Yellowfin’s New DashXML Makes Building Custom Analytical Apps Quick and Easy
Global business intelligence (BI) and analytics software vendor Yellowfin has launched a browser-based Java application for creating customized analytical functionality and applications.
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Yellowfin’s new DashXML is a flexible framework that communicates with Yellowfin via a Web Services API to expose the functionality of Yellowfin’s BI platform -- such as reports, filters, and security capabilities -- while simultaneously providing complete freedom regarding application design, layout and user interaction.
The DashXML framework provides a method for creating uniquely tailored dashboards that combine Yellowfin content and custom items without the need for programming.
Yellowfin CEO Glen Rabie said that DashXML would enable Yellowfin customers and software partners to create a unique analytical user experience.
“Creating highly customized analytical functionality and applications has always been difficult,” said Rabie. “Application managers and developers had two choices. First, they could simply use an out-of-the-box BI tool, which limited their control over product design and user interaction. Alternatively, they used open source charting libraries to create a tailored charting experience, but lost the analytical functionality and security of an analytics platform such as Yellowfin.”
The first option meant compromising on the uniqueness of the user experience and the second required significant development work, resulting in lost time and money.
“DashXML addresses both challenges,” said Rabie. “DashXML empowers organizations to leverage the power of Yellowfin’s BI platform, which removes the need to build sophisticated BI functionality from the ground up while simultaneously offering unlimited flexibility and control when it comes to design, layout, and interactivity.”
Developers simply create the content and security permissions in Yellowfin, then configure and style the analytical functionality using DashXML.
Yellowfin’s director of product marketing, John Ryan, described DashXML as a win for both developers and application managers alike. The product has the power of Yellowfin and the control and flexibility of a charting library, Ryan explained. He went on to say that the program offers developers the freedom to easily create bespoke analytical functionality without compromising existing BI implementation. Furthermore, DashXML’s tailored reporting and analytics functionality, gives users the ability to share the power of BI with others, according to Ryan.
Existing Yellowfin customers can download DashXML from the Yellowfin Support Center at no cost now.
Custom dashboards created using DashXML are configured in a single XML file that describes each element on each dashboard tab as a widget. Each dashboard is a single page with an arrangement of widgets that can include reports, text, and filter widgets. All layout and styling can be achieved via customized CSS. Each dashboard is referenced directly by a unique URL and is accessible via Web-browser. DashXML can be deployed alongside Yellowfin or on a separate server.
To find out how to get started with DashXML today, visit the Yellowfin Wiki: http://wiki.yellowfin.com.au/display/USER71/DashXML. Watch an overview of DashXML at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nADSzvRL6cM