Reporting - FAQ, Reporting and Analytics with Power BI

In this article, we'll answer your key questions about the all-new Reporting and Analytics, powered by Power BI. This article will be regularly updated as we further develop our new reporting tool.

We'll answer your questions in these key areas:

• About the new Reporting and Analytics
• What the new tool looks like, and when you'll get it
• Access to Power BI
• Working with the Fixed reports
• Creating reports from scratch with pre-built datasets
• Share reports with stakeholders

About the new Reporting and Analytics

What is Power BI?

Power BI is a business intelligence tool powered by Microsoft. It integrates with other Microsoft ecosystem products and prioritises ease of use and modern data visualisation techniques.

What does the new reporting tool do that the current one doesn’t?

• New and improved standard reports
• More modern look and feel
• Single hub for all Kallidus suite reporting
• Cross-product reporting for the Kallidus suite, starting with Learn and Perform.

Why are we changing from Business Objects to Power BI?

Aside from the increased ease of use, allowing you to create your own reports from scratch, Power BI will also make the transfer of data easier, with future integrations giving you more flexibility to access your data in your own data visualisation tools. It will also allow for more cross-product reporting for the entire Kallidus suite.

Why did Kallidus choose to use Microsoft Power BI (embedded) as the basis for reporting?

Our reporting teams evaluated several possible options for our next generation tooling. Microsoft's Power BI product has consistently ranked as "Leader" in the business intelligence tools market (see Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence from 2023 below). The embedded version offers the same-ease-of-use as the full desktop version (without our customers needing any kind of Microsoft subscription) along with several other benefits for data connectivity and analysis.

(source: https://www.cxtoday.com/data-analytics/gartner-magic-quadrant-for-analytics-and-business-intelligence-platforms-2023/ )

What the new tool looks like, and when you'll get it

What does the new tool look like?

The new Kallidus Reporting and Analytics tool is live and rolling out to customers, with many customers already having access. We're planning regular monthly updates and loads of new features.

We'll share these via the knowledge base, email, Academy events and via your CEM to keep you informed of our progress.

View Reporting and analytics 101 for an overview of the reports area, and to walkthrough each report. report

When will the new tool be available?

We've already made the new tool available to many of our customers. One of the key requirements is you are using our new Identity solution; once you have moved to this we'll get you up and running with the new Reporting and Analytics solution within a few weeks.

When your organization is eligible to gain access, the primary admin user on your account will receive an automated email (or a follow-up from your Customer Experience Manager) that includes the first steps you'll need to take to begin exploring our new reporting solution.

For any queries relating to this process, reach out to your Customer Experience Manager for more information. And, don't worry, gaining access does not have any immediate impact on your existing Business Objects reports.

How will we learn how to use it?

We will be offering live events and new resources to help your transition into using the new reporting tools. We've also started to add content to the Kallidus Knowledgebase, including an overview of each new Fixed report, and articles to help you get started creating reports from scratch.

Access to Power BI

Do I need a Power BI license in order to access the new reports?

No, you will not need an existing Power BI license. We are using Embedded Power BI reports, which means that all of the licensing will be taken care of on our end. 

What if our organisation uses Google Workspace (fka G Suite) instead of Microsoft?

The new Kallidus Reporting through Power BI will work the same regardless of the productivity platform your organisation is using (Microsoft, Google, etc.).

As we've embedded Power BI into our own product, it's accessed from a browser making it agnostic to the productivity platform. When exporting raw data, it can be dropped out in .csv or .xlsx formats, both of which can be opened and managed in Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or any other mainstream spreadsheeting tool.

Working with the Fixed reports

If I reference a group in a report, and I change the name of that group, will it break the report?

Yes. When filters are applied to the report, the specific criteria you've set will be referenced each time the report runs. 

For example, if you've filtered the report by a Group name and later change that Group's name, you'll need to update the filter to reflect the new name. Otherwise, the report will continue searching for the old Group name.

Why can't a User view the data in a report that’s been shared with them, even though they have reporting access in the Manager Users area?

The issue likely stems from User permissions. Although the user has been given reporting access, a security model governs what data they can view.

This model evaluates the user’s permissions and determines which data they are authorised to see based on their LMS role. If the user’s permissions do not permit access to certain data, they will not be able to view it in the report.

