Combining Multiple Data Sources in BusinessObjects Reports

Combining Multiple Data Sources in BusinessObjects

Reports George Wickey

RZ Solutions

October 2002

Copyright © 2002 Business Objects - All Rights Reserved

3

Topics

Overview of available data sources Combining data from multiple sources in the same

document Combining data from multiple sources to the block

level (Synchronizing by Linking) Resolving common issues with Excel spreadsheets

as a data source Q&A


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Available Data Sources in BusinessObjects

Universe

Free-Hand SQL/Stored procedures

OLAP servers

Personal data files

VB procedures

SELECT Name, TitleFROM Employees

VBA


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The Universe 1/3 The universe is the “semantic layer” that protects the

end user from the database (and vice-versa) Each universe is a partial representation of a database

presented in terms with which users are familiar

Sales/MarketingSales/Marketing

HumanHumanResourcesResources

EmployeeSalaryBenefits...

Sales RevenueSales ExecutiveCustomerProductPriceOrder Date ...


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The Universe 2/3 Business Objects designers create universes against

the database Users are given universe access in the BusObj

repository Using a simple front-end, users perform complex

queries without database knowledge or an understanding of SQL


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The Universe 3/3

Users build queries against the universe in the Query Panel

BusObj infers the SQL

and returns correct results in report format

Users then massage the presentation layer of the data locally


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Free-Hand SQL 1/2 Data provider that allows users to utilize SQL scripts in

BusinessObjects BusObj supports different types of SQL orders

PL/SQL Transact SQL

Users must be granted access by the Supervisor to utilize their own SQL/edit existing SQL

SQL statements can include prompts and LOV’s Restrictions on free-hand SQL

COMPUTE and ORDER BY statements are not executed in BusinessObjects

In order to apply sorts, the columns must be either ordered in the SQL statement or in the BusObj report


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Free-Hand SQL 2/2

Specify free-hand SQL as the data sourceSelect or create a connection; create or browse to a SQL scriptParse the SQL script (optional)View or run the queryAnalyze and massage the presentation layer of the data locally


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Stored Procedures 1/2 Sets of SQL statements saved as executables in a

database Often created by DBAs but can be created by users

with appropriate access Users can create and edit stored procedures in BusObj using

free-hand SQL

Restrictions on stored procedures Access is granted to the database or account where stored

procedures are located via Supervisor BusObj does not support stored procedures for all db’s

Consult the Database Guide for your RDBMS

COMPUTE, PRINT, OUTPUT and STATUS statements are not executed in BusinessObjects


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Stored Procedures 2/2

Specify stored procedure as the data sourceSelect or define the db connectionChoose the stored procedureDefine parametersAnalyze and massage the presentation layer of the data locally


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OLAP Servers

What is OLAP? On-Line Analytical Processing

Software that provides a multidimensional view of data for the purpose of business analysis Data is stored for optimized data retrieval and ease of use Tracks business performance based on dimensions and

measures

Sample OLAP reports Marketing: “Top five demographic groups who buy product

X” Financial: “Top 5 expense items by department” Manufacturing: “% Reject Rates Analysis” Sales Analysis: “Top five sales reps by region who sold

Product X and Y”


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Supported OLAP Servers

BW Connect

MDX Connect

Hyperion Essbase

Oracle Express

IBM DB2 OLAP Server

http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/gomscom.asp?target=/


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Sample OLAP Panels 1/2

BusinessObjects IBM DB2 OLAP Access Pack


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Sample OLAP Panels 2/2

BusinessObjects BW Connect


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Personal Data Files 1/2 Data provider that allows users to access data in Excel

spreadsheets, dBase files and text files Allows access to data source without a database

connection Users can compare corporate data with personal data When going against text files, users can indicate the

way data is delimited | (.asc) space (.prn) tabulation (.txt) semi-colon (.csv)


