Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new?
ASUG webcast
Gregory Botticchio / Sylvain Riboud - SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence
March 06, 2013
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2
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Introduction
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 4
Session highlights
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? :
Developer Support
Core Capabilities Enhancements
Data Source Support Enhancements
From Desktop Intelligence to Web Intelligence
Web Intelligence 4.1 Stability Improvements
Wrap-Up
Developer Support
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 6
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? Developer Support
Provide RESTful Web services API and UI customization options
RESTful Web services APIs
Consumption workflows of Web Intelligence document
Data sources and data providers workflows
Document authoring workflows
Scheduling workflows
UI customization
Personalized Web Intelligence clients
Customization per user group in CMC
Customization of UI elements and actions
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 7
Developer support RESTful Web services APIs
New RESTful Web Services introduced in 4.0 SP5
Goal to provide same scope than previous SDK - Report Engine Java SDK in XI 3.1
Incremental delivery with next set of APIs in BI 4.1
Technology agnostic
Can be used from any languages (Java, .Net, etc.)
Can be used from any computer or mobile device
Consistency
Plugged to CYPRESS – BOE Platform REST Web Services which offers the necessary
infrastructure to connect and authenticate user to BOE platform
Consistent with SAP strategic directions for SDK
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 8
Developer support Consumption workflows of Web Intelligence document (1/4)
Browsing and Life Cycle Management
List all Web Intelligence documents in CMS repository
Get Web Intelligence Document details
Open / Save / Close Web Intelligence document
Access and Export Document [xls(x), pdf, xml]
Access and Export Report [xls(x), pdf, xml, html]
Get Page of a report in listing or paginated mode [xls(x), pdf, xml, html]
Access and Export Report Element [xls(x), pdf, xml, html]
Document Refresh
Refresh document with support of Text, Numeric, optional/mandatory prompts
Prompting and resolution of multiple contexts
Refresh document with support of Date and Date-Time
List of Values management (included hierarchical) in prompt workflows
Manage Prompt on SAP variable (including optional/mandatory, key dates)
Nested prompts support
Already possible in 4.0 SP5
New in 4.1
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 9
Developer support Data sources and data providers workflows (2/4)
Data provider
Get list of data providers of a Web Intelligence document
Get details of a data provider of a Web Intelligence document
Rename, sort or delete a data provider from a document
Export data (data provider) as CSV or XML
Purge document
Get query statement generated by query on universes (SQL or MDX)
Change data provider source workflow UNV UNV
UNV UNX
UNV OLAP BW BEX
UNX UNX
BEX BEX
Data source
Get list of universes stored in the CMS
Get basic information about a universe
Enhanced detailed information about a universe
Browse list of BEx connections and BW BEx queries
Get details of a Bex query
Get data source query capabilities
Already possible in 4.0 SP5
New in 4.1
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 10
Developer support Document authoring workflows (3/4)
Query authoring Get the query specification associated to a data provider
Update the query specification associated to a data provider
Document authoring Create a blank document
Add a report in a document and set its report specification
Delete a report from a document
Get/Create/Delete/Update Track Data Change
Get/Create/Delete/Update Alerters
Get/Create/Delete/Update Styles
Get/Create/Delete/Update Skins (background images)
Get/Create/Delete/Update Variable expression
Manage drill and create drill snapshot
Manage document state through storage token (snapshot)
Get custom format number from the document
Get from server default document configuration Get font mappings, CSS styles, format numbers, default skins, supported operators
Already possible in 4.0 SP5
New in 4.1
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 11
Developer support Scheduling workflows (4/4)
Scheduling Properties
Main recurrences (Once, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, …)
Support of server group
Get details of a schedule
Add new schedule
All possible destinations and format
All possible options except for scheduling to FTP or file server where default
server setting are used
New in 4.1: Scheduling with prompts is supported
Already possible in 4.0 SP5
New in 4.1
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 12
Developer support Specific restrictions in 4.1 REST APIs
Following workflows are not delivered or supported in Web Intelligence 4.1
REST APIs
Using Analysis Views as data source for a new data provider
Using Custom Data Provider as data source for a new data provider
Changing data source when based on Analysis Views and Custom Data Provider
Universe detailed information describes only default perspective
Retrieving & setting fold/unfold state of a document report
Retrieving & setting collapse/expand state of a hierarchy displayed in a document report
Management of Input Controls for a document report
Text search in a document or report
Management of auto save & auto recovery configuration
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 13
Developer support Graphical user interface customization
IT can choose what part(s) of the graphical
user interface to hide
Associated to a group of users in the CMC
IT can hide part of the graphical user interface
elements
– By selecting individual elements
– By selecting one of the 5 features
o Hidden feature will hide all elements linked to it in all
part of the Web Intelligence interface
Works for all Web Intelligence clients: desktop,
applet or HTML
Not a security feature but a customization
feature
How to: In CMC select a User Group and right click to select « Customization » to display the customization UI.
