SAP Business Intelligence

An Overview
Jahmiu Tewogbade / Solution Consultant
January 2018
Agenda

• SAP Business Intelligence Vision

• SAP BW and BI Introduction
• Data Warehousing and SAP BW
• Data Acquisition in SAP BI
• InfoProviders
• Process Chain
• Reporting
• SAP BusinessObjects BI

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SAP Business Intelligence

Vision
Business Intelligence mission

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New challenges with the data…

Velocity :-)
Brand Sentiment Fraud Detection Risk Mitigation, Real-time
Higher NPS Lower Risk Retain Market Value
Instant Messages CRM Data
Mobile Customer
Things Asset Tracking Personalized Care Product Recommendation
Demand
Increase Productivity Loyal Customers More Sales
Sales Order
Transactions Opportunities
Planning Inventory

Volume Variety Propensity to Churn

Greater Retention
Real-time Demand/
Supply Forecast
360O Customer View
Loyal Customers
More Efficient

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… cause a growing gap

Mobile

Bigger. Faster. Social.

Simple

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SAP’s vision is to build a network of truth

DATA
PEOPLE

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Everyone can consume and contribute

Local
View

Local Local
View View
Developer

Enterprise
Local Information Local
View View
Assets Decision
Powered by SAP HANA Maker

Local Local
Analyst View View

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SAP BI Strategic Priorities

Core Creative Mobile Extreme Social

 Scalable  Connect IT and  Expand BI to all  Big data  Information
Platform departments users  Real time in context
 Complete BI  Fast time to  Deliver content  Predictive  Capture the
suite value at point of decisions
impact

Innovation without disruption

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SAP BW and BI Introduction

 Introduction: SAP BW and BI

SAP Business Warehouse (BW) integrates data from different sources, transforms and consolidates
the data, does data cleansing, and storing of data as well. It also includes data modeling, administration
and staging area.

SAP Business Intelligence (BI) means analyzing and reporting of data from different heterogeneous
data sources. It allows you to acquire data from multiple data sources, data staging, which can be
further distributed to different BI systems. A SAP Business Intelligence system can work as a target
system for data transfer or source system for distribution of data to different BI targets.

The data in SAP BW is managed with the help of a centralized tool known as SAP BI Administration
Workbench. The BI platform provides infrastructure and functions which include −

OLAP Processor, Metadata Repository and Process designer and other functions.

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SAP BI Architecture

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History of SAP BI

In 1997, SAP had first introduced a product for reporting, analysis and data warehousing and it was
named as Business Warehouse Information System (BIW). Later, the name was changed from
SAP BIW to SAP Business Warehouse (BW). After SAP acquired Business Objects, the name of the
product has been changed to SAP BI.

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Data Warehousing and

SAP BW
Basic Concept of Data Warehousing: Star Shema

A data warehouse is a system with its own database. It draws data from diverse sources and is
designed to support query and analysis. To facilitate data retrieval for analytical processing, we use a
special database design technique called a star schema.

Star Schema:

The star schema derives its name from its graphical representation—that is, it looks like a star. A fact
table appears in the middle of the graphic, along with several surrounding dimension tables. The
central fact table is usually very large, measured in gigabytes. It is the table from which we retrieve the
interesting data. The size of the dimension tables amounts to only 1 to 5 percent of the size of the fact
table. Common dimensions are unit and time, Foreign keys tie the fact table to the dimension tables. 

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Basic Concept of Data Warehousing: ETL

ETL - Extracting, Transforming, and Loading Data

Besides the difference in designing the database, building a data warehouse involves a critical task
that does not arise in building an OLTP system: to extract, transfer, transform, and load (ETTL) data
from diverse data sources into the data warehouse 

• The process of the extracting data from Source systems and making it useful for our needs is ETL

• ETL is not a one time process as new data is added to warehouse periodically . ETL is integral,
ongoing, and recurring part of the warehouse.

• ETL Creates a logical and physical separation between the source system and data warehouse.

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Basic Concept of Data Warehousing: Business Content
Business Content

Business Content is a pre-configured set of role and task-relevant information models based on
consistent metadata in the SAP Business Information Warehouse. Business Content provides
selected roles within a company with the information they need to carry out their tasks.

