How to... Generate Test Data for SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation 10.0

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2010 SAP AG 1

SAP BusinessObjects EPM RIG

How-To Guide

How To Generate Test Data for SAPBusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation

Applies to:

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation for NetWeaver 7.0 SP03 and higher.

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation for NetWeaver 7.5 SP01 and higher.

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation for Microsoft 7.0 SP03 and higher.

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation for Microsoft 7.5 SP01 and higher.

Summary

During the test design phase of the software life cycle, with applications such as SAP BusinessObjectsPlanning and Consolidation (BPC), it can be necessary to generate large volumes of test data to ensure theapplication will meet the business users key performance indicators (KPIs) in a production environment.The BPC DataGenerator tool, included with this How-To Guide, provides one approach to quickly generatetest data to import into a BPC application.

Author: Erik Lemen

Company: SAP Canada, Inc.Created on:21 February 2011

Author Bio

Erik Lemen has been working with and supporting SAP Technologies since 2009. He hasexperience supporting both the SAP BusinessObjects Business Planning and Consolidationfor the Microsoft platform and SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation product forthe NetWeaver platform. He is currently employed in the SAP Vancouver, Canada Lab andpreviously has previously worked with BusinessObjects Enterprise, and also as a C#developer. His hobbies include rock climbing and playing chess.

Version History

Version 1.0 released February 2011

Version 1.1 released March 2013


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Table of Contents

1. Business Scenario ................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3

3. Prerequisites .......................................................................................................................................... 3

4. Installing BPC DataGenerator ............................................................................................................... 3

4.1 Installation Welcome Screen ................................................................................................................. 3

4.2 Select Installation Folder ....................................................................................................................... 44.3 Confirm Installation Options .................................................................................................................. 4

4.4 Installation Complete ............................................................................................................................. 5

5. Running BPC DataGenerator ................................................................................................................ 6

5.1 Welcome Screen ................................................................................................................................... 6

5.2 Dimension Selection .............................................................................................................................. 6

5.3 Member Selection .................................................................................................................................. 7

5.4 Output Options ....................................................................................................................................... 7

5.4.1 Output file location ......................................................................................................................................... 8

5.4.2 Signed data values ......................................................................................................................................... 8

5.4.3 Member Intersections ..................................................................................................................................... 95.4.4 Maximum rows ............................................................................................................................................. 10

5.4.5 Random Seed Options ................................................................................................................................. 10

5.5 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 11

6. Whats New in BPC Data Generator version 1.1................................................................................. 14

6.1 How to Export BPC NW dimensions to .csv file format ....................................................................... 14

6.2 How to browse to a specific folder for .csv or .xml dimension files ..................................................... 14

7. Test Cases ........................................................................................................................................... 15

Scenario 1single file, all sequential member intersections, fixed data values .......................................... 15

Scenario 2single file, all sequential member intersections, random data values ..................................... 18

Scenario 3multiple files, all sequential member intersections, fixed data values ..................................... 21

Scenario 4single file, subset of sequential member intersections, fixed data values ............................... 24

Scenario 5single file, subset of sequential member intersections, random data values .......................... 27

Scenario 6multiple files, all random member intersections, random data values ..................................... 30

Appendix ABPC DataGenerator installation file ........................................................................................ 32

Copyright ........................................................................................................................................................... 33


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1. Business Scenario

When designing and creating testing plans, testing scripts and test scenarios it is often not feasible to test anapplication against actual production data. This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as: the productiondata does not yet exist; the production data is sensitive and not available to the quality assurance (QA)testers; the production data is physically not accessible to the test server networks.

When production data is not available, a common approach is to test the software application against testdata. One way to populate a BPC application with data is to use the Import Transactional DataData

Manager package to upload files containing comma-separated values.

2. Introduction

This How-To guide outlines how install the BPCDataGenerator tool, as well as step-by-step instructionsshowing how to use it to create comma-separated value (.csv) files for use with the BPC ImportTransactional data, Data Manager package. The BPC DataGenerator tool is a Microsoft Windowsapplication developed for version 2.0 of the .NET framework.

3. Prerequisites

Required software prerequisites for installing BPC DataGenerator tool:

Microsoft .NET frameworkversion 2.0,or later

Required/recommended expertise or prior knowledge:

SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation 7.5 Microsoft Office client, version for SAPNetWeaver or Microsoft.

SAP BusinessObjects Import Transactional data, Data Manager package.

4. Installing BPC DataGenerator

On a machine with the BPC client installed, run the MSI Windows Installer package, BPCDataGenerator.msi,fromAppendix Ato install the executable files to run the BPC DataGenerator tool.