Core Capabilities Enhancements
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 15
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? Core capabilities enhancements
Enhanced user experience in reporting capabilities
Freeze header
Keep table rows or columns visible while scrolling
User defined number of first rows or columns to freeze
Custom color palettes & color assignment
Creation and edition of custom palettes to manage chart coloring
Color assignment improvements
Measure delegation
Auto-refresh option at server & document level
Reduce #unavailable by delegating measure calculation when
given against a simple formula
Merged objects
Can add/remove object to a merged object
Allow merged objects with hierarchy
Usability enhancements
Report header/footer properties re-organization
Fold/unfold on table in reading mode in HTML
List of value (LOV) selector in formula editor
Single query execution in query panel
Freeze header
Custom color palettes & color assignment
Measure delegation
Merged objects
Usability enhancements
Globalization enhancements
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 16
Core capabilities enhancements Freeze Table Headers when viewing reports
In WebI 4.1, the user can freeze the table headers when viewing a report
Table header stays on top when navigating through its content:
New menu item in Reading mode:
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 17
Core capabilities enhancements Freeze Table Header in few clicks
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Creation, edition, deletion and use of custom color palettes in charts
Core capabilities enhancements Custom palettes
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Core capabilities enhancements Color assignment control
New “Series Colors” sub-menu, with 2 commands
“Set as Default Colors”: to “freeze” the current colors on the selected chart, like a global
manual assignment on the chart
“Clear Color Assignment”: to reverse to the automatic color assignment mode
Benefits
Avoids automatic chart colors assignment loosing chart colors after a filter was
applied to the data, or after a drill or a refresh-on-open
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 20
Core capabilities enhancements Measure delegation workflow improvement
Auto-Refresh option at server &
document level
To avoid the delegated measures to return
#TOREFRESH when the required
aggregation is not available in the query
User will no longer have to click “refresh” to
get the expected result (and remove
#TOREFRESH)
Two new settings have ben introduced:
– Enable/disable by administrator from CMC
– Enable/disable at document level (disable
recommended in case of long query refresh)
New setting in CMC
New setting at document level
Note : Activating this feature will proceed with query refresh behind the scene. In case the refresh-time becomes no longer acceptable for end-users, it is recommended to turn off the feature at document level.
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 21
Web Intelligence returns in BI 4.1 expected calculation result instead of
#unavailable when a delegated measure is given against a dimension based
on a formula.
Ex: hyperlink on dimension and delegated measure
Before Now:
Core capabilities enhancements Reduce #unavailable for delegated measure
Other use cases
FormatDate
Blank removal on text (Trim)
If then else
text concatenation
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 23
Core capabilities enhancements Edit merged objects
User can edit merged object to add/remove an object participating to the
merged object
Available from the contextual menu on the “available object list” from all Web
Intelligence clients.
