SAP BW 3.5 Enhanced Reporting Capabilities SAP AG

Transcription

1 SAP BW 3.5 Enhanced Reporting Capabilities SAP AG

2 Learning Objectives As a result of this lecture, you will: Be familiar with Business Explorer (BEx) suite 3.5 Know the available new features Understand how BW 3.5 integrates with EP 6.0 Catch a glimpse of features being planned for the future SAP AG 2004, 2

3 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 SAP AG 2004, 3

4 SAP BI The Motivation for Information Broadcasting Support decision-making requirements of the entire enterprise regardless of data sources of access methods Data acquisition, data warehousing, OLAP, planning framework, BI tools, dashboards, and analytical applications; with pre-configured content using best-practice models SAP Business Intelligence is an enterprise-class, complete, open and integrated solution that delivers actionable insights. Open, well documented APIs and interfaces along with full functionality to integrate structured and unstructured heterogeneous data Convert data into information, and ensure information is delivered at the right time to the right person in the right format to support business decision making Scalable and reliable BI solution that is tightly integrated with SAP NetWeaver, source transactional systems, and partner s complementary tools SAP AG 2004, 4

5 SAP BI for All User Types Authors and analysts... Need advanced analysis functionality and ad-hoc data exploration capabilities... Require useful, manageable tools Executives and knowledge workers... Require personalized information in context via an intuitive user interface... Want predefined analysis paths and the option of indepth analysis of summary data Information consumers... Need a snapshot of a particular data set to perform their operational tasks... Do not interact extensively with the data. SAP AG 2004, 5

6 BI Suite: Business Explorer (BEx) 3.5 Portal Integration SAP AG 2004, 6

7 BEx Portfolio The following will provide a short overview of the four key BEx functions including: BEx Query, Reporting, and Analysis BEx Web BEx Analyzer BEx Information Broadcasting SAP AG 2004, 7

8 Key Functions: BEx Query, Reporting and Analysis BEx Query, Reporting, and Analysis Supports decisions at every level strategic, tactical, and operational Quickly and easily design interactive queries for analysis and reporting OLAP Engine for optimized data access, calculations, and multidimensional views Generic navigation and interaction (slice and dice, drill-down, drillthrough, pivoting...) Hierarchy navigation Multi language, multi currency Alerting and conditions Open analysis framework Supporting standards like XML/A and OLE DB for OLAP SAP AG 2004, 8

9 One Design Tool Multi-layered Analysis Options Multiple data sources A unified view from an integrated data basis Different data granularity and aggregation levels Summarized to line item Flexibility in data depth and breadth Data aggregation InfoCube ODS object InfoSets OLTP/external data sources Multiple InfoProvider BI Suite Business Explorer SAP AG 2004, 9

10 BEx Query Design BEx Query Designer Ad-hoc and power user version Ad-hoc version is now integrated into the new Web Analyzer Only Filter and Column Section in tabular mode SAP AG 2004, 10

11 BEx Reporting Tabular reporting Query with diverse columns in free alignment No distinction between characteristics and key figures Option to switch between tabular and OLAP view Foundation for formatted reporting with Crystal Reports Analyze data from different sources SAP or non-sap Extendable reporting templates provided with Business Content SAP AG 2004, 11

12 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 SAP AG 2004, 12

13 BEx Web: SAP BW 3.5 Design of BI Web Applications BEx Web Application Designer Offers the ability to create wide range of analytic Web applications Build custom BI applications Cockpits/Dashboards Wizard-based visualization Online and offline scenarios Publishing Device-specific output generation Portal integration iview creation APIs for further Web design SAP AG 2004, 13

14 BEx Web Application Framework BEx Analyzer/ Query Designer BEx Web Application Designer Web Browser Web Design Tool (option) OLAP processor Web service BW based on WEB AS 6.20 Charting engine HTML templates InfoProvider SAP AG 2004, 14

15 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 SAP AG 2004, 15

16 Key Functions: Information Broadcasting Information Broadcasting allows the distribution of BI information... Via different channels... ( ) ( ) 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 SAP AG 2004, 16

