Bjarne Berg Director SAP BI Comerit Inc.

Bjarne Berg Director SAP BI Comerit Inc.
The Complete Guide to Reporting Tools Available in SAP NetWeaver and the SAP BusinessObjects Portfolio Bjarne Berg Director SAP BI Comerit Inc.

Learning Points This is a comprehensive guide to SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence presentation tools We will take an overview tour of the Analysis Process Designer (APD), SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC), Web Application Designer (WAD), Report Designer, Web publishing, Java Server pages (JSP) and the new SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer & BEx Analyzer. We will look at the strengths and limitations of each tool and see how they can be used independently or collectively in a SAP BI environment. Leave this session with a good understanding of how to use SAP NetWeaver BI tools to make your system more flexible and adaptive to the needs of end users.

Agenda The SAP BI Tool Revolution
SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer & BEx Analyzer Analysis Process Designer (APD), SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC) Web Application Designer (WAD) Report Designer Web publishing Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP) Administrative tools The BOBJ Roadmap for front-end tools Empowering the users – a mind shift Who Should get access Wrap-up Bonus material: All SAP BOBJ tools 3

The SAP BI Core Toolset SAP BI is an enterprise-wide comprehensive decision support (DSS) system for analytical needs of an enterprise. BI can also support some degree of operational reporting The SAP BI tool set has many presentation tools and options for companies to leverage.

Agenda The SAP BI Tool Revolution Empowering the users – a mind shift
SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer & BEx Analyzer Analysis Process Designer (APD), SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC) Web Application Designer (WAD) Report Designer Web publishing Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP) Administrative tools The BOBJ Roadmap for front-end tools Empowering the users – a mind shift Who Should get access Wrap-up Bonus material: All SAP BOBJ tools

The BEx Query Designer in BW 3.5
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.

BEx Query Designer gets a ‘facelift’ in BI 7.x
The new 7.x Query designer was totally re-developed in MS-Visual Basic .NET This new property pane makes it easier to format and control displays than in the past. The 3.5x BEx Query Designer BEx Ad-Hoc Query Designer functionality is replaced by BEx Web Analyzer in BI 7.0 The NWBI 7.0 BEx Query Designer

BEx – Analyzer (Excel 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 installed

BEx web Analyzer integrates Excel
The Excel integration in the BEx analyzer is far better. Unlike the old days of dynamic HTML, you can now use the BEx analyzer more like a real application without refreshing the whole page every time you click on something (this is due to the Java component in BI 7.0) Source: SAP AG, 2008 Important: BEx browser goes away in SAP BI 7.0 (so does BEx Download Scheduler)

BEx – Analyzer Design Mode
Application building in Excel (similar to WAD) New options for queries with two structures Excel formulas allow access to any cell of the result set Excel formatting options can be fully leveraged for BEx workbooks (e.g., blank lines, fonts, etc.) Combining Excel formulas and Excel formatting allows the design of complex formatted workbooks Integration of Business Planning is available To use this tool you need BEx installed Source: SAP, Zane Connally 2008

APD – Analysis Process Designer and data mining
SAP BW Analysis Process Designer (APD) is for Knowledge discovery and exploration of large sets of data. APD has been available in BW since version 3.0 and can be used to do complex analysis without having to restructure the data and create hundreds of specialized data marts. You can read from a variety of sources such as Flat files Database tables Data Store Objects (new name for ODS) Infocubes BW queries Since BW 3.5, APD has been integrated with the Data Mining Workbench. You can access it though the transaction code “RSDMWB” Image: SAP, UK

Creating new data inside SAP BI
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

APD – Analysis Process Designer and data mining
Complex scenarios can be built for structured analysis such as risk modeling, customer segmentation, market basket analysis, predictive modeling and much more “New data” based on the findings can be loaded back into data targets and used by others for reporting i.e. CRM analysis.

