SAP BusinessObjects Tips and Tricks

Michael Welter PS Consultant Claraview

Who am I?

Michael Welter: PS Consultant Company: Claraview, a division of Teradata Joined Claraview in March, 2011 Prior to that I worked for Westbay Solutions Group/Idhasoft for 8 years Can I help with your BO Over 11 years experience with BusinessObjects issues? BusinessObjects Certified Professional
> BusinessObjects Enterprise > Web Intelligence

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Agenda
Universe Date Prompt: Default to Yesterday Web Intelligence Merge Dimension Tips Query Performance Tuning
> > > > Query Stripping Schedule Purging Index Awareness Pushing Transformations

Security Tips

But first . . .

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Universe Date Prompt: Default to Yesterday

This problem has plagued humanity since the beginning of time (Or at least the beginning of BusinessObjects)
> I need to create date prompt in the universe, and I need it to default to today.

Ive seen some convoluted solutions, but havent been impressed. Of course, universe prompts are based around the @prompt function, so lets review the syntax.

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Universe Date Prompt: Default to Yesterday

@Prompt(message,'type,[lov],Mono|Multi, free|constrained|primary_key,persistent|not_persistent,[ default_values]) Message: The text of the prompt Type: A (Alphanumeric), D (Date), N (Numeric) LOV: List of Values (Hard coded, or from an object) Mono|Multi: Allow 1 value, or multiple Free|Constrained|Primary_Key: Enter a value, or select only from the LOV. Optional: Use Index Awareness Persistent|Not_persistent: Keep last value selected Default_Values: Enter a default value
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Universe Date Prompt: Default to Yesterday

Example @Prompt('Enter start date','D',,mono,free,not_persistent) In this example, the user may type in a date, or select a date from the calendar.

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Universe Date Prompt: Default to Yesterday

Final Solution, based on DB2 database: CALENDAR_TABLE.CAL_DATE = (CASE WHEN @Prompt(Enter date or Today,'A,,mono,free,not_persistent,{Today})=Today THEN CURRENT_DATE ELSE @Prompt(Enter date or Today,'A,,mono,free,not_persistent,{Today}) END) For Oracle, replace CURRENT_DATE with TRUNC(SYSDATE) For SQL Server, replace CURRENT_DATE with GetDate()

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Web Intelligence Merge Dimension Tips

Merging Dimensions continues to be the topic of much trouble, based on topics I see on BOB. Tip 1: Adding Incompatible dimensions to the block
> Convert Dimension to a Detail using a variable
Formula: =[Dimension] Detail must be a detail of a Merged dimension

> Detail object can be added to the block

Tip 2: Auto-Merge dimensions only works within a universe

> Only between the same object used in multiple queries > Not based on object name
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Web Intelligence Merge Dimension Tips

Tip 3: Values displayed depend on which object is used
> Query 1 object displays values from Query 1 > Query 2 object displays values from Query 2 > Merged dimension displays all values from all queries

Tip 4: Extend merged dimension values has a similar effect of using the merged dimension.

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Web Intelligence Merge Dimension Tips

Rules of Merging Dimensions: Only dimensions defined in the universe can be merged Objects must have the same datatype Any number of queries can be merged Any number of dimensions can be merged Values are cases sensitive Values that do not match exactly will be seen as different values

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Query Performance Tuning

Query Stripping As reports get reused, they become cluttered with unused objects and queries This can cause extra work by the database Which can cause the refresh to take longer Most important items to remove:
> Unused queries > Unused measures

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Query Performance Tuning

Query Stripping The good news: XI 3.1 SP3 has automatic query stripping
> When enabled, it automatically removed objects and queries from the SQL that dont contribute to the report

The bad news: Automatic query stripping only works with OLAP data sources The good news: BI 4.0 will have automatic query stripping for all data sources Until then . . . Do it manually.

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Query Performance Tuning

Schedule Purging This should seem obvious but . . . Remove scheduled jobs that are no longer needed They are running queries unnecessarily Use Auditor to capture usage stats Also, take a look at Publications

Please dont burden the database with extra queries.

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Query Performance Tuning

Index Awareness Can be used to speed up query performance Leverages indexed columns in a database Can remove joins from the query Can remove tables from the query How does it work?

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Query Performance Tuning

Index Awareness Without Index Awareness:

With Index Awareness:

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Query Performance Tuning

Index Awareness When to use Index Awareness:
> OLTP based universes > Snowflake schemas > Use with objects that have LOVs

Note: If users dont select from the LOV, the index will not be used!

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Query Performance Tuning

Pushing Transformations Do your universes have complex SQL Transformations? Example: 'FY' || substr(trim(( FISCAL_CALENDAR.FISCAL_YEAR*100+FISCAL_CALEND AR.FISCAL_QUARTER)),3,2) || 'Q' || substr(trim(( FISCAL_CALENDAR.FISCAL_YEAR*100+FISCAL_CALEND AR.FISCAL_QUARTER Can this transformation be pushed down to the ETL process? In a recent test, removing this from the query reduced query time by 14% (Your mileage may vary)

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Security Tips
SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.x uses an Object Oriented Security Model Everything is an object to which rights can be granted
> > > > > > Universes Folders Documents Users Groups Servers

Try not to get confused by this: In the CMC, the User Security screen of a users profile has nothing to do with that users rights.

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Security Tips
Starting at the root: How do you deny access by default without creating too much work?
> Go into User Security for the root folder (All Folders) > Go into Advanced Settings > Set the View Objects right as follows:

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Security Tips
Beware of Everyone! Remember: Everyone is a member of the Everyone group Any rights you grant, or deny, to the Everyone group, applies to you, too As a rule, the Everyone group should have access to nothing
> This means using Not Specified > Never use Denied

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Security Tips
Dual-ing with Security Use a Dual Security Model
> Avoids duplicating security settings

Content Groups: Have rights to folders

> Determines what access each group has to each folder > Tends to mirror organizational structure

Application Groups: Have rights to Applications

> Determines which applications members can use > And what they can do in those applications

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Security Tips
Back Away From The Users Never set security for an individual user! Set security only for groups, then add members to the groups Never set security for an individual user! Even if one user has special security needs, create a group for that one user

This applies to documents, too!

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Questions?

Michael Welter PS Consultant Michael.Welter@Claraview.com Blog: MichaelWelter.Wordpress.com Follow me on Twitter: @UniversePro

Claraview
> Business Intelligence > Various Platforms

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