By David Chernicoff
TechNet Virtual Lab: Microsoft Office Performance Point Server 2007: SharePoint List Dashboards is one of a series of “Virtual labs” designed to walk the user through the actual process of using Performance Point Server tools, in this case the Dashboard Designer, to build tools utilizing SharePoint data.
These labs don’t give you an overview of the components that you will be working with; they jump right into actually using the component tools directly from the Designer Workspace. Starting with creating the Microsoft Office SharePoint list, then the SharePoint List data source and scorecard, and finally the creation of a SQL Server data source and scorecard, each has its own exercise in the accompanying lab manual. The actual tools for these processes are laid out in front of the user.
While there are some wizards involved at different points in the process, using the lab manual is essential to getting the most from the lab and making sure you reach the necessary points in the lab to move onto the next step. You can open a PDF version of the lab manual or work with the manual that appears on the right side of the virtual console.
The lab only creates very simple dashboards and barely touches on the surface of what can be done with dashboards and the Performance Point Server. It does give the user a good hands-on introduction to the SharePoint administrator in using the Dashboard Designer to develop dashboard applications that can deliver real and useful data to them that they can use in their daily routine.
The information presented in TechNet Virtual Lab: Microsoft Office Performance Point Server 2007: SharePoint List Dashboards is a starting point for the SharePoint administrator looking for tools that can give them better and faster utilization of the data residing in their SharePoint farms.
TIP: The lab manual makes an excellent reference document when you need to do this on your own.