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer & BEx Analyzer Analysis Process Designer (APD) SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC) Web Application Designer (WAD) Report Designer Web publishing Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP) Administrative tools The BOBJ Roadmap for front-end tools Empowering the users – a mind shift Who Should get access Wrap-up Bonus material: All SAP BOBJ tools 15

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.

Visual Composer for Complex cockpits
Modeling of BI applications using the BI kit of the Visual Composer allows business users to create analytical content for SAP portal. It offers the integration with BI infoproviders, views, BEx web applications, PDF and more via WEB API as access to other data sources such as OLAP and relational data sources) via Java connectors Image source: Cubeserv

Details about Visual Composer Cockpits
Delivered as part of Enterprise Portal in SAP NetWeaver BI 7.0 Usage Type (SPS8 and higher) Different options available for rendering Visual Composer output Flash Web Dynpro (HTML) Flash provides high-end visualization of Visual Composer models Since a cockpit may have many different sources (queries), it can take quite some time to execute them if the memory cache is not used consistently

Visual Composer Data Methods
Can integrate data from multiple data sources, including SAP and non-SAP systems, into one model Different options available for data access include: BI Extension Kit Remote Function Call (RFC) Web services BI Extension Kit allows access to the following DataSources SAP NetWeaver 2004 BI (BW 3.5 Support Package 14) SAP NetWeaver BI 7.0 JDBC XMLA

Visual Composer DataProviders
You can use BI queries and views as DataProviders for Visual Composer models You also can use BI query functionalities for exceptions and variables along with Visual Composer models Visual Composer allows access to BI history, favorites, and roles

Visual Composer is Easy for Power Users to Learn
Visual Composer is a power user tool that is simple to learn for someone with a little bit of technical background (i.e. controllers, report writers, analysts). No coding required to create great-looking Web-based cockpits Source: SAP Take advantage of prebuilt analytic business packages

The future of Visual Composer
Source: SAP, July 2008 Composition Environment including Visual Composer “continues to be the go-to product for creating composite applications” (SAP, 2008)

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

New Features of SAP NetWeaver SAP BI 7.0 Web AD
Web Items: Tab Pages, Button, Script Item (in SAP BI 7.0 Support Package Stack 7) Drag and drop using Analysis item New chart types (heat map, Gantt, milestone trend analysis) Export BI Web applications in PDF format Command Wizard for generating Web API commands Integration with SAP NetWeaver BI 7.0 BEx Report Designer for formatted reports NEW: User can change the XHTML source code of any web template either directly, or the ABAP program RS_TEMPLATE_MAINTAIN_70, or in any external XHTML editor.

Command Wizard and JavaScript
You can use Command Wizard for generating JavaScript code for the Script Item to use in custom cockpit applications

Product Directions for BI Solutions
And Much More… Web App Designer Xcelsius Dashboards, Visualization Polestar Report Designer Crystal Reports Enterprise Reporting BI Widgets Ad-hoc Query & Reporting Web Intelligence Mobile BI SAP BEx Analyzer Voyager Predictive Advanced Analysis Web Services SAP NetWeaver BW and BWA BusinessObjects Enterprise Enterprise Data Warehousing & BI Platform Source: SAP 20009

BI Web Application Designer Roadmap
planned 2010 future InfoView /SAP NetWeaver Portal InfoView /SAP NetWeaver Portal Pioneer Web Client Pioneer Web Client Workspace Workspace PIO Web Tab BEx Web Tab … PIO Web Tab BEx Web Tab … SAP BOE Platform SAP BOE Platform Pioneer Web Server Pioneer Designer/ SDK Pioneer Web Server BI Consumer Services BI Consumer Services BEx Web App Designer BEx Web App Designer Migration options via Pioneer SDK BEx Queries/ InfoProviders BEx Web Templates BEx Queries/ InfoProviders BEx Web Templates SAP NW BW SAP NW BW

The BEx Report Designer
This new tool was created to simplify the formatting of reports and fix many of the printing issues in previous versions of BW. Source: SAP AG We now get color control, header-footer control and many new features such as location control of cells and integration of pictures, charts and fixed text.

