SAP BW 7.4-Practical Guide

by Amol Palekar, Bharat Patel, Shreekant Shiralkar

Overview

Don't just read about SAP BW - get your hands dirty with this updated, must-have guide. Tackle all of the common tasks you'll encounter when working with SAP BW, from creating objects, to extracting and transforming data, to mastering the BEx tools. Keep your skills sharp with information new to this edition, including updates for SAP BW 7.4 and BW on SAP HANA. And follow along with a comprehensive case study to cement your knowledge.

Detailed Steps for Working with SAP BWGet click-by-click instructions with guiding screenshots that will answer your questions and get you working in your own SAP BW system.

Supplements and Bonus MaterialFind helpful lists of transaction codes, SAP Notes, data for the case study, and sample code downloads.

Content New to this EditionComprehensive updates include information on planning with DSOs, query execution in BW on HANA, SAP Lumira, and so much more.

Highlights:

• InfoObjects
• Master data
• DataStore objects
• InfoCubes
• InfoProviders
• Data extraction
• BEx Query Designer
• BEx Web Application Designer
• Reporting and analysis
• Planning applications
• SAP HANA

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493211913
Publisher:	Rheinwerk Publishing, Inc.
Publication date:	05/28/2015
Edition description:	Enlarged
Pages:	852
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 2.10(d)

About the Author

Amol Palekar is director of Analytics and Service Delivery at TekLink International Inc., where he leads the Application Management Services practice that focuses on global delivery engagements. In previous jobs, Amol has led the SAP BI Architecture Council and SAP BI Center of Excellence and worked on BI programs for several Fortune 500 companies. He has led BI project teams of various sizes for companies in the manufacturing, retail, CPG, automotive, and telecom industries. Amol is also a trainer and a regular speaker on the subject of BI, and he is recognized for his best-selling books on SAP BI and supply chain analytics.

Bharat Patel has 20 years of IT experience covering the entire lifecycle management of data warehousing solutions, from evaluation and identification to upgrade and retirement. He is a regular faculty member at SAP Partner Academy and SAP Labs in India, and has publishedother books and articles on SAP BW. He currently manages a large and complex SAP BW system at Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd., a Fortune 500 oil company.

Shreekant Shiralkar is a senior management professional with experience in leading and managing business functions and technical consultation. In a career spanning 30 years, he established, developed, and diversified business units for Fortune 500 companies. He has mentored authors, published best-selling books and white papers on technology, and holds patents for technology and services. Shreekant is currently leading the SAP analytic practice globally for a leading technology company.

