2 User-Facing SAP NetWeaver BI Components

15

2.1 SAP NetWeaver Components

15

2.2 SAP’s Future BI Roadmap

16

2.3 The BW 7 BEx Toolset

17

2.4 BW 7 and the Portal

18

2.5 Visual Composer

19

2.6 Conclusion

20

3 Building Effective Business Warehouse (BW) Queries: The Basics of Query Designer

21

3.1 Where Is My Data Coming From?

21

3.1.1 Use MultiProviders for Greater Flexibility

21

3.1.2 Selecting an InfoProvider

22

3.1.3 The InfoProvider Pane

23

3.2 Restricting Data at the Query Level

24

3.2.1 Characteristic Restrictions: Set in Stone

24

3.2.2 Default Values: Set Now, Change Later

25

3.2.3 Setting Up Hard-Coded Restrictions

25

3.2.4 Other Options for Restrictions

27

3.3 Variables

28

3.3.1 Optional versus Mandatory

28

3.3.2 Manual Input Flexibility

30

3.3.3 Creating Your Own Manual Input Variables

31

3.3.4 Hierarchies and Hierarchy Variables

34

3.4 Building a Query Layout

37

3.4.1 An Overview of the Rows/Columns Tab

38

3.4.2 Creating a Simple Structure

38

3.4.3 Adding Characteristics as Drilldowns

43

3.4.4 Dynamic Labeling with Text Variables

45

3.4.5 Using Variable Offsets and Ranges

49

3.5 Properties for Queries and Query Components

54

3.5.1 Query Properties

54

3.5.2 Characteristic Properties

57

3.5.3 Rows and Columns Area Properties

61

3.5.4 Structure Properties

62

3.5.5 Selection and Formula Properties

63

3.6 Summary: Query-Building Basics

67

4 Running Queries on the Web: Business Explorer (BEx) Web Analyzer

69

4.1 The Variable Screen: Personalization and Variants

69

4.2 Query Analysis with Drag-and-Drop Navigation

73

4.3 Setting Filter Values

77

4.4 Changing Query Settings at Runtime

80

4.5 Opening and Saving Queries at Runtime

82

4.6 The Rest of the Toolbar

84

4.7 The Context Menu

86

4.7.1 Back

86

4.7.2 Filter

86

4.7.3 Change Drilldown

87

4.7.4 Hierarchy

88

4.7.5 Broadcast and Export

89

4.7.6 Save View/Personalize Web App

90

4.7.7 Properties

91

4.7.8 Calculations and Translations

92

4.7.9 Documents

93

4.7.10 Sort

93

4.8 Summary: BEx Web Analyzer

94

5 Running Queries in Excel: Business Explorer (BEx) Analyzer

95

5.1 Starting BEx Analyzer

96

5.2 The Variable Screen: Excel Flavor

97

5.3 Query Navigation in BEx Analyzer

101

5.3.1 Drag-and-Drop Navigation

102

5.3.2 Double-Click Navigation and Direct Filter Entry

104

5.3.3 Navigational State in Query Properties

105

5.3.4 Context Menu Navigational Tools

107

5.4 Properties in BEx Analyzer

108

5.4.1 Query Properties

108

5.4.2 Characteristic Properties

109

5.4.3 Data Cell Properties

110

5.5 The BEx Analyzer Analysis Toolbar

110

5.5.1 Open and Save

111

5.5.2 Automatic Refresh

112

5.5.3 Change Variable Values

113

5.5.4 Tools

113

5.5.5 Global Settings

114

5.6 Summary: Running BW Queries in Excel

117

6 Developing Workbooks with BEx Analyzer Design Mode

119

6.1 Welcome to Design Mode!

119

6.2 DataProviders and Analysis Grids

121

6.2.1 DataProviders

121

6.2.2 Analysis Grid Properties

123

6.2.3 Clipping (Overflow Data Display)

128

6.2.4 Adding New Analysis Grids

131

6.3 Navigation Panes

135

6.3.1 General Properties

135

6.3.2 Selecting Dimensions

137

6.3.3 Navigation Pane Clipping

138

6.3.4 Display Settings

139

6.3.5 Adding New Navigation Panes

141

6.3.6 List of Filters

142

