This book explains how to develop flexible data models with an Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and extend those models with new requirements. Based on detailed, real-life examples, you’ll understand the structure of the data models and learn step-by-step development of an EDW.

1 The Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)
Discover the EDW approach from scratch including its creation from the Corporate Information Factory (CIF), different layers, possible variations, and implementation in SAP NetWeaver BW.

2 Development of an EDW Based on Detailed Examples
Become familiar with the complete development of an EDW based on step-by-step, easily transferable examples.

3 Extension by New Requirements
Understand how to classify new requirements and extend the EDW model.

4 Business Warehouse Requirements
Uncover the most frequent business requirements and their implementation, including the history of objects, the number of objects to be included, and the admission of future data.

5 Load Control
Master the difference between historically stable and historically correct data, and learn how you can implement the load control by means of process chains.

Highlights

• The EDW Approach
• Design, Modeling, and Implementation of an EDW
• Extension of the EDW Model
• Requirements of the Business Department
• Load Control

About the Author(s)

Daniel Knapp has worked as an IT consultant in the Business Intelligence area since 2004. His area of responsibility comprises the design and implementation of complex data models, data extraction as well as reporting, analysis, and performance optimization in SAP NetWeaver BW. He is the author and co-author of several books published by SAP PRESS.

Table of Contents

1 ... Introduction ... 11
... 1.1 ... Introduction to SAP NetWeaver BW ... 11
... 1.2 ... SAP’s Data Model in Business Content ... 13
... 1.3 ... Structure of the Book ... 16
... 1.4 ... Target Groups ... 17

2 ... The Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW ... 19
... 2.1 ... Introduction to the EDW ... 19
... ... 2.1.1 ... The Corporate Information Factory (CIF ... 19
... ... 2.1.2 ... From the CIF to the EDW ... 22
... ... 2.1.3 ... Denominations of the Layers ... 24
... ... 2.1.4 ... Costs for Setting Up an EDW ... 25
... 2.2 ... Layer 1 — Data Acquisition Layer ... 27
... ... 2.2.1 ... Number of Extracted Data ... 27
... ... 2.2.2 ... Handling Business Content ... 28
... ... 2.2.3 ... Cleansing of Data ... 28
... ... 2.2.4 ... Data Storage ... 29
... 2.3 ... Layer 2 — EDW Layer ... 30
... ... 2.3.1 ... Storage of Data ... 30
... ... 2.3.2 ... Transformation in the EDW Layer ... 31
... 2.4 ... Layer 3 — ODS Layer ... 34
... 2.5 ... Layer 4 — ADM Layer ... 35
... ... 2.5.1 ... Objects in the Layer ... 35
... ... 2.5.2 ... Type of Data Transfer Processes (DTPs ... 36
... ... 2.5.3 ... Storage of Data ... 36
... ... 2.5.4 ... Reporting at the ADM Layer ... 37
... 2.6 ... New Requirements in the EDW ... 38
... ... 2.6.1 ... Update of Characteristics ... 39
... ... 2.6.2 ... Creation of Key Figures ... 40
... ... 2.6.3 ... Extension of the EDW Model ... 40
... 2.7 ... Advantages and Disadvantages of an EDW ... 42
... 2.8 ... Variations in the EDW Concept ... 44
... ... 2.8.1 ... Variation 1 — Decrease of the Data Acquisition Layer ... 44
... ... 2.8.2 ... Variation 2 — Performance Increase of the ETL Process ... 46
... ... 2.8.3 ... Variation 3 — Prevention of Redundancies ... 47
... ... 2.8.4 ... Variation 4 — Increase of the Reporting Performance ... 48
... ... 2.8.5 ... Variation 5 — Increase of the Flexibility for New Requirements ... 49
... 2.9 ... Summary ... 49

