SAP BW 3.5 Enhanced Reporting Capabilities · ¤SAP AG 2004, 3 What We’ll Cover … Business...

SAP BW 3.5 EnhancedReporting Capabilities

SAP AG

SAP AG 2004, 2

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lecture, you will:Be familiar with Business Explorer (BEx) suite 3.5Know the available new featuresUnderstand how BW 3.5 integrates with EP 6.0Catch a glimpse of features being planned for the future

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What We’ll Cover …

Business Explorer 3.5: overview

BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer

BEx Web Application Designer items

Portal integration and portal caching

Miscellaneous and outlook

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SAP Business Intelligenceis an enterprise-class, complete,open and integrated solution that

delivers actionable insights.

SAP BI – The Motivation for Information Broadcasting

Data acquisition, data warehousing, OLAP,planning framework, BI tools, dashboards, and

analytical applications; with pre-configuredcontent using best-practice models

Open, well documented APIsand interfaces along with fullfunctionality to integratestructured and unstructuredheterogeneous data

Scalable and reliable BIsolution that is tightlyintegrated with SAPNetWeaver, source

transactional systems, andpartner’s complementary tools

Support decision-making requirementsof the entire enterprise regardless ofdata sources of access methods

Convert data into information, andensure information is delivered at the

right time to the right person in theright format to support business

decision making

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SAP BI – for All User Types

Authors and analysts... Need advanced analysis functionality and ad-hoc dataexploration capabilities... Require useful, manageable tools

Executives and knowledge workers... Require personalized information in context via anintuitive user interface... Want predefined analysis paths and the option of in-depth analysis of summary data

Information consumers... Need a snapshot of a particular data set to perform theiroperational tasks... Do not interact extensively with the data.

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BI Suite: Business Explorer (BEx) 3.5

Portal Integration

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BEx Portfolio

The following will provide a short overview of thefour key BEx functions including:

BEx Query, Reporting, and AnalysisBEx WebBEx AnalyzerBEx Information Broadcasting

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Key Functions: BEx Query, Reporting and Analysis

BEx Query, Reporting, and Analysis

Supports decisions at every level – strategic, tactical, andoperational

• Quickly and easily design interactive queries for analysis andreporting

• OLAP Engine for optimized data access, calculations, and multi-dimensional views

• Generic navigation and interaction (slice and dice, drill-down, drill-through, pivoting ...)

• Hierarchy navigation• Multi language, multi currency• Alerting and conditions• Open analysis framework

Supporting standards like XML/A and OLE DB for OLAP

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One Design Tool – Multi-layered Analysis Options

Multiple data sourcesA unified view from an integrated data basis

Different data granularity and aggregation levelsSummarized to line itemFlexibility in data depth and breadth

OLTP/external data sources

ODS object

InfoSets

InfoCubeData aggregation

Multiple InfoProvider

BI Suite

Business Explorer

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BEx Query Design

BEx Query DesignerAd-hoc and power userversionAd-hoc version is nowintegrated into the newWeb Analyzer

Only Filter andColumn Section in

tabular mode

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BEx Reporting

Tabular reportingQuery with diverse columnsin free alignmentNo distinction betweencharacteristics and keyfiguresOption to switch betweentabular and OLAP viewFoundation for formattedreporting with CrystalReports

Analyze data from differentsources

SAP or non-SAP

Extendable reportingtemplates provided withBusiness Content

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Key Functions: BEx Web

BEx Web• Users can access, share, and analyze information through a Web

browser (zero footprint) via the BEx Web Analyzer• Quickly and easily design interactive and Web-based ad-hoc queries

via the BEx Ad-hoc Query Designer• Quickly and easily design BEx Web applications and distribute them

to others via the BEx Web Application Designer• Automatic device recognition for easy access from any browser and

mobile device• Geographical analysis Interactive maps

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BEx Web: SAP BW 3.5 Design of BI Web Applications

BEx Web ApplicationDesigner

Offers the ability to createwide range of analyticWeb applications

Build custom BIapplications

Cockpits/DashboardsWizard-basedvisualizationOnline and offlinescenariosPublishingDevice-specific outputgenerationPortal integration

iView creationAPIs for further Webdesign

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BEx Web Application Framework

Web Design Tool (option)

