SAP NetWeaver BW 7.x Reporting-Practical Guide

by Jason Kraft

Overview

This book provides you with a detailed, how-to guide for using SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (BW) 7.x and the BEx tools to generate enterprise reports. It will teach you how to design and distribute effective, attractive reports that meet critical business objectives.

1. When, Why, and How to Use BEx ReportingUnderstand the common business scenarios and problems associated with reporting with SAPNetWeaver BW and learn how reporting can be used to avoid problems.

2. Retrieving Data from SAP NetWeaver BW 7.xLearn how to retrieve data, prepare the data, and present the data for reporting and enterprise-wide distribution.

3. Building Effective BW QueriesExplore the basic process for creating a query from scratch using the BEx Query Designer, which is a critical component in the foundation of a quality business intelligence user experience.

4. Providing Queries to Your UsersDiscover different avenues for delivering BW queries to users, including SAP-delivered webtemplates, custom web templates, or the BEx analyzer Excel interface.

5. Running Queries in ExcelLearn how users can run BW reports directly in Microsoft Excel using SAP’s BEx analyzer tool,and how Excel workbooks can be customized to improve productivity.

Highlights:

• BEx Analyzer
• BEx Query Designer
• BEx vs. SAP BusinessObjects
• BEx Web Application Designer
• BW Web API Commands
• DataProviders
• Drag and Drop Navigation
• Filters
• Hierarchies
• Knowledge Management Integration
• Nesting Web Items
• Query Navigation in Excel
• Toolbars
• Usability Tips
• Variables
• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
• Web Templates

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781592293575
Publisher:	Rheinwerk Publishing, Inc.
Publication date:	12/26/2010
Series:	Standard
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	359
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jason Kraft has 8 years of experience with SAP BW and SAP Portals, primarily focused on front-end development of BW queries and dashboards. He also has 15 years of experience with web development and graphical interface design, both of which have been useful in creating a branded user-facing SAP reporting ecosystem geared toward usability and end-user efficiency.

Table of Contents

1 ... Introduction to BW 7 Reporting ... 13

2 ... User-Facing SAP NetWeaver BI Components ... 15
... 2.1 ... SAP NetWeaver Components ... 15
... 2.2 ... SAP's Future BI Roadmap ... 16
... 2.3 ... The BW 7 BEx Toolset ... 17
... 2.4 ... BW 7 and the Portal ... 18
... 2.5 ... Visual Composer ... 19
... 2.6 ... Conclusion ... 20

3 ... Building Effective Business Warehouse (BW) Queries: The Basics of Query Designer ... 21
... 3.1 ... Where Is My Data Coming From? ... 21
... 3.2 ... Restricting Data at the Query Level ... 24
... 3.3 ... Variables ... 28
... 3.4 ... Building a Query Layout ... 37
... 3.5 ... Properties for Queries and Query Components ... 54
... 3.6 ... Summary: Query-Building Basics ... 67

4 ... Running Queries on the Web: Business Explorer (BEx) Web Analyzer ... 69
... 4.1 ... The Variable Screen: Personalization and Variants ... 69
... 4.2 ... Query Analysis with Drag-and-Drop Navigation ... 73
... 4.3 ... Setting Filter Values ... 77
... 4.4 ... Changing Query Settings at Runtime ... 80
... 4.5 ... Opening and Saving Queries at Runtime ... 82
... 4.6 ... The Rest of the Toolbar ... 84
... 4.7 ... The Context Menu ... 86
... 4.8 ... Summary: BEx Web Analyzer ... 94

5 ... Running Queries in Excel: Business Explorer (BEx) Analyzer ... 95
... 5.1 ... Starting BEx Analyzer ... 96
... 5.2 ... The Variable Screen: Excel Flavor ... 97
... 5.3 ... Query Navigation in BEx Analyzer ... 101
... 5.4 ... Properties in BEx Analyzer ... 108
... 5.5 ... The BEx Analyzer Analysis Toolbar ... 110
... 5.6 ... Summary: Running BW Queries in Excel ... 117

6 ... Developing Workbooks with BEx Analyzer Design Mode ... 119
... 6.1 ... Welcome to Design Mode! ... 119
... 6.2 ... DataProviders and Analysis Grids ... 121
... 6.3 ... Navigation Panes ... 135
... 6.4 ... Buttons and Commands ... 143
... 6.5 ... Dropdowns, Checkboxes, and Radio Buttons ... 154
... 6.6 ... List of Conditions/Exceptions ... 163
... 6.7 ... Text Elements and System Messages ... 164
... 6.8 ... Workbook Settings ... 169
... 6.9 ... Summary: Workbook Design ... 181

7 ... Customizing Web-Based Analytics with Web Application Designer ... 183
... 7.1 ... Introducing Web Application Designer ... 184
... 7.2 ... Using the Pattern Wizard ... 185
... 7.3 ... Creating a Basic Web Template ... 201
... 7.4 ... Adding Toolbars and Headers ... 213
... 7.5 ... Hiding and Showing Web Items ... 239
... 7.6 ... More Buttons and Commands ... 274
... 7.7 ... A Brief Overview of the Analysis Pattern Template ... 284
... 7.8 ... Summary: Web Application Designer ... 290

8 ... The Web Application Designer Reference ... 293
... 8.1 ... Standard Web Items ... 293
... 8.2 ... Advanced Web Items ... 310
... 8.3 ... Miscellaneous Web Items ... 322
... 8.4 ... DataProviders ... 334
... 8.5 ... Menu Bar Functionality ... 336
... 8.6 ... Web Template Properties ... 338
... 8.7 ... BW Web API Commands ... 341
... 8.8 ... Summary: Web Application Designer Reference ... 347

9 ... Business Warehouse (BW) 7 Reporting Wrap-Up ... 349

... The Author ... 353

... Index ... 355