Tag: Business Intelligence

  • SQL Script: Distinct Column Values Across All Tables

    Sometimes I wonder if some of the more random scripts I post are useful to anyone but me so if this one is useful to you definitely drop a comment below! Check it out:  Our team was trying to confirm what our best practice was when creating flag columns in the data warehouse.  As usual […]

  • SSIS Compare Variables And Change One With A Script Task

    This article falls into the half baked posts category.  Once I figured out how to compare two variables and then overwrite one with a script task in SQL Server Integration Services, I also realized I did not in fact need to perform the task.  Doh!  Still a useful bit of code though so I’m posting […]

  • Create A List In Your SSRS Tooltip: Not Impossible!

    Warning!  This post is barely finished.  I putting it up as a reminder to myself that I had a hard time finding a post explaining how to do it and I should write a post on it. “It’s impossible” they said.  “It can’t be done!” they claimed.  “You’re mad (but still surprisingly handsome!)” the women […]

  • SSIS: No column information was returned by the SQL command

    Are you trying to use a stored procedure as the source of a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) data flow task?  If your stored procedure contains a temp table you may run into the message “No column information was returned by the SQL command” (complete error message below).  Although there are a number of solutions […]

  • Clearing the SQL Server Analysis Services Cache

    Preparing to do some MDX performance testing?  Step one for each and every test should be to clear the cache.  This will ensure you are seeing the performance results without the benefit of having data already loaded up in memory.  How do you empty the MS SQL Analysis Services cache prior to running your query?

  • The Four Database Design Principles You Should Be Using

    The Four Database Design Principles You Should Be Using

    “Obey the principles without being bound by them.” -Bruce Lee   Do you have some guiding principles you use when designing a new feature or when implementing a new requirement?  I do.  And you should too.  I put them to paper a few years ago while we were undergoing a hiring binge and I wanted […]

  • Execute Stored Procedure From Excel With Temp Table

    Do you want to execute a stored procedure from Excel?  No problem!  Does your proc contain a temp table? Problem!  Actually, don’t panic.  The fix is incredibly simple.  Tracking down this post was probably the most difficult part.  When executing a SQL Server proc with a temp table you must remember to “SET NOCOUNT ON” […]

  • Most Effective Business Intelligence Charts And Graphs

    As software vendors flood us with flashy dashboards and widgets for our BI projects, some of which clearly obscure information more than they illuminate, I started  hunting for research documenting which methods of charting are the most effective.  Naomi B. Robbins “Creating More Effective Graphs” presentation fits the bill (turns out the presentation is based […]

  • Business Intelligence Teams Could Learn Something From Barcelona Football

    Just came across a brief but interesting article looking at how the top ranked Barcelona Football Club has handled some tricky management issues, one of which is particularly common to the business intelligence team:

  • Radar Chart? You must be kidding.

    I’ve been thinking about the display of data quite a bit lately.  Some ways of presenting data are clearly more effective than others.  When providing data in a visual format the goals are one of the following: