sap business explorer tools

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SAP Business Explorer (BEx) Tools

Peter Scott

Contents

Acknowledgements ................................. 2

1 Fundamentals of BW Reporting ......... 3

1.1 Basics of Data Warehousing ................. 3

1.2 Basics of BW Design ............................. 3

1.3 Business Explorer ( BEx ) Tools .............. 5

1.4 Summary ............................................... 9

2 The BEx Query Designer ........................ 11

2.1 Overview of the BEx Query

Designer ................................................ 11

2.2 Query Designer Layout ......................... 12

2.3 Using the BEx Query Designer

Toolbar .................................................. 13

2.4 Accessing InfoProviders ........................ 14

2.5 Creating a Basic Query Defi nition ........ 15

2.6 Restricted and Calculated

Key Figures ........................................... 16

2.7 Advanced Calculations ........................ 20

2.8 Using Structures ................................... 20

2.9 Creating Fixed Query Dimensions ........ 21

2.10 Using Characteristic Variables .............. 22

2.11 Creating Exceptions .............................. 24

2.12 Creating Conditions .............................. 25

2.13 Query Properties .................................. 26

2.14 Summary ............................................... 27

3 Creating High Impact Workbooks ..... 29

3.1 Overview of the BEx Analyzer .............. 29

3.2 Integration with Microsoft Excel .......... 29

3.3 Executing a Query ................................ 29

3.4 Creating Custom Templates .................. 30

3.5 Creating a Workbook with

Multiple Reports ................................... 33

3.6 Auto-Refreshing Workbooks ................ 33

3.7 Using Text Elements ............................. 34

3.8 Deleting and Detaching Results ........... 36

3.9 SAP Protection ...................................... 37

3.10 Saving and Distributing Workbooks ..... 37

3.11 Summary ............................................... 38

4 Creating Web Applications ................... 39

4.1 BEx Web Analyzer ................................ 39

4.2 BEx Web Analyzer Context Menu ........ 43

4.3 Overview of the Web Application

Designer ................................................ 44

4.4 Web Application Designer Layout ....... 44

4.5 Creating a Web Template ..................... 48

Manual Access ...................................... 48

Wizard Access ....................................... 49

Creating a Web Template ..................... 49

4.6 Inserting Additional DataProviders ...... 50

4.7 Publishing Web Templates ................... 51

4.8 Printing Web Applications ................... 52

4.9 Summary ............................................... 52

5 Report-Report Interfacing ( RRI ) ........ 53

5.1 Overview ............................................. 53

5.2 Defi ning Jump Targets .......................... 53

5.3 Summary ............................................... 56

6 NetWeaver 2004s BI Overview .......... 57

6.1 Changes to the BEx Query Designer .... 57

6.2 Changes to the Web Application

Designer ( WAD ) .................................. 58

6.3 Changes to the BEx Analyzer ................ 60

6.4 BEx Report Designer ............................. 62

6.5 Changes to the BEx Broadcaster .......... 64

2 © Galileo Press 2006. All rights reserved.

6.6 The BI Accelerator ( BIA ) ...................... 64

6.7 Remodeling InfoCubes ......................... 65

6.8 Visual Composer ................................... 65

6.9 Looking Ahead ...................................... 66

Glossary ........................................................ 67

Index .............................................................. 69

Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to my parents, Don and Valorie, who

have always been there to support and motivate me at

every turn and to my lovely wife, Bobbi, who inspires me

each and every day of my life. I love you.

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1 Fundamentals of BW Reporting

1.1 Basics of Data Warehousing

For many reasons, information was once nearly impos-

sible to extract from applications. Corporate systems

were unconnected, little historical information could be

stored, and the data that was stored was often inacces-

sible. These diffi culties led to the concept of a Data Ware-

house ( DW ).

Put simply, a data warehouse serves as a decision sup-

port environment where corporate data can be quickly

summarized at different operational levels.

Data warehousing is the process of choosing, migrat-

ing, cleaning, transforming, and storing data from dispa-

rate systems into one common location, whereby users

can easily extract and analyze information for manage-

ment decisions.