BEx Report Designer is new in BI 7.0
Customizable font styles (i.e. bold, italic), colors, etc. Group-level changes with individual formatting Layout options, e.g.: Height of rows, width of columns Multi-line column headers Flexible field positioning Merging cells Support for hierarchies Rules for the presentation of special characteristic values Integration of text, pictures, and charts Header & footer for reports News: BEx Report Designer 7.1, (last release in 2008) will be available under maximum maintenance until 2016 and will be replaced with the Crystal Base product.

Crystal Report is still available (also in SAP BW 3.x)
With BW you get access to Crystal reports. In fact you have many pre-developed reports that comes with SAP-BW. Currently, you can modify, or develop and deploy a few Crystal reports without additional licensing cost. Crystal is a great tool for batch reporting of "pixel controlled' formatted reports.

Web Cockpits in the Portal
You can integrate queries and Web applications into the portal through publishing, broadcasting, or Web calls The portal can either receive designed pages passively or actively create communities, Web pages, collaboration rooms, or cockpits Publishing Broadcasting

BI Java SDK-Based Applications in SAP BI 7.x
BI Java SDK can be used for custom applications based on SAP BI and non-SAP data. BI Java SDK provides access to relational and OLAP data sources using JDBC, XMLA, ODBO etc. Access to 200+ data sources using the JDBC drivers. Java programmers will recognize the standard development kit's (SDK) main libraries such as the abstract windowing toolkit (AWT) and the GUI-oriented Swing object library as well Source: SAP AG, 2008

BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits (cont.)
SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio can develop BI Java SDK-based applications Can use along with SAP Java Web Dynpro Interested developers should familiarize themselves with SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio

More Administrative tools for management & development
Enhanced Dataflow control (split delta) Administrator Cockpit (Web-based) BI Accelerator (high performance BIA) Enhanced InfoSets with InfoCubes Re-modeling and repartitioning of InfoCubes New Data Transfer Process (DTP) Write-optimized DataStore objects New Admin Workbench SAP BI 7.0 have many improved tools for developers and system administrators

SAP’s Premium Offerings
SAP Acquired Business Objects in 2007/2008 and is working on integrating BOBJ into the core SAP BI offerings.

BOBJ capabilities – Dashboards and Reports
Dashboards can be built using Xcelsius. Xcelsius+ will be launched in 2009, and will be “the flagship product for data visualization & dashboards” Crystal Reports for pixel formatted reports has been available with SAP BI/BW since This tool can be integrated into your tool portfolio using existing SAP NetWeaver BI queries (NOTE: Crystal & Crystal Base will be the core tools for formatted reports starting 2010) Source SAP AG, 2009

BOBJ capabilities – Analysis, Ad-hoc & Widgets
The Web Intelligence tool from BOBJ is a tool for ad-hoc web based reporting, query & analysis. It is intended for end users and can leverage queries to both relational and OLAP sources. It will be the core offering for ad-hoc end user analysis starting 2009. With the current offering of BOBJ you can also use Desktop Widgets to place BI content direct onto a PC desktop and monitor reports and KPIs. Source SAP AG, June 2008

New Tools Roadmap Source SAP

The Move towards Pioneer
Pioneer (for 1st Quarter 2010 release) provides a superset of the capabilities in BEx Analyzer (Excel), BEx Analyzer (Web), and Business Objects Voyager. Voyager customers migrate to Pioneer. BEx Analyzer & BEx Web Analyzer customers migrate to Pioneer. (Note: BEx is planned to go into regular maintenance) Web based Excel based Source SAP, April, 2009

What can be Done in 2009- Implementations
Visual Composer BI Accelerator Web Intelligence (webi) Widgets

