Business Reporting

Spring 2012

COURSE INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Thomas Rienzo
3325 Schneider Hall
thomas.rienzo@wmich.edu
Office Hours - Spring 2012: M, W 1 PM to 4 PM

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to teach business students the fundamentals of business reporting using popular reporting tools. The course focuses on connecting reporting tools to data sources, configuring data to solve problems, and transforming data into formats useful for decision making. End user reports focus on the tools of the Microsoft Office suite. Reports created in a server environment introduce business intelligence technology.

KEY COURSE OUTCOMES
Students who successfully complete this course should:

• Appreciate the way computer applications are applied in transforming data into useful information.
• Demonstrate end-user proficiency in business reporting computer tools.

REPORTING TECHNIQUES

Course content focuses on reporting tools of Excel including Microsoft Query through Excel, Excel Pivot tables, and new Excel 2007-2010 tables. Microsoft Access report design and configuration is also explored. Business intelligence Excel techniques are explored through SQL Server Analytical Services associated with information cubes and/or data mining algorithms.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Books and Learning materials:

• Zapawa, T. (2007). Microsoft Excel 2007 Advanced Report Development, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 978-0-470-04644-9.
• Alexander, M. (2007). Microsoft Access 2007 Data Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 978-0-470-10485-9.
• One or more of instuctor supplies resources -- online materials, white papers, e-books and printed materials.

Storage media (Thumb/USB drives, or WMU H drive) to store in-class exercises and provide backups of electronic course materials.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

Class attendance and preparation

To ensure a positive learning experience and your productivity in this course, you are expected to show up at each class meeting (labs or lectures) throughout the whole semester. No matter whether your excuses are legitimate or not, the maximum absences permitted in the semester is 3. If you have more than three (3) absences (based on the collected data) in this class, your grade for this course will automatically be an “E.” Except emergencies, any class absence due to critical reasons must be pre-approved by the instructor at least 24 hours in advance. Such approval may be easily obtained by sending e-mails to the instructor. If necessary, it will be at your burden to prove your legitimacy of absence.

In addition, if you come to class five (5) or more minutes after the lecture beginning time, you will be considered "late," and if you leave the class ten (10) or more minutes before the class ending time, you will be considered "absent." Two counts of tardy (late attendance) will be treated as one "absence." Your course grade will be dropped by 1% for each illegitimate absence recorded.

Class participation and regular attendance are expected. If a student misses a class, the student is responsible for bringing herself/himself up-to-date on class materials. All students are expected to read the assigned chapters prior to each class.

Exams

Exams will be based on lectures, textbooks, reading assignments, supplementary materials and labs. All exams are closed books. The tentative exam format will be true/false, multiple choice, jumbled sentence, fill-in-the-blanks, and/or short essays.

Homework assignments

All homework assignments are due on the date specified on E-Learning. You will be allowed ONE (1) late assignment without penalty. This assignment can be turned in 3 calendar days after the due date. This late assignment offer will be available to you only ONE (1) time during the semester and I encourage you to save it for an emergency situation. System failure, no backup disk, virus infection, being too busy, and other such excuses are not acceptable. As in the real world, you are responsible to make sure you are prepared. When you decide to take advantage of this offer, you should clearly indicate your intention in writing through email before the due date. If this is not followed, your assignment will be treated as a normal one and it will result in penalty in your grades. Late penalties are assessed at 10 percent per day for up to 5 days.  After 5 days no credit is given.  No assignment should be turned in after the final exam. This means that the late assignment cannot be used for the last assignment.

Unless explicitly assigned for groups, all assignments must be individually and independently completed. Should two or more students turn in substantially the same assignment, in the judgment of the instructor, the assignment will be considered a group effort. All involved in a group effort will receive a zero grade for the assignment. A student involved in group efforts for more than once will receive a grade of E for the course.

Assignment grades are awarded based on content and structural completeness, correctness, clarity, and neatness. There will be no makeup or extra assignments for any individual student.

Make-up exams

Students wishing to take a make-up exam should contact the instructor prior to the exams to receive his permission. Missed exams may only be handled with a documented excuse. Written verification for the student’s inability to take an exam will definitely be required. A documented excuse consists of a letterhead from a medical doctor and/or other responsible agents. Documentation will not be considered if it is not provided to the instructor within one week after the exam. If any of this is not followed, the grade is automatically zero for that exam. Makeup exams will be different from regular ones. There is no makeup for quizzes.

Communication

You are responsible for reading all discussions, messages and announcements on Blackboard eLearning. Blackboard eLearning email and discussion boards are the preferred ways of electronic communication for this course. You should use the Blackboard eLearning discussion boards to post questions, review answers from the instructor, check schedule changes/updates and other special instructions. Keeping yourself up-to-date with the messages on Blackboard eLearning is crucial to your success in this course. Frequent checking of Blackboard eLearning is strongly advised. For issues that need to be resolved privately, you may leave a voice message or send your questions through email.

Academic Integrity

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. [The policies can be found at http://catalog.wmich.edu under Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with your instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test

Look over http://osc.wmich.edu and www.wmich.edu/registrar for code of honor and general academic policies on such issues as diversity, religious observance, student disabilities, etc.

COURSE WORK REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SCALE

GRADING SCALE

Course Schedule and Grade breakdown:

See E-Learning

INCOMPLETE POLICY

This is a temporary grade, which the instructor may give to a student when illness, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements by the end of the semester or session. This situation must be supported with documentation.

This grade may not be given as a substitute for a failing grade. A grade of "I'' must be removed by the instructor who gave it or, in exceptional circumstances, by the department chairperson. If the unfinished work is not completed and the "I'' grade is not removed within one calendar year of the assignment of the "I,'' the grade shall be converted to an "E'' (failure). Students who receive an incomplete grade in a course must not reregister for the course in order to remove the "I.''