ADD workflow
Select merged object & object to add
“Add to Merge”
REMOVE workflow
Select object to remove from the merged object
“Remove from Merge”
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 24
Core capabilities enhancements Allow usage of merged object with hierarchies (1/4)
User can use in reports a merged object based on hierarchies
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 25
Core capabilities enhancements Allow usage of merged object with hierarchies (2/4)
When merging same hierarchy, the merged object replicates the hierarchy
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 26
Core capabilities enhancements Allow usage of merged object with hierarchies (3/4)
A hierarchy merged with a flat dimension gives a hierarchy as the merged
object:
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 27
Core capabilities enhancements Allow usage of merged object with hierarchies (4/4)
Members with different parents in different merged hierarchies are replicated
for each different parent in the merged object with their descendants
The measure value associated with a member value is based on this association
from the originated hierarchy (no duplication)
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 28
Core capabilities enhancements Report header/footer properties re-organization
New specific property panel for report header/footer including border settings
Before Now
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 29
Core capabilities enhancements Fold/unfold on table in reading mode in HTML
User can fold/unfold on table and
break in table, in reading mode when
viewing in HTML
A table selection is now possible in this
viewing mode
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 30
Core capabilities enhancements List of values in formula editor
Easier formula writing
Select first your object
Double clic on “Values…”
Make your choice in the list of values
Clic OK and get your values inserted in your formulae
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 31
Core capabilities enhancements Additional usability enhancements
New edit query button in quick access toolbar
Single query execution in query
panel
Users can choose to execute only one
query from the query panel
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 32
Core capabilities enhancements Globalization enhancements
New support of international environments :
Bidirectional language enabled: RightToLeft (RTL)
support for Arabic language
Web Intelligence Rich Internet Application and Web
Intelligence Rich Client
Mirrored interface
Right to left reporting
Bi-directional text support
New language support
Arabic support
Slovene support
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 33
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? Core capabilities enhancements
Enhanced user experience in reporting capabilities
Freeze header
Keep table rows or columns visible while scrolling
User defined number of first rows or columns to freeze
Custom color palettes & color assignment
Creation and edition of custom palettes to manage chart
coloring
Color assignment improvements
Measure delegation
Auto-refresh option at server & document level
Reduce #unavailable by delegating measure calculation
when given against a simple formula
Merged objects
Can add/remove object to a merged object
Allow merged objects with hierarchy
Usability enhancements
Report header/footer properties re-organization
Fold/unfold on table in reading mode in HTML
List of value (LOV) selector in formula editor
Single query execution in query panel
Globalization enhancements
Bidirectional language enabled
RightToLeft (RTL) support for Arabic language
Mirrored interface
New language support
Data Source Support Enhancements
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 35
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? Data source support enhancements
Enhanced workflow for HANA, BW and others data sources
BW Variable Management
Member selection based on depth for BW Hierarchy Node
Variable
Member selection based on levels for BW Hierarchy Variable
Variable selection before query panel display
Enhancements for HANA support
SSO support through SAML
Query stripping
Enhancements for other sources through universes
Support ERP optional parameters with no default value
OLAP Connection Overload
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 36
Data source support enhancements BW variable management
Hierarchy Node Variable: member
selection based on depth.
Defining depth in the Query Panel:
Enabling member selection based on depth
New UI dialog in the Query Panel to enable
user to set a depth at design time
User can set different depth value for each
Hierarchy Node variable
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 37
Data source support enhancements BW variable management
Hierarchy Node Variable: member selection based on depth.
Selecting a node at Run Time
Report returns all descendents of selected
node until the specified relative depth
Depth=3
Descendents down to 3
levels below EMEA node EMEA node is
selected at run time
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 38
Data source support enhancements BW variable management
Hierarchy Variable: member selection
based on levels
Defining level selection in the Query
Panel:
Level based member selection on default
hierarchy can now be defined in case of
Hierarchy Variable
However, the hierarchy has to be set in the
variable manager, otherwise no levels are
available
Only levels of selected hierarchy are displayed:
no merge, no max of levels from all hierarchies
Same restrictions as for a defined hierarchy:
– Levels must start from the root
– No level skipping
Levels of hierarchy:
Country Hierarchy 02
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 39
Data source support enhancements BW variable management
Hierarchy Variable: member selection
based on levels
Returned results of a level selection with
hierarchy variable:
If user selects a different hierarchy at refresh
time, the level selection still applies on the new
hierarchy and returns nodes/values of the new
hierarchy, down to the selected level
Nodes/members of
Country Hierarchy 02 until
Level 3
End user changes value of
variable to:
Country Hierarchy 01
Nodes/members of
Country Hierarchy 01 until
Level 3
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 40
Data source support enhancements BW variable management
Variable selection before query panel display
In BI 4.1, the variable manager shows up before the query panel if there is at
least one mandatory variable that does not have a predefined default value
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 41
Data source support enhancements Enhancements for HANA support
Query stripping option indicates if
objects included in the query, but not
used in the report, should be removed
from the query
Query stripping option is now
available for
OLAP-based universes (UNX)
Relational universes including HANA
– Requires “Allow query stripping” option to be set
in the universe for relational universes
Note : Removing objects from a relational query may change results depending on the data source model and data quality. See example in the documentation.
