BOBJ: BUSINESSOBJECTS SUPER USER AD-HOC REPORTING / SELF-SERVICE

Transcription

1 BOBJ: BUSINESSOBJECTS SUPER USER AD-HOC REPORTING / SELF-SERVICE Web Intelligence User Guide

2 This document created by: The EBS Training Team in collaboration with EBS Technical Team and BOBJ Functional Lead. Page 1

3 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Introduction Ad-hoc Reporting Getting Started Questions to Ask Yourself Data Sources What is a Data Source? Naming conventions Data Source Types Quick-start Matrix Dimensions, Details, Measures & Hierarchies Dimensions Dimension Details / Attributes Hierarchies Hierarchies in BEx Data Sources Hierarchies in Universe Data Sources Measures Creating Reports Creating a Report Using a BEx Query Creating a Report Using a Universe Creating a Report Using an Excel Spreadsheet Tips and Tricks for Using Excel as Your Data Source Building a Report Using Multiple Data Sources Building the Multi-source Report query Stitched Data within a Single Data Table (aka block) Section-based view with multiple data tables Formatting Your Report Appendices Appendix A. Data Source Reference FM Funds Management Commitments & Actuals Line Items (Document Journal) [Detail] FM Funds Management Budget to Actual Figures [Medium] CO Plans, Actuals, and Encumbrances [Medium] FI General Ledger Line Items [Detail] Page 2 Updated: 2/11/2016

4 2 INTRODUCTION This guide provides the following information for City of Portland Web Intelligence (Webi) report users who have the BOBJ Super User role: Overview of Web-Intelligence Ad-hoc reporting Data sources available for Ad-hoc reporting How to create a Web-Intelligence Ad-hoc report Note: Basic information on accessing, refreshing and viewing a created Webi report is located in the BOBJ End User Guide on the SAP Learning Center website. Please review that guide first if you are new to Webi reports. Information on the BOBJ Super User Role and modifying Citywide Webi reports is located in the BOBJ Super User Guide. 2.1 AD-HOC REPORTING Ad hoc: Latin for as the occasion requires. The BOBJ Super User can use Ad-hoc Reporting to access data quickly to answer an immediate question, and to create and save a report that can be used by their bureau s Super Users and End Users. This process is different than modifying a citywide report. The user starts with a blank report screen and chooses the data elements he/she wants to include in the report. The user can add prompts, custom variables, and formatting to meet business needs. Page 3

5 3 GETTING STARTED 3.1 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF Prior to creating an ad-hoc report in BOBJ, the designer must consider the following questions: What question(s) am I trying to answer with my report? What data will I need to answer the question(s)? What time period am I looking at? Who will view the report? How do I want users to be able to filter the report? Once you have answered these and other questions about the report, you need to determine what data to access. See the Quick-start Matrix in the next section for a good starting point. 3.2 DATA SOURCES What is a Data Source? A data source provides connectivity to the data you need in your report. In simple terms, it represents a connection to a database. It is much more than that however, providing a semantic layer that maps data into simple objects you can drag into your reports. When designing a report, there are multiple types of Data Sources to choose from: BEx, Universe, Excel, and Analysis View (defined below). Before the upgrade to BOBJ 4.1, all of the SAP data was built using data sources of the Universe type. After upgrading to 4.1, BEx has been the targeted data source type for new development because it provides better connectivity to SAP BW, the data warehouse that holds all of the SAP data Naming conventions Data Sources have naming conventions that attempt to convey exactly what kind of data is available in the query and the level of detail it provides. The first characters are for identifying the SAP module or submodule that (the majority of) the data was extracted from. The last portion of the name (surrounded by square brackets) contains the granularity of the data. This should give you an idea of what detail drilling into the most detailed view of the data will provide. The following table describes each level of granularity. Page 4 Updated: 2/11/2016

