Important Terminology

In this chapter we touched on different ways to enhance our SAP HANA information views, and enrich our information models. The following list describes the important terms covered in this chapter:

• Calculated columns
  Adds additional output columns to our calculation views, and allows us to calculate new values.
• Counters
  Used to understand how many times something has occurred within a result set.
• Restricted columns
  Restricts the data shown in a particular column or field and outputs the restricted values in an additional output field.
• Filters
  Used if we do not want to show all the data from a specific table or to only show specific data. Can use both static and dynamic filtering.
• Domain fix values
  These are values that will not change, and the users can only choose from the available list when they enter data into the fields.
• Variables
  There are three types of variables:
• Single value: The variable only asks one (single) value, for example, the year is 2016.
• Interval: The variable asks for from and to values, for example, the years from 2012 to 2015.
• Range: The variable asks a single value, but combines it with another operator, for example, the year is greater and equal to 2012.

• Input parameters
  There are five types of input parameters we can create:
  • Direct: Directly type in the value. We can specify the Data Type of the expected value. There are three data types we can use for Direct, namely Currency, Unit of measure, and Date.
  • Column: Choose a value from all the possible values in a specified column in the current view.
  • Derived From Table: Choose a value from data in another table.
  • Static List: Choose a value from a pre-defined (static) list of values.
  • Derived From Procedure/Scalar Function: Choose a value from a list of values generated by a scalar function or procedure.
• Currency conversion
  Used when converting from source currency to target currency. A date for the conversion also has to be supplied.
• Decision tables
  Enable you to implement business rules in SAP HANA.
• Hierarchies
  Used in reporting to enable intelligent drilldown.
• Time-dependent hierarchies
  Hierarchies that change over time, for example, before and after a restructuring of the HR organizational structure, and is dependent on the time period of your query.

Table 7.1 shows in which node each feature is available. For example, filter expressions are only in projection nodes.

Node Type	Calculated Columns	Columns	Restricted Columns	Input Parameters	Filter Expressions	Generated Rank Columns
Join	Yes	–	–	Yes	–	–
Star Join	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–
Projection	Yes	–	–	Yes	Yes	–
Aggregation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–
Rank	–	–	–	Yes	-	Yes
Union	–	–	–	–	–	–

Table 7.1 Features per Node