A data warehouse is also commonly referred to as a: � Data Mart� Corporate Information Factory ( CIF )� Decision Support System ( DSS )� Business Intelligence ( BI )� Business Warehouse ( BW )

One of the largest sources of data is typically an Enter-

prise Resource Planning ( ERP ) system. The process of

migrating data from an ERP system to a data warehouse

is usually referred to as Extraction, Transformation, and

Loading ( ETL ).

The multidimensional analysis offered by a data ware-

house, which enables DW users to analyze data trends,

exceptions, and variances of interest is called Online Ana-

lytical Processing ( OLAP ). Typical OLAP is used to answer

questions such as:� What was my best selling product in January?� What was the total company revenue for 2005?� Why was I over my budget in March?

� What are my year-to-date sales fi gures?� How will my year-end look?

1.2 Basics of BW Design

SAP Business Information Warehouse ( SAP BW ) is an

end-to-end data warehousing solution that is usually

built on a three-tier environment that consists of a Devel-

opment ( DEV ), Test ( Quality Assurance, QA ), and Pro-

duction ( PROD ) server. This three-tier confi guration sep-

arates development work from a live system, and allows

for suffi cient testing with real data in the QA system.

Enhancements are transported through a well-defi ned

process that moves from DEV to QA for testing, and then

from DEV to PROD, where BW users can access them.

SAP BW has a three-tiered architecture, which consists

of the following layers. Figure 1.1 summarizes the archi-

tecture. The layers of the architecture are seen below:� Presentation layer

Consists of the SAP Business Explorer ( BEx ) tools

such as BEx Analyzer and BEx Browser.� Database layer

Consists of InfoCube s, Operational Data Stores

( ODS ), MultiCubes, and Master Data Objects that

can be reported on. This layer also includes the

Administrator Workbench.� Source Systems layer

Consists of ERP systems, legacy systems, text fi les, or

another SAP BW environment.

All SAP BW queries are constructed via using BEx tools,

which request data from the BW database. The BW data-

base follows an ETL process to populate InfoCube s, ODS ,

MultiCubes, and Master Data.



Objects for which queries can be created against or exe-

cuted on using BEx tools are collectively referred to as

InfoProviders. An InfoCube, which is a type of InfoPro-

vider , is a subset or collection of data from the BW data-

base that has relationships, which allow users to report

on many things simultaneously.

You defi ne queries with the BEx Query Designer .

You can display them as a BW web report using a web

browser, or view them within a Microsoft Excel Work-

book with the BEx Analyzer .

Many queries can be built from a single InfoProvider . A

single query defi nition has a one-to-one relationship with

its InfoProvider. The query results from a query defi ni-

tion are displayed on a web page, or in the BEx Analyzer.

You can format and store query results with many differ-

ent views, which can result in a many-to-one relation-

ship between a query defi nition and the formatted query

results. Figure 1.2 displays these relationships.

BEx BrowserBEx Browser BEx Tools

SourceSystems

Business Information Warehouse Database

R/3R/3 FilesFiles Legacy Legacy Systems

SAP BW

SAP BW

OLAP ProcessorOLAP Processor

Info Cubes

Web QueryBusiness Objects

ODSMasterDataMaster

Data

BEx Analyzer

Figure 1.1 High-Level BW Architecture

Formatted Web Page

Web Report

BW Query Designer Tool Formatted ResultsQuery Results

Workbook

Formatted Workbook # 1

Workbook

Formatted Workbook # 2

Workbook

Web Browser

Formatted Reports

CrystalInfo Cube

QueryDefinition

QueryResult

QueryResult

Figure 1.2 Relationship Among InfoProvider, Query Defi nition, and Formatted Query Results

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1.3 Business Explorer ( BEx ) Tools


SAP BEx reporting tools allow users to create, locate, exe-

cute, view, format, manage, schedule and precalculate

reports. The primary BEx tools include:� BEx Browser� BEx Analyzer� BEx Query Designer� BEx Web Application Designer � Reporting Agent � Download Scheduler

All the BEx tools in SAP BW are installed on a client work-

station using the SAP GUI installation disc.