Objects Delivered

SAP Business Information Warehouse delivers pre-configured objects under the collective term
“Business Content”. These objects speed up the implementation of the SAP Business Information
Warehouse because they deliver complete solutions for business information requests.

Business Content Objects includes:

SAP ECC R/3 extractor programs, DataSources, Process chains, InfoObjects, InfoSources,
Data targets (InfoCubes and ODS objects), Variables, Data mining models, Queries
Workbooks Crysta,l Reports, Web templates, Roles etc.

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Star Schema and ETL Concepts

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Data Acquisition in SAP BI

Data Acquisition in SAP BI: Source Systems

SAP BI allows you to acquire data from multiple data sources that can be distributed to different BI
systems. A SAP Business Intelligence system can work as a target system for data transfer or source
system for distribution of data to different BI targets.

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Data Acquisition in SAP BI: Data Flow

Data flow in data acquisition involves transformation, info package for loading to PSA, and data
transfer process for distribution of data within BI. In SAP BI, you determine which data source fields
are required for decision making and should be transferred.

When you activate the data source, a PSA table is generated in SAP BW and then data can be
loaded.

In the transformation process, fields are determined for InfoObjects and their values. This is done by
using the DTP data which is transferred from PSA to different target objects.

The transformation process involves the following different steps −

Data Consolidation

Data Cleansing

Data Integration
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Typical Data Flow in SAP BI

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Data Acquisition in SAP BI: Datasource

Data Source is a set of fields that are provided to transfer data into BI

1. DataSource for transaction data

2. DataSource for master data

DataSources for transferring data from SAP source systems are defined in the source system; the
relevant information of the DataSources is copied to the BI system by replication.

When you activate the DataSource, the system generates a PSA table in the entry layer of BI. You can
then load data into the PSA.

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InfoProviders
InfoProviders: Definition

Info Provider is a general term used to denote the data targets into which the data is loaded physically
or virtually in SAP BW.

 Types of InfoProviders in SAP BW:

InfoObjects - Basic building block

DSO - Store granular data

InfoCube - To store aggregated data

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InfoProviders: InfoArea and InfoObjects

InfoArea in SAP BI is used to group similar types of objects together. InfoArea is used to manage
InfoCubes and InfoObjects. Each InfoObject resides in an InfoArea and you can define it in a folder
which is used to hold similar files together.

InfoObjects are known as the smallest unit in SAP BI and are used in InfoProviders, DSO’s, Multi
providers, etc. Each InfoProvider contains multiple InfoObjects.

InfoObjects are used in reports to analyze the data stored and to provide information to the decision
makers. InfoObjects can be categorized into the following categories −

Characteristics like Customer, Product, etc.

Units like Quantity sold, currency, etc.

Key Figures like Total Revenue, Profit, etc.

Time characteristics like Year, quarter, etc.

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InfoProviders: DataStore Objects & Types

A DSO (DataStore Object) is known as the storage place to keep cleansed and consolidated
transaction or master data at the lowest granularity level and this data can be analyzed using the BEx
query.

A DataStore Object contains key figures and the characteristic fields and data from a DSO can be
updated using Delta update or other DataStore objects or even from the master data. These
DataStore Objects are commonly stored in two dimensional transparent database tables. It consists of

Activation Queue − This is used to store the data before it is activated. The key contains request id,
package id and record number. Once the activation is done, the request is deleted from the activation
queue.

Active Data Table − This table is used to store the current active data and this table contains the
semantic key defined for data modeling.

Change Log − When you activate the object, changes done to the active data are re-stored in this
change log. A change log is a PSA table and is maintained in Administration Workbench under the
PSA tree.
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Types of DataStore Objects

You can define the DataStore Objects into the following types −

Standard DSO, Direct Update DSO and Write-Optimized DSO

Type Structure Data Supply SID Generation

Standard DataStore Consists of three From data transfer Yes

Object tables: activation process
queue, table of
active data, change
log

Write-Optimized Consists of the table From data transfer No

Data Store Objects of Active data only process

DataStore Objects Consists of the table From APIs No

for Direct Update of Active data only

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InfoProviders: InfoCube

An InfoCube is defined as a multidimensional dataset which is used for analysis in a BEx query. An
InfoCube consists of a set of relational tables which are logically joined to implement the star schema.
A fact table in the star schema is joined with multiple dimension tables.

