SAP Crystal Reports and SAP HANA: Options and Opportunities (0301)

Transcription

1 September 9 11, 2013 Anaheim, California SAP Crystal Reports and SAP HANA: Options and Opportunities (0301) Jaclyn Churcher

2 Learning Points Connectivity options to SAP HANA for SAP Crystal Reports Two ways to address restrictions encountered when querying an OLAP view How to expose parameters, variables, and hierarchies defined in HANA Information models 2

3 AGENDA Introduction: SAP Crystal Reports and SAP HANA Direct connections to SAP HANA from SAP Crystal Reports 2013 and SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise Managed OLAP connections to SAP HANA from SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise Relational universes to SAP HANA for SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise Summary

4 CRYSTAL REPORTS Highly formatted, interactive reports Leverage data from virtually any data source Two versions: SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise SAP Crystal Reports 2013 Connect directly to HANA or using universe (Insert pictures)

5 SAP HANA In-memory database platform Efficiencies simplified landscape, Enables real-time delivery of data SQL and MDX ODBC, JDBC Relational tables and information models (views) that, in some cases, can be compared to OLAP cubes Attribute view Analytic view Calculation view

6 SAP HANA & SAP CRYSTAL REPORTS SAP Crystal Reports enables directed analysis of data What is the purpose of the report? Return only required data and ensure query is efficient Follow-on questions and exploration are possible with further specific, parameterized reports (subreports or linked reports)

7 SAP HANA direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports ODBC, JDBC Connect to tables Connect to views* Some views may generate an error: *feature not supported: not allowed over OLAP VIEW: search without aggregation or grouping by expression other than view column not allowed over OLAP view

8 SAP HANA direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports not allowed over OLAP view error in Crystal Reports 2011* *Crystal Reports 2013 may close without displaying message

9 SAP HANA Direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports To resolve this in SAP Crystal Reports 2013: 1. Connect and add view to report 2. From the Design view insert a group on one or more fields. A unique identifier or multiple groups which combined of unique identifiers is ideal. Display fields or summaries of fields in group sections 3. Suppress the Details section 4. From File Report Options, select Perform Grouping On Server 5. Preview the report

10 SAP HANA Direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports not allowed over OLAP view resolution in Crystal Reports 2013 continued

11 SAP HANA Direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports To resolve the not allowed over OLAP view error in SAP HANA Studio for SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise OR SAP Crystal Reports 2013: 1. Edit the view and add a calculated column (calculated attribute, not a calculated measure). This object may be hidden so there is no difference to end users. 2. Verify and activate the view. Then connect, add the view, and proceed with building the report.

12 SAP HANA Direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports not allowed over OLAP view resolution from SAP HANA Studio continued

13 SAP HANA Direct SQL via SAP Crystal Reports SUMMARY Direct access to tables and views with some limitations depending on the version of Crystal Reports and access to HANA Studio Control of SQL and filters makes it possible to build specific, appropriate reports (don t query the whole table!) LIMITATIONS Hierarchies defined in HANA will not be available in Crystal Reports Parameters and variables defined in HANA can only use default values, and will fail if no default value has been provided

14 SAP HANA via Managed OLAP Connections Access Analytic and Calculation Views using a managed OLAP connection to SAP HANA with SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise: 1. In Information Design Tool create an OLAP connection using SAP HANA OLAP driver (.cnx) 2. Specify a cube OR do not specify a cube and expose all Analytic and Calculation Views via a single connection 3. Publish the connection to Enterprise so that it is available to SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise and other BI clients that use universes

15 SAP HANA via Managed OLAP Connections SUMMARY Easy access to Analytic and Calculation Views Benefit from Query Panel functionality - prompt ordering, member selection Hierarchies, parameters, and variables are available LIMITATIONS Tables and Attribute Views are not accessible

16 SAP HANA via Relational Universes Higher customization of output for business users Query time prompts and variables Opportunity to federate data from HANA with data from other sources Universes can be consumed by SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence and SAP Business Objects Dashboards as well as by SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise

17 SAP HANA via Relational Universes Hierarchies must be recreated Prompts and variables are not automatically surfaced and must be recreated

18 DEMO DEMO

19 QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

20 Best Practices Avoid unfiltered, indiscriminate queries Avoid joining information views in a relational universe or using a direct connection If using SAP HANA Studio, align your version with that of your server Use recent releases where possible: updates and improvements are frequent 20

21 Key Learnings Two approaches to surfacing hierarchies, parameters, and variables defined in HANA views Two approaches to resolving the not allowed over OLAP view error encountered using direct connections to HANA views from SAP Crystal Reports 21

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