Bharat Patel, Amol Palekar, Shreekant Shiralkar

A Practical Guide to SAP" NetWeaver Business Warehouse (BW) 7.0

Galileo Press

Bonn • Boston

Contents

Preface 17 An Introduction to Business Intelligence 21

1.1 ABCD Corp.: Company Overview 27 1.2 Marketing Network 28 1.3 The Sales and Billing Process 29 1.4 Business Intelligence Requirements 32 1.5 The Business Planning Scenario 33 1.6 Summary 34

2.1 Evolution of SAP NetWeaver BW 35 2.2 Layers of SAP NetWeaver BW 38

2.2.1 Extraction Layer 39 2.2.2 Staging Layer 40 2.2.3 Transformation Layer 40 2.2.4 Loading Layer 41 2.2.5 Reporting and Analysis Layer 41 2.2.6 Planning and Advanced Analytics Layer 41

2.3 Basic Navigation in SAP NetWeaver BW 43 2.3.1 Logging On to SAP NetWeaver ВW 43 2.3.2 Screen Elements 45 2.3.3 Basic Navigation Functions 46 2.3.4 Hide/Unhide 48

2.4 Data Warehousing Workbench Functions 53 2.5 Activation of SAP Business Content 56

2.5.1 Grouping 60 2.5.2 Collection Mode 61 2.5.3 Display 61 2.5.4 Activating the InfoObject 61

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2.6 Implementation/Architecture Options with

SAP NetWeaver BW 64

2.6.1 Core Landscape 64

2.6.2 Peripheral Landscape 65

2.7 Avenues of SAP NetWeaver BW Learning 66

2.8 Summary 67

3.1 Types of InfoObjects 70

3.2 Creating an InfoArea 71

3.3 Creating an InfoObject Catalog 73

3.4 Creating a Characteristic InfoObject 76

3.4.1 Reference Characteristic Field 77

3.4.2 Template Field 77

3.5 Configuring a Characteristic InfoObject 78

3.5.1 General Tab 78

3.5.2 Business Explorer Tab 80

3.5.3 Master Data/Texts Tab 82

3.5.4 HierarchyTab 87

3.5.5 Attributes Tab 92

3.5.6 Compounding Tab 97

3.6 Creating a Key Figure InfoObject 98

3.6.1 Template Field 99

3.6.2 Reference Key Figure Field 99

3.7 Configuring a Key Figure InfoObject 100

3.7.1 Type/UnitTab 100

3.7.2 Aggregation Tab 105

3.7.3 Additional Properties Tab 110

3.8 Creating a Unit InfoObject 112

3.9 Summary 114

4.1 Introduction to DataStore Objects 115

4.1.1 Definition and Purpose 115

4.1.2 Types of DSOs 118

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4.2 Architecture of the Standard DSO 119

4.2.1 Types of Tables 119

4.2.2 Activation Process for a Standard DSO 120

4.2.3 0RECORDMODE 124

4.3 Designinga DSO 125

4.4 Configuration of the Standard DSO 128

4.4.1 Key Settings in a Standard DSO 128

4.4.2 Including InfoObjects in the DSO 130

4.4.3 Entering Data Fields 132

4.5 Configuration of Write-Optimized DSOs 135

4.6 Configuration of Direct Update DSOs 137

4.7 Usage Scenarios for DSOs 138

4.7.1 Data Staging 139

4.7.2 Temporary Storage Area 139

4.7.3 Analysis Process Designer 139

4.7.4 Pseudo-Delta 139

4.8 Summary 140

5.1 Modeling InfoCubes 141

5.1.1 Key Terms 142

5.1.2 Assignment Tables for Characteristics and Key Figures .... 143

5.1.3 Create Bubble Models 143

5.1.4 Dimensions 145

5.1.5 Classic Star Schema 146

5.1.6 The Extended Star Schema 147

5.1.7 InfoCube Considerations 150

5.2 Types of InfoCubes 150

5.2.1 Standard InfoCube 151

5.2.2 Real-Time InfoCube 151

5.2.3 Virtual Provider InfoCube 151

5.3 Creating a Standard InfoCube 152

5.3.1 Initial Setup 152

5.3.2 Using Templates for InfoObject Selection 154

5.3.3 Editing Dimensions 156

5.3.4 Adding New Dimensions 160

5.3.5 Adding Characteristics to Dimensions 161

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5.3.6 Adding Key Figures to an InfoCube 164

