Release Notes 4.2

Import-Export features

Kyubit presents a set of features related to exporting and importing (Sync) of various Kyubit application objects (Reports, Dashboards, KPIs, etc.) between different instances of Kyubit BI application using XML files.

Visitor Role

New 'Visitor' role does not allow the creation of new content (analysis, queries, dashboards, etc.) and visitor only sees 'Analysis', 'Dashboards' and 'Schedule' application sections.

Dynamic Text in Dashboard and Tiles

The text of the Dashboard can contain dynamic values from previously created analysis and queries. For example, now you can quickly set description text explaining which is the most sold product this year using the words.

HTML support in Dashboard and Tiles

The text of Dashboard Header/Footer and Tile Description can contain HTML, which is a convenient way to provide enhanced text for end-users but also to add a custom link or similar.

All New Features and Improvements

• Import-Export features
  Kyubit presents a set of features related to exporting and importing of various Kyubit application objects (created by users) between different instances of Kyubit BI application. Possible objects related to import/export features are 'Data Source', 'Analysis/Report', 'Dashboard', 'Query', 'KPI' and 'Scorecard'. With a few clicks, a user with an 'Admin' role has a privilege to export selected objects to a file, which could be imported (uploaded) to any other Kyubit application instance. Import-Export features are especially interesting for any environment with multiple instances of Kyubit BI, which often includes Development, QA, Test and Production instance. Created Reports, Dashboards and other objects now could be quickly distributed on all Kyubit instances without manual work to recreate them. Furthermore, Import-Export features include 'dependency' recognition (optionally), which will include in an export not only selected object but also all objects that selected object depends on throughout entire application hierarchically, which is especially useful. For example, export of single dashboard, in that case, would automatically include 'Analyses', 'Queries', 'KPI', and also the dependency of those objects all the way up to 'Data Sources'. Each object using import-Export features is assigned a unique identifier, which allows that single object could be synchronized multiple times, making sure that object would be correctly imported to appropriate object on any Kyubit instance. It is a simple way to synchronize your work on multiple instances of Kyubit BI application available to 'Admin' application role and using any of the Kyubit licensing editions.
• 'Visitor' user role
  All users are defined in one of the 3 application roles: 'Visitor', 'Creator' and 'Admin'. 'Visitor' role does not allow the creation of new content (analysis, queries, dashboards, etc.) and a user can see only content for which user is authorized. 'Visitor role can see only 'Home', 'Analysis', 'Dashboard' and 'Schedule' application sections. 'Data Sources', 'Queries', 'KPI/Scorecard' and 'OLAP Shared Items' sections are hidden. 'Creator' role allows a user to create new content and has all application sections visible except 'Administration', but requires permissions to access any created application object not created by the same user (all users on existing application instances are automatically set as 'Creators'). 'Admin' role has all application sections visible and does not require permission to access any application object.
• 'Expand All' OLAP Analysis Mode
  Expanding of all category levels with a single MDX query. Until now, Kyubit OLAP analysis was working only in (what we call now) 'Step-By-Step' analysis mode, where members of the category and series axis are expanded to lower levels with additional MDX query to SSAS. That was not perfect if you wish to expand all members on all category levels, which will actually execute a whole tree of MDX statements to render all members of all levels on the category axis. 'Expand All' OLAP Analysis Mode will take all added levels on the category level, single level on series (if defined) and any number of measures to execute a single MDX query and render the results, resulting in a much better performance when dealing with expanding all category members. This mode has an advantage only in case you need to quickly expand multiple levels because members could not be expand-collapse additionally. The disadvantage is also that a single series level is allowed in this mode. Anytime switch between 'Step-By-Step' (default) and 'Expand All' OLAP Analysis Mode in the 'Options' menu within the analysis.
• Dashboard Tile Caching
  For each tile on the dashboard, 'Cache' time could be set, which will store results of that tile (chart/visualization) in the application memory for the specified amount of time. In case you have a lot of users accessing the same dashboard that should see the same results, many times it is not necessary to actually everytime access data sources to pull fresh data. For example, if data old 10 minutes are good enough for end-users, it would be wise to set 10 minutes 'Cache' on that tiles and save resources by not accessing data sources for the fresh data every time dashboard is opened.
• Dynamic Text in Dashboard and Tiles
  The text of Dashboard Header/Footer and Tile Description can contain dynamic values from previously created analysis and queries (first cell value is used). Text input for those elements now includes 'picker' (marked as {}) that will allow you to quickly select an object from which value will be pulled. For example, now you can quickly set description text explaining which is the most sold product this year in words.
• HTML support in Dashboard and Tiles
  The text of Dashboard Header/Footer and Tile Description can contain HTML, which is a convenient way to provide enhanced text for end-users but also to add a custom link or similar. This feature should not be used to add some complex HTML to text descriptions. While exporting dashboard to PDF, plain text (without HTML) will be used.
