How to enable Data Mining in EXCEL powered by SQL Server Analysis Services?

In this blog post, we’ll see a step by step guide to install Data Mining Excel add-in in excel that would help you carry out data mining in Excel.For the purpose of this blog-post, I am going to install add-in for Excel 2010 and SQL Server Analysis services server 2012.

It’s important to note that this add-in acts as an interface between Excel and “SQL Server Analysis services (SSAS)”. So SSAS is the place where data mining wizardry takes place and EXCEL acts as a client.

Here are the steps:

1) Search for “Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining add-ins for Microsoft office 2010″. AND Download the add-in.

2) Run the Setup > To go forward you have to accept license agreement.

3) Select “Data Mining for Excel” as a feature that’s supposed to be installed:

4) Next > Install. 

After it is successfully installed, open Excel.

5) Now in EXCEL 2010, can you see the Data Mining Tab?

6) There’s more. You’re not done yet.

Did you see a “Getting started” dialog box too. If not, click on “getting started” from the Start Menu:

7) Now, if you have SSAS – then select “Use an Existing Instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or later analysis server that I administer “

But if you do NOT have SSAS, then you could consider installing the Evaluation copy.

For this blog-post, we’ll go with the first option:

8) Now, can you see the instructions? They read like this:

You have chosen to download the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Evaluation Edition.

The Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Evaluation Edition is fully-functional 180-day trial software.

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is a data management and analysis solution that enables companies of all sizes to gain greater insight from their business information, apply that insight to enhance their decision-making process, and achieve faster business results for a competitive advantage.

You now have 2 more steps to complete to start using the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for Office.

Step 1. Download the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Evaluation Edition
The typical evaluation installation of SQL Server 2012 does not include the Analysis Services part of the product by default. When installing Microsoft SQL Server 2012, you must install Analysis Services.

Download and install the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Evaluation Edition.

Step 2. Configure SQL Server 2008 (or later) Analysis Services so that the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for Office will work correctly
You can now run the SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for Office Configuration Utility that is part of the installation. This tool will do everything for you in order to get your SQL Server 2008 (or later) Analysis Services instance configured correctly for use with the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for Office.

Click the link below to run the application that will allow you to configure SQL Server 2012:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server 2012 DM Add-Ins\Microsoft.SqlServer.DataMining.Office.ServerConfiguration.exe

Once you have completed Steps 1 and 2, click the Finish button below.

Let’s follow the above steps:

9) Download SQL Server Enterprise Evaluation copy for yourselves.

10) After Downloading the copy – run the SQL Server Setup. These are the steps to install a SSAS:

step a – e

a. Installation > New SQL Server Stand-alone installation or add features to existing installation

b. Run Setup support rules > Ok.

c. In the “Specify a free edition”, select “Evaluation” > Next

d. To go forward, you’ll have to accept the terms.

e. Now, you’ll see the SQL Server setup. These are my screenshots while I installed the evaluation copy on my machine – refer to them while you are installing:

Note: I am installing it on my Demo Machine, This is NOT how it’s done in Enterprises. The goal of our demo machine is to get acquainted with the Data Mining features in Microsoft SQL Server.

Here are the screenshots

Click on Select All features. And I unchecked “Distributed replay controller” and “Display replay client”.

Installation Rules: Leave default choices > Click Next.

Instance Configuration. Leave default choices > Click Next.

Server Configuration. Leave default choices > Click Next.

Database Engine Configuration. Click on “Add Current User” and click Next.

Analysis Services configuration:

Reporting Services configuration. Select Install Only.

Click NEXT till you reach Ready to Install. Click on Install.

Wait for it to install.

Now After SQL Server is successfully installed:

11) Do you remember the Dialog Box from Step 8?

click on: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server 2012 DM \Add-Ins\Microsoft.SqlServer.DataMining.Office.ServerConfiguration.exe

for Step 1-4. Leave Default choices(s). And After successful completion of these steps:

12) In the Dialog box: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for office 2010, click on Finish

13) you’ll get the message:

“you have successfully downloaded and installed the Microsoft SQL server 2012 Data Mining Add-ins for office”

14) Now along with installing the add-in, we also installed sample data.

you can access it by START > All programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Data Mining > Sample Excel Data.

Open this file.

15) One last piece of configuration.

In Excel > Data Mining Tab > click on ‘No connections’

Click on NEW and enter credentials of the SSAS server:

16) Now – you have all components installed and you are ready to perform data Mining in Excel!

That’s about it for this post.

Related articles

• Where can we find datasets that we can play with for Business Intelligence, Data Mining, Data Analysis Projects? (parasdoshi.com)
• SQL Server – Suggestions on Books for Learning SQL Server Business Intelligence (dattatreysindol.com)