Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File

By Robert Metzker
To create an Example Universe, we will first Extract data in a BusinessObjects report and
save it to Excel. Let’s create a new Document from the Island Resort Marketing
universe, and include All of the Resort attributes and Revenue.

Generate a New Report from a Universe

Generate a Standard Report

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Choose Island Resorts Marketing.

Choose all of the Resort class, and the <Revenue> Measure object.

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker
Depending on your preference here, you can either choose Edit > Copy All or you can
edit the Data Provider to export the results of this query to Excel.

I like to use the Data Provider method, since this allows me to specify a path, etc. If you
have used copy/paste, you will have one extra step that will be described, but not
demonstrated.

Export to Local File Format and make sure that the Format is listed as: Microsoft
Excel 97 Files (*.xls). You may even want to Change the Path, or Rename the file at the
Name line, or Browse… to a new path.

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Once the Export has completed, launch Excel and browse open the file that was just
created. If you have Copied/Pasted the values, then you should already be at the next
step.

If you haven’t done this already, browse over the Resorts.xls file and open it. If you
have used Copy/Paste, just bring Excel to the foreground.

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Select all of the data. If you Copy/Pasted, make sure that you delete the Header that
copied as well. With all of the data selected, make sure the range has a name. You will
need to enter a name if you’ve pasted this, otherwise it should match the Filename minus
the .xls. Save this if you’ve made any changes, or created this from scratch.

Jump to the BusinessObjects Designer module and create a New Universe. I’ve named
my Universe: Resort Revenue

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Create a new Connection, and choose ODBC Drivers.

I’ve named my connection: Resorts_xls and chosen Generic ODBC Datasource for my
Database engine. Click on the ODBC Admin button.

Add a new System or User DSN. If you want this available for anyone on your machine,
System DSN is the better bet. Select the appropriate tab and hit Add…

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Choose the Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls) from the list of available data source drivers.

Name the Data Source Name something that is meaningful, as it will be what appears in
the Drop-Down menu. I named it Resorts.xls File and next we’ll choose Select
Workbook… and browse to the location of our Resorts.xls file.

Unless you’ve changed the location, it should be located under:

C:/Program Files/Business Objects/Business Objects 5.0/UserDocs/
Select the XLS file and click “OK”

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Verify that the path is set for the Workbook and click “OK”

You should see the new DSN created with the name of your Choosing. (In my case, it’s
Resorts.xls File.) Go ahead and click “OK”

Back in the Designer Module, Choose the Resorts.xls File from the Data Source Name:
drop-down list, and click “OK”

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Once the connection has been set, click “OK” and we’ll get to Universe Building.

Double-Click in the Schema area in the designer, or use the Table Browser to add the
Resorts table (named-range). Once they are added, feel free to move them over to create
Classes and Objects off this table as well.

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

I’ve modified the SQL of the Revenue object, to turn this into an aggregate. Set the
formula to: Sum(Resorts.Revenue) and click OK.

My Final Universe looks like the above. Once this Universe is created, Save it and
launch the Business Objects Reporter module.

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 Creating a Business Objects Universe from an Excel File
By Robert Metzker

Select the newly created Resort Revenue universe and choose the objects you’d like to
report on.

I’ve selected the <Country>, <Resort> and <Revenue> objects.

Here are my final results…

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