6 Grain Detail Medium Description The data is the most detailed data that the system could provide usually the line item for financial transactions. Data sources marked [Medium] contain data aggregated at a slightly higher level than those sources marked [Detail]. Where a source marked [Detail] will include dimensions that describe atomic transactions (e.g. Document Number, Line Item, Posting Key, Line Item Text), the [Medium] sources omit transaction details and instead opt for data aggregated to important account assignment dimensions like: Funds Center Commitment Item Fund Posting Period High Data sources marked high are very high-level representations of the data. Significant granularity is lost to summarization. This means queries will be fast, but it also means the data isn t very drillable. For example, the FM Funds Management Budget to Actual Figures [Medium] data source doesn t include transactional details for actuals and commitments because budget isn t posted during actual and commitment transactions, budget is posted to Account Assignment objects during the BUMP load. The granularity of the Budget postings described is a constraining factor that precludes the ability to work with Actuals/Commitment data at a more detailed level. The account assignment aggregate level is least common intersection of data elements from the Budget tables versus the Transactional tables. Page 5

7 3.2.3 Data Source Types When creating a Web Intelligence report, you will see the following window to choose your Data Source: This table describes each Data Source choice: Data Source Universe Description This is the classic BusinessObjects data source. The reporting content created prior to the 4.1 upgrade was created using this format. Notable qualities/quirks: Hierarchical data is represented by levels. Each level in a hierarchy has its own dimension for use in the report. Excel You can use an Excel spreadsheet as a data source in your report. See the section of this document Creating a Report Using an Excel Spreadsheet more information. Page 6 Updated: 2/11/2016

8 BEx This connection type is new as of BusinessObjects version 4.0. ** All new development (for SAP data) will target BEx Query data sources. ** BEx is short for Business Explorer, an SAP BW-specific term/product. BEx Data Sources can leverage a direct connection to SAP BW (called BICS connectivity), allowing for faster queries, and better support for BW-specific features. Notable qualities/quirks: Hierarchical data is represented by hierarchy objects, rather than the levels described in the Universe section. This creates a nice exploding tree view usable in your reports. This representation comes at the expense of not being able to bind specific levels of the hierarchy to sections or filters. Analysis View This is the product of a view created using the new Analysis for OLAP application. You can use your Analysis view to create a well formatted Web Intelligence report. NOTE: See the picture below for a quirk of Web Intelligence that is sure to cause some confusion. The query panel calls all sources Universes once you ve selected the Data Source type. Page 7

9 3.3 QUICK-START MATRIX Use this matrix to help determine what data source to use. I m looking for Subject matter Recommended data source Data Source Type CO Plans, Actuals, and Encumbrances [Medium] BEx Query The projects system is tightly integrated with the Controlling module. All financial postings in the Projects system take place in CO. This will be the best data source for project costing data, though if you are concerned with budget, this will not provide that data. Projects System FM Funds Management Budget to Actual Figures [Medium] BEx Query If you are concerned with reporting on Project budget, this will be the model you need to include. Budget is posted to Funded Programs, but this model maps Funded Program to Project Definition for simplicity in reporting. FI General Ledger Line Items [Detail] BEx Query The FI model will provide nearly the same results as the CO model. If you are reporting on balance sheet accounts, this will be the best option. Fixed Assets FI General Ledger Line Items [Detail] BEx Query The FI model provides financial postings for fixed assets in detail. However, postings via the Fixed Asset module are recorded in detail for only the modified accrual basis of accounting. The full accrual balance is posted periodically during month end closing so the detail is lost by summary. Thus, you will only see summary amounts for full accrual accounting purposes, while you will have an opportunity for granular reporting on the modified accrual basis. Use the Asset dimension to see postings for a specific asset. Page 8 Updated: 2/11/2016