The following steps and screenshots walkthrough the installation:

4.1 Installation Welcome Screen

After executing the BPCDataGenerator.msi, the Setup Wizard is displayed:

Click the Next> button. The Select Installation Folderscreen is displayed.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=enhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=enhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=enhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en


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4.2 Select Installation Folder

Choose a folder to install the BPC DataGenerator tool.

Click the Next> button. The Confirm Installationscreen is displayed.

4.3 Confirm Installation Options

Confirm that the installation is ready to begin.

Click the Next> button. The installation will begin.


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4.4 Installation Complete

After a few moments the installation will complete.

Click the Close button to exit the Windows Installation package.

The BPC DataGenerator tool is now installed.

NOTE: This tool is not officially supported by SAP and is provided solely for the purposes of knowledgesharing.

Continue to theRunning BPC DataGeneratorsection for screenshots walking through how to use this tool.


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5. Running BPC DataGenerator

After installing the BPC DataGenerator a Windows Start menu shortcut is created to run the tool.

From the Microsoft Windows Start menu, choose Programs | SAP BusinessObjects | Planning andConsolidation | BPC Data Generator.

The BPC DataGenerator tool is launched.

5.1 Welcome Screen

The BPC DataGenerator Welcome screen is shown.

Select a preferred language.Click the Next> button to continue.

5.2 Dimension Selection

The Dimension Selection screen is shown.

From the Application set drop down box choose your BPC application set, or choose browse to pick acustom folder containing the BPC dimension cached xml files.


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After choosing an application set, select the dimensions for one of the BPC applications and move them fromthe list on the left to the right-hand list, as shown.

Click the Next> buttonto continue.

5.3 Member Selection

The Member Selection screen is shown.For each of the dimensions, represented as tabs on the left, select one or more of the base-level dimensionmembers by placing a check mark next to the member id.

Click the Next> button to continue.

5.4 Output Options

The Output Options screen is shown.

The following options are available from the Output File(s) Tab:

Output file location

Signed data values

Member intersections

Maximum rows


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The Options Tab is used providing a custom random seed value when using Random Signed data values, orrandom member intersections.

A screenshot and description for each of the available options follows:

5.4.1 Output file location

Click the ellipse button to have Windows prompt for a file location for the comma-separated import file(s) tobe saved.

Select the Generate multiple files checkbox to have the output results split across multiple .csv files.When the Generate multiple files checkbox is selected, the max. rows/file value specifies how many rows toput in each of the output files. The output files are automatically suffixed with a number, i.e. Import001.csv,Import002.csv.

5.4.2 Signed data values

The Signed data values option controls the values written to the SIGNEDDATA column of the .csv outputfile. These values can be positive or negative numbers and supports decimal places. There are threeoptions for the Signed data values:

Fixed

Sequential

Random

Fixedvalue specifies a single static value to be applied to all dimension member intersections.

Sequentialvalues specify a range from a lower bound value (i.e. 100) to an upper value (i.e. 50000). Eachsigned data value (row) written to the .csv file is sequentially larger than the previous value. When the uppervalue is reached the sequential counter cycles back and starts again at the lower bound value.

Randomvalues specify a range from a lower bound value to an upper value. Each signed data value (row)written to the .csv file is chosen randomly between the lower to upper value inclusively.


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5.4.3 Member Intersections

The Member intersectionsoption determines how the Cartesian product of member intersections are

written to the .csv output files.

There are two options:

Sequential

Random

This is probably best described using an example. If there were 3 dimensions, CATEGORY, ENTITY andTIME and each had two members there would be a total of 8 combinations (2 x 2 x 2). Assume the Categorydimension contains members ACTUAL and PLAN, and that the ENTITY dimension contains membersCANADA and USA, and that the TIME dimension contains 2011.MAR and 2011.APR.

A sequential file would be generated writing the values directly to file, in order:ATEGO

RY

NTITY

TIM

E

DAT

A

ACTUAL CANADA 2011.MAR 100

ACTUAL CANADA 2011.APR 100

ACTUAL USA 2011.MAR 100

ACTUAL USA 2011.APR 100

PLAN CANADA 2011.MAR 100

PLAN CANADA 2011.APR 100

PLAN USA 2011.MAR 100

PLAN USA 2011.APR 100

A randomfile would first generate the sequential values in memory, and then randomly choose which onesto write to file.

ATEGO

RY

NTITY

TIME

DATA

ACTUAL CANADA 2011.MAR 100

PLAN USA 2011.APR 100

ACTUAL USA 2011.APR 100

ACTUAL USA 2011.MAR 100

PLAN CANADA 2011.MAR 100

PLAN CANADA 2011.APR 100


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NOTE: When choosing random member intersection it is strongly recommended to choose a maximumnumber of rows that is smaller than the maximum possible rows. It does not make sense to use randomgeneration of member intersections if the intention is generate all possible combinationsit is less CPU and

memory intensive to simply generate all values sequentially.

