Omniscope Features

Import, assemble, transform, visualise, analyse, refresh, present and publish your data

Omniscope is a composite, general-purpose 'hybrid' desktop/web data assembly/import/refresh, visualisation, analysis, management, reporting & publication application combining typical features of ETL (extract, transform, load) tools, departmental SQL databases, spreadsheets, mapping & statistics packages, presentation packages, and browser-based reporting/charting/'dashboarding' tools with a compact, secure, portable file formats and a free Viewer available to all. Omniscope enables 'best-of-both-worlds' hybrid web/desktop solutions including multiple internal browser windows combining all the advantages of web-based reporting with the power and scalability of client-side in-memory data management and filtering.

Multiple workspaces (2.6+)

Depending on your Edition, Omniscope 2.6+ offers up to 3 different integrated workspaces in one application:

• DataManager (2.6+) is a visual drag-and-drop data import, assembly, transformation and file refresh/export workspace which defines the operations to be executed/re-executed whenever any of the data sources connected to an output file is changed or refreshed.
• DataExplorer is a multi-tabbed data visualisation, editing, analysis, reporting and presentation/publication workspace, with 16 different views, including multiple internal web browsers to display related web-based content/applications and results of user-triggered requests for web services and drill-down data sets.
• DataPlayer is now a separate workspace for creating exportable Flash DataPlayers, standalone interactive combinations of encapsulated data, visualisations and query devices that can be inserted into web pages and documents like PowerPoint and PDF with full interactivity.

Import from a wide range of data sources

Activated Omniscope Professionals can import from any number of data files (including web-based files), relational database tables via ODBC & JDBC protocols, embedded lookup files, folders of images and files, and supported 'cloud-based' data sources like Google Spreadsheets, Google Analytics, Salesforce/Force.com, etc. The DataManager Edition adds a visual drag-and-drop data assembly, transformation and output delivery workspace, and more data source options, such folders containing automatically appended files for time-series and consolidations, and MDX-compatible multi-dimensional 'cubes' like Microsoft SSAS cubes.

Transform, correct, enrich and link data sets

Activated Omniscopes can apply a wide range of transformations to the data, on a post-import and view-specific-basis, and also a pre-import, multi-data set basis (Enterprise and Data Manager only). Omniscope views enable powerful 'scrubbing' of errors and editing of omissions prior to using the data for reports. You can add multiple image sets, image maps and define parametric links to related web content e.g. pages and documents. You can add 'data services' drill down links/buttons to extract and display additional user-defined data sets in new Omniscope files using parametric SQL statements (2.6+) returning new tabular data sets. You can also define a web services menu in the file, enabling users to post local selections/input tables back to various pre-configured and custom web services, with the responses returning in one or more integrated Omniscope web browser windows, or the users' default browsers.

Visualise, analyse and define formulae and alerts

Omniscope's 16 different views allow you and others to make sense of the data, no matter how many rows there are. Specify calculated formula columns and define assumption variables that users can vary in real time, just by moving a slider. As users filter the data and change the assumptions, all charts and displays (including related maps and web displays if online) will update automatically. Define view-specific aggregated transforms of the data and related aggregation functions for use within most views. 

Author multi-tab, multi-view presentations/reports with integral web browser views

Omniscope files are more visual, branded and presentable than spreadsheets, much easier to filter/query than database files, and more compact and portable than ZIP files. Omniscope files open as full presentations, as they were last saved, with multiple tabs containing any combination of 16 different views that look, page and print just like presentations. Author text slides or import existing PowerPoint slides into Omniscope presentations. Much more than an Excel viewer, Omniscope files can include online/offline zooming street-level maps, images and links to related content located anywhere on your network and/or the web. The refreshable data set is completely contained in the highly-compressed Omniscope file, so all views update automatically as users search and filter the data interactively.

Define exportable Flash DataPlayers

Use the DataPlayer workspace to create and export standalone, universally-accessible Flash DataPlayers to web pages and common document formats like PowerPoint, Excel or PDF... with full interactivity. Encapsulate refreshed and scrubbed data sets from the Omniscope or Data Manager workspaces into highly-configurable, skinnable Flash 'dashboards' and alert panels.

Export, distribute, refresh, re-purpose and re-use data

Anyone can open and navigate interactive, filterable, Omniscope files using the locally-installed free Viewer (no install privileges required) or 'zero-footprint', locally-cached Omniscope Online Java Web Start deployment of the Viewer. Highly-compressed Omniscope files are usually small enough to be e-mailed, and both e-mail and FTP distribution are automated in the Data Manager and Enterprise Editions. Distributed files maintain refreshable connections to source spreadsheets, databases and central 'datamarts' in IOK format, with many advanced file refresh and security options.