BEx Web ApplicationDesigner

Web Browser

OLAP processorOLAP processor BW based onWEB AS 6.20

Web serviceWeb service

Charting engineCharting engine HTML templates InfoProvider

BEx Analyzer/Query Designer

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Key Functions: BEx Analyzer

BEx Analyzer• Quickly and easily design interactive queries for analysis and

reporting through Microsoft Excel• Analyze and view BW queries via the BEx Analyzer• Solution workbooks• Additional MS Excel calculation• Additional programming via VBA possible• Integration into the BEx Information Broadcaster

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Key Functions: Information Broadcasting

Information Broadcasting allows the distribution of BI information

... Via different channels ...( ) Email

( ) Enterprise Portal

... In different formats ...( ) HTML, MHTML

( ) BEx Analyzer workbooks

( ) ZIP files

… Of different sources …( ) BI Web Applications – dashboards, cockpits

( ) BEx Analyzer workbooks

( ) Queries

… In different modes…( ) Online and precalculated

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Information Broadcasting

Information Broadcasting supports different business scenarios

( ) Event based (“Intelligent push”)Integration into process chains

e.g., if new data is loaded into the data container (InfoCube)

( ) Ad hocBEx broadcasting wizard for one-step distribution

( ) ScheduledBEx Information Broadcaster

Guided scheduling times (for end users/information consumers)Ensures system performance because of better load balancing

Scheduling at any time (for power users/administrators)Create scheduling slots for specific user groupsNo time restriction and no target restrictionCreate precalculations based on the data authorizations of the targetuser

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User-Type Specific Information Broadcasting

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Information Broadcasting (cont.)

Queries, workbooks, BIapplications as KnowledgeManagement (KM) documents

KM document: Precalculatedquery, workbook, orapplicationKM link: online BW reportUse KM services for:

SubscriptionFeedbackDiscussionCollaborationRatingTREX searchNotesDownload

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Information Broadcasting Target: Collaboration Rooms

Queries, Web applications andworkbooks can be broadcastedinto collaboration rooms

Collaboration rooms servicesChatApplication sharingNotesMeeting padDiscussion forums

Instant messaging

My Portal Contacts

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Agenda


BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer




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BEx Web Analyzer

New: BEx Web AnalyzerFeature description

Open and analyze any query in the BEx Web AnalyzerZero footprintFocus: usability and look-and-feel

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BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer




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BEx Chart Designer

New ChartDesignerwithintegratedwizard

Available viadouble-click on thechart item in WADor via the contextmenu

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BEx Chart Designer (cont.)

Chart Designer wizard(reducedoverview)

Result

Selectwizard

Selectcharttype

Selectproperties

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BEx Chart Designer (cont.)

New features of the Chart Designer:

New chart types – examples

Polar

Profile area

Split pie

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Additional BEx Chart Designer Features

Abbreviation of category textsThe category axis of the chart engine has an optional mechanism forautomatic abbreviation of its texts ("…")

ImageMapEvery chart element can be used to generate an image map

Automatic coloringAutomatic coloring is used to color the series of a chart differently,e.g., the blocks within a columns chart. Several color palettes can beused for automatic coloring of data series (including a custom-definedcolor palette); i.e., by switching between these palettes you can easilychange all colors

Transparency colorAny color used in a chart can be shown as a transparent color

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Additional BEx Chart Designer Features (cont.)

Chart titleThe chart title can be positioned at the top, the bottom, the left, or theright of the image. In addition, subtitles can be used

Legend entriesThe order of legend entries can be switched. Entries for pointcustomizing can be included within the legend

LayoutAutomatic and manual layouts are possible. During manual design,relative positions of the chart elements (independent of the image size)can be stored

Font settingA global property for the font family is available with the new chartdesigner. This setting is used by all chart elements if their own fontfamily is set to Automatic

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BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer




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Web Items

New in 3.5

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Query View Selection

New item: Query View SelectionA data view combines a query view (a saved navigation state) together witha certain visualization (e.g., a certain chart type, table, etc.)All maintained data views of a data provider appear as selectable entries inthe dropdown boxIf the user changes the data view, the associated query view is executed andthe resulting data are displayed in the target item using the associatedtable/chart-typeThe user can create his own personalized data views. The user can deleteonly his own user-defined data viewsAn administrator can provide Views to an end user

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Query View Selection (cont.)

Select view

A view consists ofthe data plus the

visualization

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Query View Selection (cont.)

A saved viewconsists of thedata plus thevisualization

Create view

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Web Items (cont.)