3 ... Development of an Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Based on Examples ... 51
... 3.1 ... Introduction of the Example ... 51
... ... 3.1.1 ... HCM Infotypes ... 52
... ... 3.1.2 ... Requirements on the Application ... 54
... 3.2 ... Concept of the EDW ... 55
... ... 3.2.1 ... Determining Required Characteristics ... 55
... ... 3.2.2 ... Determining the Data Origin ... 55
... ... 3.2.3 ... Reference to Business Content ... 56
... ... 3.2.4 ... Designing the Data Model ... 57
... ... 3.2.5 ... Designing the Extraction Transformation Loading (ETL) Process ... 58
... ... 3.2.6 ... Other Special Features of the SAP ERP HCM System ... 60
... 3.3 ... Implementing the DataSources ... 62
... ... 3.3.1 ... Activating the DataSources from Business Content ... 63
... ... 3.3.2 ... Creating Views ... 64
... ... 3.3.3 ... Creating Customer-Specific DataSources ... 66
... 3.4 ... Designing the Basic Structure in the BW System ... 69
... ... 3.4.1 ... Replicating the DataSources ... 69
... ... 3.4.2 ... Creating InfoAreas ... 71
... 3.5 ... Creating InfoObjects ... 71
... 3.6 ... Modeling the Data Acquisition Layer ... 73
... ... 3.6.1 ... Modeling the Master Data ... 74
... ... 3.6.2 ... Modeling the Transaction Data ... 76
... 3.7 ... Modeling the EDW Layer ... 78
... ... 3.7.1 ... Modeling the Master Data ... 79
... ... 3.7.2 ... Modeling the Transaction Data ... 81
... 3.8 ... Modeling the ADM Layer ... 84
... ... 3.8.1 ... Modeling the Headcount (GP3_PB ... 85
... ... 3.8.2 ... Modeling the Personnel Actions (GP3_PM ... 88
... ... 3.8.3 ... Modeling the Payment Analysis (GP3_PY ... 90
... ... 3.8.4 ... Modeling the Reporting Layer ... 91
... 3.9 ... Implementation of the Master Data Transformations ... 93
... ... 3.9.1 ... Transformations of the DataSources to the A Layer ... 94
... ... 3.9.2 ... Transformations from the A Layer to the EDW Layer ... 96
... ... 3.9.3 ... Transformations from the EDW Layer to the A Layer ... 102
... 3.10 ... Implementation of the Transaction Data Transformations ... 104
... ... 3.10.1 ... Transformations of the DataSources to the A Layer ... 104
... ... 3.10.2 ... Transformations from the A Layer to the EDW Layer ... 104
... ... 3.10.3 ... Transformations from the EDW Layer to the ADM Layer ... 108
... 3.11 ... Summary ... 112

4 ... Extension of the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW ... 113
... 4.1 ... Description of the New Requirements ... 113
... ... 4.1.1 ... New Requirements of the Business Department ... 113
... ... 4.1.2 ... Classification of the Requirements ... 113
... 4.2 ... Update of Characteristics ... 114
... 4.3 ... Extension of the EDW Model ... 116
... ... 4.3.1 ... Extensions in the Source System ... 116
... ... 4.3.2 ... Extension of the Data Model ... 119
... ... 4.3.3 ... Extension of the ETL Process ... 123
... ... 4.3.4 ... Extension of the Process Chains ... 126
... 4.4 ... Summary ... 128

5 ... Usual Requirements on Business Warehouse (BW) Systems ... 129
... 5.1 ... Historization of Objects ... 130
... ... 5.1.1 ... Options for the Historization in SAP NetWeaver BW ... 130
... ... 5.1.2 ... Type and Impact of the Modeling on the Historization ... 134
... 5.2 ... Number of Objects to be Included ... 135
... ... 5.2.1 ... Impact on the InfoCube ... 135
... ... 5.2.2 ... Methods for Modeling Many Objects ... 136
... 5.3 ... Admission of Future Data ... 146
... 5.4 ... Summary ... 148

6 ... Load Control ... 151
... 6.1 ... Principles of Data Currency ... 151
... ... 6.1.1 ... Historical Scenarios ... 152
... ... 6.1.2 ... Frequency of Data Update ... 154
... 6.2 ... Load Control with SAP NetWeaver BW ... 155
... 6.3 ... Designing a Simple Load Control ... 156
... 6.4 ... Designing a Complex Load Control ... 162
... ... 6.4.1 ... Concept of the Load Control ... 163
... ... 6.4.2 ... Implementation of the Load Control ... 164
... 6.5 ... Summary ... 176

A ... Literature ... 179

B ... List of Abbreviations ... 181

C ... Glossary ... 183

D ... InfoObjects from Business Content ... 185

E ... The Author ... 187