10 Subject matter Recommended data source Data Source Type FM Funds Management Budget to Actual Figures [Medium] BEx Query Asset movements post in FM statistically. If you include the Statistical Posting measure, you will see amounts that were posted to asset related commitment items. You will not be able to trace the posting to a specific asset using this model. FI General Ledger Line Items [Detail] BEx Query The FI model will provide nearly the same results as the CO model. If you are reporting on balance sheet accounts, this will be the best option Time / Payroll PY Payroll Distribution Detail [Detail] CO Plans, Actuals, and Encumbrances [Medium] Universe BEx Query This model provides the payroll results as they post to the Controlling module. It provides posting details specific to an Employee and pay period. Some wage types are obfuscated for confidentiality. This will provide Activity Allocation amounts with Employee specific details. It does not include Employee information for regular payroll postings, only Activity Allocation-based postings. Page 9

11 4 DIMENSIONS, DETAILS, MEASURES & HIERARCHIES Data within BusinessObjects is organized by Dimensions, Details, Hierarchies, and Measures. These objects are described in detail by the following section. 4.1 DIMENSIONS The blue diamonds represent dimensions. Dimensions are objects that describe or characterize the transactions (or facts ) that produced the measures. Dimension examples: Funds Center Cost Center Business Area Personnel Area Fiscal Year Posting Date. You will use dimensions as column and/or section headers in the reports. Dimensions in BusinessObjects are rich objects. When you expand the + sign to the left of the dimension you will see its hierarchies and details. 4.2 DIMENSION DETAILS / ATTRIBUTES Details are additional attributes of a dimension that describe a dimension. This includes its Name and Key, but also includes other master data. For example, a Funds Center has an attribute called Person Responsible, taken right out of the SAP master data. 4.3 HIERARCHIES Hierarchies are defined in SAP and provide drill capabilities in your report. These are the familiar object Groups you enter in SAP reports e.g. Funds Center Group: COP1. Page 10 Updated: 2/11/2016

12 Try not to use the hierarchy with this symbol: in your results pane. It represents the default hierarchy, which the city doesn t configure at this time. Using it can cause confusion when trying to add the dimension ( ) to the query filter pane; it will disallow use if the default hierarchy object ( ) has been dragged into the results panel. You can only have one or the other. There are notable differences in the way hierarchies are represented in Universes vs. BEx Data Sources. Please become familiar with the differences if you plan on using hierarchies in your reports Hierarchies in BEx Data Sources Hierarchies in BEx queries are represented as single objects. After dragging it into the results panel, you must click the arrow and select the nodes you are interested in. To select the entire hierarchy, use the following button: Page 11

13 This single object hierarchy model allows Webi to create a nice exploding visual representation of the hierarchy, allowing for quick and easy traversal of the nodes. This single object representation comes at the cost of adding some friction when designing/formatting your report. It is difficult to set filters or sections on a specific level of a hierarchy like you could in the flat representation offered by the Universe-based Data Source. Page 12 Updated: 2/11/2016

14 You will not be able to bind a certain level of a hierarchy to a section and see child levels represented in the report data table see the screenshots below for an example of this resistance. If this is a requirement for your report, a Universe-based data source may be a better choice for the occasion. Here s an example of hierarchy troubles you may face with BEx: Setting a hierarchy node as a section: Yields some very strange results Hierarchies in Universe Data Sources In Universes, hierarchical data is represented by levels. Each level in a hierarchy is a full-fledged dimension object that can be used in the report (notice there are three boxes L01 Funds Center, L02 Funds Center, L03 Funds Center ). You do not see the hierarchy name itself yet you are only dealing with the nameless levels of the hierarchy (that you will choose in the next steps). Page 13

15 You choose the hierachy you wish to use on the prompt screen: The nice thing about Universe-based hierarchies is that you can use the levels in the same way you can for regular dimensions. Most notably, you can set a high level as a Section Header, while still including the more detailed levels in the data table. Page 14 Updated: 2/11/2016

16 4.4 MEASURES The measure objects are represented by the orange ruler symbols. A measure contains numeric data or is the result of a calculation and is always numeric. Measures are additive or semi-additive in nature. They are usually dollar amounts or quantities and have a default aggregation function (which is usually summary). As you drag in extra dimensions it will gracefully expand and contract like a pivot table because of the aggregation function being applied. Examples of measures include Budget, Actuals, Quantity, and Purchase Order Commitments. Page 15

