choose ‘Web’ as the data source type.
Enter the secure endpoint URL provided by Sharperlight that points to the required data model.
Creating Reports in Power BI:
Use Power BI Query Editor to Expand query records: List -> To Table -> Expand:
Use the Power BI interface to drag and drop fields from the Sharperlight data model into the report canvas.
Apply filters, slicers, and other data visualisation tools available in Power BI to enhance your reports.
Data Transformation:
Perform necessary data transformations in Sharperlight before exposing the data to Power BI.
Use the standard data model provided by Sharperlight to ensure consistency and accuracy of the data transformations.
Publishing and Sharing Reports:
Once reports and dashboards are created, they can be published to the Power BI service for sharing with other users.
Ensure that access to published reports is managed according to the security policies defined in Sharperlight.
Maintaining and Updating Reports:
Regularly update the Sharperlight data models and Power BI reports to reflect any changes in the source systems or business requirements.
Monitor the performance of the reports and make adjustments to the Sharperlight queries as needed.
Best Practices
Regularly Review Security Settings: Ensure that all data endpoints and transformations adhere to the latest security protocols.
Optimize Data Models: Regularly review and optimize Sharperlight data models for performance and accuracy.
Training and Support: Provide ongoing training and support to users creating reports in Power BI to ensure they are fully equipped to use the tools effectively.
Integrating Power BI with Sharperlight at Workbench enables a powerful, secure, and efficient way to handle custom reports. By following these guidelines, users will be able to leverage the full capabilities of both platforms while ensuring data security and system performance.