- SAP Managed Tags:
In the previous blogs (Part 1, Part 2) we configured the integration of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud in combination with our SAP BW 7.5 System. After installing the DP Agent and setting up the connection, we can now connect to our SAP BW system and leverage our existing BW assets.
We will now use that connection to SAP BW and create our first view.
For our example, we will use a simple BW Query based on the SAP NetWeaver Demo cube, to then see how the elements of the BW Query are being transferred to SAP Data Warehouse Cloud in form of a remote connection.
Our BW Query is relatively simple:
As you can see, we have three key figures (one of them being a formula), and eleven characteristics / dimension in the BW query. Where the elements are being place doesn't matter for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, as we are creating a remote table in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud.
Before we can now use this BW query as a remote source in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, we have to ensure that the Query has been configured as an InfoProvider.
You can configure the BW Query as InfoProvider either in transaction RSRT via the Query Properties or you can use the Runtime Properties in the BW modelling tools.
Please note, that a Query can only be configured as an InfoProvider based on a few rules, that can be found here:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/ab216bfb8b2b452a860267b1e40e270f/7.5.19/en-US/4bc347cd494650e9e10000000a...
Some of the main limitations:
You will notice, that the online help mentioned above does state, that input-ready variables are not support. I would like to specify this a little more by stating that mandatory input-ready variables are not support, but BW Queries with optional variables are supported.
In case you use a BW Query with optional variables, these variables are not available in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, but you can still execute the BW Query as a data source because all the variables are optional.
Using the live connection we can then bring in the BW Query as a remote table.
And after we brought in the BW Query as a remote source into our view we will be able to retrieve the complete meta-data from all the dimensions and keyfigures.
With the BW Query in the View in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, we also have several options now that we can define on top of the remote table representing the BW Query.
From top to bottom:
After we brought in the BW Query into the graphical View and use the preview option, we can identify something very important - as shown with the image below
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud uses the ID for each of the characteristics, even when in the query the dimension is configured to show the key and description, so in case we would like to see the descriptions - in this case for our products and the different GIS Regions - we have to bring in the descriptions using the tables from the InfoObject.
So you can see that it was relatively easy to setup the connection to SAP BW 7.5 and use a BW Query as a remote source in SAP DWC. In the next blog we will take a look at the following steps:
So in case you want to follow the steps along, perhaps sign up for a trial and get a system ready where we can install the DP Agent.”
We will now use that connection to SAP BW and create our first view.
- Logon to SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
- Select the option Data Builder on the left hand side.
- Select the SPACE that you created in the previous step with the connection towards the SAP BW 7.5 system.
- Select the option to create a new Graphical View.
- On the left-hand side, select the option Sources and expand your connection towards SAP BW.
- You can see now the following sources.
- ABAP Tables by Application Hierarchy
- ABAP Tables by table name
- Extractors
- ABAP_CDS
- BW
- SAPI (Service API)
The folder “ABAP Tables” provides the access to the tables available within the SAP Data Dictinary, where you find all the technical tables you might be aware working on the SE11/SE16 Transaction from a ABAP perspective.
The sub-folders within the Extractor folder provides access to the ABAP_CDS View (here: BW/4 HANA), the BW objects and the SAPI folder contains the Service API’s structures.
For our example, we will use a simple BW Query based on the SAP NetWeaver Demo cube, to then see how the elements of the BW Query are being transferred to SAP Data Warehouse Cloud in form of a remote connection.
Our BW Query is relatively simple:
As you can see, we have three key figures (one of them being a formula), and eleven characteristics / dimension in the BW query. Where the elements are being place doesn't matter for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, as we are creating a remote table in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud.
Before we can now use this BW query as a remote source in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, we have to ensure that the Query has been configured as an InfoProvider.
You can configure the BW Query as InfoProvider either in transaction RSRT via the Query Properties or you can use the Runtime Properties in the BW modelling tools.
Please note, that a Query can only be configured as an InfoProvider based on a few rules, that can be found here:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/ab216bfb8b2b452a860267b1e40e270f/7.5.19/en-US/4bc347cd494650e9e10000000a...
Some of the main limitations:
- Queries with 2 structures are not supported
- Time dependent hierarchies or Currency Translation need to be resolved in the query already (not via variable input).
You will notice, that the online help mentioned above does state, that input-ready variables are not support. I would like to specify this a little more by stating that mandatory input-ready variables are not support, but BW Queries with optional variables are supported.
In case you use a BW Query with optional variables, these variables are not available in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, but you can still execute the BW Query as a data source because all the variables are optional.
Using the live connection we can then bring in the BW Query as a remote table.
And after we brought in the BW Query as a remote source into our view we will be able to retrieve the complete meta-data from all the dimensions and keyfigures.
With the BW Query in the View in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, we also have several options now that we can define on top of the remote table representing the BW Query.
From top to bottom:
- We have the option to define filter values as part of our new model.
- We can add a projection, which allows us to hide specific columns.
- We can add calculations.
- We can defined a specific aggregation view
- We can add new associations to the model. For example, if the BW Query has defined relationships with other remote sources, those would be listed here and we could then bring those sources into the system.
- We can open the remote table for editing.
- We can see a preview of the data.
After we brought in the BW Query into the graphical View and use the preview option, we can identify something very important - as shown with the image below
SAP Data Warehouse Cloud uses the ID for each of the characteristics, even when in the query the dimension is configured to show the key and description, so in case we would like to see the descriptions - in this case for our products and the different GIS Regions - we have to bring in the descriptions using the tables from the InfoObject.
So you can see that it was relatively easy to setup the connection to SAP BW 7.5 and use a BW Query as a remote source in SAP DWC. In the next blog we will take a look at the following steps:
- Bring in the master data via the tables for the InfoObject
- Bring in the hierarchies
- Creating a model in SAP Data Warehouse Cloud that combines all these elements in form of view.
So in case you want to follow the steps along, perhaps sign up for a trial and get a system ready where we can install the DP Agent.”
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