The BEx Browser is a graphical desktop-like tool, from

where you can launch queries and workbooks and cat-

egorize them into Roles, Favorites, and Folders. The BEx

Browser also incorporates standard shortcut functional-

ity, which enables you to access documents, Windows

applications, Internet URLs, and SAP R/3 transactions

from a single interface. The BEx Browser allows users to

create folders to organize their content. Figure 1.3 illus-

trates how BW content can be linked with other business

tools in the BEx Browser.

The BEx Browser toolbar ( shown in Figure 1.4 ) con-

tains the following icons:� Exit� Save� Refresh� Start Business Explorer Analyzer� Find� New Folder� Delete� About SAP BW Browser � Help

Figure 1.4 BEx Browser Toolbar

You create content within the BEx Browser on the right

side of the screen. Right-clicking on a blank part of the

screen displays a context menu with several options. You

Figure 1.3 Linking BW Content with Other Business Tools in the BEx Browser



can create the following links within a folder ( Figure 1.5

displays the available options ):� Folder� Workbook� Internet Address ( URL )� SAP Transaction� Document ( Word, PowerPoint )� Shortcut ( to other applications on a local PC )

Figure 1.5 Adding New Content to a Folder

Each folder created for a role or user Favorites can be

further customized by assigning a background symbol

and color, which appear to be translucent. There are

eight backgrounds and colors, each of which has a nature

theme, from which to choose.

To customize folder options, right-click on a folder

on the right side of the BEx Browser window and select

Choose symbol and color. The graphical options are dis-

played in Figure 1.6.

Figure 1.6 Folders Customized with Background Symbol and Color

The BEx Analyzer is the primary reporting environment

for SAP BW. Most users fi nd it very intuitive because it is

integrated with Microsoft Excel. You can add Excel calcu-

lations, notes, charts and graphics to a single worksheet

and insert multiple reports into a workbook, thereby cre-

ating a package of reports. The BEx Analyzer combines

the power of OLAP with all the Excel functionality. You

can also use Visual Basic for Applications ( VBA ).

The BEx Query Designer is a standalone application

that enables users to build complex query defi nitions

without using programming. All subsequent BW report-

ing and analysis is based on query defi nitions. The BEx

Query Designer is displayed in Figure 1.7.

The BEx Query Designer can be launched from the

Start menu of a Windows PC, or from the BEx Analyzer,

the BEx Web Application Designer, or Crystal Reports.

The BEx Web Application Designer ( WAD ) is a desk-

top application that is very similar to other web page

authoring tools. For example, BEx WAD and Microsoft

FrontPage, as well as Dreamweaver, are alike in that they

all enable you to use a WYSIWYG environment when

launching a website. One unique feature of the WAD

is that it enables you to incorporate BW data and pre-

defi ned BW objects, along with standard HTML code and

web design application programming interfaces ( APIs ).

The Reporting Agent allows you to schedule various

reporting functions in the background during non-peak

times. Furthermore, you can precalculate all web tem-

plates created with the WAD . The advantage here is that

it shortens the wait time for users and reduces the work-

load on the servers. You’ll fi nd the Reporting Agent within

the Administrator Workbench . You can access it directly

using the RSREP Transaction. The Reporting Agent’s most

commonly used functions are:� Execute and Analyze Exception Reports� Print Reports � Precalculate Web Templates

The Reporting Agent is divided into three panes:� Functions pane� Settings pane� Scheduling pane

You use the same process for all functions. The Settings

pane is used to navigate through a folder structure to

fi nd a query defi nition. Once located, you must enter

specifi c settings that pertain to the highlighted function

( e.g., Printing ). To establish new settings for a query,

right-click on the name of the query and choose New

Setting ( see Figure 1.8 ).

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Figure 1.7 Creating Complex Queries Without Programming

Figure 1.8 Creating New Settings with the Reporting Agent



Each new setting requires a Technical name and a Descrip-

tion. Settings also allow for some layout and distribu-

tion options. Depending on the function selected, these

options vary. For example, the Print function allows a

user to build a cover sheet, page header, and page footer,

and design a layout template for the printed data. The

printing options are shown in Figure 1.9.

