The Business Scenario

The reason for using SQL Server’s built-in example databases in this chapter is to keep the example simple. The preferred use-case for PowerPivot is combining data from multiple, related data sources. However, to begin understanding the relationship between Excel, PowerPivot, and the data, this chapter’s example will focus on data from a single database table.

Suppose you are sitting at your desk in the worldwide headquarters of AdventureWorks when you receive an urgent request to create a report of all-time sales for the top ten products by sales volume sold via the Internet sales channel. Fortunately, you have available a database (AdventureWorksDW2008R2) containing a table (FactInternetSales) that stores just such information for AdventureWorks’ Internet sales. With PowerPivot for Excel, you can create the required report, with minimal impact on the database server and no knowledge of query languages (SQL, Multidimensional Expressions [MDX], etc.).