17 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 hoc BEx broadcasting wizard for one-step distribution ( ) Scheduled BEx 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 groups No time restriction and no target restriction Create precalculations based on the data authorizations of the target user SAP AG 2004, 17

18 SAP AG 2004, 18 User-Type Specific Information Broadcasting

19 Information Broadcasting (cont.) Queries, workbooks, BI applications as Knowledge Management (KM) documents KM document: Precalculated query, workbook, or application KM link: online BW report Use KM services for: Subscription Feedback Discussion Collaboration Rating TREX search Notes Download SAP AG 2004, 19

20 Information Broadcasting Target: Collaboration Rooms Queries, Web applications and workbooks can be broadcasted into collaboration rooms Collaboration rooms services Chat Application sharing Notes Meeting pad Discussion forums Instant messaging My Portal Contacts SAP AG 2004, 20

21 Agenda Business Explorer 3.5: overview BEx Web Analyzer BEx Chart Designer BEx Web Application Designer items Portal integration and portal caching Miscellaneous and outlook SAP AG 2004, 21

22 BEx Web Analyzer New: BEx Web Analyzer Feature description Open and analyze any query in the BEx Web Analyzer Zero footprint Focus: usability and look-and-feel SAP AG 2004, 22

23 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 SAP AG 2004, 23

24 BEx Chart Designer New Chart Designer with integrated wizard Available via double-click on the chart item in WAD or via the context menu SAP AG 2004, 24

25 BEx Chart Designer (cont.) Chart Designer wizard (reduced overview) Select wizard Result Select chart type Select properties SAP AG 2004, 25

26 BEx Chart Designer (cont.) New features of the Chart Designer: New chart types examples Polar Profile area SAP AG 2004, 26 Split pie

27 Additional BEx Chart Designer Features Abbreviation of category texts The category axis of the chart engine has an optional mechanism for automatic abbreviation of its texts (" ") ImageMap Every chart element can be used to generate an image map Automatic coloring Automatic coloring is used to color the series of a chart differently, e.g., the blocks within a columns chart. Several color palettes can be used for automatic coloring of data series (including a custom-defined color palette); i.e., by switching between these palettes you can easily change all colors Transparency color Any color used in a chart can be shown as a transparent color SAP AG 2004, 27

28 Additional BEx Chart Designer Features (cont.) Chart title The chart title can be positioned at the top, the bottom, the left, or the right of the image. In addition, subtitles can be used Legend entries The order of legend entries can be switched. Entries for point customizing can be included within the legend Layout Automatic and manual layouts are possible. During manual design, relative positions of the chart elements (independent of the image size) can be stored Font setting A global property for the font family is available with the new chart designer. This setting is used by all chart elements if their own font family is set to Automatic SAP AG 2004, 28

29 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 SAP AG 2004, 29

30 Web Items New in 3.5 SAP AG 2004, 30

31 Query View Selection New item: Query View Selection A data view combines a query view (a saved navigation state) together with a certain visualization (e.g., a certain chart type, table, etc.) All maintained data views of a data provider appear as selectable entries in the dropdown box If the user changes the data view, the associated query view is executed and the resulting data are displayed in the target item using the associated table/chart-type The user can create his own personalized data views. The user can delete only his own user-defined data views An administrator can provide Views to an end user SAP AG 2004, 31

32 Query View Selection (cont.) Select view A view consists of the data plus the visualization SAP AG 2004, 32

33 Query View Selection (cont.) Create view A saved view consists of the data plus the visualization SAP AG 2004, 33

34 Web Items (cont.) New in 3.5 SAP AG 2004, 34

35 XML Items Why XML items? Two new XML Web items will be provided Provides access to data and structural information for enhanced custom Web templates Empowers client-side development The customer can use JavaScript for accessing the information stored in these items and provide enhanced customized navigation possibilities to his or her users For some applications that you want to build, you need more information than is contained in the cell contents Examples For example, via JavaScript a certain cell of the result set could be accessed and used for further processing You need the list of available characteristics or the contents of the dynamic filter before you are able to jump from one report into another SAP AG 2004, 35

