material reporting

8/19/2019 MATERIAL REPORTING

1/59

Undocumented Tips

and Tricks for PowerUsers to Get the MostOut of Ad Hoc Queries

Penny Silvia Sapient (formerly BIS)

© 2005 Wellesley Information Services. All rights reserved.


2/59

What We’ll Cover …

2

• Ad Hoc Queryin in SAP BW ! overvie"• Strateie# for a controlled ad hoc $uery deployment

• Ad hoc $uery performance ! it #tart# "ith the de#in %%%

• Improvin $uery u#a&ility "ith hierarchie# and #tructure#

• 'ore le##on# learned ! AP proce##e# otcha# etc%

• Wrap*up


3/59

3






• Wrap*up


4/59

Ad Hoc Queryin in SAP BW ! +vervie"

4

•

Ad Hoc Queryin i# one of the true #trenth# of SAP BW It empo"er# u#er# increa#in #y#tem utili,ation and &uy*in-

It can ./0A123 reduce your development "or4load %%%

• Ad hoc $uerie# are fundamentally different from

controlled (or 5certified6) $uerie# %%% 1hey are created directly in production &y end u#er# and

"ithout over#iht or audit &y a overnin &ody


5/59

7ey Challene# "ith Ad Hoc Queryin

5

•

eployin Ad Hoc Queryin 5#afely6 'any orani,ation# are overly fearful "8r8t ivin u#er# (even

po"er u#er#) Ad Hoc Queryin capa&ility

• Avoidin performance i##ue#

3ou can do a lot here in term# of ho" you #etup 7PI# etc%• Balancin u#a&ility8pre#entation "ith performance

Hierarchie# and #tructure# have pro# and con#

• 0ducatin and monitorin u#er#

What #hould "e train them on9 What #hould "e "atch for9

Not e

We’ll di#cu## each of the#e further in thi# #e##ion-


6/59






• Wrap*up


7/59

Securely eployin Ad Hoc Query Capa&ility %%%

•

1here are A2WA3S concern# a&out #ecurity "henrollin*out Ad Hoc Querie#

Can another u#er# chane "hat I created9

Ho" can "e re#trict #omeone from #eein #en#itive data9

•

:undamentally you have to fir#t decide I: you are ointo allo" true Ad Hoc reportin (in Production)

+r if you’re oin to relea#e #ome 5p#eudo6 ad hoc

capa&ilitie# in#tead …


8/59

1he 5P#eudo6 Ad Hoc /eportin Approach %%%

•

Scenario; 3ou don’t "ant to completely ri#4 full*&lo"nproduction Ad Hoc reportin

0


9/59

If 3ou + ecide to 0na&le :ull Ad Hoc Queryin …

•

1here are t"o type# of authori,ation# that can &e put inplace to control thi# capa&ility … Wor4in "ith Ad Hoc Querie# them#elve#

Controllin "ho can create chane di#play and8ordelete the $uery o&>ect# and the $uerie# them#elve#

/eportin Authori,ation# Controllin "hat ?A2@0S people "ill #ee "hen they run

the $uerie#

Not e

u#t &ecau#e a u#er i# a 5Po"er @#er6 doe#n’t

automatically mean he or #he ha# the authority to createchane or delete all component# a##ociated "ith adhoc $ueryin

1he authori,ation o&>ect you’ll need to "or4 "ith i#S/SC+'P (Bu#ine## 0


10/59

0ither Way 3ou Can Secure 3our ata …

•

/eportin Authori,ation# for /eportin control# "hocan S00 "hich value# of an o&>ect

• Before you are a&le to #et up /eportin Authori,ation#

you have to create Authori,ation +&>ect#

3ou have to fir#t determine "hich CHA/AC10/IS1ICS you "illu#e to re#trict the value# of information

3ou are allo"ed to #ee payroll num&er# for co#t center#

DDDD DDEDD and DDFDD

3ou "ill then need to ma4e tho#e CHAC10/IS1ICS

5Authori,ation /elevant6


11/59

Scenario# for /eportin Authori,ation# …

•

Ho" you #et up authori,ation chec4# in BW depend# on; What 4ind of $uery i# to &e u#ed

e%% "ith or "ithout hierarchie#

Ho" detailed the authori,ation chec4 need# to &e

1he num&er of e


12/59

! Authori,ation# for a :e" .roup#

•

3ou can divide u#er# into a fe" roup# 1hi# i# the ca#e for e


13/59

E ! Individual or ?ery etailed Authori,ation#

•

1he Authori,ation chec4 i# very detailed Appro


14/59

F ! Authori,ation @#in ?aria&le#

•

When #tartin a $uery data #election can automaticallyfollo" u#er authori,ation (u#in varia&le#)