It is possible to give a User access to view all report data - even if their LMS role would not normall permit it. View this article to see how.

Can I delete or rename User fields in a Fixed report?

No, at present this is not possible in a Fixed Report. The alterative is to export the table visualistion to Excel and delete the columns there. User fields can be renamed if you're creating a report from scratch. 

Why do I get different information when I run some Business Objects reports to Power BI reports?

Business Objects and Power BI reports are not comparable. There are no reports that are a direct match as they calculate differently and look for different reporting objects. 

Where can I get help in understanding how to use a fixed report? 

We've created a walkthrough video for each report. In each report, you'll see a 'Learn more' link that will take you straight to it. View the section 'Get to know the Fixed reports'. 

You'll also find a large library of articles in the 'Reporting and analytics' area of the Knowledgebase.

For deeper learning, visit the Academy and join us live (or watch a recording) for Key techniques for using Power BI fixed reports'. It's the essential starting point for all BI knowledge.

Is there a glossary for User fields and what they refer to? 

Yes. Every report contains a link to view a summary of all your User/custom fields, and how they are populated. Find out more here.

Can I edit and save a custom version of a Fixed report?

No, the Fixed reports can be filtered, and Views saved for next time, however they cannot be copied and edited. The Fixed reports are designed be easy to undertand and interact with, however they're really complex to work with.

Creating reports from scratch with pre-built datasets

What is a dataset?

A Power BI dataset is a collection of pre-built fields, dates and measures that are designed to give you a focussed set of raw materials with which to build a report.

• A field is typically a non-numeric piece of data. For example, someone’s name, or a course title, or perhaps a ‘yes/no’ statement such as whether a lesson is enabled or not enabled.
• A date is what you’d expect – a user’s start date, an accreditation expiry date, a course completion date, and so on.
• A measure is a numeric value. For example, the number of courses for which a user is compliant, or perhaps the percentage of accreditation assignments which are expired.

Together, the fields, dates and measures form a dataset.

Is all Learn data contained in a dataset?

To make things manageable for you, and to optimise a report’s performance, it’s good practice to break datasets down where possible. By that, we mean create individual collections of fields, dates and measures which logically belong together. And that means leaving out what is unlikely to be of use when you need to report on something specific.

Think of going to the shopping mall to buy a new pair of shoes. You’d visit a specialist shoe shop, or maybe a store that also stocked clothes (because shoes and clothes are often bought to compliment one another).

But you would probably have no need for the shop to sell bicycle tires, baker’s yeast or surfboards if you were interested in buying shoes!

It’s the same principle with a dataset. We’ve gathered the components we believe are required for use when you want to report on something specific in Learn – events, accreditations, course/lesson progress, etc.

Depending on what your primary reporting purpose is, you’ll choose the appropriate dataset for that job. It will not be cluttered with the things you don’t need for the task in hand – in our example above, there will be no bicycles tires, baker’s yeast or surfboards getting in your way.

Can you give me a non-technical explanation of what a dataset is?

Here’s one way that we can look at a dataset with a non-technical eye.

Let’s assume you’re in the kitchen and you’ve been asked to cook an Italian meal. But your store cupboard is empty right now, so you need to have the right ingredients delivered to you.

Think of this as the equivalent of a colleague asking you to build a report – you’ll need some data.

Just as with a report request, for our meal we need a delivery of ingredients which is in tune with what we’ve been asked to cook. No point getting a delivery of too many ingredients if we are cooking beef meatballs in Bolognese sauce with spaghetti. Why would we ask for a home delivery that contained spicy Szechuan sauce, smoked haddock or sultanas.

The delivery you get might include things which you don’t use (Parmesan cheese is not to everyone’s taste), but the delivery will include all the ingredients that are likely to be useful for you to cook the Italian meal you’ve been asked for. You’re not obliged to use them all.

And as with many recipes, some ingredients are likely to appear in them all. Salt and pepper are good examples. It’s the same with a Learn dataset. You’re likely to see user details in most of them. Users are perhaps the ‘salt’ of the Learn dataset world.

How often do datasets refresh?

