7.3    SAP BusinessObjects Tools

SAP BusinessObjects includes several tools that integrate with various SAP systems. In this section, we’ll focus on the integration points between SAP BusinessObjects version 4.2 and SAP BW/4HANA.

The first part of this integration is the connection. In SAP BusinessObjects, connections are managed in the administrative component called the Central Management Console (CMC). To access the CMC, use the following URL structure: <protocol>://<server>:port/BOE/CMC, where <protocol> is either HTTP or HTTPS (for secure connections) according to your installation.

In the CMC, you’ll see two connection types:

Depending on the SAP BusinessObjects tool you’re using, you’ll have different data source options when using the connection types described previously. In the following sections, we’ll cover the four most common data sources used: universes, SAP HANA, SAP HANA: Online, and SAP BEx.

7.3.1    Universes

Universes are well-known tools used to bridge the connection from the frontend tools to SAP HANA views. In this method, part of the processing is performed in the SAP BusinessObjects servers, and the query result is sent to the frontend.

Tip

For multiple SAP HANA views using universe joins, you can optimize the SAP HANA processing by setting the JOIN_BY_SQL parameter in the properties of the data foundation in the universe definition.

Currently, SAP BusinessObjects tools allow you to connect directly to SAP HANA views, removing this extra layer of processing between the frontend tools and the SAP HANA database.

7.3.2    SAP HANA

The SAP HANA data source allows you to connect directly to the SAP HANA views created.

In SAP BW/4HANA, you can make use of this connection type by selecting the General property External SPA HANA View in the Remote Access panel. With this option, an SAP HANA view will be created with the same name as the query.

When you use this data source, you can choose either the relational or OLAP connection type. Once you select the connection type to be used, the connection assistant shows the available objects that can be used as a source for your query.

Figure 7.37 shows an example using an OLAP connection in SAP HANA to directly access the SAP HANA view created by the ZDANSALES_Q001 query inside the SAP HANA system-local.bw.bw2hana.query.zdansales package.

Note that the last node of the package tree is the name of the InfoProvider associated with the query.

Selection of Query in SAP HANA Data Source with OLAP Connection

Figure 7.37    Selection of Query in SAP HANA Data Source with OLAP Connection

Figure 7.38 shows the Query Panel for the data source to use to create the microcube in the frontend, thus speeding the drill-down analysis.

Query Panel in Data Source Assistant

Figure 7.38    Query Panel in Data Source Assistant

Note

As seen in Figure 7.38, when creating the data source query in SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence using a universe connected via SAP HANA OLAP connection type, hierarchy members are assigned to each of the characteristics used in the query data source. Depending on the report you are building you have 3 options:

  • Select the hierarchy member: All, to display only aggregated total lines for the characteristics linked to this hierarchy member selected.
  • Select the hierarchy member with the characteristic name to show data with individual values.

You need to select at least one hierarchy level for each characteristic used in the report.

Once the design of the data source query is complete and you click the Run Query button, the objects are transferred to the frontend tool for building the report or graphical analysis.

For example, Figure 7.39 contains both analytical and graphical elements based on the query created with the microcube from Figure 7.38.

Example Report with Graphical Elements in SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence

Figure 7.39    Example Report with Graphical Elements in SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence

SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence, SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office, SAP Crystal Reports, SAP Lumira Desiger, and SAP Lumira Discovery are commonly used frontend tools from the SAP BusinessObjects suite.

SAP Lumira

SAP Lumira is a self-service data visualization tool for business users. It allows for powerful data visualizations including the possibility to combine them to create a story with multiple elements. It also allows you to send active data or saved visualizations by email or PDF.

With SAP Lumira as your frontend tool, you can use the SAP HANA OLAP connection type. SAP Lumira also has the same functionality for creating a microcube for fast drill-down processing, but it doesn’t automatically create hierarchy members for the characteristics as seen in SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence. However, the hierarchy levels are available to be used when activated in the SAP BW/4HANA query.

Figure 7.40 shows an example of a report developed in SAP Lumira with an SAP BW/4HANA view.

Report Developed in SAP Lumira Using SAP BW/4HANA View

Figure 7.40    Report Developed in SAP Lumira Using SAP BW/4HANA View

7.3.3    SAP HANA: Online

SAP HANA: Online is a data source available in SAP BusinessObjects version 4.2. This data source only allows you to use relational connection types. This means that multidimensional elements, such as hierarchies, aren’t fully available.

This data source also doesn’t create a microcube for the frontend. The moment you select your query, the report design sheet is presented with all the available objects from the query, as shown in Figure 7.41.

SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence Report Design Sheet Using SAP HANA Online

Figure 7.41    SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence Report Design Sheet Using SAP HANA Online

For an SAP HANA: Online connection, an SAP HANA subtab is available within the Data Access tab, with options to connect to/disconnect from the SAP HANA system, to limit the size of the result set, and to limit the execution time.

7.3.4    SAP BEx

SAP BW/4HANA queries are created in the Eclipse-based editor and saved in the backend of the SAP BW/4HANA system. These queries also can be accessed and executed via Transaction RSRT.

Within SAP BusinessObjects, you can access these queries using the SAP BEx data source.

Note

Most commonly, SAP BusinessObjects reporting is connected to an SAP BW system using a BEx query as the source of the data. This connection type was preserved in SAP BW/4HANA, facilitating SAP BW migration to SAP BW/4HANA. Once BEx queries are transferred to SAP BW/4HANA queries, they require a manual step of entering in each query, resolving inconsistencies, and saving it.

When you select the SAP BEx data source, the selection of the query isn’t performed via SAP HANA content packages but is based on SAP BW/4HANA InfoAreas and InfoProviders, as shown in Figure 7.42.

Query Selection Using SAP BEx Data Source

Figure 7.42    Query Selection Using SAP BEx Data Source

Comparing the SAP BEx and SAP HANA OLAP connection types, when creating a report in SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence, the SAP BEx connection doesn’t create hierarchy members to all characteristics selected for reporting in the data source, but only active hierarchies defined for the characteristics in SAP BW/4HANA are shown in the query builder.

Query Panel for SAP BEx Data Source

Figure 7.43    Query Panel for SAP BEx Data Source

After running the query, the elements chosen are transferred to the report definition design to be used for building the final report, as shown in Figure 7.43.

Now that you are familiar with the integration of SAP BusinessObjects with SAP BW/4HANA, the next section discuss the integration methods with third-party tools.