ERPsim Data Extraction Tool User Guideweb.eng.fiu.edu/chen/summer 2012/egn 5621 enterprise...ERPsim Data Extraction Tool – User Guide 9 1. Using the Tool 1.1. GENERAL GUIDELINES

ERPsim Data Extraction Tool User Guide

Version 2012rev4

Creation Date December 8, 2011

Last Update January 31, 2012

Language English

ERPsim Data Extraction Tool – User Guide

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Version Information

Version Date Description ID

2012rev1 08-12-2011 - New document

- Steps for exportation of the data added

- Steps for the deletion of the data added

JFM

2012rev2 16-01-2012 - Updated requirements and installation procedures JFM

2012rev3 18-01-2012 - Filtering options explained JFM

2012rev4 31-01-2012 - Added table list

- Added queries list

JFM


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Table of Content

Version Information ...................................................................................................................................... 2

Table of Content ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4

Performance and Limitations .................................................................................................................... 4

Improvements since 2011 and 2009 Versions .......................................................................................... 4

Future Improvements ............................................................................................................................... 5

Requirements ................................................................................................................................................ 6

Prerequisites .................................................................................................................................................. 7

SAP GUI Installation ................................................................................................................................... 7

SAP Access ................................................................................................................................................. 8

1. Using the Tool ........................................................................................................................................ 9

1.1. General guidelines ......................................................................................................................... 9

Login to the SAP Client .......................................................................................................................... 9

1.2. Importing data from the SAP System ............................................................................................ 9

Extracting Data .................................................................................................................................... 10

1.3. Deleting Data in the Access File .................................................................................................. 11

Improvements since 2011 and 2009 Versions .................................................................................... 11

1.4. Filtering data ............................................................................................................................... 11

Filtering – FilterData Macro ................................................................................................................ 12


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Introduction

The Data Extraction Tool is a Microsoft Access based utility that allows you to extract data from an SAP client in order to analyze the results of an ERPsim Game. It uses several macros to copy the data from a SAP client, and queries have been provided to analyze it.

PERFORMANCE AND LIMITATIONS

The tool uses RFC (Remote Function Call) to get the data from the SAP system and then saves it to the Access tables. The tables are extracted in alphabetical order, which means it is possible to extract the data in batches.

The performance of the extraction process may vary depending on the computer used to do it, as more processing power and a faster hard drive writing speed will greatly decrease the time required to update the table. The length and number of games played on the same SAP client will increase the time required to do a full extraction.

Using the tool while the game is running should not reduce the performance of the simulation. However, be aware that the data may be incomplete if the simulator is processing documents while the tool is used.

The full extraction process usually takes 5 to 12 minutes. Since a lot of data can be saved in a single table, some of them may take up to three minutes to complete. For example, table BSEG, which contain the items for each accounting document in the system, may contain 20 000 to 60 000 entries for a single simulation of eight teams, and take an average of 2 to 5 minutes to save in Access.

The resulting Access file (after extraction) may be more than 20mb, but can be heavily compressed using ZIP files for distribution. Automatic compressing of the database is also activated in Access to avoid larger file sizes.

IMPROVEMENTS SINCE 2011 AND 2009 VERSIONS

Full deletion of data prior to data extraction is not required anymore. When starting extraction you will be asked, for each table that still contains data, if you want to (1) keep the current data and skip to the next table or (2) delete the data and extract the new one from the SAP system. This is useful if you only want to re-import some of the tables.

Error handling has been added.

Filtering options have been added.


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FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS

Filtering options are provided to remove data after the extraction has been completed, which is useful for distribution when running multiple games on the same SAP client. Full filtering during the extraction process is planned for the next release.

Manual selection of tables to be extracted is also planned for the next release. A working version already exists, but improvements must be made to increase overall performance.


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Requirements

Microsoft Access 2003, 2007 or 2010

SAP GUI 7.10 or later

o Note It is important to install all components of the SAP GUI. See the “Prerequisites” section for more details.

o Note The Access Database is not compatible with the SAP GUI for the Java Environment.

Internet connection


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Prerequisites

SAP GUI INSTALLATION

The SAP GUI must be installed on the computer to use the data extraction tool.

This database uses two ActiveX controls installed by the SAP GUI to extract the data from the SAP database (wtdfuncs.ocx and wtdlogu.ocx). These files are located in the SAPgui folder, in the SAP GUI installation folder (by default: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\FrontEnd).

In order to use the database, we recommend installing the SAP GUI Suite by choosing “Select all”, as shown in the screenshot below.

If you receive an error message saying that you are missing files or that the ActiveX component is not found when you open the Access database or execute one of the macros, we recommend that you reinstall your SAP GUI.


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SAP ACCESS

The data extraction tool requires access to the SAP client. The user account must be authorized

to display tables. Only “admin” ERPsim accounts can be used with the tool, which means that

students cannot use the tool to extract data “live”.


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1. Using the Tool

1.1. GENERAL GUIDELINES

Login to the SAP Client

Logging in to the SAP client can be done in two ways: either by selecting a preconfigured connection in the SAP GUI, or using a manual connection. The preconfigured connections are shared with the SAP Logon application and must be managed there.

Choosing a Preconfigured Connection in the SAP GUI

Manual Connection

Note that the tool automatically logs off when extraction is complete. This is to allow switching between two systems more easily.

1.2. IMPORTING DATA FROM THE SAP SYSTEM

It is possible to extract the data from the SAP system in three ways:

(1) extract the data from all tables using the Extract – GetAllData macro,

(2) extract the data from a single table using the Extract – GetSingleTableData macro, or

(3) resume extracting data from a given table using the Extract – ResumeGetAllData macro.