• Reports currently update twice a day (morning and afternoon)
• Each Dataset is refreshed individually, so the time stamp may differ between reports
• The same 'time stamp' will apply to all Fixed and custom reports that uses the same dataset
  
  

Can I modify or add to a dataset?

The datasets we have provided are not editable. We’ve put a lot of time and research into each one, and of note is the much-increased number of pre-built measures that didn’t exist in the Business Objects equivalents. 

So, although the datasets are fixed, they contain what we think everyone will need.

And because we’re in charge of our datasets, we can be nimble if customer feedback suggests that we need new fields, dates or measures to be added to a dataset. Any additions will automatically be available to all customers when we add them.

Can I build my own dataset?

No, you won't be able to build your own dataset; however there are other ways you can gain access to other combinations of data.

We are currently developing prototypes for a few additional data extraction concepts. In short, you'll be able to select any number of data subject areas (think, database views) that you'd like to extract once or on a recurring basis. These solutions will give you more direct access to your data for use in your own data reporting solutions (whether that is Power BI, Tableau, or any other solution). That brings with it the ability to create your own datasets in your internal reporting tools, even bringing in other organisational data if necessary.

We will keep customers updated with the outcomes of our exploration of this kind of data access and integration.

What happens if a dataset is missing something important?

Because we’re in charge of our datasets, we can be nimble if customer feedback suggests that we need new fields, dates or measures to be added to a dataset. Any additions will automatically be available to all customers when we add them.

We are likely to add new datasets as the Power BI reporting solution grows.

Can I create a report that references more than one dataset?

At the moment, a report will need to be built against a single dataset.

We monitor customer reporting requirements and have committed to exploring the best ways in which datasets will evolve. If datasets need to be broadened, or new ones built to meet customer needs, we will seek the most effective ways to meet that demand.

Are there any datasets available for products other than Learn?

Datasets covering our Learn and Perform products are now available.

Share reports with stakeholders

I have regular reports scheduled to my inbox for LMS admin. How do I replicate this in Power BI?

Saved Views will make this a much easier process, and keep your inbox clearer! It's possible to save a filtered view of a report so that next time you visit, the previous 'state' is retained. Multiple Views can be added, and it's also possible to copy a link to the view to share with colleagues.

So instead of scheduling multiple reports to your inbox, save the shared view link in your browser. You'll get to the report with a single click, and always be seeing the most up to date data (it also avoids sending potentially sensitive information via email)  

Can I schedule reports to share with stakeholders?

Not yet, but we're working on it! It will be possible to schedule a reminder to stakeholders to follow a 'shared view link' to view the most accurate andup to date data, directly in Power BI. 

Can the views be restricted so only certain users can see them?

Not yet but we're working on it! Join us for our live Product updates in The Academy to see recent and upcoming developments.

Can we share views for specific reports only?

Not at present, but we're exploring permissions at the moment. Join us for our live Product updates in The Academy to see recent and upcoming developments.

Remember also that the security model will limit a Users view of reporting information. For example, a manager will only see their team members in reports, where an administrator would see everyone. 

I need to send reports to line managers who do not have reporting access. Is it possible to download and send share as PDF?

Yes, select CNTRL+P to print any report screen, then save as a PDF. Remember also that the security model will limit a Users view of reporting information. For example, a manager will only see their team members in reports, where an administrator would see everyone. 

What view of the data do senior managers get?

With the senior manager view activated in Learn, your senior managers are able to see in their manager dashboard, learning activity for everyone below them in the organisational hierarchy. And thats reflected in Power BI.  This is controlled by the security model. Therefore in Power BI senior managers will see everyone who is visible to them in the manager dashboard.

Find out more about reporting and analytics with Microsoft Power BI

Join us live for Key techniques for using Power BI fixed reports in The Academy. We'll start with a tour of the Power BI reporting area, then, we’ll open up the Learning Progress report and using real-life examples, we’ll dive into the detail.

If you're using Reporting and Analytics already and have a question, come along to our 'Ask me Anything' events in the Academy to ask questions and share feedback directly with the team.

Join us for our update and roadmap live event to see the latest feature releases and roadmap for the next quarter and share feedback directly with the team. 

Don't have your Academy account yet? Contact your Customer Experience Manager or the Support Team to sign up today.