5.3.7 Selecting Navigation Attributes 166

5.3.8 Activating the InfoCube 167

5.4 Provider-Specific Properties 168

5.4.1 Setting Provider-Specific Properties for a

Single InfoObject 169

5.4.2 Setting Provider-Specific Properties for

Multiple InfoObjects 170

5.5 Summary 172

6.1 Introduction to MultiProvider 173

6.2 Designing a MultiProvider 175

6.3 InfoSets 188

6.3.1 Usage 188

6.4 Creating an InfoSet 191

6.5 Additional Navigation Capabilities 199

6.5.1 Auto Arrange 200

6.5.2 Navigator 200

6.5.3 Link Maintenance 202

6.6 Global Properties 203

6.6.1 Join Is Time-Dependent 204

6.6.2 Most Recent Reporting for InfoObjects 204

6.6.3 Left Outer Join: Add Filter Value to On-Condition 206

6.6.4 Temporal Join 206

6.6.5 Changing the InfoSet Visual Setting 207

6.7 Left Outer Join in an InfoSet 208

6.8 Introduction to VirtualProviders 210

6.9 Summary 211

7.1 Introduction to ETL 213

7.1.1 Elements in the ETL Process 213

7.1.2 Data Acquisition Interfaces 216

7.1.3 Transformation 217

7.1.4 Loading 218

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7.2 Loading Master Data from a Flat File Source System

to an InfoObject 219

7.2.1 Creating a Flat File Source System 219

7.2.2 Creating a DataSource 221

7.2.3 Creating and Activating a Transformation 234

7.2.4 Creating a DTP for Loading Master Data 239

7.2.5 Creating an InfoPackage and Starting Data Extraction 245

7.2.6 Monitoring Data Extraction to the PSA 250

7.2.7 Monitoring the Data Transfer Process (DTP) 255

7.2.8 Maintaining Master Data 258

7.3 Loading Transaction Data from a Source System to a DSO 260

7.3.1 Step 2: Creating a Transaction DataSource 261

7.3.2 Step 3: Creating a Transformation 265

7.4 Loading Data from a DSO to an InfoCube 279

7.4.1 Time Conversion Transformation 281

7.4.2 Routine 282

7.5 Temporary Storage Areas and Error Stacks 286

7.6 Data Extraction from Non-SAP systems 293

7.6.1 DB Connect 294

7.6.2 UD Connect 295

7.7 Summary 296

8.1 Settings in SAP ERP 298

8.2 Activating Business Content DataSources 298

8.3 Data Extraction Using the Logistic Cockpit 299

8.3.1 Initialization/Full Upload 300

8.3.2 Delta Loads 301

8.3.3 Data Extraction 302

8.4 Generic DataSources 304

8.4.1 Settings for a Generic DataSource 306

8.4.2 Creating a Generic DataSource 308

8.5 Making Generic DataSources Delta Capable 311

8.5.1 Delta-Specific Field Area 312

8.5.2 Settings Area 312

8.6 Extractor Checker 314

8.7 Summary 316

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9.1 BEx Tools Landscape 317

9.2 Example Scenario 319

9.3 BEx Query Designer 320

9.3.1 BEx Query Designer Screen Layout 320

9.3.2 BEx Query Designer Menu Bar 323

9.4 Create a Simple BEx Query 324

9.4.1 Define Filter 326

9.4.2 Define Rows/Columns 328

9.4.3 Execute the Query and Analyze Data 330

9.5 OLAP Variables 333

9.5.1 Types of Variables 334

9.5.2 Processing Types of Variables 335

9.6 Variable Editor 338

9.6.1 Characteristic Variables (Manual Entry/Default Value) 339

9.6.2 Characteristic Variables (Replacement Path) 345

9.6.3 Characteristic Variables (Customer Exit) 345

9.6.4 Formula Variables 348

9.6.5 Text Variables 350

9.7 Filters - Selection Objects 351

9.8 Structures 356

9.8.1 Key Figure Structures 356

9.8.2 Characteristic Structures 357

9.8.3 Reusing Structures 358

9.9 Selections and Formulas 360

9.9.1 Selection 361

9.9.2 Formula 364

9.10 Restricted Key Figures 368

9.11 Calculated Key Figures 370

9.12 Properties of Query Elements 372

9.12.1 Set Properties of Characteristic Query Elements 372

9.12.2 Set Properties of Key Figure Query Elements 376

9.12.3 Query Properties 381

9.13 Conditions 384

9.14 Exceptions 388

9.15 Report-to-Report Interface 393

9.16 Summary 397

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10.1 Running Queries in BEx Analyzer 399