You can add data from one or more InfoSource or InfoProviders to an InfoCube. They are available as
InfoProviders for analysis and reporting purposes.

InfoCube Structure: An InfoCube is used to store the data physically. It consists of a number of
InfoObjects that are filled with data from staging. It has the structure of an extended star schema.

An InfoCube consists of a fact table which is surrounded by 16 dimension tables and master data that
is lying outside the cube. It is a self-enclosed data set encompassing one or more related business
processes. A reporting user can define or execute queries against an info cube.

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InfoProviders: MultiProvider

A MultiProvider is known as an InfoProvider that allows you to combine data from multiple
InfoProviders and makes it available for reporting purposes.

Features

• A MultiProvider doesn’t contain any data for reporting and analysis comes from InfoProviders
directly on which the MultiProvider is based.

• These InfoProviders are connected with each other by a Union operation.

• You can report and analyze the data based on multiple InfoProviders.

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MultiProvider Structure

A MultiProvider consists of the following different combinations of InfoProvider types −

• InfoObject

• InfoCube

• DataStore Object

• Virtual Provider

To combine the data, a Union operation is used in a MultiProvider. Here, the system constructs the
union set of the data sets involved and all the values of these data sets are combined.

In an InfoSet you create the dataset using joins. These joins only combine values that appear in both
tables. As compared to a Union, joins form the intersection of the tables.

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MultiProvider

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Process Chain
SAP BW - Process Chain

In SAP BI Data Warehouse Management, it is possible to schedule a sequence of processes in the

background for an event and few of these processes can trigger a separate event to start the other
processes.

• A process chain provides the following benefits to you in a SAP BI system −

• They can be used to centrally manage and control the processes.

• You can visualize the processes by using graphics.

• Using event controlled processing, you can automate the complex schedules.

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Structure of a Process Chain

Each process chain consists of the following components −

Start Process

Individual application Processes

Collection Processes

The start process is used to define the start condition of a process chain and all other chain processes
are scheduled to wait for an event. The application processes are the processes that are defined in a
sequence and are the actual processes in a BI system. They can be categorized as −

Load Process, Reporting agent Process,

Data target administration process and Other BI processes

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Start Process for Designing a Process Chain

The start process is used to define the start condition of a process chain. You can start a process
chain at the specified time or after an event that is triggered by a start process.

A start of the process chain can also be configured using a metachain. If the start condition of a
process chain is integrated with another process chain, this is known as a metachain.

Following are the key features of a Start Process −

In a process chain, only a start process can be scheduled without a predecessor process.

You can define only one start process for each process chain.

A start process can’t be a successor of another process.

You can use a start process only in a single process chain.

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SAP BI Reporting
Reporting

In a SAP BI system, you can analyze and report on the selected InfoProviders data using drag and
drop or context menu to navigate in the queries created in the BEx query designer.

In Today’s competitive market, the most successful companies respond quickly and flexibly to market
changes and opportunities. A key to this response is the effective and efficient use of data and
information by analysts and managers. A “Data Warehouse” is a repository of historical data that are
organized by subject to support decision makers in the organization. Once data are stored in a data
mart or warehouse, they can be accessed.

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BEx

SAP Business Explorer (SAP BEx) provides the set of tools to perform reporting, query analysis to
support strategic decision. This tool provides a lot of queries and report designing functions. You can
also develop Web applications on top of the SAP BI content using BEx Web Application Designer
(WAD). Using the BEx Broadcast option, you can also broadcast the objects that are created using
Business Explorer in email or in the form of a URL.

The following tools are available under SAP Business Explorer:

• Analyzer

• Query Designer

• Report Designer

• Web Application Designer

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Architecture: SAP BEx and BusinessObjects

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SAP BusinessObjects BI
SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Suite

Information Access
through Mobile app, web portals, MS Office and cloud

Self-service Dashboards and Apps Reporting

Business Intelligence Platform

Universe Semantic Layer

ERP: SAP Business BW,TeraData,

Oracle, DB2, MS SQL and many Unstructured data in
Suite and other ERPs other DWs OLAP Cubes MS Excel
other DBs Social Media and Hadoop
SAP HANA Platform

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SAP BusinessObjects client tools

Build Custom Experiences

Dashboards
and Apps

Self-service Reporting

Distribute Information
Discover. Predict. Create.