• Since the varia&le# are filled automatically the#e field#

mu#t not &e entry*ready

1hu# they do not appear in the varia&le #creen• 1here are different "ay# to handle thi# …


15/59

?aria&le# and Authori,ation#

•

:illin the varia&le# automatically %%% In varia&le maintenance choo#e 5Proce##in

from Authori,ation6

1he varia&le i# automatically filled "ith the value# in the

u#er’# authori,ation#

1hi# applie# to &oth #election varia&le# (characteri#tic

value#) and node varia&le#

Not e

on’t u#e #inle value or interval varia&le# &ecau#e the#e canonly contain a #inle value or interval re#pectively


16/59

?aria&le# and Authori,ation# (cont%)

•

:illin the varia&le# in cu#tomer e


17/59

?aria&le# and Authori,ation# (cont%)

•

:illin the varia&le# "ith 5SAP 0


18/59

What We’ll Cover…

•

Ad Hoc Queryin in SAP BW ! overvie"• Strateie# for a controlled ad hoc $uery deployment




• Wrap*up


19/59

Performance of Ad Hoc v#% Certified Querie#

•

Ad Hoc $uerie# are u#ually #lo"er than certified$uerie# &ecau#e …

It i# unli4ely that there "ill &e any on*taret areate#

Ad Hoc $uerie# are ne" re$ue#t#

1he #y#tem "ill not have previou#ly calculated or cachedre#ult# to u#e

1he $uery’# performance ha#n’t &een analy,ed8optimi,ed

1he $uery may have a#4ed for a "hole lot of information

1he $uery may &e a#4in for data in a relation#hip that the BW

data model# "eren’t #et up for

i%e% the inde


20/59

7ey e#in eci#ion; +ption# for Calculation e#in#

•

BW offer# #everal option# for performin calculation#; * Calculated 7ey :iure#

E * :ormula#

F * 0


21/59

! Calculated 7ey :iure#

• @#e mathematicalfunction# and

formula# to create

5ne"6 4ey fiure#

• Can u#e any 5&a#e6

4ey fiure com&inemultiple 4ey fiure#

or >oin 5&a#e6

4ey fiure# and other

calculated 4ey

fiure#

1hi# can &e a very po"erful tool &ut come# "ith #omepotential co#t# %%%


22/59

Calculated 7ey :iure# ! 7ey Point#

•

Benefit# efinition# are retained at the cu&e level

And are therefore reu#a&le for any $uery aain#t that cu&e

Set# +G0 ver#ion of the truth for 7PI# acro## the enterpri#e

e%% 1HIS i# ho" 5Get Profit6 i# calculated Save# data&a#e (and therefore hard"are) co#t#

+nly the definition of the calculation i# #aved ! not value#

• Co#t#

/e#ult# are calculated on the BW Server a# the data i#retrieved #o it can delay $uery re#pon#e time

ependin on the comple


23/59

Calculated 7ey :iure# ! 7ey Point# (cont%)

•

/ecommendation# for u#e 1ry to limit the num&er of 5Calculated 7ey :iure#6 u#ed

"ithin a Calculated 7ey :iure

/e#pon#e "ill &e fa#ter if you are "or4in "ith 5direct6

num&er# v#% havin to perform multiple calculation#

1ry not to ma4e your calculation# 1++ complicated … it

"ill delay the re#pon#e of your $uery

etermine if there are certain calculation# that you can 5pre*

determine6%%%

And create a# cu#tom 4ey fiure# that "ill &e #tored on

the cu&e8+S

This will add a “bit” of time to data loading, but will

significantly increase query response time


24/59

E ! :ormula#

•

:ormula# aremathematical

formula# that u#e

+G23 the 4ey fiure#

(&a#e calculated or

re#tricted) that have&een a##ined to

a Q@0/3

• :ormula# are Q@0/3*

#pecific and are

therefore not reu#a&lefor other $uerie#

1hi# can &e a very po"erful tool &ut come# "ith #omepotential co#t# %%%


25/59

Watch +ut for :ormula Colli#ion# %%%

•

Can occur "hen you define t"o #tructure# that &othcontain formula# %%%

1he calculation i# unclear "here the formula# inter#ect

• 0


26/59

Watch +ut for :ormula Colli#ion#%%% (cont%)