• Dashboard Tile Menu
  Dashboard tiles include an icon on the top-right corner to open tile menu. Tile menu contains many visual options for the chart/visualization as well as 'Continue Analysis' and 'Expand View' options.
• White-Label Configuration
  Provide White-Label details in web.config and your images to White-Label folder which is the official way to include custom text and your logo images, that will persist after each application upgrade. White-label options are available only with Kyubit Enterprise Edition license. (Previously White-Label options was manually set in HTML files and images folder)
• HeatMap Analytics for Dashboard
  Dashboards now include also HeatMap visualization that beside default value-color range, supports additional ranges with custom colors, providing beautiful and quick visual analytic insights to rendered data.
• Redesigned Bubble-Scatter chart
  Bubble-Scatter chart nows renders only data with 2 or 3 measures, where 1st measure values are on Y-axis, 2nd measure values are on X-axis and 3rd measure values are presented by the size of the bubble. Great impression of multiple measures impact for the analysis/query members at the same time.
• SQL query type 'Category, Series, Value'
  Writing default query 'Category, Values' for dashboard visualization will simply render all query rows as categories, while columns will be rendered as series. Sometimes for query writer is not simple to transform values that appear in rows to be displayed as columns (which often requires more complex SQL queries writing) and in this case 'Category, Series, Value' query should be used that will simply put all first column values on categories, second column values to series and third column values as measures (values).
• SQL/MDX query editor 'Expanded View'
  While writing and test SQL/MDX queries, a user can quickly expand query/results window for a more convenient way to complete query writing.
• KPI 'Middle-Range' Success
  New KPI success type that requires values to meet provided range (thresholds) to be evaluated as 'Success', additional (wider) range for values to be evaluated as 'Even' and any other values would be evaluated as 'Fail'. In other words, KPI success could be interpreted as 'Closer is better' (to a defined range of values).
• Scorecard columns selection
  Explicitly set which Scorecard columns to display on the dashboard, configurable in Tile -> Options.
• Spline chart
  Display values with 'curved' lines chart on the dashboard and option to set 'Tension' value related to how much lines will be curved.
• Cluster Column Chart
  Currently supported only with SQL queries. The query has to be constructed in such a way that category members include cluster group and category item separated by '#' character (group1#item1, group1#item2, etc)
• Column Chart - Min-Y and Max-Y
  Line chart, Spline chart, and Column chart now support setting Min-Y and Max-Y values on the chart.
• Time-Intelligence <monthname> and <monthshortname> placeholders
  When defining Time-Intelligence definitions new placeholders could be used that would replace member unique name with current culture month name or current culture month short name.
• Kyubit License and Analytic Models support
  Analytic Models will be counted separately than external data sources regarding licensing. Team Edition license will support 5 Analytic Models, Standard Edition - 20 Analytic Models, Company Edition - 50 Analytic Models, while for more than 50 Analytic Models, Enterprise Edition will be required. This model will give more space and opportunity to existing license owners to test, explore and utilize great Analytic Model feature.
• Analytic Models Processing Performance
  Improved performance of processing data and preparing Analytic Models.
• User Interface Improvements
  Many visual details are improved, including display of Text inputs, Drop-down inputs, Checkboxes, Menus, Form paddings, etc.
• Dashboard 'Continue Analysis' option (available on OLAP/Analytic model based charts) could be disabled on dashboard level.
• Point details on the dashboard chart could be toggled by the mouse click (previously only on mouse hover event, which was not accurate if many points were close to each other).
• New dashboards are created only in 'Free Position' mode, which we find much better and more popular approach than old 'Column Based' dashboards. We can send instructions how to enable old 'Column Based' dashboard, in case anyone needs for any reason.
• When a new chart is added to the dashboard, the default is to display 'Top 3' value labels.
• Geo Maps - Included all US states map with counties.
• Geo Maps - Included map of all US counties on a single map. (Takes few seconds to render, but visually could be impressive)
• Windows Home Edition, officially excluded from the Kyubit supported operating systems. Lack of support for some authentication models on Windows Home edition was leading to many problems and inconsistencies. Kyubit is supported on any Windows operating system, except Windows Home Edition.
• FIX - Creating dashboard PDF was resulting in PDF with missing charts on slower networks (client-server architecture). Additional updates ensure PDF is always correctly populated with all the chart.
• FIX - Auto-resize of Analysis initial row that depends on the length of the measure text. Previously longer text of the measure (3 lines) could lead to aligning/visual problems.
• FIX - End-user can now copy/paste text from the dashboard. (Those mouse events were disabled previously)
• FIX - Report View. Simultaneously changing of report filters and report 'Visuals' does not exclude each other values.
• FIX - Report chart. Integer values are no more displayed as decimals on chart labels.
• FIX - Defining KPI with thresholds with decimals. The problem was occurring for some cultures.
• FIX - Scorecard with many items (KPIs) resulted in visual inconsistencies when displaying in 'Expanded View'.
• FIX - Scorecards management view now could be correctly sorted.