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Self-service: Discover. Predict. Create.

Agility for business analysts and business users Portfolio

 Discover trends, outliers and areas of interest in your business
 Lumira / Predictive Analysis
 Adapt to business scenarios by combining, manipulating, and enriching
 Explorer
data
 Analysis
 Tell your story with self-service visualizations and analytics
 Forecast and predict future outcomes

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Dashboards and Apps

Build engaging, visual dashboards Portfolio

 Powerful environment to build interactive and visually appealing
 Design Studio
analytics
 Dashboards (aka Xcelsius)
 Rich set of controls: buttons, list boxes, drop-down, crosstabs, charts…

 Use custom code to extend and build workflows

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Reporting: share information

High productivity design for report designers Portfolio

 Quickly build formatted reports on any data source
 Web Intelligence
 Securely distribute reports both internally and externally
 Crystal Reports
 Minimize IT support costs by empowering end users
to easily create and modify their own reports

 Enhance custom applications with embedded reports

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SAP Mobile BI
Top Downloaded Mobile Application for Business
SAP BusinessObjects Mobile

Over 500,000 downloads on iTunes!

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One BI app SAP BusinessObjects Mobile

Access following new additional content types

SAP BusinessObjects SAP BusinessObjects SAP BusinessObjects

Web Intelligence Dashboards SAP Crystal Reports Design Studio

SAP BusinessObjects Mobile

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Predictive Analytics with SAP
Transforming the Future with Insight Today

Unleash the value of Big Data through the

power of SAP HANA
• Employ in-database predictive algorithms
• Access 3,500+ open-source algorithms via R
integration for SAP HANA

Intuitively design and visualize complex

predictive models, also without SAP HANA!
• SAP Predictive Analysis software

Bring predictive insight to everyone in the

business
• Embed within business applications
• Extend into BI and reports
• Insight into events instantly delivered to
dashboards, alerts, and mobile devices
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SAP BusinessObjects Analysis & Design Studio
The Premium Alternative to BEx

Analytical Applications AdHoc OLAP

Design Studio Analysis, Edition for OLAP

• Premium Alternative to BEx Web App Designer • Dedicated Ad-Hoc OLAP client for
• Design studio for power users to create business users to analyze OLAP data
purpose-built OLAP analysis & planning apps and share it with others
Web

• Mobile support • Seamless interoperability between

• Customer- and SAP-delivered content designer and ad-hoc client
• Supporting SAP BW & SAP HANA
• Supporting SAP BW & SAP HANA sources
sources + 3rd party OLAP

Analysis, Edition for Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office

• IT / Developers, Data Analysts, Business Users

• Excel-based OLAP analysis
• Excel-based BI applications
• Live PowerPoint presentations
• Supporting SAP BW & SAP HANA sources

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Analysis & Design Studio
Designed for BW, BW on HANA & Native HANA Scenarios

Analysis
Design Studio

MDX BICS
BW Application
Universe

BICS MDX SQL

BW-managed schema Any schema

SAP HANA

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SAP® BusinessObjects™ Analysis, Edition for Microsoft Office
Multidimensional Analysis of SAP BW and SAP HANA

Target User Groups:

Create live PowerPoint
presentations
BI Professional
Business User

Modern and familiar

Microsoft Office user
experience

Build powerful Excel

workbook BI applications Support BW-Integrated
Planning
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SAP® BusinessObjects™ Design Studio
Powerful analytical & planning apps on SAP BW and HANA

Target User Groups:

Direct Access to BW and
HANA via BICS
IT
Key Users
Designers

Eclipse-based application
design environment

iPad Apps

Premium alternative to State of the art rendering:

BEx WAD HTML5
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Thank you
Contact information:

Jahmiu Tewogbade
Solution Consultant

+234 802 563 8379, jahmiuadekunle@gmail.com

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