New in 3.5

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XML Items

Why XML items?Two new XML Web items will be provided

Provides access to data and structural information for enhancedcustom Web templates

Empowers client-side developmentThe customer can use JavaScript for accessing the information storedin these items and provide enhanced customized navigationpossibilities to his or her usersFor some applications that you want to build, you need moreinformation than is contained in the cell contentsExamples

For example, via JavaScript a certain cell of the result set could be accessedand used for further processingYou need the list of available characteristics or the contents of the dynamicfilter before you are able to jump from one report into another

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XML Item: Data Provider – Information

XML item: Data Provider – InformationProvides access to query and view results

Contains the complete navigational state descriptionIncluding BW-only concepts like exceptions, conditions, “calculate results/detailsas” …

Contains the result set with all necessary informationIncluding the display axis as hierarchy …

Uses the BW terminology and BW conceptsNo mapping necessary -> No mapping loss

The data that can be displayed consist of both the metadata (a catalog ofcharacteristics (AXIS_INFO) and so on) and the displayed values(AXIS_DATA and CELL_DATA)

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XML export example

…

EXPORT (e.g.,push button)

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Simple example: displayinginternal values of the table

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XML Item: XML Object Catalog

Item: XML Object Catalog

This item lets you displayTemplate propertiesItems and their attributesList of the data providers

in an XML format

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XML Item: XML Object Catalog (cont.)

Displaytemplate

properties(hidden)

Display list of dataproviders (hidden)

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XML Item: XML Object Catalog (cont.)

Display Items andtheir properties

(hidden)

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Web Templates as Web Items

Reusable templates

Web templates can be used as itemsNo limitations to the nesting oftemplatesNo more framesets needed

Usage scenariosHeaders and footers

Dramatic reduction of maintenancecostsEasy setup of cockpit scenarios

Pattern-based approachesUse a template for the general layout ofthe Web applicationImbedding in another template withcustomization of the inner objects

myCompanyHeader

myCompanyFooter

myToolbar

individual

Web Items

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Web Templates as Web Items (cont.)

Header template

Footertemplate

Centertemplate 1

Selectingthe first tab

displaysthe firsthidden

template

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Web Applications – Web Templates as Web Items

Header template

Centertemplate 2

Footertemplate

When thesecond tab isselected, the

first template ishidden and thesecond hidden

template isdisplayed

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Web Templates: Web Application Designer

Web ApplicationDesigner with theembedded templates

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Web Applications – Web Templates as WebItems (cont.)

Header template

Footer template

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BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer




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Enhanced Portal Integration Overview

Seamless deployment of BI applications into SAP EnterprisePortal (EP)

Easier deployment of BI applications for Query and Web ApplicationDesigners

Into SAP EP 6.0 portal content catalog as iViewInto SAP EP 6.0 collaboration rooms as KM objectInto SAP EP 6.0 KM folders as KM object

Easy deployment of BI applications for end usersInto SAP EP 6.0 collaboration rooms as KM objectInto SAP EP 6.0 KM folders as KM object

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Enhanced Portal Integration

BW 3.x and EP 5.0 integrationEP 5.0 knows connected BW 3.x (system landscape)BW 3.x doesn’t know EP 5.0 portal (except imported certificate)

BW 3.5 and EP 6.0 integrationEP 6.0 knows connected BW 3.5 (system landscape)BW 3.5 knows connected EP 6.0 (RFC destination, logical systemname, protocol, hostname, port …)BW 3.5 supports multiple instances of EP 6.0BW 3.5 reads portal content catalog, portal roles, KM hierarchies …BW 3.5 creates iViews in portal content catalogBW 3.5 creates documents and links in KM

BW 3.0

BW 3.0EP 5.0

BW 3.5

BW 3.5EP 6.0

EP 6.0

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BI Broadcasting ServicesEP6.0

Portal contentcatalog

(PCD)

BEx portfolio

BW server

Portal KM contentrepositories

Collaboration rooms

Repository services

BEx Broadcaster

Web UI, Broadcastingwizard

Business Explorer

BEx Web apps,queries andWorkbooks

BEx design tools

BI platform

BI iViews Email

Attachments als.ZIP files

HTML

MHTML

Workbooks

Workbook precalculationservices (optional)

Windows-based service (couldbe an end user PC or companyserver)

OLAP/metadataPrecalculation services

Queries and web templates

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KM Platform and Information Broadcasting

BEx portfolio built withKM flexible UI

Repository servicesSearch and indexingCollaboration, subscription, etc.

