the very confusing world on sap bi - making sense of it all houston, tx august 17, 2006 dr. bjarne...

The very confusing World on SAP BI- Making sense of it all

Houston, TXAugust 17, 2006

Dr. Bjarne BergLenoir-Rhyne College

2

What We’ll Cover

• Overview – BEx, Query designer, WAD, APD, Crystal, Broadcaster & Visual composer

• How to fix some issues in BW reporting

• Picking the right methodology for your next BW project

• Report dispositioning –what tool to use

• Use of standard content

• Wrap up

3

The BW Toolset

BW is an enterprise-wide comprehensive decision support (DSS) system for analytical needs of an enterprise.

BW can also support some degree of operational reporting

Therefore it has many presentation tools and options for companies to leverage.

4

The BEx Query Designer

The BEx query designer is a simple tool that you use to develop queries for users.

While the Query Designer defined the query, you have many options on how you deploy the queries

You can deploy the queries through web templates, broadcasted emails, portals, Excel and more.

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The BEx Ad-Hoc Query Designer

A simplified version of the BEx query designer is the "ad-hoc query designer". This is a basic tool that can be used by power users to define their own queries. It can be made available through a BW web template as well as directly in the SAP Enterprise Portal (3.5 example)

In NW2004s it is improved by moving away from being based on DHTML to leveraging true Java.

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BEx - Workbooks

1. BEx Workbooks is Excel 'on steroids'.

2. BW queries can be opened in Excel

3. Queries can be refreshed and standard Excel functions can be used

This is a great tool for financial analysts and power users.

To use this tool you need BEx/GUI installed on each client machine

Tip

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BEx web reports

• The most common way of deploying BW queries are through a standard, or customized web template with built-in navigational features.

• BW provides a global web template that can be enhanced with logos, colors, fonts and additional features at a low cost of development and ownership.

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BEx Web Application Designer (WAD)

OLAP ProcessorOLAP Processor

BEx Web Application DesignerBEx Analyzer/Query Designer

Web ServiceWeb Service

Charting EngineCharting Engine

Web Browser

HTLM Templates InfoProviderSource: SAP AG

WAD is an intuitive tool to build powerful web applications and to interact with portals and custom templates.

BW queries can be manipulated in WAD for better display

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Web Application Designer for custom applications

OLAP ProcessorOLAP Processor

BEx Web Application DesignerBEx Analyzer/Query Designer

Web ServiceWeb Service

Charting EngineCharting Engine HTLM Templates InfoProviderSource: SAP AG

You do not have to use the SAP Enterprise Portal to use WAD.

WAD can also incorporate other non-SAP web items into powerful cockpits and custom report centers.

While WAD can be used by developers without extensive HTML and Java

scripting knowledge, these skills will be useful on most projects.

10

Visual Composer

A Visual Composer is a tool to visualize the data. It is a browser-based modeling and design tool for rapid application development & prototyping in a code-free development environment.

Modelling of BI Applications using the BI Kit of the Visual Composer - Allows Business Users to create analytical content for SAP Portal Offers the integration with BI InfoProviders (i.e. InfoCubes, BEx Queries and Query Views, BEx Web Applications) via WEB API as well as with heterogeneous data sources (OLAP and relational data sources) via Java Connectors

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BI applications are creating ‘new’ data to the DW

• In Data warehousing v2.0 (Bill Immon’s new terminology), we are using BI applications to create new data that needs to be fed to the data warehouse, and /or the transactional system

• Tools are now available to build association data sets that creates updates based on BI findings (i.e. customer segmentation, risk, profitability flagging etc).

Images: Bhanu Gupta, ASUG 2005 Illinois chapter

12

Crystal Report

• With BW you get access to Crystal reports. In fact you have 100+ pre-developed reports that comes with SAP-BW. Currently, you can modify, or develop and deploy 10 crystal reports without any additional licensing cost.

• Crystal is a great tool for batch reporting of "pixel controlled' formatted reports.

