OLAP on SQL Express

Question

I'm wondering if there is any desktop OLAP solution that can use SQL Express (and therefore does not require Analysis Services)

I've been tasked with finding a way to allow our customers to do 'Ad-Hoc' reports, but the vast majority of them are on Sql Express, In previous jobs, customers have had Analysis Services and typically Cognos or Crystal Reports, so all that was required was to design the cube.

Answer 1

SQL Express is pretty limited, I don't know of any OLAP capabilities. We use devexpress olap pivotgrid with ROLAP to get around this problem. ie Just create a cube-like SQL query eg: "select productname, reasonforsale, salestotal from orderdetail" and plug it in.

Answer 2

You can get editions of SQL server express with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) this would allow you design reports without the expense of Crystal or Business objects.

Here is the link to the download page. Just select the option on the far right in either 32 or 64 bit flavour depending on what you are running

http://www.microsoft.com/express/Database/InstallOptions.aspx