Conversion Utility Capabilities

The Conversion utility is able to convert most of the core elements of BI Office to Pyramid 2018. The following guide explains the extent of the conversion process.

Security Elements

Users

Users from the source system are converted to the new one, keeping core details synchronized: user name, first name, last name and email.

Licenses

Licenses are converted as follows:

• BI Office Pro, Analyst and Consumer seats are converted Pro Pyramid 2018 seats
• BI Office Viewers are converted to Pyramid 2018 Viewers

Roles

Roles from the source system are converted to matching roles in the new system, keeping role membership intact.

Content Elements

Data Sources

Data sources are NOT converted by the engine. However, they are checked before execution to ensure that the source and target data sources are in sync.

Synchronized datasources have the same server address and instance names. Captions and security settings for data sources do not have to match up.

Any missing data sources on the target system must be added manually BEFORE continuing to the next step. Alternatively, they and related content can be ignored.

Folders

Folders from the source system are converted to matching folders in the new system, keeping the folder tree and role security for the folders intact.

Any BI Office Discovery "books" are converted into folders in the new system. Any folders found inside the books, are converted into sub-folders in the target system as well.

Calculations and Business Logic

Calculations used inside selected content are converted across to the new system as stand-alone entities and are incorporated into their host reports to match the way they were used in BI Office. Due to the changed functionality in the new Pyramid 2018 system, the calculations are adjusted according to this table:

BI Office	Pyramid 2018
Public Custom Members and Custom Sets	These are converted to "Formulas" or "Lists" and saved into the PUBLIC folder domain. Each formula or list is stored under the "data source folder" tree system. Any sub-folders built into BI Office are migrated as sub-folders into this structure as well. The security set on these elements in BI Office is applied to the elements and folders in Pyramid 2018. The MDX behind these calculations is converted as is, with all matching MDX properties.
Private Custom Members and Custom Sets	These are converted to "Formulas" or "Lists" and saved into the originating user's PRIVATE folder domain. Each formula or list is stored under the "data source folder" tree system. Any sub-folders built into BI Office are migrated as sub-folders into this structure as well. The private access security set on these elements in BI Office is applied to the elements and folders in Pyramid 2018. The MDX behind these calculations is converted as is, with all matching MDX properties.
Advanced Sets, Calculations and KPIs	Any items built using the BI Office Advanced Set designer or Calculation designer are converted across as "objects" - which means they can be edited using the new formula, list and KPI tools found under the "Formulate" work flow in Pyramid 2018. If there are any issues with the object model, the system will 'fallback' to their raw MDX equivalent. NOTE: Cell Overlays are not currently supported in Pyramid 2018 and will therefore NOT be converted across.
Parameters and Variables	Both BI Office Parameters and Variables are converted to the new "Model Parameters", which combine both functionalities in Pyramid 2018. They are stored in the same folders as their parent reports.

Data Source Folders for Business Logic

Pyramid 2018 offers a more robust content framework than BI Office. As such, calculations are stored in a better folder structure to accommodate the newer, flexible design. To facilitate the conversion, a data source folder tree is built for all converted items, using the data source server as the parent folder node, broken out to databases and then to data models or cubes. Using this new organization, the formulas are converted and stored into their respective folders.

Discovery Books and Reports

Each book in BI Office is first converted into a new folder in Pyramid 2018 under its original parent folder. All reports within the original book are then converted across as new Discover reports in Pyramid 2018.

• Public books are converted and stored in the public folder domain (with relevant security).. BI Office content in the "Group" folder is also stored in the Pyramid 2018 public domain, under its own folder with the relevant security, since the "Group" folder concept is different in Pyramid 2018. Private books are stored in the originating user's PRIVATE folder domain.
• Any BI Office reports that contained more than a single visual are converted into multiple report items since Pyramid 2018 only has one primary visual per report. The visual type is appended to the report's name for easier identification.

The conversion process is primarily focused on matching the query and the analytic content of the source report. As such, issues like cosmetic formatting are generally ignored - including themes, However, aspects related to how data is presented analytically have been preserved.

Known limitations include:

• Text box variables are not yet supported and ignored
• Text box slicers are changed to drop down slicers
• "Macro" filters using Average, Median, Max, Min and Std Deviation are not yet supported
• Grid based conditional formatting is ignored.
• Standard Deviation in chart statistics is ignored
• Secondary axis for dimensional elements is not supported. (It is supported for measures however).
• Any chart series customizations are ignored (color, line style, hide/show)
• Dynamic text in the text area is removed. Static text is converted however.
• Ragged queries using the eliminate feature that includes a measure are ignored.
• Accounting and spark grid styles are converted to normal grids.
• Scatter and Bubble charts may be adjusted if the source query is not in alignment with Pyramid 2018.
• Maps will be ported and will operate if the shapes are recognized in the standardized geospatial database deployed with Pyramid 2018. This means unrecognized locations and custom shape maps will not be converted. The BI Office "PAID" framework is not used in Pyramid 2018.

Many of the above elements will be added into Pyramid 2018 at some time in the future if they are relevant in the new platform and the converter may be updated to ensure greater compatibility.