• Solution; 1ell BW "hich formula to u#e inthe calculation

• Settin# for the :ormula Colli#ion field; Gothin defined

1he formula that "a# la#t #et ta4e# priority in a colli#ion

/e#ult of thi# formula (#elect one)

1he re#ult of the #elected formula ha# priority in a colli#ion

/e#ult of competin formula

1he re#ult of a competin formula ha# priority in a colli#ion

Note

Colli#ion# al"ay# occur "hen 5point6 and 5da#h6calculation# or function# are mi


27/59

:ormula# ! 7ey Point#

•

Benefit# A&ility to create 5one off6 calculation#

A&ility to create #en#itive calculation# that cannot &e reu#ed

or ad>u#ted

• Co#t#

:ormula re#ult# are calculated at the 0


28/59

:ormula# ! 7ey Point# (cont%)

•

/ecommendation# for @#e 0


29/59

F ! 0


30/59

! /e#tricted 7ey :iure#85Selection#6

•

oin# a 5&a#e6 (or calculated) 4ey fiure "ith a characteri#tic value (e%% anuary net profit)

Can u#e a com&ination of any 5&a#e6 7ey :iure calculated

4ey fiure and characteri#tic

3ou can further re#trict the 4ey fiure "ith a

5re#tricted characteri#tic6

Sinle Characteri#tic ?alue#

?alue /ane#

Hierarchy Gode#

Characteri#tic ?alue ?aria&le#

5Selection#6 are the local ver#ion# of /e#tricted 7ey :iure#

2i4e :ormula# are to Calculated 7ey :iure#Not e


31/59

! /e#tricted 7ey :iure#85Selection#6 (cont%)


32/59

/e#tricted 7ey :iure# ! 7ey Point#

• Benefit#

1heir definition i# retained at the cu&e level #o they are

reu#a&le for any $uery aain#t that cu&e

1hey ena&le a pre*defined #et of calculation#

Q EDDF Get Profit 31 Get Profit

• Co#t#

/e#ult# are calculated a# the data i# retrieved

So they can delay $uery re#pon#e time

1hi# could &e a #inificant delay dependin on the

comple


33/59

/e#tricted 7ey :iure# ! 7ey Point# (cont%)

• /ecommendation# for u#e

If po##i&le u#e the#e for 5#imple6 or 5limited6 re#triction#

and8or calculation#

o not overly complicate the#e definition#

3ou "ill pay for it "ith the re#pon#e time

Addin varia&le# (that re$uire u#er entry) further delay#

re#pon#e time

.iven the potential performance i##ue# fir#t chec4 if you cando the calculation#8re#triction# "hile loadin the cu&e8+S


34/59

! C'+ :ront*0nd @#er 0


35/59

Some Comment# on We& Ad Hoc Query …

• 'any companie# are movin to We&*&a#edBW reportin 1he We& i# a reat option for thin report# and on*line analytic#

• Ho"ever for ad hoc $ueryin you don’t have DDL ofthe functionality of the B0< Query e#iner e%% Go :ormula# /e#tricted 7ey :iure# Cell 0ditor

Calculated 7ey :iure# ?aria&le#Issue

Caveat; In BW F% you can create 2ocal /e#tricted 7ey:iure# and have a &etter de#in interface

• /ecommendation 3ou may "ant to launch the #tandalone ver#ion of the B0<

Query e#iner to de#in your $uerie# and then run thereport# out of the We& interface


36/59


•





• Wrap*up


37/59

Query Pre#entation and Impact on Performance

• Improvin $uery 5pre#entation6 i# important &ut %%%

Ho" do tho#e pre#entation improvement# reduce (or improve)

$uery performance9

• 2et’# loo4 at the u#e and impact of t"o 4ey techni$ue#

* Hierarchie#

E * Structure# ! t"o common techni$ue# u#ed


38/59

! Hierarchie# …

• Are defined at the Info+&>ect 2evel

3ou can define multiple active and8or inactive ver#ion#

./0A1 for 5"hat if6 plannin and analy#i#

3ou can create time*dependent hierarchie#

So you can vie" your re#ult# &a#ed on 52a#t 3ear’# Sale#

+rani,ation6 v#% 51hi# 3ear’# Sale# +rani,ation6

Can &e loaded from any #ource or created manually in BW

With BW F%= you can create 5Ad Hoc6 Hierarchie# ! a##em&le

your ro"# into an ad hoc hierarchy directly "ithin the $uery

./0A1 for pre#entation-


39/59

efinin ?irtual 1ime Hierarchie# …

• ?irtual 1ime Hierarchie# are hierarchie# for time

characteri#tic# you "ant to u#e in your report#

I'. → BIW → /eportin*relevant Settin# → .eneral

/eportin*Settin# → Set : Help and Hierarchie# for 1ime

Characteri#tic# 8 +2AP Settin# →

?irtual time hierarchie# ta&

1he left*hand area #ho"# the active time characteri#tic# (e%%date month) for "hich hierarchie# have &een made availa&le

