|
|
|
| |
Home > Add-ons for SAP® systems > CT-BW Analyzer & Docu
 
CT-BW Analyzer & Docu 2.1  Whitepaper
Add-on to analyze and document SAP® BW objects |
|
| |
The integrated business warehouse application SAP® Netweaver BI (SAP® BW) is a central component of SAP® software technology and is used as a reporting and planning platform in an SAP® environment.
1. The problem
The customer specific applications and reports within the SAP® Business Warehouse contain many different technical objects (e.g. Queries, InfoCubes, DataStoreObjects, Transformations, InfoObjects). It is often a time-consuming business to get an overview of the objects used and to understand and show how they are interrelated.
Questions such as the following are the starting point for the subsequent complex analysis:
"Which source data is transferred how into this object?"
"How was the data aggregated?"
Currently, it is also unclear whether or when, for example, the transformation routines within a data model were changed (missing version history).
Moreover it is relatively time-consuming to manually analyze and to document the relationships of BW objects of individual object types (e.g. InfoCubes or Queries) within a specific BW model using the standard transactions.
2. The solution
The add-on program 'CT-BW Analyzer & Docu' breaks down a BW data model in a transparent way using systematic analyses based on the InfoCubes, Transformations, InfoSources, DataSources, data transfer processes, InfoPackages, and the individual InfoObjects involved.
The result of the analysis is available as documentation in various formats (Microsoft Word®, HTML, HTML Help).
The automated analysis based on the individual BW objects enables you to generate self-contained documentation of a BW data model at any time. Periodic document runs allow you to obtain a history of the BW data model. This history makes it possible to see, even at a later point in time, the conditions under which a productive BI analysis was generated (revision aspect, requirement to document).
The automatically generated documentation for the BW data model and for the generated BW Queries is complemented by extensive supplementary analyses. These new types of analyses (e.g. a graphical data flow analysis based on InfoObjects) are not currently available in the SAP BW standard version and are transferred by the 'CT Analyzer & Docu' program 1:1 into the generated documentation.
As a result, a BW data model is not just documented, but also broken down in a more transparent way than was previously the case (view into the “black box”).
Within the generated analysis documentation, double-click navigation enables you gain a fast overview and to get up to speed quickly.
In addition, the results of the BI analysis can be imported into CT-GraphAssist, where extensive additional menu functions for processing the analysis are provided. You can convert the scalable diagrams to create, for example, printed versions, meeting documents, or beamer presentations.
|
3. Supported SAP BW objects - Backend (InfoCubes, transformations, etc.)
Through appropriate analysis and reporting functions you can generate different perspectives on a BW model:
- Identification, analysis and evaluation of BW metadata,
- Documentation of BW objects:
-> InfoCubes
-> Transformations (e.g. formulas , ABAP™ routines)
-> DataStore objects (DSO)
-> InfoSources
-> DataSources
-> InfoObjects
-> Process
- Data flow calculation (InfoObject level)
- Cross-reference of objects
- Flow- Logic
InfoCubes (Star Scheme diagram)
Enlarge screenshot
Data flow diagram on InfoObject level
Enlarge screenshot
Cross-reference per InfoObject
Enlarge screenshot |
The InfoCube analysis shows the following elements:
- Basic information (last changed by, info area, etc.)
- Dimensions (single list of each InfoObject)
- Key figures
- Characteristics
- Star Scheme diagram
- Data flow diagram on InfoObject level
- Ingoing 7.x transformations / 3.x update rules / 3.x transfer rules
- Basic information
- Start end-routine
- Rule groups: ABAP™ routines, formulas, no update, 1:1, master data reading
- Expert routine
- DTP - Data transfer process
- General info
- Selections
- Selection routines / BEx variable selection
- InfoPackages of export datasources
- Cross-reference per InfObject (overview on all relevant update rules for one InfoObject)
Data flow diagram
(Ingoing information up to 20 levels down)
Enlarge screenshot
|
4. Supported SAP® BW objects - Frontend (Queries: Formula, Selections, ...)
The single elements of the SAP® BW queries can be detailed, analyzed and documented. Please click on the screenshots and on the links to get detailed information on each query object. The analysis can be individually changed and follows the SAP® query builder semantic.
