NW2008 BI Tool Guide v7

*In This Session ...This is a comprehensive guide to SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence presentation toolsWe 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. 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.

*In This Session ...We will examine which tool is suites for each user community and how they can empower your end users by giving them increased capabilities.Leave this session with a thorough understanding of how to use SAP NetWeaver BI query and report development tools to make your system more flexible and adaptive to the needs of end users.

**What Well Cover The SAP BI Tool RevolutionSAP NetWeaver BI Query DesignerAnalysis Process Designer (APD), SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)Web Application Designer (WAD)Report DesignerWeb publishing Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)Using more than one tool togetherEmpowering the users a mind shiftWho Should get accessWrap-up

*The BW ToolsetBW 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.

*The BEx Query Designer in BW 3.5The 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 emails, portals, Excel and more.

*BEx Query Designer gets a needed facelift in BI 7.0The 3.5x BEx Query Designer Note: The NW2004s BEx Query Designer This new property pane makes it easier to format and control displays than in the past.

*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 installed

*BEx web Analyzer integrates ExcelThe 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 NW2004s)

Source: SAP AG, 2006News: BEx browser goes away in NW2004s

*APD Analysis Process Designer and data miningSAP 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 filesDatabase tables Data Store Objects (new name for ODS) InfocubesBW queriesImage: SAP, UKSince BW 3.5, APD has been integrated with the Data Mining Workbench. You can access it though the transaction code RSDMWB

*DW version 2.0In Data warehousing v2.0 (Bill Immons 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

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

*Visual ComposerA 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 cockpitsModeling 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 connectorsImage source: Cubeserv

*Details about Visual Composer CockpitsDelivered as part of Enterprise Portal in SAP NetWeaver 2004s Usage Type (SPS8 and higher)Different options available for rendering Visual Composer outputFlashWeb Dynpro (HTML)Flash provides high-end visualization of Visual Composer models

Since a cockpit may have many different DataSources (queries), it can take quite some time to execute them if the memory cache is not used consistently

*Visual Composer Data MethodsCan integrate data from multiple data sources, including SAP and non-SAP systems, into one modelDifferent options available for data access include:BI Extension Kit Remote Function Call (RFC)Web servicesBI Extension Kit allows access to the following DataSourcesSAP NetWeaver 2004 BI (BW 3.5 Support Package 14)SAP NetWeaver 2004sJDBCXMLA

*Visual Composer DataProvidersYou can use BI queries and views as DataProviders for Visual Composer modelsYou 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 LearnVisual 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).

Source: SAP

Take advantage of prebuilt analytic business packagesNo coding required to create great-looking Web-based cockpits

*What Well Cover The SAP BI Tool RevolutionSAP NetWeaver BI Query DesignerAnalysis Process Designer (APD), SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)Web Application Designer (WAD)Report DesignerWeb publishing Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)Using more than one tool togetherEmpowering the users a mind shiftWho Should get accessWrap-up

*BEx Web Application Designer (WAD)OLAP ProcessorBEx Web Application DesignerBEx Analyzer/Query DesignerWeb ServiceCharting EngineWeb BrowserHTLM TemplatesInfoProviderWAD 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

*Web Application Designer for custom applicationsWAD 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.

*Web Application Designer gets better The Web Application Designer is improved with new chart types (Heat Map, GANTT & Milestone Trend Analysis), as well as new layout elements such as tab strips.WAD also has new step-by-step wizards for maps, command editing to create Web API Commands and charts, as well as a simplified wizard for layout elements such as radio buttons, action buttons etc.

This reduce the amount of custom coding required with the help of Command wizards, Auto complete and support for HTML tags.WAD is a key tool for all SAP BI shops and in NW2004s the tool is simplified & more powerful.New: integration with NW 2004s BEx Report Designer.

*SAP NetWeaver 2004s Web AD New FeaturesWeb Items: Tab Pages, Button, Script Item (SAP NetWeaver 2004s Support Package Stack 7)Drag and drop using Analysis itemNew chart types (heat map, Gantt, milestone trend analysis)Export BI Web applications in PDF formatCommand Wizard for generating Web API commandsIntegration with SAP NetWeaver 2004s BEx Report Designer for formatted reports

*BI Web API CommandsYou can use BI Web API commands for carrying out certain actions in BI Web Applications.Export to Excel, PDF etc.OLAP functions: Apply Filter values, remove drill downsCommand Wizards guide you through the steps for creating a BI Web API commandCommands appear together for easy accessData ProviderWeb ItemsWeb Templates

Reduces the amount of custom coding required with the help of Command wizards, Auto complete, and support for HTML tags

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

This is a great feature for building custom features into your cockpits based on standard JavaScript

*BEx Report Designer is here!!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 AGWe 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 7.0Customizable font styles (i.e. bold, italic), colors, etc.Group-level changes with individual formattingLayout options, e.g.: Height of rows, width of columnsMulti-line column headersFlexible field positioningMerging cellsSupport for hierarchiesRules for the presentation of special characteristic valuesIntegration of text, pictures, and chartsHeader and footer for reportsFor many, this tool may reduce the need for 3rd party tools to address structured reports.