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Troubleshooting Note: Access may sometimes stop responding, but this is normal system behaviour when the window loses its focus (i.e. if you switch to another window). Do not end the process in the Task Manager; check the Network tab for spikes in network usage, which will indicate if Access is still working as intended. Just wait for the confirmation message.

Extracting Data

1. Select the macro you wish to use from the left-hand menu, in the Macro section.

2. You will be prompted to either select which SAP connection you want to use, or manually enter the server information with the server tab.

a. Extraction from a Single Table If extracting from a single table, you will be prompted to enter the name of the table prior to connecting. The tool will ensure that the table you requested is defined in the database.

3. Enter your SAP client number, username and password and click on OK.

4. Check the status bar in the lower left-hand corner to track the extraction process.

a. Deletion Confirmation If the tool tries to extract data to an Access table that still contains data you will be prompted to either (1) [default] delete the data contained in the Access table and replace it with new data from the SAP system or (2) to skip this table and continue with the next one.

5. Wait for the confirmation message to appear. This may take a few minutes depending on how much data is extracted (see “Introduction” section).


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1.3. DELETING DATA IN THE ACCESS FILE

To simplify the deletion of data in the Access file, two macros are provided:

(1) Delete – DeleteAllData will erase the contents of every table in the database (excluding tables named with “_” as their first character);

(2) Delete – DeleteSingleTableData will erase the contents of the table specified by the user.

Upon selecting one of these two options, the data will be deleted.

Improvements since 2011 and 2009 Versions

Users of previous versions will discover that this new tool does not require the full deletion of data prior to extraction. This is useful if you only want to download content from a couple of tables and keep the content from others.

1.4. FILTERING DATA

It is possible to filter the data extracted from the SAP system in 3 ways:

(1) filter the data in batches using the Filtering – FilterData (Modify before use) macro

(2) deleting the data for a single team (Filtering – DeleteSingleTeamData)

(3) keep only the data for a single team (Filtering – KeepSingleTeamData)

Note that the filtering is not perfect since it will not delete foreign data (for example, PO items).

When using these macros, a prompt will confirm either the deletion or the saved status of the data. Note that deleted data can only be recovered by re-importing it from the SAP system.

Data Deletion Confirmation for the Selected Team

Saved Data Confirmation for the Selected Team


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Filtering – FilterData Macro

Before using this macro you must configure it to determine the teams you want to keep. Simply right-click on the macro, select Edit, and delete the lines for the teams whose data you wish to keep. Save the macro and execute it. A prompt will confirm each team that is deleted.


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2. Tables and Queries

2.1. TABLES

The following is a list of available tables in the Access database.

In order to have more details on the meaning of each field in a table, open the table and select the “Design View” in the upper left‐hand corner of the “Home” tab. The description of each field is provided. You can also obtain the description of the table by right-clicking on the desired one, then by selection “Table properties”.

Tables with a name starting with an underscore are tables that will not be extracted from the SAP system and for which data cannot be deleted using the macros.

/BATONSIM/AREA ERPsim table for mapping customer regions to area

/BATONSIM/H_COMP Daily snapshot of company balance sheet items

/BATONSIM/H_INV ERPsim Historical Data - Inventory

/BATONSIM/H_MARKETING Daily snapshot of company marketing expenses items

/BATONSIM/H_PNL Daily snapshot of company profit and loss items

/BATONSIM/H_PROD ERPsim Historical Data - Product

/BATONSIM/H_SORG ERPsim Historical Data - Sales Organization

/BATONSIM/PO ERPsim PO data from simulator

/BATONSIM/PRDORD ERPsim prod order data from simulator

/BATONSIM/SALES ERPsim sales data extensions

/BATONSIM/TIMSPN Table for ERPsim system times for day start and end

_ImportLog Import Log Table


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_SKAT G/L Account Master Record (Chart of Accounts: Description)

_T003T Document Type Texts

AFPO Order item

AFRU Order Confirmations

AUFM Goods movements for order

BKPF Accounting Document Header

BSEG Accounting Document Segment

EKKO Purchasing Document Header

EKPO Purchasing Document Item

KNA1 General Data in Customer Master

MAKT Material Descriptions

MARA General Material Data

MARD Storage Location Data for Material

MAST Material to BOM Link

STPO BOM item

VBAK Sales Document: Header Data

VBAP Sales Document: Item Data


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2.2. QUERIES

The following is a list of the queries found in the Access database.

In order to have more details on the content of a query, open the query in the Access 2007 file and select the “Design View” in the upper left‐hand corner of the “Home” tab. This will provide you the structure of the query and the tables required to generate it.

Note that queries starting with “ERPsim” mean that these queries will only display the data that was used by the simulation, but will provide the virtual day and quarter.

Document List - Accounting

ERPsim - Financials - Balance Sheet

ERPsim - Financials - Income Statement

ERPsim - Inventory

ERPsim - Inventory Management

ERPsim - Pricing

ERPsim - Production – Operations

ERPsim - Production – Schedule

ERPsim - Production – Usage

ERPsim - Purchase Order

ERPsim - Sales

ERPsim - WkFinancials

ERPsim - WkInventory

ERPsim - WkProduction

ERPsim - WkSales

Master Data - Bill of Material

Documents

ERPsim Data Extraction Tool User Guideweb.eng.fiu.edu/chen/summer 2012/egn 5621 enterprise...ERPsim Data Extraction Tool – User Guide 9 1. Using the Tool 1.1. GENERAL GUIDELINES