Chapter 1. Introduction

Table of Contents

The Basics
The Building Blocks

The Basics

Ad-hoc Dashboard is a Web application that enables the building and navigation of Business Intelligence dashboards. A dashboard consists of a number of cards, each card contains different types of views, and each view presents data differently. By dragging and dropping the views on to the dashboard, you can customise your dashboard and add various components, without needing to write any scripts.

Behind the scenes, each dashboard reads data from a Universe, which can be defined using the Universe Designer and which collects a set of data tables together. A data administrator, familiar with the database structure will usually perform this step and then publish a dashboard template which links to the Universe. Once this template is published, you can use it to construct your own ad-hoc dashboards without worrying about database access rights and how the tables are joined together.

Ad-hoc Dashboard runs as a service and supports multiple domains. Behind the scenes, the Ambience system runs multiple engines to process the data in parallel, and uses a load-balancing scheduler to share the work. Ambience allows you to add additional engines to the system to handle higher volume. Each Ad-hoc Dashboard engine can be shared among multiple domains, and each domain can have multiple Ad-hoc Dashboard engines.

Ad-hoc Dashboard provides the following advantages to enhance business operations:

  • Ease of use: From anywhere at any time, you can view crucial information at a glance. To access Ad-hoc Dashboard, all you need are a computer or mobile device and an Internet connection.

  • Interaction: Ad-hoc Dashboard brings you direct interactions with crucial information. It responds to all your requests in a fast and accurate manner.

  • Customisation: Ad-hoc Dashboard displays exactly what you need as a result of customisation. Customised dashboards can be easily saved and opened in the Elixir Ambience Web Console, without repeated efforts of rebuilding. Dashboards are able to present data with the appropriate level of detail, according to the set of customized views. Views can be rendered into Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, HTML or Portable Document Format (PDF).

  • Visualisation: Ad-hoc Dashboard visualises information using a comprehensive set of components, including button, image, HTML, parameter, chart, report, and table. These components present information in an intuitive manner, making it easier and faster for you to master the information.

  • Scalability: Ad-hoc Dashboard enables many users to access dashboards simultaneously and receive quick responses to multiple requests for information.

  • Flexibility: Providing complete flexibility, Ad-hoc Dashboard enables you to create and manage dashboards based on your own requirements, as well as decide which part of information matters to you. It can either run as a standalone Web application, or be integrated into the existing system of an enterprise.