Once the settings are specifi ed, they must be saved

and activated. The keyboard shortcut to save changes is

Ctrl+S and the shortcut to activate changes is Ctrl+F3. A

green status light will confi rm that a Reporting Agent set-

ting has been saved and is now executable.

The Scheduling pane is used to generate a schedul-

ing package that will contain the details of the query set-

ting created earlier. A technical name and description are

required for each new scheduling package.

You attach a Reporting Agent setting for a particular

query to a scheduling package by dragging and dropping

the setting from the Settings pane to the package in the

Scheduling pane.

To schedule a package, right-click on the name of the

package and select Schedule ( see Figure 1.10 ).

Choosing a start condition that will trigger the package to

be executed completes the scheduling process. You can

schedule a package to run:� Immediately� At a specifi c date and time� On a periodic schedule ( Daily, Monthly, Weekly )� After a particular system event� After a particular job

Figure 1.10 Scheduling a Package with Specifi c Settings for a Query Defi nition

Figure 1.9 Customizing and Formatting Printouts with the Reporting Agent

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1.4 Summary

Create a Query Definition with the Query Designer

Execute the Query and view the results in either a Web Browser or the BEx Analyzer

Create a web application using the Web Application Designer and an existing Query Definition

Schedule or pre-calculate your web application using the Reporting Agent

Download the results of your query to your PC using the Download Scheduler

Figure 1.11 BEx Tools Workfl ow

Once the start condition is specifi ed, the package is

saved. Scheduled packages can be monitored from the

Job Overview screen.

Because the Reporting Agent is part of the Administra-

tor Workbench , you should ensure that it is not deployed

to all BW users. A strategy that limits development work

in the Reporting Agent to a handful of power users is

preferable. Furthermore, you must ensure that the pack-

ages created with the Reporting Agent are monitored

periodically for performance reasons, especially since an

incorrectly defi ned package can run for a long time and

therefore monopolize valuable system resources. You

should also make certain that scheduling packages are

inserted into process chains. To do this, use the Process

Chain Maintenance transaction code RSPC.

The BEx Download Scheduler is a desktop application

that downloads, or schedules a time for the download,

precalculated HTML pages, or Excel workbooks to a local

PC. These pages are precalculated using the Reporting

Agent. The BEx Download Scheduler tool is typically

accessed from the Windows Start menu under Programs · Business Explorer · Download Scheduler.

The Download Scheduler wizard helps users to fi nd

packages assigned to their user ID, and places the results

of these packages into designated folders on the users’

PCs. The output of the report can also be formatted for

a PDA device.

The overall workfl ow for using all the various BEx

tools is shown in Figure 1.11. The most basic reporting is

accomplished by using the BEx Query Designer and the

BEx Analyzer. An alternative or complimentary report-

ing strategy to just using the BEx Analyzer is to use web-

based reporting. With web reporting, you don’t have

to install any software on a user’s PC, which is why this

alternative is known as a “zero-footprint” solution. Query

designers can publish formatted, graphical reports using

the BEx Web Application Designer and distribute these

reports via URLs or a pre-existing intranet portal. High-

end formatting can be achieved by leveraging the Report-

ing Agent, Download Scheduler, or via integration with

Crystal Reports.

1.4 Summary

SAP BW has evolved into a full-fl edged Data Warehouse .

The BEx tools allow users with diverse backgrounds to

effectively access data in a timely manner. Queries are

defi ned using the BEx Query Designer and analyzed

within the BEx Analyzer or BEx Web Applications . Addi-

tional formatting can be achieved with the BEx Web

Application Designer or via BW’s integration with Crys-

tal Reports . The next chapter will look at the BEx Query

Designer in detail.

