Using Neural Networks and OLAP Tools to Make Business Decisions

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Figure 13: The Cube Configuration page (web-based access to Project Server) allows you to customize OLAP cubes for your Project Server Instance.

Figure 14: OLAP cubes generated by Project Server 2007 (using Web-based access) can be accessed by other tools, such as Excel 2007.

The Data Analysis feature of Project Server 2007 makes use of Microsoft Office Web Components, which is a collection of Microsoft ActiveX components. Project Server 2007 uses these components to access OLAP cube data that is in the Analysis Services database. Users can interact with this data in PWA (Project Web Access) and Project Professional 2007 by using fully interactive PivotTables and PivotChart reports.

References

Books

• Berghage, T. et al Predicting the Unpredictable: How Neural Networks Enhance Predictability and Performance in Portfolio Management, Acacia (2007)
• Heaton, J. Introduction to Neural Networks with Java, Heaton (2005)
• McNelis, P. Neural Networks in Finance: Gaining Predictive Edge in the Market, Elsevier (2005)
• Samarasinghe, S. Neural Networks for Applied Sciences and Engineering: From Fundamentals to Complex Pattern, Auerbach (2007)
• Jelen, B. et al Customize a pivot table in Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Que (2006)
• Jelen, B. et al Pivot Table Data Crunching for Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Que (2006)
• Berson, A. et al Data Warehousing, Data Mining, and OLAP, McGraw-Hill (1997)
• QuantumPM Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed, SAMS (2008)

Online resources

• Basic Concepts for Neural Networks: http://www.cheshireeng.com/Neuralyst/nnbg.htm
• Basic Introduction to Neural Networks: http://www.cs.duke.edu/brd/Teaching/Previous/AI/Lectures/NN/neural.html
• Linear Neural networks: http://youtube.com/watch?v=cM1CF7gUm-U
• Introduction to Neural Networks: http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~lss/NNIntro/InvSlides.html
• Multi layered neural networks: http://youtube.com/watch?v=188qdP70124
• Neural Networks: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6ixqKw7uK6o
• The Next Generation of Neural Networks: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AyzOUbkUf3M
• Business Intelligence Demonstration: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-j5J7lXav7Y&feature=related
• Data Mining Techniques: http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~cse634/students'_presentations/neural.ppt

About the Author

Marcia Gulesian is an IT strategist, hands-on practitioner, and advocate for business-driven architectures. She has served as software developer, project manager, CTO, and CIO. Marcia is the author of well more than 100 feature articles on IT, its economics, and its management.

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This article was originally published on August 7, 2008