This was Microsoft BI in 2016

With the latest version of Microsoft SQL Server, we – BI folks – have a lot of new features to play with. Reporting Services (SSRS) has brought the biggest changes since years. Also Analysis Services and Integration Services deliver some major updates. It’s not just SQL Server that gave us a lot of new BI features. Power BI, the all-in-one clean-up and reporting tool/portal from Microsoft, has also made an enormous progress in 2016. Let’s take a look at some of the new, enhanced and/or interesting features of 2016.

SSRS 2016

Custom Branding

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt710551.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m08kLuofwFA

Mobile Reports

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt652547.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l7THcbUUds

A New reporting Services Web Portal

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/03/07/get-more-done-in-the-new-reporting-services-web-portal-with-sql-server-2016-rc0/
https://www.timmitchell.net/post/2016/12/20/report-portal-in-ssrs/

Subscriptions using an SMTP server outside your network

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/07/15/deliver-reports-via-email-using-an-email-server-outside-your-network/

Migrating your DataZen to SSRS

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/08/17/sql-server-migration-assistant-for-datazen-now-generally-available/

Power BI and SSRS integration

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/10/25/announcing-a-technical-preview-of-power-bi-reports-in-sql-server-reporting-services/
http://biinsight.com/ssrs-2016-power-bi/

Improved embedding paginated reports into ASP.NET

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/09/23/embed-paginated-reports-into-asp-net-web-apps-using-the-report-viewer-2016-control/

KPI Report Type

https://www.timmitchell.net/post/2016/12/21/kpis-in-ssrs-2016/

Simplified installation modes and SharePoint integration options

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2016/11/17/simplifying-our-sharepoint-integration-story/
https://whitepages.unlimitedviz.com/2016/03/ssrs-2016-integrated-native-mode/

SSIS 2016

Incremental package deployment

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt143173.aspx

Improved Debugging (like column names in the error output and custom logging level)

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms141679.aspx
https://www.timmitchell.net/post/2016/12/22/ssis-custom-logging-levels/

Target Server Version (backwards compatibility)

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4253/backwards-compatibility-in-sql-server-data-tools-for-integration-services/
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlgardner/2016/08/17/ssdt-vs2015-gotcha-target-server-version-new-feature/

SSAS

Calculated tables

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4343/how-to-create-calculated-tables-in-a-tabular-sql-server-analysis-services-ssas-model/

Display Folders and Translations

http://www.kapacity.dk/migrating-ssas-tabular-models-to-sql-server-2016-translations-and-display-folders/?lang=en

Bi-directional cross filtering (also in Power BI)

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt591991.aspx

Tabular Model Scripting Language (TMSL)

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt614797.aspx

Power BI

First of all, you can always check out the very latest additions here
https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-desktop-latest-update/

R-powered custom visuals

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/blog/power-bi-desktop-october-feature-summary/preview/#rCustomVisuals

TOP-N Filter

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/blog/power-bi-desktop-october-feature-summary/preview/#topN

Drop-down slicer

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/power-bi-desktop-november-feature-summary/#dropdownSlicer

Grouping and binning

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-desktop-grouping-and-binning/

Power BI Templates

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4393/power-bi-templates-printing-and-favorites/

Advanced Mathematical Formulas using the M Language

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4107/advanced-mathematical-formulas-using-the-m-language/

Shape Maps (also custom shape maps)

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-desktop-shape-map/

R script transformations (Query Editor)

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-desktop-r-in-query-editor/

Power BI Embedded

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/power-bi-embedded/power-bi-embedded-what-is-power-bi-embedded
http://www.mostafaelzoghbi.com/2016_04_01_archive.html

SQL Server

Even more power with column store indexes

http://logicalread.solarwinds.com/sql-server-2016-columnstore-pd01

R Server is now part of SQL Server

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt696069.aspx

What’s New in Master Data Services (MDS)

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff929136.aspx

Data Science

R is being integrated more and more in Microsoft’s BI stack and this Free eBook – Data Science with R – is confirming this trend
http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/2013/02/free-e-book-on-data-science-with-r.html

Business 2016

Gartner places Microsoft as a leader in the business intelligence quadrant
https://www.gartner.com/doc/reprints?id=1-2XXET8P&ct=160204

2017

It has been going fast in 2016 for Microsoft BI. If we continue to move on like this, we’re in for a treat in 2017. And the first signs are already promising. In the latest SQL Server vNext we see a major update for getting data in Analysis Services. Also, on-premise Power BI reports via SSRS will soon be publicly available. With the monthly updates of Power BI, chances are big that we‘ll see a lot more things happening over there. So keep checking our blogs and last but not least: Happy New Year!