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Different Needs and Broadcaster Tools

“Casual” users, non-BW users, traveling users, and executives are all prime candidates for broadcasted reports!

Flat ReportingFlat Reporting• FormattedFormatted• PrintPrint• Form basedForm based• StaticStatic• Predictable accessPredictable access

OLAP ReportingOLAP Reporting• Drill DownDrill Down• Slice and DiceSlice and Dice• AnalyseAnalyse• Data Mining Data Mining • Search and discoverSearch and discover

KPI & ScorecardKPI & Scorecard FormattedFormatted• SimpleSimple• Easy to viewEasy to view• Limited navLimited nav• AggregatesAggregates

Reporting needs Reporting tools

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Scheduling the Broadcast

We can schedule the job to run every time the infocube is changed (the process chain has run)

We can limit the users to when they can schedule jobs to avoid stress on the system. We can provide multiple pre-defined times when they can schedule the reports.

We can also allow the users to create their own scheduling times (Only authorized users see this)

More on SAP BEx Broadcasting later today!

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TREND: “Virtual” OLAP – an SAP approach

• SAP formally launched the BI accelerator at the end of June 2006.

• This tool takes BI and/or operational data and creates a proprietary indexing system that allows users to access the data very quickly.

Query performance can

be 100s of times faster

than traditional ROLAP.

Source: Alexander Peter, SAP AG, 2006

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Making sense of it all….

Level of Pre-delivered ContentToolsets & accelerators

Analytical applications for specific industries

Lev

el o

f E

mb

edd

ed A

nal

ytic

s

Complex (score cards, budgeting, planning, KPI)

Interactive Mgmt. reporting (OLAP, MQE)

Emerging (1st generation)

Vertical approach (2nd generation)

Horizontal approach (2nd generation)

Integrated analytical (3rd generation)

Oracle BI suitestandard edition

Oracle BI suitestandard one edition

Siebel BI

PeopleSoftEPM

SAP Strategic enterprise mgmt

SAP BW

Oracle BI suiteEnterprise edition

Oracle E-business suite applications

SAP APO

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What We’ll Cover






• Wrap up

18

General Issues with Business Warehouse Web Reporting

The pre-delivered BW’s web template does not always provide the functionality required.

Currently lacking functionality includes:• Creating favorites/bookmarks that can be accessed from any machine• Printing fit to page, report info, data status, basic formatting• Ability to search for reports within the end user roles• Definitions of characteristics and key figures are not available• Current web reports can not show repeat values of characteristics• Online user help is not available in the web template• No standard tool to target specific users about system status/changes• On-line training is missing

As a result, most customers enhanced the functionality of the web template using development tools such as HTML and Java Script, ABAP, WAD.

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Searching for BW queries

This searches within any string of the report name, and all the folders you have access to. No TREX engine required, only a simple javascript that searches the SAP delivered role menu (BW upto 3.5)

Users are often frustrated when they have to search for a report they are unfamiliar with. The report may be hard to locate in a hierarchy of roles on the launch pad.

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• Rule: After the BW query has been launched users should interact with a standard interface that does not change depending on the query executed.

• This standardization is accomplished through the global BW web template. Hint: Use WAD to customize and enhance yours

• The web template should always include a toolbar that is customized for your company.

• In the next sections we will take a look at some standard BW toolbar functionality and how you can extend the web template to add more user features on the toolbar.

The Web Template and Toolbar

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Print format basic

Users are generally very unhappy with browser based web printing…

Again a simple JavaScript can leverage SAP objects so that basic formatted BW reports can be printed on the web.

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Create advanced print formatting

A more experienced web programmer can also add advanced web print features that reduces the need for other formatted reporting tools. It also gives

user's flexibility and increases the likelihood that the go-live is a success!!

23

Get Access to On-line Definitions

Users often ask what a certain field means or what how it was calculated. Adding on the context menu a link to a dictionary makes many users really happy!!!