36 XML Item: Data Provider Information XML item: Data Provider Information Provides access to query and view results Contains the complete navigational state description Including BW-only concepts like exceptions, conditions, calculate results/details as Contains the result set with all necessary information Including the display axis as hierarchy Uses the BW terminology and BW concepts No mapping necessary -> No mapping loss The data that can be displayed consist of both the metadata (a catalog of characteristics (AXIS_INFO) and so on) and the displayed values (AXIS_DATA and CELL_DATA) SAP AG 2004, 36

37 SAP AG 2004, 37 XML Item: Data Provider Information

38 XML Item: Data Provider Information XML export example EXPORT (e.g., push button) SAP AG 2004, 38

39 XML Item: Data Provider Information Simple example: displaying internal values of the table SAP AG 2004, 39

40 XML Item: XML Object Catalog Item: XML Object Catalog This item lets you display Template properties Items and their attributes List of the data providers in an XML format SAP AG 2004, 40

41 XML Item: XML Object Catalog (cont.) Display template properties (hidden) Display list of data providers (hidden) SAP AG 2004, 41

42 XML Item: XML Object Catalog (cont.) Display Items and their properties (hidden) SAP AG 2004, 42

43 Web Templates as Web Items Reusable templates Web templates can be used as items No limitations to the nesting of templates No more framesets needed Usage scenarios Headers and footers Dramatic reduction of maintenance costs Easy setup of cockpit scenarios Pattern-based approaches Use a template for the general layout of the Web application Imbedding in another template with customization of the inner objects mycompanyheader mytoolbar individual Web Items mycompanyfooter SAP AG 2004, 43

44 Web Templates as Web Items (cont.) Header template Selecting the first tab displays the first hidden template Center template 1 Footer template SAP AG 2004, 44

45 Web Applications Web Templates as Web Items Header template When the second tab is selected, the first template is hidden and the second hidden template is displayed Center template 2 Footer template SAP AG 2004, 45

46 Web Templates: Web Application Designer Web Application Designer with the embedded templates SAP AG 2004, 46

47 Web Applications Web Templates as Web Items (cont.) Header template Footer template SAP AG 2004, 47

48 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 SAP AG 2004, 48

49 Enhanced Portal Integration Overview Seamless deployment of BI applications into SAP Enterprise Portal (EP) Easier deployment of BI applications for Query and Web Application Designers Into SAP EP 6.0 portal content catalog as iview Into SAP EP 6.0 collaboration rooms as KM object Into SAP EP 6.0 KM folders as KM object Easy deployment of BI applications for end users Into SAP EP 6.0 collaboration rooms as KM object Into SAP EP 6.0 KM folders as KM object SAP AG 2004, 49

50 Enhanced Portal Integration EP 5.0 BW 3.0 BW 3.0 EP 6.0 EP 6.0 BW 3.5 BW 3.5 BW 3.x and EP 5.0 integration EP 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 integration EP 6.0 knows connected BW 3.5 (system landscape) BW 3.5 knows connected EP 6.0 (RFC destination, logical system name, protocol, hostname, port ) BW 3.5 supports multiple instances of EP 6.0 BW 3.5 reads portal content catalog, portal roles, KM hierarchies BW 3.5 creates iviews in portal content catalog BW 3.5 creates documents and links in KM SAP AG 2004, 50

51 BI Broadcasting Services EP6.0 Portal content catalog (PCD) BI iviews BEx portfolio Portal KM content repositories Collaboration rooms Repository services Attachments als.zip files HTML MHTML Workbooks BW server Business Explorer BEx Web apps, queries and Workbooks BEx design tools BI platform OLAP/metadata BEx Broadcaster Web UI, Broadcasting wizard Precalculation services Queries and web templates Workbook precalculation services (optional) Windows-based service (could be an end user PC or company server) SAP AG 2004, 51

52 KM Platform and Information Broadcasting BEx portfolio built with KM flexible UI BEx portfolio with flexible UI Repository services Search and indexing Collaboration, subscription, etc. Repository framework Repository manager for CM store precalculated workbooks, Web templates Repository manager for BI online queries BW server Repository services Collaboration Search and indexing Repository Framework Repository manager BI server Repository manager CM store Discussionforums Subscription Other RMs SAP AG 2004, 52 1) Access to online BW queries, Web applications and workbooks via URL links 2) Access to meta-, master- and transactiondata documents in BW CM store saving precalculated Web templates and workbooks