Table of Contents

... Acknowledgments ... 17



... Introduction ... 19



1 ... The Business Scenario: ABCD Corp. ... 23



1.1 ... Marketing Network ... 24

1.2 ... The Sales and Billing Process ... 25

1.3 ... Business Intelligence Requirements ... 28

1.4 ... The Business Planning Scenario ... 29

1.5 ... Summary ... 30



2 ... Overview of SAP Business Warehouse ... 31



2.1 ... Evolution of SAP BW ... 31

2.2 ... SAP BW Layers ... 35

2.3 ... Basic Navigation ... 41

2.4 ... The Data Warehousing Workbench Functions ... 53

2.5 ... Activation of SAP Business Content ... 55

2.6 ... Implementation and Architecture Options ... 63

2.7 ... Additional Resources ... 69

2.8 ... Summary ... 70



3 ... InfoObjects and Master Data ... 71



3.1 ... Types of InfoObjects ... 72

3.2 ... Creating an InfoArea ... 74

3.3 ... Creating an InfoObject Catalog ... 76

3.4 ... Creating a Custom Characteristic InfoObject ... 79

3.5 ... Configuring a Characteristic InfoObject ... 82

3.6 ... Creating a Key Figure InfoObject ... 103

3.7 ... Configuring a Key Figure InfoObject ... 105

3.8 ... Creating a Unit InfoObject ... 120

3.9 ... Summary ... 122



4 ... DataStore Objects ... 123



4.1 ... Introduction to DSOs ... 123

4.2 ... Architecture of the Standard DSO ... 127

4.3 ... Designing a DSO ... 134

4.4 ... Configuration of the Standard DSO ... 136

4.5 ... Configuration of Write-Optimized DSOs ... 144

4.6 ... Configuration of Direct-Update DSOs ... 146

4.7 ... Usage Scenarios for DSOs ... 148

4.8 ... Summary ... 149



5 ... InfoCubes ... 151



5.1 ... Modeling InfoCubes ... 152

5.2 ... Types of InfoCubes ... 162

5.3 ... Creating an InfoCube ... 166

5.4 ... Provider-Specific Properties ... 186

5.5 ... Summary ... 190



6 ... InfoProviders ... 191



6.1 ... MultiProviders ... 192

6.2 ... InfoSets ... 208

6.3 ... VirtualProviders ... 232

6.4 ... Semantically Partitioned Objects (SPOs) ... 233

6.5 ... HybridProvider ... 249

6.6 ... Transient Providers ... 257

6.7 ... Analytical Index ... 259

6.8 ... CompositeProvider ... 259

6.9 ... Open ODS View ... 267

6.10 ... Summary ... 281



7 ... Extraction, Transformation, and Loading ... 283



7.1 ... Introduction to ETL ... 283

7.2 ... Loading Master Data from a Flat File to an InfoObject ... 290

7.3 ... Loading Transaction Data from a Flat File to a DSO ... 335

7.4 ... Loading Data from a DSO to an InfoCube ... 354

7.5 ... Query as DataSource ... 361

7.6 ... Temporary Storage Areas and Error Stacks ... 364

7.7 ... Graphical Modeling ... 372

7.8 ... Special Topics for SAP HANA ... 383

7.9 ... Summary ... 391



8 ... Data Extraction from Source Systems ... 393



8.1 ... Configuring an SAP Source System for Extraction ... 393

8.2 ... Using SAP Business Content for Extraction: Logistics DataSources ... 395

8.3 ... Using Generic DataSources for Extraction ... 400

8.4 ... Data Extraction from Non-SAP Systems ... 413

8.5 ... Introduction to Operational Data Provisioning/Operational Delta Queue ... 416

8.6 ... SAP LT Replication Server for SAP BW ... 425

8.7 ... Summary ... 426



9 ... Creating Queries Using BEx Query Designer ... 427



9.1 ... BEx Tools Landscape ... 428

9.2 ... Introduction to BEx Query Designer ... 430

9.3 ... Creating a Simple BEx Query ... 435

9.4 ... Introduction to OLAP Variables ... 445

9.5 ... Creating OLAP Variables Using the Variable Editor ... 450

9.6 ... Creating Filters ... 463

9.7 ... Creating Structures ... 467

9.8 ... Creating Selections and Formulas ... 471

9.9 ... Creating Key Figures ... 479

9.10 ... Properties of Query Elements ... 483

9.11 ... Creating Conditions ... 496

9.12 ... Creating Exceptions ... 500

9.13 ... Configuring Report-to-Report Interfaces ... 504

9.14 ... Summary ... 508



10 ... Reporting and Analysis Tools ... 511



10.1 ... Running Queries in BEx Analyzer ... 512

10.2 ... Performing Information Analysis in BEx Analyzer ... 519

10.3 ... Local Properties and Formulas in BEx Analyzer ... 524

10.4 ... Saving and Reusing Workbooks in BEx Analyzer ... 530

10.5 ... Building an Analysis Application in BEx Analyzer ... 532

10.6 ... Running Queries in BEx Web Analyzer ... 543

10.7 ... Performing Information Analysis in BEx Web Analyzer ... 548

10.8 ... Analysis Filters and Settings in BEx Web Analyzer ... 553

10.9 ... Information Broadcasting Using BEx Web Analyzer ... 556

10.9.1 ... Information Broadcasting in BEx Web Analyzer ... 556

10.9.2 ... Maintaining Broadcasting Settings on Different BEx Objects ... 559

10.9.3 ... Creating a New Setting in BEx Broadcaster ... 560

10.10 ... BW Workspaces ... 563

10.11 ... Summary ... 575



11 ... Creating Applications Using BEx Web Application Designer ... 577



11.1 ... BEx Web Application Designer Overview ... 577

11.2 ... Creating a Simple Web Application ... 581

11.3 ... Web Items ... 597

11.4 ... Working with Commands ... 611

11.5 ... Web Template Properties ... 618

11.6 ... Summary ... 620



12 ... Creating Planning Applications ... 621



12.1 ... Introduction to the Integrated Planning Component and Planning Applications ... 622

12.2 ... Elements of a Planning Application ... 625

12.3 ... Building Planning Applications ... 679

12.4 ... Planning Locks ... 698

12.5 ... Changes to Data in Real-Time InfoCubes ... 700

12.6 ... Summary ... 701



13 ... Reporting with the SAP BusinessObjects BI Suite ... 703



13.1 ... Overview of SAP BusinessObjects BI Products ... 704

13.2 ... The Unified Semantic Layer and the Information Design Tool ... 706

13.3 ... SAP Crystal Reports ... 710

13.4 ... SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence ... 712

13.5 ... SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards ... 715

13.6 ... SAP BusinessObjects Analysis ... 717

13.7 ... SAP BusinessObjects Design Studio ... 719

13.8 ... SAP BusinessObjects Explorer ... 720

13.9 ... SAP Lumira ... 722

13.10 ... SAP BusinessObjects BI Launch Pad ... 722

13.11 ... Summary ... 723



14 ... Administration and Monitoring ... 725



14.1 ... DataStore Object Administration and Maintenance ... 726

14.2 ... InfoCube Administration and Maintenance ... 735

14.3 ... Aggregates ... 744

14.4 ... Compression ... 751

14.5 ... Process Chains ... 753

14.6 ... Analysis Authorizations ... 762

14.7 ... Other Administration and Maintenance Tasks ... 770

14.8 ... Summary ... 776



15 ... Advanced Features ... 777



15.1 ... Open Hub ... 777

15.2 ... Analysis Process Designer ... 780

15.3 ... Remodeling ... 795

15.4 ... SAP HANA Analysis Process (HAP) ... 799

15.5 ... Summary ... 809



... Appendices ... 811



A ... ABCD Corp. Case Study Data ... 813



B ... Definitions of Additional InfoObjects for ABCD Corp. ... 823



C ... Important Transaction Codes ... 827



D ... Important SAP Notes ... 831



E ... The Authors ... 833



... Index ... 835