Embedded & Standard Dimension Sharing

[JonathanC]

We have an existing set of BPC models (NW 10.1) that we're moving onto a HANA platform.  We'll keep them as standard models, but will be implementing a new embedded model.

The new embedded model will need to share dimensions with some that have already been created for the standard models.

I wanted to see what the best approach is to re-using those existing dimensions for use in the embedded model.

The shared dimensions are loaded from SAP, but the BPC administrator also adds extra members and property values via the BPC admin tool.

Should we re-use the BPC-generated InfoObjects?  Create a virtual layer over the top of the BPC-generated InfoObjects?  Any other ideas?  We'd like to keep the master-data maintenance to a minimum and do it in one place.

Thanks.

[gregor_dieckmann]

Hi Jonathan,

the basic idea of BPC Embedded is not to add additional layers but to remove layers. BPC Standard is a data mart solution on top of BW, i.e. master data, hierarchies and transaction data have to be copied from BW layer to BPC generated BW objects. BPC Embedded directly works on BW data models.

In my opinion it makes no sense to create a new virtual layer based on BPC generated InfoObjects, all the more these objects follow a different life cycle (BPC owned versus BW owned, not to mention problems with stables names in BPC Standard).

One I idea can be to use the original BW objects in BPC Embedded that you use as source for master data and maybe hierarchy in BPC Standard. You mention that you create additional master data values in BPC Standard. In BPC embedded you have the option to create these additional values in BW or you can extend BW characteristics (no copy of master data) and use the extended characteristic in local InfoProviders in BPC Embedded.

Regards,

Gregor

[JonathanC]

Hi Gregor,

Thanks for your reply.  Totally agree that we don't want to add an additional layer if we can avoid it, but we have a system where one or two super-users are happy to go into BPC and edit master data in the web interface.  We don't particularly want to give them access to RSA1, so they would then need to get IT support to do the master data changes, where previously they didn't.

I think we'll have to see what is acceptable with the business and weigh up the pros and cons.

Regards,

Jonathan