53 Publishing from WAD into Enterprise Portal Publish to Enterprise Portal 6.0 Administrative view Allows publishing into the PCD Optional assignment to portal page or portal role Publishing of BW KM Links into KM Folders Publish to BEx Broadcaster Allows broadcasting of links as well as precalculation and scheduling No broadcasting into the PCD SAP AG 2004, 53

54 Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal Publish to portal KM favorites Allows user-specific publishing of BW KM links The personal BEx documents folder will be generated with the first log-on of a user to the portal or with the first broadcasting into the favorites SAP AG 2004, 54

55 Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal (cont.) Publish to folder in KM KM folders can be accessed by all users of a certain EP role Published BW KM links are immediately visible in the portal SAP AG 2004, 55

56 Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal (cont.) Publish to KM rooms Allows Publishing of KM Links into collaboration room folders Collaboration rooms are shared by several users Publishing into public and internal room area is possible SAP AG 2004, 56

57 Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal (cont.) Publish to portal content catalog The content of the PCD is accessible Web applications are immediately stored as iviews These iviews are initially visible only to administrators and can be assigned to end users within the EP SAP AG 2004, 57

58 Publishing from SAP BW to the Enterprise Portal (cont.) Publish to portal roles This option displays all portal roles of the user This view combines the saving of Web applications as iviews in the PCD with the direct assignment of such an iview to a user role or portal page The entry field Portal Catalog allows you to select the PCD location for the physical storage of the iview Additionally, links into KM folders can be created KM folders can be selected in the hierarchy, and a KM link will be generated SAP AG 2004, 58

59 BW and Portal Caching Using the EP portal cache for BW iviews BW iviews and data can be held in the EP portal cache BW data can be displayed without having to go back to the BW server Improved performance Validity period (in milliseconds) of content in cache before it is refreshed SAP AG 2004, 59

60 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 SAP AG 2004, 60

61 Additional BEx Features New display options for characteristic members Any combination of key and text can be selected Zero suppression (not committed but planned) Structures can be activated for suppression Evaluation can be extended to the inner cells of a cross tab SAP AG 2004, 61

62 Additional BEx Features (cont.) Enhanced display options for master data Scenario Displaying master data keys and long texts Feature description Additional display options for master data Hierarchy node variable search Scenario Searching for nodes within a hierarchy for a hierarchy node variable in the Web-based selection screen Feature description The search functionality for hierarchy node variables will be delivered in the Web SAP AG 2004, 62

63 BI Capabilities in 2005 and Beyond Advanced User Experience Advanced user experience Integrated solution for reporting and analysis New Web-based component for multidimensional analysis New focused tool for formatted and layout-driven reports that concentrates on the most important aspects like headers, footers, page breaks, groupings, colors, fonts, etc. Report Designer integrated into Web Application Designer Integration of third-party tools for pixel-oriented layout and form-based reporting Adobe integration to generate PDF files from Web applications BI application design in BEx Analyzer Native support of Excel formatting and Excel formulas Sophisticated application design in MS Excel Ad-hoc Query for information consumer Intelligent search to access queries or create new queries Natural language processing user interface Open for third-party or custom UI components Integration into SAP Enterprise Portal collaboration rooms SAP AG 2004, 63

64 Resources How-to paper (alias /BW > Services and Implementation SAP Service Marketplace: Use alias: BW at SAP BW online documentation SAP AG 2004, 64

65 7 Key Points to Take Home 1. BEx 3.5 offers Query, Reporting & Analysis, and BEx Web; BEx Analyzer; and BEx Information Broadcasting 2. Web Analyzer is a new feature available in BEx Information Broadcasting allows seamless integration with EP Knowledge 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, XML items) ship with BEx The new IGS 6.40 enables platform independence and a new Chart Designer 7. BEx 3.5 offers seamless publishing into EP 6.0 SAP AG 2004, 65

66 Questions? Q&A SAP AG 2004, 66