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Personal Data Files 2/2

Specify personal data file as the data sourceSpecify the file format; browse to the fileFor Excel files, specify the range; for text files, specify the delimiterRun the queryAnalyze and massage the presentation layer of the data locally


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VB Procedures 1/2

Using the VBA environment in BusinessObjects, users can write a Visual Basic for Applications procedure to access external data

VBA procedures in BusinessObjects take the DpVBAInterface as a parameter DpVBAInterface is the interface to the VBA data provider

Automation object This is described in detail in the BusinessObjects SDK

Reference Guide


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VB Procedures 2/2

Specify VB procedures as the data sourceName and create the subroutineIn the VB Editor, compile the project and then close the editor and return to BusinessObjects Select the subroutine and run the query Analyze and massage the presentation layer of the data locally


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Demo 1

SHOW ME


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Another Data Source: Web Connect

Add-on VBA data provider Requires separate installation and product key Allows users to query and analyze live Internet data Users can create ad-hoc queries as well as store and

access predefined queries in/from “catalogs” Both catalogs and queries are stored in XML format

Data can be combined with data from other data sources in BusObj reports

Users can apply formatting, perform calculations, etc.


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Web Connect

Specify Web Connect as the data sourceSpecify how Internet data is to be accessedDrag and drop from a web page onto the selection boxRun the query


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Demo 2

SHOW ME


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Topics






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Combining Data from Multiple Sources

.xls

1

Universe2

BusinessObjects document

Data from multiple data sources can be combined in the same document effortlessly

Multiple data providers are created and displayed in their own block


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Demo 3

SHOW ME


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Topics






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Synchronizing Data Providers by Linking

VBA

BusinessObjectsdocument

Block

Data from multiple data sources can be combined in a document to the block level


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Synchronizing Data Providers by Linking

LINK

To successfully combine data from multiple sources in the same block, data providers must be synchronized by linking

Linking is the process of creating a join between data providers based on common objects


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How to Link

Linking is performed in the Data ManagerHighlight one of the objects to be linked and press the link buttonSelect the other object to be linked in the new window Close the Data Manager


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What Happens If We Don’t Link

BusinessObjects will yield a Cartesian productOne of the columns containing measure data will display the sum of all values in each row


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Rules for Data Synchronization 1/2

Only dimension objects can be linked (e.g. Store, Year, Client, Customer)

Any number of dimension objects can be linked

Any number of data providers can be linked by common dimensions

The dimension objects do not have to have the same name (e.g. Client, Client Name)


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Rules for Data Synchronization 2/2 The dimension objects must have a common data

format (e.g. character, numeric, etc.)

Common values must be in the same case(Jones, jones treated as unique values)

The format of the values must be the same (e.g. 1999, FY99, values with spaces treated as unique values)

A measure can only be aggregated to the lowest level of data based on the linked data providers (e.g. aggregation at both the year and quarter level)


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Demo 4

SHOW ME


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Topics






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Resolving Excel Date/Data Format Issues BusinessObjects often has problems with dates when

accessing Excel data (e.g. year) BusObj treats numeric data as if it should be aggregated As such, when the Year column is brought into the document

it is treated as a measure object and is displayed incorrectly To resolve the issue, the object qualification must be modified

in the Data Manager so that Year is treated as a dimension

According to the rules for linking data providers, common objects must have the same data format In the event they do not, there is a workaround that can be

used so that the data providers may be linked This involves modifying the format of one of the objects This may not be as simple as it seems


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Workaround for Resolving Format Issues If the data provider has not yet been created in

BusinessObjects Simply change the format in Excel and save Create a new data provider against the spreadsheet and link

without any issues

If the data provider was already created in BusinessObjects Change the format in Excel and save Delete the existing data provider from the document in the

Data Manager Save the document and close BusinessObjects Log back into BO and open the document Recreate the data provider against the spreadsheet and link

without any issues


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Demo 5

SHOW ME


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Topics






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Q&A

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Combining Multiple Data Sources in BusinessObjects Reports