Integration of Web Templates and Options into SAP BOBJ Analysis

Integration of Web Templates and Options into SAP BOBJ Analysis Dr. Bjarne Berg

Agenda • Introduction • SAP BOBJ Analysis - Office Overview • SAP BOBJ Analysis - Web Overview • Web Application Designer Template integration • Pre-requisites • Resources • Inter-Operability

The Core Tools • In this session we are looking specifically at the OLAP tool previously known as Voyager and Pioneer • Now known as “Analysis” *Pioneer is now SAP BusinessObjects Analysis

It All Starts with a Query The query is the core method for accessing BI data through the BICS. You can use existing queries in your Analysis tools

BOBJ Analysis - an OLAP tool (not dashboard) Analysis, provides a superset of the capabilities in BEx Analyzer (Excel and web) and BOBJ Voyager. BEx Analyzer is migrating to this tool. Source SAP AG, Aug. 2010

BOBJ Analysis - addition for OLAP (MS Edition) The tool has a query panel and can embed the BI analysis in Microsoft Office applications Excel and PowerPoint

BOBJ Analysis - MS Office • BEx query views & queries can be used (both 3.5 and 7.0), but your BW system has to be on version 7.x • You need Microsoft Office 2003 or higher to be able to use BOBJ Analysis 1.0, Edition for MS- Office(preferred 2007 ed). *** Only BExworks as a source in the first MS-Office /Excel edition (as of Nov. 14). Universe support is planned to be added in 2011

Usage Scenarios - BOBJ Analysis • There are fundamentally three types of user for the BOBJ Analysis - Microsoft version (ppt/xls)

BOBJ Analysis - MS Office now and future • The Excel version have many functions that overlaps with functions inside the BEx Query Designer. • This include, Exception and color coding, and panel navigation

BOBJ Analysis - MS Office • The toolset rebranding (as of Nov. 2010): • Voyager--Pioneer--Advanced Analytics/Analysis--> "Analysis" • BOBJ Analysis cannot be used for planning workbooks. That is currently being scheduled for a Feb. 2011 release. This will be based on the BW-Integrated Planning (IP) software. • The BI-4.0 version is in ramp-up 4th Quarter 2010 and includes the "addition for OLAP" (web version). (Notice: "BI-4.0" is now used in the version instead of "XI-3.1") • BOBJ Analysis - Office (Excel) will use BOBJ Publisher and not BEx Broadcaster.

BOBJ Analysis - MS Office • Current limitations in the Excel version • Variant (personalization selection as in BEx) will be added later • Report-to-report interface will be added • BW document integration is not operational yet (will be added) • The formula editor is not available in Excel yet, but will be in the web version (ramp-up at end of November, 2010). • In Q3, 2011, SAP plans to have in ramp-up one web client, covering both analysis and ad-hoc querying. This tool will be based on the WebI platform.

BOBJ Analysis - MS Office Pre-requisites To run the MS-Office version (currently available): • You need SAP BW 7.x (Enhancement pack 1 or BW 7.3 preferred) - However queries defined as 3.5 will also work. • For Excel Interface you need MS Office 2003; 2007 or 2010 • For PowerPoint Interface you need MS Office 2007 or 2010 • BOBJ- Enterprise XI 3.1(minimum) Sizing info is in SAP Note 1466118

The BOBJ Enterprise Platform -now called the "BI platform" • BOBJ Enterprise is not required - Faster to employ. • However, there are many features in the BI platform • Common InfoObjects (PPT and Excel-XLS) - shared workbooks • Client side SSO • Analysis 1.1 on the BI 4.0 platform (Feb. 2011) • Introduces server side SSO • Support for common InfoObjects for pptX and xlsX • Interoperability with the web interface (edition for OLAP), WebI and Crystal Reports based on Analysis Views

BOBJ Analysis, edition for MS Office • SAP BOBJ Analysis edition for MS Office will evolve into a complete productivity suite for MS Office and BOBJ live office • MS Office add-ins allow multi-dimensional analysis of OLAP sources in Excel and PowerPoint. • For the next 2-3 years it will be a premium offering running in parallel for the old BEx offerings.

Other Observations • Excel/PPT version is already in General Availability (GA) as of mid-October 2010. • Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) objects may be added into the Analysis Office in the future (discussions are under way at SAP - stayed tuned for decision). • Some manual work remains: you have to use the Information Designer to refresh the structure in the Universe every time the InfoCube changes (manual process as in XI 3.x)

BOBJ Analysis - for OLAP (web version) • Shares nothing with BEX web. It is a toolbox for the web analyst • Voyager development can be ported to the "edition for OLAP' tool. However, MS Analysis Services are not supported yet (will be). • This web version is more interactive and shares functionalities with BEx Query Designer

BOBJ Analysis - for OLAP (web version) • This tool is in ramp-up 4th Quarter 2010. (GA 1stQ 2011) • Premium offering with separate licensing • Will be interoperatible with WebI and Crystal Reports • In the medium term, WebI and Edition for OLAP will be merged into a single tool.