The two types of Universes
There are currently 2 ways to get at the SAP BI data. If you implement this year, you need to make conscious decisions about which method you select. There are pros and cons of each

Overview: Options for Universe-Based Access to BW 7.0
WebI Xcelsius QaaWS Universes QT ODA SQL Access MDX Access Data Federator XMLA OLAP BAPI ODBO RDBMS BW Analytic Engine BIA

Overview: Options for Universe-Based Access to BW 7.01
WebI Xcelsius QaaWS Universes QT ODA SQL Access MDX Access Data Federator XMLA OLAP BAPI ODBO RDBMS BW DF Fascade Analytic Engine BWA

 = fully supported Comparison   BW Server Feature MDX SQL
BW Hierarchies  Restricted and Calculated Key Figures Security BW Variables Currency and Unit Conversion Exceptions, Conditions SUM, MIN, MAX Aggregations AVG, COUNT, COUNT DISTINCT, … Aggregations  OLAP Cache Navigational Attributes Mass Data Enabled Federation (e.g. BW – RDBMS, BW – BW)  = fully supported  = limited support / workaround

What can be Done in 2009- Take a Look at…
Xcelsius Polestar is an interesting technology that companies may start a prototype with and see how it can help them access BI data from a variety of sources (NW and others) Polestar

What can be Done in 2009- Prototype
Consider building a Xcelsius Prototype to get used to really interactive dashboards and what-if analysis. Xcelsius Image source: Adobe, 2009

What can be Done in 2009- Keep doing…
There are many classical SAP NetWeaver tools that should still be used by companies that are planning go-lives in 2009. Integrated planning is still supported. Pioneer is still 12 months away WAD will continue to be the development environment for 2009.

Stop As soon as possible
If you need Formatted Reports in 2009, you should seriously consider Crystal Reports. The current roadmap calls for moving Report Designer into regular maintenance at the end of 2009, and stop further development of this tool. Looking forward to Xcelsius and Pioneer, it may be advisable to limit further custom development in JSP unless it is not intended to be migrated at a future date.

Two dates are currently scheduled in June for virtual course delivery
Training SAP Business Objects for SAP NetWeaver BW future New 2 day course offering from SAP Education for training on Business Objects integration with SAP NetWeaver BW Two dates are currently scheduled in June for virtual course delivery June 1 – 2, 2009 June 25 – 26, 2009 See the following link to the Course Description for more detailed information on the content covered ontext=%5b%5b|SAPBO||1|091|US|%5d%5d|

Deciding which reporting tool is right for you
* Through embedded Bex Broadcaster

Who gets to do what? The major decision for a SAP BI driven enterprise is to determine who gets access to each tool. There is often a temptation for the IT community of wanting to keep the tools under their domain – That is a mistake The IT community should actively work with the power and casual users to improve human capabilities and thereby teach them to become more productive employees. Chinese Proverb

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.

Resources COMERIT (Presentations, guides and accelerators) SAP Documents - Interfaces for Enterprise Reporting, Query, and Analysis SAP Business Intelligence (BI) by Norbert Egger, Jean-Marie Fiechter, Sebastian Kramer, Ralf-Patrick Sawicki, and Stephan Weber. Galio Press - Hardcover, 653 pages, ISBN

Key Learnings

How to contact me: Dr. Bjarne Berg bberg@comerit.net
Questions and Answers How to contact me: Dr. Bjarne Berg 64

] [ Thank you for participating.
Please remember to complete and return your evaluation form following this session. For ongoing education on this area of focus, visit the Year-Round Community page at [ SESSION CODE: 330 E INSERT SESSION CODE

Bonus Material – The total BOBJ toolset
This Bonus Material Include all SAP BOBJ tools, not just tools for the SAP market Bonus Material – The total BOBJ toolset Source: SAP March, 2009

Bjarne Berg Director SAP BI Comerit Inc.

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