More detail on features

Connect, import and save from multiple data sources:

• DataManager ETL visual workspace to import, assemble, transform and output/refresh data files. (Enterprise & DataManager 2.6+ only)
• Import and refresh from one or more Excel XLS workbook tabs, delimited CSV data files, even tabular .XML
• Import and refresh by connecting directly to multiple database tables/reporting views using ODBC/JDBC
• Connect directly to MDX-compatible multi-dimensional analysis 'cubes' e.g. Microsoft SSAS cubes
• Create new files from 'scratch' by typing/pasting values into rows and columns...just like a spreadsheet
• Merge/join/append additional data sets into your files using multi-criteria column/row matching
• Save as secure IOK files with many access control, and data forwarding/revenue protection options
• Share IOK files via the free Viewer anyone can install and/or the Omniscope Online 'zero-footprint' Viewer deployed from a web page
• Export subsets of data in Excel, CSV, tabular XML or as Flash SWF DataPlayers (unless data has been locked in by the file's owner).

Connectors provide access to online 'clouds' and local folders of files

• Bloomberg: activated editions installed on Bloomberg PCs can capture and update Bloomberg data in real time.
• Email Connector: connect, download and analyse e-mails from accounts using either POP3 or IMAP protocols (2.5+)
• Google Spreadsheets: collaborate on data sets, edit either online or offline in Omniscope, with instant synchronisation (2.5+)
• Facebook: Import your Facebook friends' networks into the Network View for analysis & visualisation (2.5+)
• Google Analytics & Adwords: crawl/map web sites in the Network View and add Google Analytics analytics data and more (2.5+)
• Salesforce: integration via both web and direct connectors enable downloads of  Reports and synchronisation of added/edited Data Objects.
• Open and analyse your own folders of images, music or video, edit tags and export selected images or playlists (2.5+)

Visualise, explore, query, and analyse:

• Explore, visualise, filter and analyse compact IOK files of practically unlimited size
• Use 16 different views to show all aspects of your data in multi-tabbed, multi-view presentations
• Filter data and change assumptions rapidly with intuitive Sidebar check boxes and sliders...no keyboard required
• Select and include/exclude records by attributes using point-and-click power query definition
• Combine local daat displays withand remotely-generated web views, creating granular, interactive 'dashboard' reports with
  pies, bars, maps, graphs and tables

Edit data and create dynamic simulation models:

• Edit (scrub) your data visually in Omniscope...spot and fix errors and omissions easily
• Define aggregated transforms of the data and related aggregation functions at either data set (DataManager) or individual view level
• Add/refresh data by merging in additional rows or appending columns from other files automatically
• Add missing geographic coordinates using search geo-coding and/or positioning records with a mouse
• Find and display statistical correlations in your data, applying guidelines and control limit region plotting
• Add formula-based calculated columns using typical spreadsheet functions and syntax
• Create real-time simulation models with multiple assumption variables controlled by sliders

Enrich with maps, images, links and complimentary web services

• Add related images, maps, links, branding, help pages, banner ads, web services menus, etc. to each file 
• Plot record markers by geo-coordinates on zooming Open Street Maps, Google Maps or offline vector maps from our free Map Library
• Import images as maps, scanned images, floor plans, etc. and with automatic re-calibration of coordinates
• Link image sets to your data and embed them in portable .IOK files, or access them from online folders
• Re-size embedded image sets to manage IOK file size automatically
• Create multi-image slide shows for each row/record that run automatically
• Create data-driven links to external documents, media files and web sites
• Use library of pre-configured free web services to link your data to related web content

Create multi-tabbed, multi-view interactive reports & presentations

• Combine various views and filter settings with titles and annotations to define tabs
• Make animated presentations with tabbed, interactive files - much better than PowerPoint slide shows
• Make live presentations interactive using data filtering and sliders for sensitivity analysis
• Import static PowerPoint slide images directly into dynamic Omniscope presentations
• Easily switch from working layout to presentation layout, report/printing layout, or 'dashboard' layout (2.5+)

Refresh from data sources and genrate 'drill-down' data sets on demand

• Choose from many different refresh options to create distributed work flow and publishing solutions
• Refresh on-demand and/or on opening from linked source data files and directly from database tables/views
• Automatically refresh of any number of desktops from central IOK "datamarts"...over your LAN, WAN or the open web (Enterprise)

Print as static documents

• Print single views as exportable clipboard images, or multi-page presentations
• Print as static images within MS PowerPoint slide packs
• Print as static images Adobe Acrobat .PDF files
• Export HTML-formatted tables to paste into websites (2.5+)

Export interactive Flash DataPlayers

• All activated Editions can create and export universally-accessible, interactive Flash DataPlayers (SWF files)
• Choose from 6 different view types in tabbed or multiple 'dashboard' DataPlayer presentations
• Automatically insert fully-interactive DataPlayers in documents (PowerPoint, Excel, .PDF) or upload to display on web pages

Find out more...

See the Demos, Forums, User Guide and KnowledgeBase for more detailed information on features.

Free Trial - every free Viewer install includes a 30-day free trial of all the authoring and configuration features available in Omniscope Professional, including DataPlayer creation and export/refresh.