From data modeling to optimizing data collection to maximizing reporting capabilities, this book delivers all the information that is integral to understanding and leveraging the full potential of SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW). Vital concepts are clearly explained with the help of practical examples, sample solutions, and highly detailed graphics. You’ll quickly learn about the many capabilities of SAP BW as you “walk through" expert, step-by-step instruction designed to enable you to efficiently set up an SAP BW application with a user-specific data source, customized InfoCubes, data collection, and all of the necessary reporting components.

This book, which focuses on Releases 3.0 and 3.1, shows you how to avoid costly mistakes and save countless hours when you optimize key functions and essential processes.

Highlights

• Detailed introduction to SAP BW: InfoObjects, InfoProvider, InfoCubes, Star Scheme, DataSources, InfoSources, Web Items, and a lot more
• SAP BW sample application: rules for transferal and extrapolation, InfoPackages, BEx Query, data collection, and Query-request
• Data modeling: Implementation of a column-oriented Infosource in an account-oriented InfoCube; Illustration of the SAP product hierarchy in data modeling, data collection, and reporting
• Functions of the Query Designers
• Functions of the SAP BW Web Application Designers
• Expandable SAP BW WebCockpit

Table of Contents

Part 1 Conceptual Overview

1 Successful strategic Information Management 21
... 1.1 Basic principles for leadership decisions 21
... 1.2 Changed requirements for information management 22
... 1.3 Basic conceptional principles 28
... 1.4 Necessary extensions 32
... 1.5 Turn strategy into action – the Balanced Scorecard Management method 37
... 1.6 Business Intelligence Solutions successfully established and operated 41

Part 2 Introduction to SAP BW

2 The SAP Business Information Warehouse – Overview 45
... 2.1 Architecture of SAP BW 45
... 2.2 Data files in SAP BW 47
... 2.3 Data acquisition 54
... 2.4 Reporting and analysis tools 59
... 2.5 Further functions and components 71
... 2.6 The SAP Business Content 72
... 2.7 The Position of SAP Business Information Warehouse 75

3 Step by Step: SAP BW Market segment and profitability analysis 77
... 3.1 Introduction 77
... 3.2 Data modeling 78
... 3.3 Installation of master data acquisition 97
... 3.4 Acquisition of Is Data from SAP R/3 CO-PA 113
... 3.5 Upload of the plan data of a specific file 130
... 3.6 Installation of SAP Business Explorer-Query 137
... 3.7 Processing a Query 144

Part 3 Data Modeling and Data Acquisition

4 Data modeling and conversion of a column-oriented Information Source in an account-oriented InfoCube 153
... 4.1 Account oriented data model versus column-oriented data model 153
... 4.2 practical example: combination of account-oriented and column-oriented data
models 158
... 4.3 Implementation: InfoCubes 162
... 4.4 Implementation: Data acquisition 166
... 4.5 Realization of data acquisition 171
... 4.6 Performance optimization and Reporting 173

5 Adequate illustration of the SAP-Product hierarchy in data modeling, data acquisition and Reporting 177
... 5.1 The material attribute “ product hierarchy” in SAP R/3 177
... 5.2 Filing of the material attribute “ product hierarchy” in SAP Business Content-
Navigation attribute 179
... 5.3 Filing the material attribute “product hierarchy” in SAP BW by means of SAP
Business Content- Hierarchy 186
... 5.4 Solution via Step-compatible Product hierarchy as material attribute 194
... 5.5 Advantages and disadvantages of the variations connected with product-hierarchy
212

Part 4 Reporting and Web Applications with the SAP Business Explorer

6 Important functions of the Query Designer in SAP BW 3.x by means of sample solutions 217
... 6.1 Introduction 217
... 6.2 Reusable objects 223
... 6.3 Characteristics of Query Elements 238
... 6.4 Hierarchies 246
... 6.5 Conditions 253
... 6.6 Exceptions 258
... 6.7 Variables 260
... 6.8 Further selected innovations in Designer 279

7 Selected functions of SAP BW Web Application Designers in SAP BW 3.x 293
... 7.1 The Web Application Designer within the framework of SAP Business Explorer-
Components 293
... 7.2 An outline of the functionality of the web application designers 295
... 7.3 First steps in the Web Application Designer 300
... 7.4 Web Items in the Web Application Designer 305
... 7.5 HTML Coding in the Web Application Designer 383
... 7.6 Conclusion 390

8 Sample solution for an expandable SAP BW WebCockpit 391
... 8.1 Introduction 391
... 8.2 Preparation of Queries and Query Views 392
... 8.3 Creation of Web Templates with the Charts 396
... 8.4 Creation of Web Templates with the role menu 412
... 8.5 Creation of Title-Web-Templates 413
... 8.6 Creation of the frame set 414
... 8.7 Link to other reports via the report to report interface 416
... 8.8 Navigation in the WebCockpit 416
... 8.9 The functionality of the example-WebCockpit 418

Appendix

A Structure of the InfoCubes from chapter 3 421
... A.1 InfoCube »profitability analysis Is-Data (ZCBWTIPP1)« 421
... A.2 InfoCube »profitability analysis plan-data (ZCBWTIPP2)« 423
... A.3 Multiprovider »profitability analysis Is- and plan-data (ZCBWTIPP3)« 424

B Structure of the InfoCubes from chapter 4 427
... B.1 InfoCube » profitability analysis invoice data (ZCBWTIPP5)« 427
... B.2 InfoCube » profitability analysis data project./contract account (ZCBWTIPP6)« 428
... B.3 InfoCube » profitability analysis overheads (ZCBWTIPP7)« 430
... B.4 MultiProvider » profitability analysis of all types of transactions (ZCBWTIPP8)« 431

C Literature 433

D The authors 435

Index 437