10.1.1 Execute a Query in BEx Analyzer 401

10.1.2 BEx Analysis Functions 405

10.2 Performing Information Analysis in BEx Analyzer 407

10.2.1 Applying Filters 407

10.2.2 Navigation Options 408

10.3 Local Properties and Formulas in BEx Analyzer 411

10.3.1 Local Properties of a Characteristic 411

10.3.2 Local Properties of a Key Figure 413

10.3.3 Local Query Properties 414

10.3.4 Local Formula 416

10.4 Saving and Reusing Workbooks in BEx Analyzer 418

10.5 Building an Analysis Application in BEx Analyzer 420

10.5.1 BEx Design Functions 420

10.5.2 Build a Simple Analysis Application 422

10.6 Running Queries in BEx Web Analyzer 431

10.6.1 Create a New Analysis with BEx Web Analyzer 432

10.6.2 BEx Web Analyzer Functions 434

10.7 Performing Information Analysis in BEx Web Analyzer 436

10.8 Analysis Filters and Settings in BEx Web Analyzer 441

10.9 Information Broadcasting 444

10.9.1 Information Broadcasting in BEx Web Analyzer 444

10.9.2 Maintain Broadcasting Settings on Different

BEx Objects 448

10.9.3 Create a New Setting in BEx Broadcaster 449

10.10 Summary 452

11.1 Web Application Designer Overview 453

11.1.1 Starting the Web Application Designer 454

11.1.2 Different Screen Areas of Web Application Designer .... 455

11.2 Create a Simple Web Application 457

11.2.1 Create a Data Provider 457

11.2.2 Using an Analysis Web Item 459

11.2.3 Using a Dropdown Box 460

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11.2.4 Creating Charts 463

11.2.5 Adding a Command Button 464

11.2.6 Arrange Web Items 468

11.2.7 Validate and Save the Web Template 470

11.2.8 Execute Web Template 471

11.3 Web Items 473

11.3.1 Standard Webltems 473

11.3.2 Advanced 480

11.3.3 Miscellaneous 483

11.4 Working with Commands 486

11.4.1 Commands for Data Providers 488

11.4.2 Commands for Planning Applications 491

11.4.3 Commandsfor Web Items 492

11.4.4 Commands for Web Templates 492

11.5 Web Template Properties 493

11.6 Summary 494

12.1 An Overview of Planning 496

12.2 Planning Requirements in ABCD Corp 498

12.3 SAP NetWeaver BW Integrated Planning Components 499

12.3.1 Planning Modeler and Planning Wizard 501

12.3.2 Real-Time InfoCube 504

12.3.3 Characteristic Relationships 507

12.3.4 DataSlices 514

12.3.5 Aggregation Level 517

12.3.6 Planning Filter 521

12.3.7 Planning Functions 526

12.3.8 Planning Sequence 542

12.3.9 Input-Ready Query 545

12.4 Planning Applications 550

12.4.1 Excel-Based Planning Application 550

12.4.2 Web-Based Planning Applications 557

12.5 Planning Locks 569

12.6 Changes to Data in Real-Time InfoCubes 571

12.7 Summary 572

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13.1 Basic Elements of a SAP BusinessObjects Universe 574

13.2 Creatinga Universe 577

13.2.1 Based on an InfoCube 577

13.2.2 Based on a BEx Query 585

13.3 Web Intelligence 588

13.3.1 Creating a Web Intelligence Report Based on a

Universe 589

13.3.2 Editing and Formatting Web Intelligence Documents 595

13.3.3 Performing Local Calculations in a Webl Document 599

13.4 Summary 604

14.1 DSO Administration and Maintenance 605

14.1.1 InfoProvider Administration Screen Tasks — DSO 606

14.1.2 Performance Improvement Tasks 614

14.2 InfoCube Administration and Maintenance 616

14.2.1 InfoProvider Administration Screen Tasks — InfoCube .... 616

14.2.2 Performance Improvement Tasks 624

14.3 Aggregates 625

14.4 Compression 633

14.5 Process Chain 634

14.5.1 Creating a Process Chain 635

14.5.2 Setting Email Alerts 641

14.6 Analysis Authorizations 644

14.6.1 Step 1: Define the InfoObject 645

14.6.2 Step 2: Create an Authorization Object 646

14.6.3 Step 3: Assign a User ID 649

14.7 Other Administration and Maintenance Tasks 650

14.7.1 Executing an Attribute Hierarchy Change Run 650

14.7.2 Deleting Extra Aggregates 651

14.7.3 Deleting PSA Data 652

14.7.4 Deleting DTP Temporary Storage 652

14.7.5 Using Report SAP_INFOCUBE_DESIGNS 652

14.7.6 Checking Data Consistency 652

14.8 Summary 653

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15.1 Open Hub 655 15.1.1 The Open Hub Concept 655 15.1.2 Creating an Open Hub Destination 655

15.2 Analysis Process Designer 658 15.2.1 Analysis Workbench 658 15.2.2 Creating an Analysis Process 660

15.3 Remodeling 662 15.3.1 Need for Remodeling 663 15.3.2 Creating Remodeling Rules 664

15.4 Summary 665

A Case Study: ABCD Corp 669 В Glossary 679 С Important OSS Notes 685 D The Authors 687

Index 689

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