@#e the pu#h&utton to #elect the re$uired time characteri#tic

raMrop the re$uired hierarchie# to the lo"er #creen area

Active hierarchie# appear "ith a reen hierarchy tree #ym&ol Select the #tart level for the activated hierarchie# in the lo"er

#creen area and enter #hort medium and lon de#cription#


40/59

1he Bottom 2ine on Hierarchie#

• Benefit#

Cleaner di#play# of report#

3ou can em&ed one hierarchy "ithin another

3ou can create 5Ad Hoc6 hierarchie#

3ou #elect "hat level you "ant the hierarchy to default to and

drill do"n a# you #ee fit

1hi# help# you overcome the ro" count limitation# of

0u#t e


41/59

1he Bottom 2ine on Hierarchie# (cont%)

• Co#t#

1hey mu#t &e defined at the Info+&>ect level

And therefore ta4e #pace on the hard"are

ata may have to &e #ummari,ed a# it i# retrieved &y BW

1hi# may #lo" your re#ult# a &it a# the relation#hip#

are created

Ad Hoc Hierarchie# "ill &e #lo"er to re#pond a# there i# G+Caution

pre*defined o&>ect for it to o et

It ha# to create them and em&ed the o&>ect# a# it oe#


42/59

E ! Structure# %%%

• Structure# are $uery*defined o&>ect# that allo" you to

&uild pre#entation relation#hip# of /+WS or C+2@'GS

1he#e #tructure# can &e #aved and re*u#ed

i%e% you can #et up the flo" content and di#play order of

data in all Sale# /eport#

• Within the #tructure definition you 5#elect6 the

4ey fiure# or characteri#tic# you "ant

Alon "ith #pecific characteri#tic value# a# appropriate


43/59

0


44/59

1he Bottom 2ine on Structure#

• Structure# can &e very helpful to performance ! if you

have defined #pecific value# to &e contained &ecau#e

they act li4e /e#triction#

1herefore your $uery doe#n’t have to #earch and return the

entire data&a#e >u#t the re#tricted value# you have defined

• Alternatively #tructure# can pre#ent (#liht) pro&lem# to

performance

If you’ve rouped toether #pecific value# to define a ne" 5ro"6

in your #tructure BW no" ha# an e


45/59


•





• Wrap*up


46/59

@#in the Analy#i# Proce## e#iner (AP) …

• 3ou’ve heard lot# of reat info a&out the AP %%%

• 7ey $ue#tion;

oe# it ma4e #en#e to @S0 the AP in an Ad

Hoc environment9

/emem&er …

1he 4ey purpo#e of the AP i# to allo" you to "or4 "ith

0=IS1IG. data (from multiple #ource o&>ect#) and

1/AGS:+/' that data


47/59

oe# It 'a4e Sen#e to @#e the AP9

• With all the po"er of AP ho" do you (if at all)

incorporate thi# capa&ility into your Ad Hoc "orld9

WI1H 0=1/0'0 CA@1I+G and a reat deal of trainin

and #ecurity-

1hi# i# one of tho#e (potentially) incredi&ly po"erful tool# that

you can "rea4 havoc ! or create maic

Warning 1here "ill &e tremendou# temptation for u#er# to et in

there and create #ome truly mon#ter re$ue#t# for all 4ind#

of information and re#ult#

Remember, this is a great "ata #ining Tool 1hi# "ill re$uire con#idera&le trainin ! and monitorin !

