A comprehensive guide to

SAP NetWeaver Business

Intelligence query and
report development tools
Dr. Bjarne Berg
2008 Wellesley Information Services. All rights reserved.

In This Session ...

This is a comprehensive guide to SAP NetWeaver
Business Intelligence presentation tools
We 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 Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
44

The BW Toolset
BW 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.
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What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
66

The BEx Query Designer in BW 3.5

The 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.
7

BEx Query Designer gets a needed facelift in BI 7.0

This new property pane makes it
easier to format and control
displays than in the past.

The 3.5x BEx Query

Designer

The NW2004s BEx

Query Designer
Note:
8

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.

Tip
To use this tool you
need BEx installed

BEx web Analyzer integrates Excel

The Excel integration in the BEx
analyzer is far better.

Source: SAP AG, 2006

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)

News: BEx browser

goes away in NW2004s
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What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
1111

APD Analysis Process Designer and data mining

SAP 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 files
Database tables
Data Store Objects (new name for ODS)
Infocubes
BW queries

Since BW 3.5, APD has

been integrated with the
Data Mining Workbench.
You can access it though
the transaction code
RSDMWB
Image: SAP, UK

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DW version 2.0

In 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).

13

Images: Bhanu Gupta, ASUG 2005 Illinois chapter

APD Analysis Process Designer and data mining

Complex scenarios can be built
for structured analysis such as
risk modeling, customer
segmentation, market basket
analysis, predictive modeling
and much more

New data based on the

findings can be loaded back
into data targets and used
by others for reporting i.e.
CRM analysis.

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What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
1515

Visual Composer
A 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.

16

Visual Composer for Complex cockpits

Modeling 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
connectors
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Image source: Cubeserv

Details about Visual Composer Cockpits

Delivered

as part of Enterprise Portal in SAP NetWeaver 2004s Usage

Type (SPS8 and higher)
Different options available for rendering Visual Composer output
Flash
Web 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
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Visual Composer Data Methods

Can integrate data from multiple data sources, including

SAP and non-SAP systems, into one model
Different options available for data access include:

BI Extension Kit
Remote Function Call (RFC)
Web services

BI Extension Kit allows access

to the following DataSources

SAP NetWeaver 2004 BI

(BW 3.5 Support Package 14)
SAP NetWeaver 2004s
JDBC
XMLA
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Visual Composer DataProviders

You can use BI queries and views as DataProviders for

Visual Composer models
You 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

20

Visual Composer is Easy for Power Users to Learn

Visual 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).
No coding required to
create great-looking
Web-based cockpits

Take advantage of prebuilt

analytic business packages
21
Source: SAP

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
22

BEx Web Application Designer (WAD)

BEx Analyzer/
Query Designer

BEx Web Application Designer

WAD is an intuitive
tool to build powerful
web applications and
to interact with portals
and custom templates.

OLAP Processor
Web Service
Charting Engine

Web Browser

HTLM Templates

InfoProvider

BW queries can be
manipulated in WAD
for better display

23

Web Application Designer for custom applications

WAD 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.

24

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 stepby-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

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.

25

SAP NetWeaver 2004s Web AD New Features

Web Items: Tab Pages, Button, Script Item (SAP NetWeaver 2004s
Support Package Stack 7)

Drag and drop using Analysis item

New chart types (heat map, Gantt, milestone trend analysis)

Export BI Web applications in PDF format

Command Wizard for generating Web

API commands

Integration with SAP NetWeaver 2004s

BEx Report Designer for formatted
reports

26

BI Web API Commands

You 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 downs
Command Wizards guide you through the steps for creating a BI Web
API command
Commands appear together for easy access
Data Provider
Web Items
Web Templates
Reduces the amount of custom
coding required with the help of
Command wizards, Auto complete,
and support for HTML tags

27

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
28
standard JavaScript

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
2929

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 AG

We 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.

30

BEx Report Designer is new in BI 7.0

Customizable font styles (i.e. bold,

italic), colors, etc.

Group-level changes with individual

formatting

Layout options, e.g.: Height of rows,

width of columns

Multi-line column headers

Flexible field positioning

Merging cells

Support for hierarchies

Rules for the presentation of special

characteristic values

Integration of text, pictures, and charts

Header and footer for reports

For many, this tool may reduce the

need for 3rd party tools to address
structured reports.
31

Crystal Report is still available

With 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.

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What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
3333

Web Cockpit in the Portal

You can integrate queries
and Web applications into
the portal through
publishing, broadcasting,
or Web calls
Publishing

The portal can either

receive designed pages
passively or actively
create communities, Web
pages, collaboration
rooms, or cockpits
Broadcasting

34

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

35

Web AD Cockpits in SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0

You 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

36

Broadcast Cockpit Views and Templates Using WAD

In 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

37

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
3838

BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits in SAP BI 7.0

BI 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.

Java 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
39

Source: SAP AG, 2005

BI Java SDK-Based Cockpits (cont.)

SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio can develop BI Java SDK-based

applications
Can use along with SAP Java Web Dynpro

Tip Interested

developers should
familiarize
themselves with
SAP NetWeaver
Developer Studio

40

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
41

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)

42

Visual Composer 7.0 Portal Publishing

Visual 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.
43

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
44

Web Tools

Query tools

Deciding which reporting tool is right for you

Workbooks

Web
reports

Fixed
format

Web
Applications

-/

-/

Bex Broadcaster

Crystal Reports

Query Designer
Ad-hoc query designer
Web Application
Designer
Visual Composer
Analysis Process
Designer

Other tools

Broadcaster -wizard

Vizualization

Distribution

-/
-/

-/

-/

-/

Models

* Through embedded Bex Broadcaster

45

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 mistake
The 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

46

Tool Access Who should do what..

Other tools

Web Tools

Query tools

There are many options and decisions to be made

on who should be able to access all the different
Regular
Power
BW
tools.
Authors Developers Admins
users
users
Query Designer
Ad-hoc query designer
Web Application
Designer

-/
-

-/
-/
-

-/

-/

Broadcaster -wizard

Bex Broadcaster

-/

-/

Crystal Reports

-/

Visual Composer
Analysis Process
Designer

47

What Well Cover

The SAP BI Tool Revolution

SAP NetWeaver BI Query Designer

Analysis Process Designer (APD),
SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC)
Web Application Designer (WAD)
Report Designer
Web publishing
Java Server pages (JSP) and the old Business Server Pages (BSP)

Using more than one tool together

Empowering the users a mind shift

Who Should get access

Wrap-up
48

Resources

SAP Documents - Interfaces for Enterprise Reporting, Query,

and Analysis, May 2007,

Presentantions and Tutorials

www.COMERIT.net

SAP BI - Netweaver2004s - what is New? SDN presentation

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uui
d/f52e9cc1-0d01-0010-d88b-d808b69391a4

http://cscstudentweb.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

49

7 points to take home

1. Pick the right tools based on what you want to accomplish.

everything in the world is a nail, when you only have a hammer

2. 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 organization
5. Consider integrating more than one tool for you analytical needs
6. 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.

50

Your Turn!

How to contact me:

Dr. Bjarne Berg
bberg@comerit.net
51