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Index

AAd-Hoc Query Designer 62

Administrator Workbench 6, 9, 22, 65

Alert Framework 64

Alert levels 25

Architecture 3

BBEx Analyzer 4, 6, 9, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30,

32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 57, 60

BEx Broadcaster 42, 43

BEx Browser 5

BEx Download Scheduler 9

BEx Queries 54

BEx Query Designer 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13,

14, 16, 17, 22, 26, 48, 57

BEx Query Designer toolbar 57

BEx Report Designer 62

BEx WAD 57

BEx Web Analyzer 39, 43, 46

BEx Web Application Designer 5, 9, 49

BEx Web Applications 9

BEx Web Report 55

BEx Workbook 30

BI Accelerator 64

Bookmark 40, 41, 43

Business applications 66

BW Browser 5

BW query analysis 57

CCalculated Key Figures 15, 16, 20

Cascading Style Sheets 46, 47

Characteristic Properties 18

Characteristics 15, 18

Characteristic Value Variables 22, 24

Chart 41, 46

CKF 20

Comma-separated values 41

Command wizard 60

Condition 16, 25, 26, 40

Context menu 60

Cost Center 55

Crystal Reports 6, 9, 22, 62

CSS 47

CSV 40, 41

Customize folder options 6

DDataProvider 49, 50

Datasets 12, 33

Data trends 3

Data Warehouse 3, 9

Default values 57

Delete results 36

Design wizard 45

Detach 36

Download Scheduler Wizard 5

Dreamweaver 6

Drilldown 43

EE-Mail 43

Enterprise Portal. 49

Enterprise Reporting 57

Enterprise Resource Planning 3

ERP 3

ETL 3

Excel 29

Exception 16, 24, 25, 40

Excluding values 18

Export 40, 41

FFavorites 6, 16, 34, 54

Filter 42, 43

Fixed ranges 25

Formatting 44

Formula 20

Formula Syntax 20

Free Characteristics 12, 13, 17, 40, 43

Function 20

GGlobal Reference 15

Global view 37

Goto 37, 43

HHierarchy support 62

High Performance Analytics 64

HTML 44, 48

IInfoAreas 14, 16, 54

InfoCube 3, 12, 14, 65

InfoObject 13, 17

InfoProvider 4, 14, 15, 16, 22, 42

InfoProviders 65

Information Broadcasting 40, 42

InfoSet 54

Integrated Planning 57, 60

JJava connectors 65

JavaScript 44

Jump Targets 37, 53, 55

KKey Figure 15, 18, 21, 26, 40, 46

Knowledge Management 64


Index

MMaster Data 3

Mathematical functions 20

Math functions 20

Microsoft Excel 38, 41, 60

MS Excel integration 57

MultiCubes 12, 35

NNavigational Block 30, 34, 35, 36, 39,

40, 43, 46, 50

NetWeaver 2004s 57

NetWeaver Portal 65

New queries 21

Non-SAP data 66

OODS 3, 12, 14

OLAP 3, 26, 29, 33, 36, 39, 46, 47

Operand 20

PPDF based printing 57

Presentation layer 3

Printing 38, 44, 61

Process Chain 9

Processing speed 57

Properties 17, 46

Properties pane 57

QQuery Definition 13, 15, 16, 17, 18

Query Properties 26, 43

Query views 43

RReceiver 53, 55

Refresh 33, 34

Report-Report Interface 43, 53

Reporting Agent 5, 6, 8, 9

Restricted Key Figures 15, 19

Results area 39

RFK 19

RKF 19, 20

Role 16, 46, 54

RRI 53

RSBBS 53

RSRT 54

SSAP BW Variables Wizard 23

SAP Financials 33

SAP GUI 44

SAP HR 33

SAP Protection 37, 38

Save 37

Scheduling 8

Selection 18

Sender 53, 55

Standard formatting 62

Standardized interface 65

Status of Data 30, 35, 42

Structure 15, 20, 21, 22

TTabular Data 41

Technical Names 19

Template 30, 31, 32, 33

Text Elements 30, 34, 35, 40

UUnicode-compliant 57

VVariable 22, 23, 24, 27, 42

Variable Offsets 24

Variances of interest 3

VBA 29

Visual Basic .NET 57

Visual Composer 65

Visual modeling 66

WWAD 6, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50

Web Application Designer 44

Web Applications 39

Web Browser 39

Web design 60

Web Items 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 59

Web report 4

Web Template 6, 44, 47, 50

Workbook 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,

37, 38, 39

Worksheet 35

sap business explorer tools

Documents

bex analyzer

bex report designer

bex query designer toolbar

bex query designer2

bex broadcaster

query designer layout

basics of data warehousing

corporate data