1. Dr. Bjarne Berg Lenoir-Rhyne College
The very confusing World on SAP BI - Making sense of it all Houston, TX August 17, 2006
Dr. Bjarne Berg
Lenoir-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 s, portals, Excel and more.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. BEx Web Application Designer (WAD)
BEx Analyzer/
Query Designer
BEx Web Application Designer
Web Browser
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
OLAP Processor
Web Service
Charting Engine
HTLM Templates
InfoProvider
Source: SAP AG

9. Web Application Designer for custom applications
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

11. 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.

13. Different Needs and Broadcaster Tools
Reporting needs
Reporting tools
Flat Reporting
Formatted
Print
Form based
Static
Predictable access
OLAP Reporting
Drill Down
Slice and Dice
Analyse
Data Mining
Search and discover
KPI & Scorecard Formatted
Simple
Easy to view
Limited nav
Aggregates
“Casual” users, non-BW users, traveling users, and executives are all prime candidates for broadcasted reports!

14. 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!

15. 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

16. Oracle E-business suite applications
Making sense of it all….
Oracle E-business suite applications
SAP APO
Oracle BI suite
Enterprise edition
SAP Strategic
enterprise mgmt
SAP BW
PeopleSoft
EPM
Siebel BI
Oracle BI suite
standard edition
Oracle BI suite
standard one edition

17. 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

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.
Elevator Speech:
Workforce planning is the process used to forecast our headcount and to meet our strategic plan.
What's Changing?
In May 2005, IP will globally implement a standardized, formal process for business groups to forecast their staffing needs.

19. Searching for BW queries
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.
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)

20. The Web Template and Toolbar
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.

21. 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.

22. 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!!!
Characteristic, Key Figure and Query definitions stored on SQL Server table.
Aliases used to extend match probability
Context menu item added to basic menu
Search results open in new window

24. 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

25. 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

26. A place holder
A "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
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

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:
Discovery and Education,
Formal communication,
Reviews
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.
What user wanted
How customer described it
How analyst specified it
How designer implemented it

29. The SAP NetWeaver Workflow - ASAP
Create Functional
Query specs
Peer Review
Complete?
Structured
walkthrough
Approved?
Develop
queries
Unit Testing
Integration
Testing
System Testing No
Yes
Create Technical

30. Alternative Approach For Smaller Projects (I.E. 1st Go-live)
Keep the scope focused and use a simple approach:
Activate standard content
Review data quality issues
Create 2-3 sample queries
Load infocube
User acceptance session
Request for modifications
In-
scope?
Rejection
In-future
Make enhancements
Test
Deploy
Yes No
No functional or technical specs are used in this approach. The user acceptance session is used to refine requirements

31. 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.
ASAP and SDLC Methodologies are not the only choices. RAD is very popular as well.
This framework illustrates the benefits of each methodology.

32. What We’ll Cover
Overview – BEx, Query designer, WAD, APD, Crystal, Broadcaster & Visual composer
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

33. Deciding which reporting tool is right for you
Workbooks
Web
reports
Fixed
format
Web
Applications
Models
Vizuali-
zation
Distrib-
ution
Query Designer - - -
- /  *  
Query tools - - -
- / 
- / 
Ad-hoc query designer  - - -
- /  -
Web Application
Designer  
Web Tools
Visual Composer -
- /  - -   
- /  -
Analysis Process
Designer - - -  
Broadcaster -wizard - - - - - - 
Bex Broadcaster - - - - - -
Other tools 
Crystal Reports - - -
- /  -  
* Through embedded Bex Broadcaster

34. Tool Access – Who should do what…..
There are many options and decisions to be made on who should be able to access all the different tools.
Power
users
Regular
Authors
Developers BW
Admins
Query Designer -
- / 
- /   
Query tools
- / 
- / 
Ad-hoc query designer    - - -
Web Application
Designer  
Web Tools
Visual Composer -
- /    
Analysis Process
Designer - - -  
Broadcaster -wizard     
Bex Broadcaster -
Other tools
- / 
- /   
Crystal Reports -
- /    

35. 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…….
An example from a large manufacturing company
BW Content available:
InfoObjects 11,772
ODS objects 349
InfoCube 605
MultiCubes 121
Roles 861
Queries 3,299
Workbooks 1,979

36. Modeling Your Solution
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
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

38. 7 points to take home
Pick the right tools based on what you want to accomplish. “everything in the world is a nail, when you only have a hammer”…
The basic web print features are not sufficient
The BW tool set has evolved substantially over the last 2 years
–have you?
There are more than one way to continue BW development – take a serious look at RAD.
On-line definitions on the context menu are very popular, but you will have to add this as an enhancement (not SAP standard)
Today’s presentation developer is much more than a query developer. More than one skill set is needed.
Leveraging standard content will give you access to higher level objects as well.

39. Resources SAP Project Management 2005 TechEd / ASUG- 2005 - Boston
Pick Your Poison – a look at methodologies for SAP NetWeaver” Bjarne Berg
TechEd / ASUG Boston
Session 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 :
Expressions:
Getting Started with BSP Applications:
CSS for Printing :
CSS Media Types:

40. Your Turn!
Questions?
Dr. Bjarne Berg