Lean Vs. Complete Deployment • Typically Analysis MS-version is installed in the BOBJ Enterprise 3.1 or BI -4 environment. By doing so, users do not need a SAP GUI and can share workbooks, powerpoints and connections. • Smaller lean installations can skip the BOBJ Enterprise environment and access BW directly, but every users must have a SAP GUI installed on each machine and connections must be made for each client machine • Both installations use the BICS connectors No Java is required on SAP BW

BICS Query access Vs. InfoProvider Access • If you access an InfoProvider directly, instead of using a BEx query, you are bypassing a lot of features. These include: • Restricted and Calculated key figures • Authorization relevant objects • Variables and custom structures • Conditions and exceptions BEx queries have a lot of functionality that can be leveraged in SAP BOBJ Analysis

Real-Time Analysis Access • The trick to get real-time access: • Use a BEx query and set it up as a "transient • provider" in the local BI client in the ERP 6 • system (SP-5) • This allows the BEx query to access an InfoSets in ERP and can deliver real-time analysis in MS-Office and on the web. Be careful, too many users may impact ECC performance

News : OLAP Universes BOBJ Enterprise XI 3.x & Dimensional Universes in BI-4 • The XI 3.1 has a Universe Designer tool and the BI-4 has a Information Designer tool. • OLAP universes created by BOBJ Enterprise XI 3.x works in BI-4 • To use the new multi-dimensional capabilities in BI-4, you have to use the new information design tool to create dimensional universes . • Previously made OLAP universes cannot be edited in the new Information Designer tool. • You can move an OLAP universe from a 3.1 repository to a 4.0 repository using the standard upgrade management tool Key Idea: Universes in BI-4.0 are made on InfoCubes not Queries. BICS is used for SAP-BI query access.

Differences in Relational & Dimensional Universes • There are several differences in Relational and Dimensional Universes. • Read more at:http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/index?rid=/library/uuid/b014d61b-cace-2d10-10bf-9be9fd577c42 • Source SAP AG, Nov. 16, 2010 by Didier Mazoué, Elizabeth Imm, Abdellatif Astito. • NOTE: both the Universe Designer • (XI 3.1) and Information Designer (BI-4) is included in the next release.

Web Application Designer Templates Using web templates SAP BI users do basic navigation on the formatted reports by either integrating navigation,

BEx Web Application Designer (WAD)

Web Template Integration in BOBJ Enterprise runtime environment (instead of BI-Java) Future Planned 2010 InfoView /SAP NetWeaver Portal InfoView /SAP NetWeaver Portal Analysis Web Analysis Web Workspace Workspace PIO Web Tab BEx Web Tab … PIO Web Tab BEx Web Tab … SAP BOE Platform SAP BOE Platform Analysis Designer/ SDK Analysis Web Server Analysis Web Server BI Consumer Services BI Consumer Services BEx Web App Designer BEx Web App Designer BEx Web Templates BEx Queries/ InfoProviders BEx Web Templates BEx Queries/ InfoProviders SAP NetWeaver BW Source: SAP AG, 2010 Migration options via Pioneer SDK SAP NetWeaver BW

Analytical Application Development Kit - replaces WAD • There will be an "Analytical Application Development Kit" (aka "Developer Studio" and "Zen") that will be launched as an alternative to WAD for planning and OLAP applications. • This will be in ramp-up Q3, 2011, and will be known as BI - 4.x

Developing Planning & OLAP Applications on SAP BW What tool to use to develop web applications • Dashboards and formatted reports • Use Crystal Enterprise and Xcelsius • OLAP and Planning Applications • Short-term: Web Application Designer (WAD) for 2010 • Mid-term: Eclipse Based Planning and OLAP applications while leveraging visualization in Xcelsius. Source: SAP AG, Nov. 2010

Agenda • Introduction • SAP BO Analysis - Office Overview • SAP BO Analysis - Web Overview • Web Application Designer Template integration • Pre-requisites • Resources • Inter-Operability

Pre-Requisites for web version • Connectivity: • SAP BW 7.0 SP23 (note: queries defined as 3.5 still works) • SAP BOBJ BI-Platform 4.0 (upgrade from XI 3.1) • For MS-Analysis services: MSAS 2008 (or 2005 SP1 and SP2) • Need a browser: • Safari 4 for Macs • Explorer 7 (minimum) • Firefox 3.5 (minimum)

The next wave -future MS Analysis Services support • The next generation of Analysis will integrate WebI and will also have support for: • Drill-through as it is currently working in Voyager • Actions (event handlers) • Service based name series

Resources • NEW: Inside SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis. Ingo Hilgefort, Hardcover: 342 pages SAP PRESS, 1st Edition; (Oct. 10, 2010) ISBN: 1592293719. • Alexander Peter, TechEd presentation "BI-102 SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis - Overview" available on sdn.sap.com • SAP Solutions at • http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/large/business-intelligence/advanced-analytics/analysis-microsoft/featuresfunctions

BI 4.0 (upgrade from XI 3.1) Interoperability Crystal Reports Web Intelligence Analysis - Edition for OLAP Analysis - Edition for MS- Office * * Semantic Layer Shared Query (analysis view) BICS (BI Connectors) * Transient Universes

BOBJ Tools Interoperability (using 'old' names) Source: SAP AG, Oct. 2010

Downloading the software Go to the SAP Support Portal and Click on: Software Downloads SAP Software Distribution Centre Support Packages and Patches Support Packages and Patches - Entry by Application Group SAP BusinessObjects portfolio - right side of screen SBOP Analysis MS Office SBOP Adv. Analysis Office 1.0 Win32

Key Learnings • The MS Office (Excel/ppt) edition for BOBJ Analysis is now available, but has some limitations. • The ramp-up for the OLAP started with BI 4.0 4th Quarter 2011 • There is no-need to convert WAD templates, they can be consumed inside BOBJ Analysis - edition for OLAP • More source are being added in 2011 (MSAS, Essbase) • Long-term, this should be your strategy for OLAP • WAD will be replaced by "Analytical Application Development Kit" (aka "Developer Studio" and "Zen") with a ramp-up in Q3, 2011.

] • Thank you for participating. • Dr. Bjarne Berg • Bberg@ComeritInc.com

Disclaimer SAP, R/3, ECC, mySAP, mySAP.com, SAP NetWeaver®, Duet™, PartnerEdge, and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Integration of Web Templates and Options into SAP BOBJ Analysis