ADVANTAGES WHEN USING FIELDS:

• If the query contains fields, it can be processed key -based in SAP HANA
• Using fields can enhance the flexibility and range of the data warehouse, when the data
volume is small.
DISADVANTAGES WHEN USING FIELDS
• The services for InfoObjects (attributes and hierarchies for example) are not available for
fields.
• Validity characteristics for DataStore objects (advanced) with non-cumulative key figures
must be InfoObjects.
• InfoObject attributes must be InfoObjects
• A field-based key figure cannot be an exception aggregation
• Planning queries on DataStore objects (advanced) are only supported with fields as read-
only
• If fields are used in the query, the InfoProviders can only be read sequentially
• In the query on a CompositeProvider, not all data types for fields are supported (ex.
maximum length for fields is 20 characters)
Defining Keys for a ADSO
Also, in this tab we select which fields make up the keys of our ADSO. To define a key, click on
Manage Keys button.

KEY FIELDS
There are 2 types of keys: Primary and Foreign key

Advantages of using Key fields:

• uniquely identify a record in a table.
• Key Fields cannot be NULL
• Used to link two tables
• Main purpose of a foreign key is data validation.
• Read Master Data: using the input field value as a key, you can read the value of a
Characteristic attribute belonging to a specified Characteristic
• Read from advanced DataStore: using the input field value(s) as a (compounded) key,
you can read the data fields of a specified advanced DataStore Object (DSO)
• Somethings that you don’t wish for is that, 2 records with the same key, BW/4HANA
overwrites all the characteristics of the record with the characteristics of the lastly loaded
record
Disadvantage of not using Key fields:
• Records are not uniquely identified =>Duplicates records allowed
• Performance affected
BENEFITS OF USING A ADSO INSTEAD OF A CLASSIC DSO:
• Simplification of object types
• Can behave like 4 Objects from the classic BW
• Flexibility in data modeling
• Modeling your ADSO using the Reporting Layer settings
• Performance of data loads and activation is optimized for HANA as ADSO is a HANA
native object.