1. Characteristic, Key Figure and Query definitions stored on SQL Server table.

2. Aliases used to extend match probability3. Context menu item added to basic menu4. Search results open in new window

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Create your own BW Alerts Center

BW system messages reach entire user community. We needed to narrow that down to certain users via custom Query/InfoProvider messages

ZBW_MSG_CENTER

message_id numberinfo_provider characterinfo_query charactermessage charactervalid_from datevalid_to datecreated_by charactercreated_on daterequested_by character

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On-line help

•The user help is a must-have feature.

•The development of the company specific help system can be done in tools such as front-page, MS-word, SAP-web application designer etc..

•The trick to a good user help system is to present the information so that it is easy to locate. Therefore, you should add indexes, content trees and search features in the help system

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A place holderA "place holder" allows users to create a separate window to "hold" a view of the information while exploring the data (standard BW feature). You can add these features to your toolbar.

CSV format Workbooks (Excel) New Window

27

What We’ll Cover






• Wrap up

28

Business requirements

One of the first steps is to gather the right requirements. This is done in a variety of ways based on the methodology that the company employs. It is a complex process and involves a period:

1. Discovery and Education, 2. Formal communication, 3. Reviews 4. Final approvals.

A BW implementation does not simply involve a series of black-and-white technical

decisions; just because something is technically feasible does not mean it is wise or desirable from a business perspective.

A BW implementation does not simply involve a series of black-and-white technical

decisions; just because something is technically feasible does not mean it is wise or desirable from a business perspective.

What user wanted How customer described it How analyst specified it How designer implemented it

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The SAP NetWeaver Workflow - ASAP

Create Functional

Query specs

Peer Review

Complete?

Complete?

Peer Review

Complete?

Complete?Structured

walkthrough

Approved?

Develop queries

Unit Testing

Integration

Testing

System Testing

Structured

walkthrough

Approved?

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Create Technical Query specs

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Alternative Approach For Smaller Projects (I.E. 1st Go-live)

Keep the scope focused and use a simple approach:

No functional or technical specs are used in this approach. The user acceptance session is used to refine requirements

Activate standard content

Review data quality issues

Create 2-3 sample queries

Load infocubeUser

acceptance session

Request for modifications

In-

scope?

Rejection

In-future

scope?

Make enhancements

Test

Deploy

Yes

No

No

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How can we do this Faster, Better and Simpler?

There are times when other methodologies should be used.

What determines the best methodology to use, is the impact of failure and the time to delivery.

Joint Application Design(JAD)

Rapid Application Development(RAD)

Extreme Programming(EP)

System development Life-Cycle based methodologies

(SDLC)

Impact of FailureLow High

Low

High

Time to Delivery

When to Select Different Methodologies

ASAP and SDLC Methodologies are not the only choices. RAD is very popular as well.

This framework illustrates the benefits of each methodology.

ASAP and SDLC Methodologies are not the only choices. RAD is very popular as well.

This framework illustrates the benefits of each methodology.

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What We’ll Cover


• Some issues in BW reporting




• Wrap up

33

Bex Broadcaster

Deciding which reporting tool is right for you

Web reportsWorkbooks Fixed

formatWeb

Applications Models

Ad-hoc query designer

Query Designer

Analysis ProcessDesigner

Crystal Reports

Broadcaster -wizard

Visual Composer

Web ApplicationDesigner

Oth

er to

ols

Web

Too

lsQ

uery

tool

s

-

- - -

- - /

- /

- - -

-

*

Vizuali-zation

Distrib-ution

- /

- / - /

- - -

- - -

- - -

- -

- -

- / - / -

--

--

--

-

-

-

-* Through embedded Bex Broadcaster

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Bex Broadcaster

Tool Access – Who should do what…..

