Excel Add-in for SQL Server Analysis Services

I have recently discovered the Excel Add-in for SQL Server Analysis Services. If Office Web Components are overkill for your Analysis Services smart client deployment or dev requirements, check out this toy. It requires Excel 2002 and higher installed on the user machine. Once connected to Analysis Services (standard, offline and HTTP connectivity is supported) you can create easility pivot-style reports.

One cool feature that the add-in supports is exporting an AS cube to a local offline cube so you can move it between machines. More cool features:

• Create and maintain live data connections to multiple online analytical processing (OLAP) cubes, ensure data consistency and integrity, and combine data from multiple sources into a single report.


• Conduct detailed analysis using native Excel capabilities, extending the richness of analysis through “what if” and drill through capabilities.


• Personalize and easily author refresh report layouts, further reducing training costs and reliance on IT by leveraging Excel’s popularity and ease of use.

The Excell Add-in for SQL Server Analysis Services is one of the several Office solution accelerators.

I finally understand why Office is positioned as an integral component of the Microsoft Business Intelligence Platform 🙂