Information needed on Business Objects

[Former Member]

Hi Sdners,

As an initial step in learning business objects, I need to know answers for below questions.

1.Can you please tell me what are the versions of BO till now. I have checked BO XI 3.0 and BO XI 3.1. Why here XI is mentioned?

2.Is it mandatory to create a Universe before creating any WebI or Crystal Reports.Cant we create WebI or Crystal directly?

Thanks,

Swathi

[denis_konovalov · Accepted solution]

1. Current version of Business Objects Enterprise is Xi3.1 (service pack 3 is the latest Service pack)

Previous versions are Bo5.x, Bo6.x, BOE XI, BOXIR2

nevest release is Xi4.0 - it is in ramp-up stage , general release later this year...

2. You have to have universe to use Webi reports, you don't have to have universe to create CR reports.

With Xi3.1 Sp2 and up you can create webi reports on local xls files and other non-universe data providers, but it's a very limited functionality, to report of all major DB's you'll need universe.

CR reports can connect directly to a Db by-passing any semantic layer.

http://help.sap.com/businessobjects - look for Webi user guide and other docs.

p.s.

XI is mentioned as all post 6.5 architecture is based on XI , it is a common family name. We're on 4th generation of the XI architecture.

Edited by: Denis Konovalov on Jan 31, 2011 2:08 PM

[Former Member]

Hi Swathi, the latest version of BusinessObjects is SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.1 ServicePack 3. Prior to SAP's acquisition of Business Objects SA, Business Objects released version 11 which was translated to Roman letter of XI. SAP continues to use this name until now. But a new version is just around the corner. It is called SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.0 (SAP replaced the word XI with BI) and will be available around June this year. The virtual launch (NOT actual release to public) is scheduled on Feb 23 and you can sign up at http://virtualevents.sap.com/business-analytics/login.aspx

WebI needs universe to connect to the data source, unless you are using the WebI Rich Client. For Crystal Report, you have the option to either go through a universe or access the data directly through database driver. But SAP recommends to use universe on all of your reporting tools.

Hope this clarifies.

[Former Member]

Here's a complete timeline for Business Objects releases

• 1990: BusinessObjects launches Skipper SQL 2.0.x.

• 1994: Launches BusinessObjects v3.0 and goes public on the NASDAQ in September u2014 the first French company listed in the United States.[5]

• 1996: Enters the OLAP market and launches BusinessObjects v4.0. Bernard Liautaud named one of Business Week's "Hottest Entrepreneurs of the Year."

• 1997: Introduces WebI thin client, which enables shared information across an extranet.

• 1999: General Electric (GE) begins working with the company.[citation needed] Business Objects goes public in France on the Premier Marché. Acquires Next Action Technologies.

• 2000: Acquires OLAP@Work for approximately $15 million and announces MDX Connect from this acquisition.

• 2001: SAP signs an OEM and reseller agreement to bundle Crystal Reports. Acquires Blue Edge Software.

• 2001: Signs up its single largest global software licensing transaction with Three formerly known as Hutchison 3G.

• 2002: Acquires Acta Technologies. Bernard Liautaud named to Business Week's "Stars of Europe," and the company is named one of the "100 Fastest Growing Tech Companies" by Business 2.0. Informatica files a lawsuit against Acta, claiming patent rights infringement.

• 2003: Acquires Crystal Decisions for $820 million. Business Objects releases Dashboard Manager, BusinessObjects Enterprise 6, and BusinessObjects Performance Manager.

• 2004: Debuts new combined company with the slogan, "Our Future is Clear, Crystal Clear." Launches Crystal v10 and BusinessObjects v6.5.

• 2005: Launches BusinessObjects XI. Acquires SRC Software, Infommersion, and Medience. Launches BusinessObjects Enterprise XI Release 2.

• 2006: Business Objects acquires Firstlogic, Inc and Nsite Software, Inc.

• 2006: Acquires ALG Software (formerly Armstrong Laing Group). Launches Crystal Xcelsius, which allows users to transform Microsoft Excel spreadsheet data into interactive Flash media files.

• 2007: Continuing its string of acquisitions, Business Objects acquires Cartesis and Inxight.

• 2007: In October, SAP AG's Chief Executive Henning Kagermann announced a $6.8 billion deal to acquire Business Objects.

• 2008: In January, SAP absorbs all of Business Objects' offices, and renames the entity "Business Objects, an SAP company". Following the acquisition of Business Objects by SAP, the founder and CEO of Business Objects, Bernard Liautaud, announces his resignation.

• 2009: Business Objects becomes a division of SAP instead of a separate company. The portfolio brand "SAP BusinessObjects" was created. All former BO employees now officially work for SAP.

yes, it is mandatory to create universe because the data base have the information about your complete project. so cannot retrive all data,make only required data from database to desigining the universe.

the universe is a layer that maintain the RDBMS tables and is restrict the data from corporated data

All the best.

Praveen

[Former Member]

Good Information Praveen...!!!