Powerusers

Regular users Authors Developers BW

Admins

Ad-hoc query designer

Query Designer

Analysis ProcessDesigner

Crystal Reports

Broadcaster -wizard

Visual Composer

Web ApplicationDesigner

Oth

er to

ols

Web

Too

lsQ

uery

tool

s

- /

- /

-

-

- - -

- - /

There are many options and decisions to be made on who should be able to access all the different tools.

- / - /

- - -

- - /

- /

- /

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The Blueprinting Phase: Leveraging Standard Content

• As a guiding principle we map requirements to standard content before we start customizing.

• However, we may also have external data sources that require custom ODSs and InfoCubes.

• Some observations on higher level objects…….

BW Content available:BW Content available:

• InfoObjects 11,772• ODS objects 349 • InfoCube 605• MultiCubes 121• Roles 861• Queries 3,299• Workbooks 1,979

36%

33%

31%

Mostly standard storage objectsSome customization

Highly customized storage objects

An example from a large manufacturing company

Z

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Modeling Your Solution

Billing

Number of billing documentsNumber biling line itemsBilled item quantityNet weightSubtotal 1Subtotal 2Subtotal 3Subtotal 4Subtotal 5Subtotal 6Subtotal ANet valueCostTax amountVolume

Customer

Sold-toShip-toBill-toPayerCustomer classCustomer group~ Customer country~ Customer region~ Customer postal code~ Customer industry code 1End user

Material

Material numberMaterial enteredMaterial groupItem categoryProduct hierarchyEAN/UPC

Time

Calendar yearCalendar monthCalendar weekCalendar day

Unit

Currency KeyUnit of MeasureBase unit of measureSales unit of measureVolume unit of measureWeight unit of measure

Billing information

Billing documentBilling itemBilling typeBilling categoryBilling dateCreation dateCancel indicatorOutput medium~ Batch billing indicatorDebit/credit reason codeBiling categoryReference documentPayment termsCancelled billing documentDivison for the order headerPricing procedure

Organization

Company codeDivisionDistribution channelSales organizationSales group

Logistics

PlantShipping/receiving point

Document details

Sales order document typeSales dealSales docuement

Accounting

Cost centerProfit centerControlling areaAccount assignment group

Personnel

Sales rep number

LEGEND

Delivered in standard extractorsDelivered in LO extractorNot in delivered Content -but in R-3

1. Create a model based on pre-delivered BW content

2. Map your data requirements to the delivered content and identify gaps.

3. Identify where the data gaps are going to be sourced from.

37

What We’ll Cover






• Wrap up

38

7 points to take home

1. Pick the right tools based on what you want to accomplish. “everything in the world is a nail, when you only have a hammer”…

2. The basic web print features are not sufficient

3. The BW tool set has evolved substantially over the last 2 years –have you?

4. There are more than one way to continue BW development – take a serious look at RAD.

5. On-line definitions on the context menu are very popular, but you will have to add this as an enhancement (not SAP standard)

6. Today’s presentation developer is much more than a query developer. More than one skill set is needed.

7. Leveraging standard content will give you access to higher level objects as well.

39

Resources

•SAP Project Management 2005Pick Your Poison – a look at methodologies for SAP NetWeaver” Bjarne Berg

•TechEd / ASUG- 2005 - BostonSession ID: IM100 – “Creating a Web Reporting Center at International Paper using SAP Business Information Warehouse” George Brothers and Bjarne Berg

•SAP.com“How To…Reconcile Data Between SAP Source Systems and SAP NetWeaver BI”, SAP June 2005

•Web Template Enhancements: •IFRAMES : http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/javascript/2002/02/08/iframe.html•Expressions: http://www.regular-expressions.info/javascript.html•Getting Started with BSP Applications: http://tinyurl.com/642c4 •CSS for Printing : http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_ref_print.asp•CSS Media Types: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_mediatypes.asp

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Your Turn!

Dr. Bjarne [email protected]

Questions?

the very confusing world on sap bi - making sense of it all houston, tx august 17, 2006 dr. bjarne...

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