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 42
Data source support enhancements Enhancements for HANA support
Query stripping option has to be activated
at document level
and per query
Note : Those settings are activated by default by require for relational data sources to be allowed at universe level (see previous slide).
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 43
Data source support enhancements Enhancements for other sources through universes
ERP support enhancements in universes
In BI 4.1, ERP parameters can be consumed within Web Intelligence reports as
optional prompts
OLAP Connection Overload in universes
In BI 4.1, OLAP UNX universes can have their connection overloaded by Business
Security Profile. Web Intelligence reports created on this kind of universe takes into
account this overload
Example
User A has a connection to cube A and User B has a connection to cube B.
Refreshing the report using User A will then get the data from the cube A and refreshing the
report using User B will then get the data from the cube B
From Desktop Intelligence to
Web Intelligence
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Desktop Intelligence Catch Up Features
Free-Hand SQL;
Custom GROUPING;
EXCEL DP for Web Intelligence Applets;
Export to HTML;
Schedule with Export To HTML;
Schedule with Export to TXT;
Planned for (i.e subject to change):
BI4.2
End of 2013
End of 2013
End of 2013 via REST API
End of 2013 via REST API
End of 2013
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 46
Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack
DESKI IS NOT BACK
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Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack
DeskI documents can now be moved to BI
4.1 using Upgrade Management Tool (UMT)
4.1
RCT will now also be able to connect to a BI
4.1 CMS as source for .rep document for
conversion
DeskI documents will be listed in the Central
Management Console (CMC) for
administrative purposes ONLY
Users can view DeskI report output in the BI
Launchpad and CMC which are in agnostic
output format (.pdf/.xls/.txt/.rtf)
XI 3.x
XI R2
Upgrade
Manager 4.1
BI 4.1
Report Conversion
Tool 4.1
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 48
Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack
Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack (DCP)
Will be delivered in SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise 3.1
Fix Pack 6.1 and later Fix Packs and Service Pack
The DeskI Client can now connect to a SAP
BusinessObjects Business Intelligence 4.1 CMS, in both
2-tier and 3-tier
DeskI documents will be listed ONLY in the Central
Management Console (CMC) for administrative
purposes ONLY
Only Client side consumption of .rep content
Minimum deprecation of DeskI Client functionality
Introduce a Light Schedule functionality which will use
the windows scheduling functionality
BI 4.1
Fix Pack
6.1 (with
DCP)
DeskI
XI 3.1 SP6
Web Intelligence 4.1 Stability
Improvements
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Web Intelligence 4.1 stability improvements
Forward Fit content in the BI4.1 RTC :
SP4 up to Patch4.9
SP5 up to Patch5.3
Wrap-Up
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 52
Sum-Up
Web Intelligence 4.1, what’s new? :
Developer Support
Core Capabilities Enhancements
Data Source Support Enhancements
From Desktop Intelligence to Web Intelligence
Web Intelligence 4.1 Stability Improvements
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 53
Next Steps Planned timelines
BI4.1 (RTC) •Start Ramp-Up
•Planned May 2013
BI4.1 SP1 •Planned Q2 2013
BI4.1 SP2 (GA) •End Ramp-Up
•Planned Q3 2013
•KPIs dependent
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 54
Next Steps Customer Connection program for Web Intelligence
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
The Customer Connection program for Web Intelligence is limited in time:
– The collect phase has started on the 01/31/2013 and will end on the 03/22/2013
Experienced customers on Web Intelligence XIR2 or XI3.x or BI4.0 are more than
welcome.
This program is customer driven, with clear responsibilities on both sides:
– Customers propose ideas, and/or;
– Customers subscribe to already proposed ideas;
(minimum 5 subscribers per idea in order to be considered by SAP!)
– SAP will select N customer requests (depending on criteria) and scope those for
development;
– SAP will provide transparency regarding scoped and rejected requests;
The scope of the Customer Connection for Web Intelligence is: BI4.1 SPx (x>1)
– The features selected must not change past behavior, or apply by default;
More details here
© 2012 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 55
Next Steps http://www.sapandasug.com/asug-preconference.html
Q & A
Thank you Contact information:
Gregory BOTTICCHIO
SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence Solution Manager
Sylvain RIBOUD
SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence Area Product Owner