5.4.4 Maximum rows

The Maximum rows option restricts the total number of data values written to all output files. This optionallows the user to choose to not write the complete set of Cartesian product results to file and to include onlythe first X number of rows.

5.4.5 Random Seed Options

BPC DataGenerator tool is designed to use a pseudo-random number generator when either the memberintersections are chosen randomly, or when the signed data values are generated randomly. Pseudo-random numbers are generated starting from a seed value; each time the program is run a new seed valuewill be used, which will cause different random numbers to be generated. If there is a requirement torecreate the same random sample data in the future, save the Random Seed number and use that number ina future run of the BPC DataGenerator tool.


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Click the Next> button to continue.

5.5 Summary

The Summary screen is shown.

This provides an opportunity to review the selections chosen from the previous screens.

Click the Finish button to generate the import file(s).

A progress bar can be optionally displayed, and when the import files have been generated a message isdisplayed with the amount of time it took to create the files.


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The import files are then available.

The import files are ready to upload into the BPC system to make them available to the BPC ImportTransactional data, Data Manager package.


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You now have an import .csv file containing test data to upload into your BPC application. The import datamatches in structure to the applications dimensions and members, as such no transformation rules orconversion mapping need be specified in the transformation file.

Congratulations!


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6. Whats New in BPC Data Generator version 1.1

BPC 10 for Netweaver has replaced the thick client Administration with a Flex browser-based Administrationinterface which no longer caches dimension .xml files locally. BPC 10 for NW users will need to export theirdimensions to local .csv files and load them using BPC Data Generator 1.1s new browse feature.

6.1 How to Export BPC NW dimensions to .csv file format

6.2 How to browse to a specific folder for .csv or .xml dimension files


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7. Test Cases

The following screenshots are provided as test case scenarios that can be performed against the sampleApShell application set that comes with BPC 7.0 for NetWeaver platform. The purpose of these testscenarios are to confirm that basic functionality for BPC DataGenerator tool is working as expected.

Scenario 1single file, all sequential member intersections, fixed data values

This scenario will create a single import file (import.csv) with a fixed signed data value (100) for all of thepossible intersections (216 intersections). Those intersections will be written sequentially to the import file.


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Scenario 2single file, all sequential member intersections, random data values

This scenario will create a single import file (import.csv) with random signed data values (between 100 and50000) for all of the possible intersections (216 intersections). Those intersections will be writtensequentially to the import file.


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NOTE: To generate the same random values, be sure to use the same random seed.

Scenario 3multiple files, all sequential member intersections, fixed data values

This scenario will create multiple import files (import1.csv, import2.csv, import3.csv) with a fixed signed datavalue (100) for all of the possible intersections (216 intersections). Those intersections will be writtensequentially to the import file. Each of the files will contain a maximum of 75 rows.


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NOTE: When BPC DataManager upload/downloads data files the operation may time out, seeSAP Note 1491655.This is one reason to split large import .csv files into multiple smaller files.

Scenario 4single file, subset of sequential member intersections, fixed data values

This scenario will create a single import file (import.csv) with a fixed signed data value (100) for a subset ofall possible intersections (only 100 of the possible 216 intersections will be generated). Those intersectionswill be written sequentially to the import file.
https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1491655https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1491655https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1491655https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1491655


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Scenario 5single file, subset of sequential member intersections, random data values

This scenario will create a single import file (import.csv) with a range of randomly generated signed datavalues (between 100-50000) for a subset of all possible intersections (only 100 of the possible 216intersections will be generated). Those intersections will be written sequentially to the import file.


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NOTE: The random seed value has been intentionally set to match the value used in Scenario 2. This test confirms thatwhen the same random seed is used the same data values are generated.

Scenario 6multiple files, all random member intersections, random data values

This scenario will create multiple import files (import1.csv, import2.csv, import3.csv) with a range of randomlygenerated signed data values between 100 and 50000 for all possible intersections. Those intersections willbe written randomly to the import file.


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NOTE: When choosing random member intersections a Cartesian product of all member intersections are generated inmemory first, then the intersections are randomly chosen to write to disk.

For the options chosen in this scenario, these are the import .csv files generated:Appendix

Appendix ABPC DataGenerator installation file

ThisMSI installation packagewill install the BPC DataGenerator tool (Section 4).
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Copyright

Copyright 2013 SAP AG. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the express permission of SAP AG.The information contained herein may be changed without prior notice.

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Business Objects and the Business Objects logo, BusinessObjects, Crystal Reports, Crystal Decisions, Web Intelligence, Xcelsius, andother Business Objects products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of Business Objects S.A. in the United States and in other countries. Business Objects is an SAP company.

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Documents

How to... Generate Test Data for SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation 10.0