Repository frameworkRepository manager for CM storeprecalculated workbooks, WebtemplatesRepository manager for BI onlinequeries

BEx portfolio with flexible UI

Repository services

Repository FrameworkRepositorymanagerBI server

RepositorymanagerCM store

OtherRMs…

Collaboration Discussion-forums

Search andindexing Subscription

CM store savingprecalculated Web templates

and workbooks

BW server1) Access to online BW

queries, Webapplications andworkbooks via URLlinks

2) Access to meta-,master- andtransactiondatadocuments in BW

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Publishing from WAD into Enterprise Portal

Publish to Enterprise Portal 6.0Administrative viewAllows publishing into the PCDOptional assignment to portalpage or portal rolePublishing of BW KM Links intoKM Folders

Publish to BEx BroadcasterAllows broadcasting of links aswell as precalculation andschedulingNo broadcasting into the PCD

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Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal

Publish to portal KM favoritesAllows user-specific publishing ofBW KM linksThe personal BEx documentsfolder will be generated with thefirst log-on of a user to the portalor with the first broadcasting intothe favorites

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Publishing from SAP BW to the EnterprisePortal (cont.)

Publish to folder in KMKM folders can be accessed by allusers of a certain EP rolePublished BW KM links areimmediately visible in the portal

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Publish to KM roomsAllows Publishing of KM Linksinto collaboration roomfoldersCollaboration rooms areshared by several usersPublishing into public andinternal room area is possible

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Publish to portal content catalogThe content of the PCD is accessibleWeb applications are immediatelystored as iViewsThese iViews are initially visible only toadministrators and can be assigned toend users within the EP

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Publish to portal roles

This option displays all portalroles of the user

This view combines the savingof Web applications as iViewsin the PCD with the directassignment of such an iViewto a user role or portal page

The entry field Portal Catalogallows you to select the PCDlocation for the physicalstorage of the iView

Additionally, links into KMfolders can be created

KM folders can be selected inthe hierarchy, and a KM linkwill be generated

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BW and Portal Caching

Using the EP portal cache forBW iViews

BW iViews and data can be heldin the EP portal cacheBW data can be displayedwithout having to go back to theBW serverImproved performance

Validity period (in milliseconds) of contentin cache before it is refreshed

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BEx Web Analyzer

BEx Chart Designer




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Additional BEx Features

New display options for characteristic membersAny combination of key and text can be selected

Zero suppression (not committed but planned)Structures can be activated for suppressionEvaluation can be extended to the inner cells of a cross tab

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Additional BEx Features (cont.)

Enhanced display options for master dataScenario

Displaying master data keys and long textsFeature description

Additional display options for master data

Hierarchy node variable searchScenario

Searching for nodes within a hierarchy for a hierarchy node variable inthe Web-based selection screen

Feature descriptionThe search functionality for hierarchy node variables will be delivered inthe Web

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BI Capabilities in 2005 and Beyond – Advanced User Experience

Advanced user experienceIntegrated solution for reporting and analysis

New Web-based component for multidimensional analysisNew focused tool for formatted and layout-driven reports that concentrateson the most important aspects like headers, footers, page breaks,groupings, colors, fonts, etc.Report Designer integrated into Web Application DesignerIntegration of third-party tools for pixel-oriented layout and form-basedreporting

Adobe integration to generate PDF files from Web applicationsBI application design in BEx Analyzer

Native support of Excel formatting and Excel formulasSophisticated application design in MS Excel

Ad-hoc Query for information consumerIntelligent search to access queries or create new queriesNatural language processing user interface

Open for third-party or custom UI componentsIntegration into SAP Enterprise Portal collaboration rooms

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Resources

How-to paperhttp://service.sap.com/BW (alias /BW >Services and Implementation

SAP Service Marketplace:Use alias: BW athttp://service.sap.com/BW

SAP BW online documentationhttp://help.sap.com

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7 Key Points to Take Home

1. BEx 3.5 offers Query, Reporting & Analysis, and BEx Web; BExAnalyzer; and BEx Information Broadcasting

2. Web Analyzer is a new feature available in BEx 3.5

3. Information Broadcasting allows seamless integration with EPKnowledge Management services

4. BEx 3.5 offers several new features for information consumers,such as the data selection item and Information Broadcasting

5. Several new features for Web designers (template item, XMLitems) ship with BEx 3.5

6. The new IGS 6.40 enables platform independence and a newChart Designer

7. BEx 3.5 offers seamless publishing into EP 6.0

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Q&A

Questions?

SAP BW 3.5 Enhanced Reporting Capabilities · ¤SAP AG 2004, 3 What We’ll Cover … Business...

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