| General query information & reusable query components |
Basic information
 Enlarge screenshot
- Rows/columns
Result position (rows)
Result position (columns)
Suppress zeros
- Advanced settings
Query ID
Allow external access to this query
|
General query information:
- Description
- Last changed by/at
- Technical name
- InfoProvider / InfoProvider description
- Query key date / Key date is variable
- Query version (3.x / 7.x)
- Display:
Adjust formatting after refreshing
Hide repeated key values
Display scaling factors for key figures
Document links for InfoProvider Data
Document links for master data
Document links for metadata
- Value Display
Display of +/- sign
Zero Value Display
|
Query variables
 Enlarge screenshot
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description
- Last changed by/at
- Technical name
- Variable type
- Processing by
- Characteristic
- Variable ID
- Default values
Including / excluding
Operator
Low value
High value
Hierarchy name
Hierarchy version
Hierarchy date-to
|
Calculated and restricted keyfigures
 Enlarge screenshot
Enlarge screenshot
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description and technical name
- Technical name of the key figure
- Restrictions: InfoObject, selection type, operator,
value(s)
- Defined formula as text
|
| Filter and default values |
Basic Information
 Enlarge screenshot
- Access type for result values
- Filter value selection during query execution
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description / technical name
- InfoObject
- Type of restriction, operator, values
- Hierarchy node selection
- Display
Display as, text view, result rows
|
| Free characteristics / Query rows / Query columns / Query cell definitions |
Keyfigures / Key figure selection
 Enlarge screenshot
- Planning
Change data
- Advanced
Constant selection (independent of filter settings)
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description / technical name
- Technical name of key figure
- Type of Restriction, operator, values
- Display
Hide
Highlight
Number of decimal places
Scaling factor
Sign Change
Status of Node
- Local calculations (on displayed data only)
Calculate results as ...
Calculate single values as ...
Cumulated
Also apply to results
Calculation direction
- Information on cell definitions (cells)
Cell type
... belongs to line
... belongs to column
|
Characteristic restriction
 Enlarge screenshot
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description / technical name
- Technical name of key figure
- Type of restriction, operator, values
- Hierarchy node selection
- Display
Display as
Text view
Result rows
- Hierarchy
Activate hierarchy display
Selected hierarchy
Expand to level
Position of lower level nodes
Values of posted nodes
Nodes with only one lower-level node
- Advanced
Access type for result values
Filter value selection during query execution
|
Query formula
Enlarge screenshot
|
Among other things the following items are documented:
- Description / technical name
- Formula as text (e.g. [ZKMACOUNT] Employee count - 50 + [ZKGEHALT] salary DIV 2)
- Display
Hide
Highlight
Number of decimal places
Scaling factor
Sign change
Status of node
- Local calculations (on displayed data only)
Calculate results as ...
Calculate singe values as ...
Cumulated
Also apply to results
Calculation direction
|
5. Supported export file formats
The 'CT-BW Analyzer & Docu' can generate the BW documentation / analysis in 4 different file formats. Each format has its certain advantages.
Microsoft® Word - Format / RTF
|
This format is optimized for printing. The BW information is formatted in pages; diagrams are automatically cut if they are larger than one page.
The export file can be imported into Microsoft® Word® to make manual annotations or to insert additional information.
More information about output formats
|
6. Generation of BW analysis/documentation with docu profiles and docu templates
Docu templates
Enlarge screenshot
Template example
Enlarge screenshot |
The generated analysis and documentation can be adjusted to your individual information needs.
The level of detail is determined using the profile tree. By clicking on the checkboxes you can turn on/off single analysis steps.
You can customize the individual text objects with various Microsoft® Word document templates . The layout can also be adjusted by Word® styles.
Docu profile tree
Enlarge screenshot |
7. BW analysis methods
The BW documentation is based on several analysis methods (e.g. graphic dataflow analysis, InfoObject cross references, ABAP™ flow logic diagrams).
Process chain diagram
Enlarge screenshot |
The BW objects are displayed in tabular form, depending on the document template. In addition, various analytical methods are used to make the data flow in a BI model more transparent.
A few analysis methods:
- Syntax-highlight and auto comment ABAP™ coding
- Visualize ABAP™ coding with flow logic
- Dataflow analysis of InfoProvider level
(up to 20 levels downwards)
- Dataflow analysis on InfoObject level
(end-routines are scanned too)
- Cross reference analysis of ingoing transformations / update rules / transfer rules per InfoObject (with end-routines)
- Graphic display of process chain for documentation purposes
- All diagrams are automatically 'routed' with the help of the award winning algorithms of the company AT&T
|
| |
|
8. Automatic identification of relevant BW objects / level analysis
Starting at one BW object (e.g. an InfoCube) other related objects are automatically determined (up to 20 levels). These objects are for example transformations, data transfer processes, InfoPackages and InfoObjects.
If you enter an InfoArea as a start point of the analysis, other objects within the InfoArea are gathered and documented (also dependent sub-InfoAreas). As a result a complete tree of the SAP® BW (e.g. Sales) can automatically documented and analyzed.
Result: An comprehensive documentation of a BW backend process. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
