This is another quick post to outline what Power View is and options for using in Excel and/or SharePoint, specifically with 2013 Microsoft technology stack. Though the information presented in this post is available on various Microsoft web pages, I’ve lifted the key pieces of info and summarised in this post with useful links to videos and articles, so you don’t have to look for it everywhere!

What is Power View?

Power View is an interactive data exploration, visualization, and presentation experience that encourages intuitive ad-hoc reporting. For working demos you can visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bi/Products/PowerView.aspx.

How do you access Power View?

Power View is available in Microsoft Excel 2013. It is also a feature of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 and 2013 as part of the SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Server Enterprise Edition.

You can access Power View in Excel in SharePoint Server or SharePoint Online in Office 365

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/power-view-in-excel-in-sharepoint-server-or-sharepoint-online-in-office-365-HA103276078.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102901475

Options for using Power View in Excel and/or SharePoint?

Power View examples with short videos in the link below:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/power-view-and-powerpivot-videos-HA104009784.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA102835634

As mentioned before, Power View is also a feature of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP1 Reporting Services (SSRS) Add-in for SharePoint 2010 & 2013 Enterprise Editions (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ms170438(SQL.110).aspx)

• Power View reports are in a new file format, RDLX
• It is a browser-based Silverlight application launched from within SharePoint
• Power View co-exists with the latest version of Report Builder (note: Report Builder does not replace Report Designer)

As well as querying SharePoint data and other LOB (Line of Business) databases, you can also create Power View reports based on a tabular model running on a SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services (SSAS) server. Power view feature part of SSRS is only available in BI & Enterprise editions of SQL Server 2012 SP1.

Further info:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/power-view-explore-visualize-and-present-your-data-HA102835634.aspx

Hope this helps!
Chirag Patel @techChirag

This post first appeared here: http://blog.pointbeyond.com/2013/07/08/power-view-in-excel-sharepoint-2013-and-sql-server-reporting-services/

Published by Chirag Patel @techChirag

Chirag is an independent Microsoft 365 consultant at Patel Consulting, and Microsoft MVP (Office & Apps Services), based in UK with more than 20 years of industry experience. He is also a BCS (British Computer Society) Member & Chartered IT Professional, Microsoft 365 Certified Enterprise Administrator Expert, MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) and TOGAF9 Certified Architect. He works with a wide variety of clients in many sectors, designing and implementing business collaboration, data and information management solutions and services based on Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 technologies, Power Platform to create business value for both themselves and their customers, including UK Microsoft Gold Partners with deployment, upgrade and migration services delivery. Chirag is an active Microsoft 365 community participant, frequent speaker at local and international events including Microsoft 365 Saturdays, Power Saturdays, SharePoint Saturdays, Collab365, TeamsFest, Modern Workplace Summit and Scottish Summit. You can follow Chirag on twitter at @techChirag. View all posts by Chirag Patel @techChirag