Report Writer

Web-based business intelligence with mapping features

Background and Objectives

The client is one of the oldest Natural Gas delivery service companies in US. They are the nation's third largest combined electricity and natural gas delivery companies with approximately 5 million natural gas and electric customers.

The key objective of this project was to develop a Report generation component, which serves as a Web-based business intelligence with mapping features. This component would provide simplified end-user reporting in a controlled, business-oriented environment.

Key Aspects of the Project

• System study
• Developing a map-enabled web based application with query shell integrated with the existing system
• Creation of a critical component to facilitate Ad hoc reporting
• Exporting the reports in multiple formats e.g. PDF, XLS, and DOC
• Database compatibility for Oracle, SQL Server, DB 2
• Facilitating Map based query analysis

Product Description

1.1 Product Perspective

1.2 Product Features

• Standard Reports – Commonly run reports that may optionally include parameters for content and format flexibility.
• Report Domains – Reporting environments appropriate to business users’ affiliations or interests set up and maintained by the administrator. Each domain contains all the data sources needed for the types of reports and graphs users will want to run or create.
• Personal reports – These are reports that are generated using query shell and a provision is given to save such reports as “My Reports”.
• E-Mail – Every user having access to reports can receive timely information via e-mails in printable format.
• User Groups and Security – Identifies individual users and the security associated with them; administrators can combine multiple users into groups to allow for group-level report association.
• Upload and download Reports – User can download and upload the reports in any formats.
• Export – Users can view the information in the format that best suits their needs and export to multiple format support – including, Excel, Doc and PDF
• MAP Navigation – User can zoom, ZoomOut, Pan, and FullExtent etc in the report with map
• Identify – User can click on any feature of map and view related information
• Rendering the selected features
• Zoom to the selected features
• Query Analysis– Buffering and Spatial analysis

1.3 Product Perspective

• Data Access
  • Provides comprehensive, native access to Oracle, SQL Server and access data sources, optimized for reporting and GIS mapping.
• Administration and Security
  • Securely manages and administers broad deployment of information to unlimited numbers of users.
  • It provides a complete environment for management and administration facilities, enabling organizations to build and deploy standard reports.
  • Provide ad hoc and online analytical processing capabilities to specified users.
  • Assign user groups, define access rights and ensure security.
  • Allow administrator to define alias name for table and related table fields.
• Enterprise Reports
  • Supplies all advanced Web-based features; people need to use reports effectively, such as simple and ad-hoc reports
  • Supports all output formats as PDF, EXCEL, and DOC
  • User can customize report.
  • The user can save the results as a new report generated in a preferred format.
  • Reports can then be viewed, printed, or taken offline for even further analysis.
  • This component also facilitates the management and sharing of reports.
  • Users have the capability to access and analyze data in a way that is best suited to get exact results and then share and collaborate on that information in the most effective way possible.
• Query and Analysis
  • Combines all the functionality of query tools and reporting tools into a single powerful solution with one common interface
  • Allowing users to generate ad hoc queries, in-depth analysis in the most collaborative and efficient manner.
• Enhanced GIS analysis Report
  • Provides a more intuitive way for processing and comprehending certain information, enhancing your ability to analyze and discern critical trends and patterns.
  • Users can aggregate real-time information from different databases, build individual ad hoc queries and formatted reports, and then instantly transform their results onto geographic maps.

1.4 Operating Environment

Products	ASP. Net with VB .net, ArcIMS 4.0
Platform	PC-Intel
Operating System	Windows 2000 – Server and Windows XP
Service Packs/Patches	SP 2 or SP 3
Web Serve	Internet Information Server
Web Server Version	5.0
Report Tool	Crystal report
Crystal Report Version	9.0
Data Base	Oracle, MS-Sql Server, Access.
Supported Web Browsers	Internet Explorer 5.0 and above.

Methodology:

• System study
• System design
• Application software development
• Testing
• Deployment

  Tools used:

• ASP 2.0
• . NET with VB.net
• ArcIMS 4.0
• Oracle, MSSQL server, MS-Access