How to retract XL texts to BW - BPC 10.1 classic on BW 7.4

[RonaldV]

Hello,

In my project we are using BPC 10.1 classic implementation on BW 7.4.

In BPC long texts (>300 chars) are stored. These are stored on/as a property of a dimension object.

These texts need to be visible in BO WEBI reports build on a BW cube.

Context:

We have created a reporting cube on BW side with new info objects created on BW side, so we are not re-using BPC info objects/cubes on BW side.

Reporting will be done on this reporting cube to avoid performance loss by reporting direct on the BPC cube.

Data is replicated from BPC cube to BW reporting cube. Transaction data is retracted by using the Data manager.

But the data inserted on BPC side in dimensions and properties of dimensions also needs to be retracted to BW info objects (id's, attibutes, texts etc).

Part of this master data are the long texts (>300 chars) mentioned above.

Normally in BW 7.4 long texts are stored as XL text in the info object, but BPC seems to work different with storing these texts (when I look at the object of the property XL text is not used).

I have 2 questions:

-What is best practice of retracting master data from BPC to BW?

     I understood that BPC Data manager cannot be used for master data retraction to BW.

     I understood that using direct connection with BW transformation to BPC objects is not a good option.

    So is the only option / best practice here using a retraction BAdI?

-How/where does BPC store long texts and how can I retract these long texts from BPC to BW?

   I understood that BPC uses kind of a reference ID for long texts, but I cannot find any detailed info on this topic,

Regards,

Ronald

[Former Member]

Hi Ronald,

Before answering your questions....I have few questions for you...like Why have you not thought about using BEX queries on top of BPC cube or virtual BPC cube created(when ticked "Use as Source of Data") for WEBI reporting? BICS connection.

Have you checked this?

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/e0e85a95-378e-3010-d4bd-ecb37847b...

If you are planning to get long text of property from BPC and loading them to text of an infoobject(navigation attribute probably) then how do you plan to link the text to ID of master Infoobject/characteristic? Characteristic ID is linked to navigation attribute ID. In your case I don't think >300 length ID is preferable. Hope your getting my point.

Regards,

JP

[RonaldV]

Hello JP,

regarding your questions:

"Why have you not thought about using BEX queries on top of BPC cube or virtual BPC cube "

1. for performance reasons we do not want to run reporting against the BPC cube, therefore we created a reporting cube on BW side.

2. BPC data/ Reporting cube is also used in combination with other data, and therefore just addressing the virtual cube would not give all required reporting info.

"If you are planning to get long text of property from BPC and loading them to text of an infoobject(navigation attribute probably) then how do you plan to link the text to ID of master Infoobject/characteristic? Characteristic ID is linked to navigation attribute ID. In your case I don't think >300 length ID is preferable."

As I understand BPC does not store the long text in the attribute itself (since an attr cannot store more than 250 chars), but uses a reference value to the text in the attribute and then the BPC logic shows the long text by retrieving it via the reference ID .....from somewhere.

"In your case I don't think >300 length ID is preferable." I think that answers alsy your remark, I don't think BPC stores a >300char ID, it stores a reference ID (max 60 char) that refers to the larger text.

If I know the place the text is stored with the link to the attr I assume I can retrieve it and load it to BW object and fill the Long text there.
So on BW side the ref ID would be  the object ID and the long text would be inserted as XL text field (max 1333 chars)

But this is the reason of my 2nd question, I know BPC stores these texts somewhere and there must be a relationship to the property , but where it is stored and how it is related tot the property/attr value is not entirely clear to me.

[Former Member]

Ronald, definately you have done more research on the long text storage, and I was also trying to understand it from my system but couldnt get it. My advice would be if you are planning on this approach only then approach SAP Support!

Else I definitely know that virtual cube option is the SAP best pratice and wont have any performance issues. If you have some other data to combine with it...combine it through multiprovider. For BEX Query approach too, you can craete a BEX query on a BPC multiprovider not the standard cube. I have worked with this approach and is not hard on performance. Perhaps I would suggest just try this once in your system and see.

Hope it helps..

Regards,

JP

[RonaldV]

@ JP, tnx for your support and tips.

I understand your set-up and I will keep your multiprovider/virtual provider option in mind.

As I cannot use the BPC objects in the existing BW dataflows I will need objects on BW side which are the counterparts/mirrors of BPC objects. This would also be required in case of multiprovider object mapping.

So looking at our current situation/requirement I still see the need for masterdata replication

to BW master data counterparts of BPC objects. And the retraction of XL texts.

Is there anyone else with experience on replicating masterdata  / XL texts from BPC to BW?