Crystal Xcelsius 2006

How This Book Is Organized

The chapters in this book are organized into five parts, each of which includes chapters that build on the previous chapters’ instruction. As you go through each part, you will be able to build dashboards of increasing complexity until you’re a Crystal Xcelsius guru.

About This Book

The chapters in this book are designed to be standalone chapters that you can selectively refer to as needed. These chapters provide you with step-by-step walkthrough examples as well as instruction on the wide array of functional¬ity that Crystal Xcelsius has to offer. As you move through this book, you will be able to create increasingly sophisticated dashboards using more advanced components. After reading this book, you will be able to

* Create basic dashboards with charts, gauges, and sliders.
* Add advanced functionality to your dashboards such as alerts, maps, and dynamic visibility.
* Create interactive business calculators and what-if analysis tools.
* Integrate Crystal Xcelsius models into PowerPoint presentations.
* Create Crystal Xcelsius-based Web pages.

The three versions of Crystal Xcelsius are Standard, Professional, and Workgroup. In this book, I focus on the components and functionalities of Crystal Xcelsius Standard and Professional. If you use Crystal Xcelsius Workgroup, you will find that much of the information found here still applies to your version. However, this book doesn’t cover the collaboration and the enterprise-level functionality of Crystal Xcelsius Workgroup.

Part I: Say Hello to Crystal Xcelsius

Part I is all about introducing you to Crystal Xcelsius. In Chapter 1, I share with you the various ways you can use Crystal Xcelsius as well as the core concepts that make Crystal Xcelsius components work. In Chapter 2, throw caution to the wind and create your first dashboard — without reading the instructions. At the end of Chapter 2, you will have a firm understanding of the fundamentals of using Crystal Xcelsius, including importing data, working with components, publishing your dashboard, and refreshing your data.

Part II: Getting Started with the Basics

In Part II, I take an in-depth look at some of the basic components that are key to any dashboard. In Chapter 3, I show you how Single Value components work and how to use them to build interactivity into your dashboards. In Chapter 4, I show you how to leverage alerts to enable conditional coloring in your components, allowing your audience to get an instant visual assessment on performance. Chapter 5 is all about creating charts in Crystal Xcelsius. I wrap up this part with Chapter 6, where I show you how to easily build menus and selectors into your dashboards with Selector components.
Part III: Getting Fancy with Advanced Components

In Part III, I go beyond the basics to take a look at some of the advanced com¬ponents that Crystal Xcelsius has to offer. In Chapter 7, I demonstrate the different ways you can use Map components to add flair to your visualizations. In Chapter 8, I walk you through the basics of dynamic visibility and look at some examples of how dynamic visibility can help achieve focus on the parts of your dashboard that are important. Chapter 9 focuses on the advanced com¬ponents and functions that are found only in the Professional version of Crystal Xcelsius, discussing how each can be used to enhance your visual models.
Part IV: Wrapping Things Up

Part IV focuses on the last two actions a user takes when wrapping up the production of a dashboard: formatting and distribution. Chapter 10 focuses on the functions and utilities that enable you to show off your artistic side and add your own style to your visual models. In Chapter 11, I show you just how easy it is to take your dashboards to market, and I share a few other tricks on how to share the data in a visual model.
Part V: The Part of Tens

Part V is the classic Part of Tens section found in every For Dummies title. The chapters here each present ten or more pearls of wisdom, delivered in bite-sized pieces. In Chapter 12, I share with you ten best practices that will help you design Excel models that allow you to go beyond simple dashboards. In Chapter 13, I share ten of my best Crystal Xcelsius tricks, making ordinary components do extraordinary things. Chapter 14 focuses on answering some of the questions that I hear most often. Chapter 15 covers real-world examples of Crystal Xcelsius in the workplace.

Lastly, the appendix at the end of the book contains an essay by Loren Abdulezer about the significance of the paradigm shift that Crystal Xcelsius represents.
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