Business Intelligence with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides an infrastructure that makes it easy for decision-makers to access information anytime, anywhere. People can get up-to-date information where they work, collaborate, and make decisions, whether it's on the desktop or over the Web.

Traditionally, the tools for accessing large amounts of unstructured data for the purpose of analysis were available only to people with years of experience in data warehousing or data mining. Publishing to the Web by using data from multiple sources is something historically restricted to developers and consultants. By using the new features available in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, information workers can assemble data from multiple sources and publish that data on the Web.

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 can link to business applications, such as SAP, Siebel, and Microsoft SQL Server 2005, allowing you to easily publish reports, lists, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Several new features in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 allow you to share, control, and reuse business information.

Excel-Services
Excel Services, part of Office SharePoint Server 2007, extend the capabilities of Microsoft Office Excel 2007 by allowing broad sharing of spreadsheets, improved manageability and security and the ability to re-use spreadsheet models using a scalable server-based calculation service and interactive Web-based user interface.

Dashboards and Report Center
Create interactive business intelligence (BI) dashboards that assemble and display business information from disparate sources by using built in Web Parts. These Web Parts include dynamic key performance indicators (KPI), Office Excel 2007 spreadsheets, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services reports and a collection of business data connectivity Web Parts that can visualize information residing in back-end line-of-business applications.

Accessing and discovering business data
Seamlessly connect external data into your applications using the Business Data Catalog (BDC) to create a foundation for business intelligence search. Part of Office SharePoint Server 2007, the BDC simplifies the process of discovering and accessing data residing within backend line of business applications.