*Crystal Report is still availableWith 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 Cockpit in the PortalYou 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

BroadcastingPublishing

*Web Cockpit in the Portal (cont.)The SEM-CPM cockpits are already part of the portal, so you can access them there

iViews can build custom portal cockpits with iViews from many data sources (Web AD, BW, SEM, R/3, Web) and in many formats (graphs, pictures, figures, tables)

iViews can also be interactive

*Web AD Cockpits in SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0You can directly publish BI Web cockpits to Portal Content Catalog using the Publish option from Web AD

Portal and BI system connection should be set up as per OSS note 917950

*Broadcast Cockpit Views and Templates Using WADIn SAP NetWeaver 2004s, use Information Broadcaster to broadcast BI Web applications (i.e., cockpit views) to Enterprise Portal KM folders and via email in various formats (PDF, MHTML, HTML)Information Broadcaster/Reporting Agent (BI 3.x) can precalculate BI Web applications to enhance performance

*BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits in SAP BI 7.0BI 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.Source: SAP AG, 2005Java 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

*BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits (cont.)SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio can develop BI Java SDK-based applicationsCan use along with SAP Java Web DynproInterested developers should familiarize themselves with SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio

*BEx Report Designer and WAD You can also let your SAP BI users do basic navigation on the formatted reports by either integrating navigation, or adding this in the Web Application Designer (WAD)

*Visual Composer 7.0 Portal PublishingVisual Composer Design time deploys Visual Composer models directly as iViews to Portal Content Catalog

You can then use Visual Composer iViews in portal pages, roles, etc.

*

Bex Broadcaster Deciding which reporting tool is right for youWeb reportsWorkbooksFixed formatWebApplicationsModelsAd-hoc query designer

Query Designer Analysis ProcessDesignerCrystal Reports

Broadcaster -wizardVisual ComposerWeb ApplicationDesignerOther toolsWeb ToolsQuery tools------ / - / ----*Vizuali-zationDistrib-ution- / - / - / -------------- / - / -----------* 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 mistakeThe 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

*

Bex Broadcaster Tool Access Who should do what..Ad-hoc query designer

Query Designer Analysis ProcessDesignerCrystal Reports

Broadcaster -wizardVisual ComposerWeb ApplicationDesignerOther toolsWeb ToolsQuery tools- / - / ------- / There are many options and decisions to be made on who should be able to access all the different tools. - / - / ----- / - / - /

*ResourcesSAP Documents - Interfaces for Enterprise Reporting, Query, and Analysis, May 2007,https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/f52e9cc1-0d01-0010-d88b-d808b69391a4

Presentantions and Tutorialswww.COMERIT.net

SAP BI - Netweaver2004s - what is New? SDN presentationhttp://csc-studentweb.lrc.edu/swp/Berg/articles/NW2004s_what_is_new.ppt

SAP Business Intelligence (BI) by Norbert Egger, Jean-Marie Fiechter, Sebastian Kramer, Ralf-Patrick Sawicki, and Stephan Weber. Galio Press - Hardcover, 653 pages, ISBN 978-1-59229-082-6

*7 points to take homePick the right tools based on what you want to accomplish. everything in the world is a nail, when you only have a hammer2. The BW tool set has evolved substantially over the last 2 years have you?3. Todays presentation developer is much more than a query developer. More than one skill set is needed.4. Work hard on empowering your end users. You are not doing your organization any favors by keeping BI in the IT organization5. Consider integrating more than one tool for you analytical needs6. You may want to consider to split your backend BI operations and create a new reporting group focusing on the front-end.7. Budget real money to get your organization proficient in the new tools. This is not done overnight, nor cheaply.

*Your Turn!How to contact me:Dr. Bjarne [email protected]

NW2008 BI Tool Guide v7

Documents

Transcript of NW2008 BI Tool Guide v7