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SSAS Tabular Model training course

Two days (09:30 to 16:30 UK time each day)

This course is available in the following formats (all prices exclude VAT):

 

You can book a place on this course either online through this website, by phone, by email or by filling in our enquiry form.

You should be familiar with how relational databases work to attend this course. You'll also find the course more difficult if you haven't used pivot tables in Excel.

Course schedule

We don't have any dates scheduled for this course. We may consider adding dates - it's always worth asking.

Alternatively, if you have a handful of like-minded people in your organisation, you could consider booking your own customised onsite course, whereby you get to pick the dates and venue!

Course Contents - PDF

SSAS - Tabular Model training course contents

SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS to its friends) used to come in two distinct flavours: the (very) old fashioned multi-dimensional model, allowing you to build dimensions and cubes, and the newer tabular model (the subject of this course).

During the two days things you'll learn how to do include:

  • linking to data sources and creating a data model

  • using this as a basis for an Excel pivot table

  • creating calculated columns

  • creating basic measures using DAX

  • creating and use calendars

  • creating date calculations, using time-intelligence functions

SQL Server Analysis Services, Excel's PowerPivot tool and Power BI Desktop all store their data in the same underlying format, but only SSAS exposes its inner workings and allows you to set security on your data models and share them with others.

The contents of this course are as follows:

Visual Studio basics

  • Visual Studio windows
  • Setting startup options
  • Creating a project

Connecting to SQL Server

  • Creating and using connections
  • Filtering rows and columns

Creating a data model

  • Hiding from client tools
  • Renaming tables/columns
  • How column storage works
  • How processing works

Relationships

  • Diagram view
  • Creating relationships

Excel pivot tables

  • Analysing data in Excel
  • Connecting from Excel
  • Using Excel pivot tables

Power BI Desktop overview   if time

  • Importing from SSAS
  • Basic visualisations
  • How publishing works

Other data sources

  • Linking to Excel
  • Pasting in data

Calculated columns

  • Using IF and SWITCH
  • BLANK arithmetic
  • Linking tables using RELATED

Measures

  • Creating measures
  • SUMX, AVERAGEX, etc.

Changing query context

  • The CALCULATE function
  • Using FILTER

Prototyping using PowerPivot

  • Using PowerPivot
  • Importing PowerPivot models into SSAS
  • Constraints

Calendars

  • Creating a calendar table
  • Using multiple calendars

Date calculations

  • Working days
  • Period to date
  • Prior and parallel periods
  • Semi-additive measures

Hierarchies

  • Creating a hierarchy
  • Viewing hierarchies

KPIs

  • The parts of a KPI
  • Absolute and relative measures
  • Creating and viewing KPIs

Perspectives

  • Creating perspectives
  • Using in Excel

Security   if time

  • How security works
  • Creating roles
  • Filtering rows by role
Please see further up this page for what you should know beforehand (if anything) in order to attend this course.

Why Choose Us?

Here are some reasons to choose Wise Owl courses:

In addition, here are some benefits unique to classroom training:

And some benefits specific to online training:

  • Courseware manual posted to you in advance
  • Free half-hour pre-course check-up included
  • Our clever system means you can use our laptops (and we can see them)

What other people have said

Our thanks to everyone who agreed to share their thoughts. All of the following reviews are from the last 3 calendar years:

"Well structured course and the trainer adapted the pace of learning to benefit my needs. I feel I have come away from the course with more knowledge than I expected to and feel confident I will be able to utilise my new skills going forward. Manual is great. Thank you."

Julie Chapman (Hereford Sixth Form College)

"Great course. The trainer was really knowledgeable and happy to answer all questions. Online course format worked well and the way the trainer viewed our screens meant he was able to give us hints/advice if we'd made any typos/errors, without holding the other delegates up."

Lyndsey Bell (Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service)

"Great course, provided by a great trainer, who was really knowledgeable and was also happy to answer the many questions that I had."

Charlie Bruce (LGT Wealth Management UK LLP)

"The course was perfect, really learned a lot for the two days. Trainer was very flexible and knowledgeable about good practice SQL."

Minesh Gokal (PEI Group)

"Pitched at the right level and very good trainer. Useful having the manual and exercises to refer to after the course."

Dave Wouldham (Volac International Ltd)

There are lots more where these came from (or just refresh this page to change the quotes shown).

How our training courses work

Below are some notes on how Wise Owl courses work, to help you decide whether they're for you or not.

What you'll need

If you book on a classroom course, the only thing you need to bring to the course is ... yourself! We even provide a notepad and a suprisingly nice pen for you to take notes with.

For online training you'll need two things:

  1. A good internet connection (otherwise you'll have a frustrating time); and
  2. A second screen (a requirement, not a nice-to-have!)

You can see full details of our online course requirements here.

When you book a place

If you book a place on one of our courses:

  • For classroom courses we will send out a joining email. That's it!
  • For online courses we will get in touch to organise a half-hour pre-course check to iron out any connection problems before the course (rather than during it).

Whatever type of course you book, we will also send you out a reminder a few days before the course is due to take place - not that (we hope) you'll have forgotten!

What you won't need

For classroom training, you won't need a computer - we (obviously) will provide that. However, you're welcome to use your own laptop if you prefer, providing that you have the correct software installed.

For online training you will need a computer, but you won't need to have any software installed.  This is because you'll use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to our computers, and these will have all of the necessary files and software installed.

The start of the course

For online courses you will be able to join up to half an hour before the course begins. This will give you time to:

  • familiarise yourself with the set-up;
  • meet your trainer; and
  • get to know the other delegates!

For classroom training it's always nice if people arrive a bit early too, to give people time to meet each other (and drink coffee).

You'll be given a full colour courseware manual, an exercise booklet to go with the course and a USB stick for taking course files away (we'll post all this to you for online courses).

After the course

After the course finishes you'll receive a digital certificate proving your attendance (we will gladly send a paper copy on request also).

We don't have any formal arrangement for answering questions after the course, but if you get stuck on something and email your trainer they should (and nearly always do!) respond as quickly as their training schedule allows.

Related Courses

You might like to consider these related courses:

DAX for Power BI

Introduction

2 day course

Introduction to SSIS

Introduction

2 day course

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