6.4 Buttons and Commands

143

6.4.1 The Command Wizard

143

6.4.2 Configuring and Fine-Tuning Commands

146

6.4.3 Buttons with Multiple Commands

149

6.4.4 Manually Adding Commands to Buttons

151

6.5 Dropdowns, Checkboxes, and Radio Buttons

154

6.5.1 Dropdown Boxes

154

6.5.2 Checkboxes and Radio Buttons

159

6.5.3 Choosing Which Filtering Control to Use

161

6.6 List of Conditions/Exceptions

163

6.7 Text Elements and System Messages

164

6.7.1 Text Item General Properties

164

6.7.2 Constant Text Elements

165

6.7.3 Displaying Global Filters

166

6.7.4 Displaying System Messages

168

6.8 Workbook Settings

169

6.8.1 General Workbook Properties

170

6.8.2 List of Data Providers

172

6.8.3 Settings for Variables

173

6.8.4 BEx Analyzer Themes

174

6.8.5 List of Design Items

177

6.8.6 Exits Tab and Visual basic for Applications (VBA) Integration

177

6.9 Summary: Workbook Design

181

7 Customizing Web-Based Analytics with Web Application Designer

183

7.1 Introducing Web Application Designer

184

7.2 Using the Pattern Wizard

185

7.2.1 Types of BI Patterns

185

7.2.2 Information Consumer Pattern

188

7.2.3 Small Web Template Patterns

194

7.2.4 Pattern Wizard Summary

200

7.3 Creating a Basic Web Template

201

7.3.1 Adding Web Items

203

7.3.2 Arranging Web Items

207

7.4 Adding Toolbars and Headers

213

7.4.1 Button Groups and Commands

213

7.4.2 Creating and Populating a Header

222

7.4.3 Putting It All Together in a Group

234

7.5 Hiding and Showing Web Items

239

7.5.1 Visibility Settings for Web Items

240

7.5.2 Adding a Dropdown Box

242

7.5.3 Nesting Container Layouts

253

7.5.4 Using Buttons to Show Items

257

7.5.5 Placing Items in Tab Pages

262

7.6 More Buttons and Commands

274

7.6.1 Making “Simple Views” of Web Items

275

7.6.2 Disabling Nonapplicable Buttons

279

7.6.3 Adding Icons to Buttons

282

7.7 A Brief Overview of the Analysis Pattern Template

284

7.8 Summary: Web Application Designer

290

8 The Web Application Designer Reference

293

8.1 Standard Web Items

293

8.1.1 Common Display Properties

294

8.1.2 Analysis Item

294

8.1.3 Chart Item

299

8.1.4 Report Item

300

8.1.5 Navigation Pane Item

301

8.1.6 Filter Pane Item

302

8.1.7 Button Group Item

304

8.1.8 Dropdown Item

305

8.1.9 Radio Button and Checkbox Group Items

306

8.1.10 List Box Item

308

8.1.11 Hierarchical Filter Item

309

8.2 Advanced Web Items

310

8.2.1 Web Template Item

310

8.2.2 Container Layout Item

311

8.2.3 Container Item

312

8.2.4 Tab Pages Item

313

8.2.5 Group Item

315

8.2.6 Single Document and List of Documents

316

8.2.7 Map Item

318

8.2.8 System Messages Item

319

8.2.9 Info Field Item

320

8.2.10 Input Field Item

321

8.3 Miscellaneous Web Items

322

8.3.1 List of Conditions Item

323

8.3.2 List of Exceptions Item

323

8.3.3 Data Provider — Information Item

324

8.3.4 Text Item

325

8.3.5 Link Item

325

8.3.6 Menu Bar Item

326

8.3.7 Properties Pane Item

328

8.3.8 Ticker Item

330

8.3.9 Context Menu Item

331

8.3.10 Script Item

332

8.3.11 Custom Extension Item

334

8.4 DataProviders

334

8.5 Menu Bar Functionality

336

8.5.1 HTML Tables

336

8.5.2 Adding Images

337

8.6 Web Template Properties

338

8.7 BW Web API Commands

341

8.8 Summary: Web Application Designer Reference

347