&efore it can &e rolled out to anyone


48/59

AP ! Availa&le Source#81aret#

$ources%

Characteri#tic; /ead data from an Info+&>ect 'a#ter ata

InfoProvider; @#e an InfoCu&e +S o&>ect or 'ulti*Provider

a# #ource

Query; /ead data from a $uery :lat :ile; /ead data from a flat file

&ata Targets%

'a#ter ata ; @pdate an Info+&>ect ma#ter data Survey 1aret .roup; Create a #urvey taret roup in BW

+S +&>ect; 2oad re#ult# &ac4 to a tran#actional +S


49/59

AP 1ran#formation 2oic Po##i&ilitie# …

:ilter; /e#trict the amount of data to &e proce##ed

Areation; .roup and areate data accordin to

#pecific field#

oin; 'ere data from t"o different #ource#

Sort; Sort the data accordin to the #elected field#

1ran#po#e; 1ran#form a flat data record into a li#t

/ere##ion; /un a linear rere##ion

/outine; Implement any tran#formation "ith ABAP


50/59

Certifyin v#% eployin Querie#

• Certifyin

Sinin it off on the $uery a# a te#ted and validated #olution

complete "ith documentation and #ecurity control#

• eployin

A##inin it into the applica&le /ole# for other u#er#

1hi# i# #omethin that you "ill al#o "ant to determine

"hether or not you are oin to allo" thi# in Production

Some orani,ation# create a 'enu /ole in Production

#pecifically for non*certified $uerie# ! u#er# are fully

informed of the lac4 of te#tin or control# on the#e $uerie#


51/59

1ip ! 2oo4 for /eally .ood Ad Hoc Querie# to Certify

• 0nd u#er# #ometime# create really u#eful $uerie# %%%

Periodically revie" the 5pool6 to pic4 out ood one# to certify-

• Ho"ever certification ha# to &e done the

old*fa#hioned "ay

/e*create it in the evelopment #y#tem and tran#port it up thepath li4e all the other $uerie#

1hen delete the Ad Hoc one from Production


52/59

Some :inal 1houht# …

• 0verythin you’ve heard and #een i# a&out ho" to

manae your Ad Hoc Query environment

But "hat are the BI..0S1 and '+S1 C+''+G fla"# "ith Ad

Hoc Querie# that you can and #hould avoid9

A#4in for too much information up front

They design these $%&' queries that as( for all (inds

of information because they aren)t sure what they

really need or what they are going to find

'a4in formula# and local re#tricted 4ey fiure#

incredi&ly complicated alculations of calculations of calculations * man,

GOTCHA! those ta(e a long time to run+


53/59

Some :inal 1houht# … (cont%)

• 1he &ie#t mi#ta4e people ma4e "ith Ad Hoc Querie#; 1hey try to 4ill the >o& &y endin the 0


54/59

So Go" 1hat 3ou Have All 1hi# Po"er …

• Ho" do you #top people from creatin …

51H0 Q@0/3 1HA1 A10 '3 BW S3S10'6

• @nfortunately %%%

1here aren’t any overnor# &uilt into BW that e#timate $uery

runtime and launch or deny >o &a#ed on thi# e#timate

• So the only #olution; Prevent train and monitor

Help u#er# avoid 5#hootin them#elve# in the foot6

1ell them "hat to do (re#trict and define) and "hat not to do

(a#4 for everythin)

'onitor #y#tem re#pon#e# (at the Ba#i# level) and run theDon' t

Forget

internal Stati#tic# to #ee "ho i# doin "hat

7ill the >o you need to and ta4e a"ay Ad Hoc po"er

from tho#e that a&u#e …


55/59


•





• Wrap*up


56/59

/e#ource#

• BW 0


57/59

7ey Point# to 1a4e Home

• 0valuate the performance re#ult# of 5local6 v#% 5lo&al6

$uery #tructure# li4e Calculated 7ey :iure# and

:ormula# to #ee "hat "or4# &e#t for you

• Ad Hoc Hierarchie# are a very nice F%= feature … &ut

your performance "ill reflect the ad hoc nature of thi#

• on’t let everyone create Ad Hoc Querie# … trained

tru#ted and trac4ed-

• 1ry creatin #ome "ide*open $uerie# and "or4in "ith

the +2AP capa&ilitie# to ena&le a #em&lance of Ad Hoc


58/59

7ey Point# to 1a4e Home (cont%)

• Create a 5@#e at 3our +"n /i#46 'enu /ole for

tho#e Ad Hoc $uerie# that you "ant to deploy to a

&roader audience

• Be careful "ith openin up the AP capa&ilitie# ! lot# of

po"er N lot# of ri#4

• /ecommendation; @#e B0< Standalone Query e#iner

in#tead of We& Ad Hoc Query e#iner (for no")


59/59

3our 1urn-

Questions?

How to contact me%

Penn' $il(ia

psil(ia)sapient*com

material reporting

Documents