17 5 CREATING REPORTS 5.1 CREATING A REPORT USING A BEX QUERY Step 1: Open BusinessObjects BI Platform by browsing to Step 2: Choose Web Intelligence from the Applications menu. Launching Web Intelligence this way opens the program in Java mode. You must use Java mode when building reports on BEx Data Sources or you will not be able to edit the query. The following picture shows the message you receive when using HTML mode: Step 3: Click the New icon to create a new report. Step 4: Double click on BEx to choose your data source. Page 16 Updated: 2/11/2016

18 Step 5: Expand the SAP BEx OLAP Connections folder and the Citywide folder. Double click on the BEx query connection you want to use as your data source. Step 6: Double click on the query in the right window pane. Page 17

19 Step 7: Now you can start building your report by dragging relevant dimensions, details and measures into the results panel. Left click on the dimension, detail or measure you want in the left Universe Outline window pane and drag the object into the Results Object window to the right. The screen shot below shows data elements in the Result Object screen for a budget to actual report: This object represents a hierarchy in a BEx query: It is the City of Portland, All Commitments Items hierarchy ( COP1 in SAP), with only a single branch selected: the expense node and all of its descendants. This is equivalent to entering 50 in the Commitment Item Group box in the SAP Budget to Actual reports. You can filter a hierarchy (like the one shown above) with these steps: a. Dragging the hierarchy dimension in the results object pane. b. Click on the drop down menu. c. Expand the City of Portland, All. d. Right click on Expenses and check descendants and click OK. Page 18 Updated: 2/11/2016

20 This can be done with other hierarchies so you are only showing what you want on the report. Step 9: You can set up filters on the data by dragging a dimension into the Query Filters section and formatting for your needs. The screen shots below show creating a filter for Fiscal Year. a. Drag Fiscal Year into the Query Filters section. b. Using the dropdown on the right of the entry, choose Value(s) from list. c. Search for Fiscal Year *2014 in the search box, and add it using the arrow. Page 19

21 Click on OK. Step 10: You can create a user Prompt. The screen shots below create a user prompt for Fund. a. Drag the Fund dimension into the Query Filters section. b. Use the dropdown on the right of the entry and choose Prompt. Page 20 Updated: 2/11/2016

22 c. Click on question mark: d. Check Optional Prompt. Click OK. Page 21

23 Step 11: Click Run Query. Click OK. You can now view the report, make changes, save the report in your Favorites folder or in your Bureau s Super User Work Area if you want other Super Users in your bureau to be able to view the report. You can also save the report as a PDF and send it those who don t have the Super User Role. Note: Please contact Chan Aaby [email protected] if you want the report promoted to your Bureau folder so End-Users can access the report. 5.2 CREATING A REPORT USING A UNIVERSE Step 1: Open BusinessObjects BI Platform by browsing to Step 2: Choose Web Intelligence from the Applications menu. Launching Web Intelligence this way opens the program in Java mode. Step 3: Click the New icon to create a new report. Step 4: Double click on Universe to choose your data source. Page 22 Updated: 2/11/2016

24 Step 5: Double click on the universe you want to use. Page 23

25 Step 6: Follow the same steps you used when using a BEx query to build your report. Note: Hierarchies in Universes are not objects like they are in BEx query data sources. Universe hierarchies are flattened into Levels. Each level in a hierarchy will have its own Dimension object. 5.3 CREATING A REPORT USING AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET To create an ad-hoc report using an Excel spreadsheet as your data source, you must first add the spreadsheet to your favorites in BOBJ. Page 24 Updated: 2/11/2016

26 Step 1: Click on the Documents tab, right click in the favorites panel, go to New>Local Document. Page 25

27 Step 2: Browse for the spreadsheet you want to use and click on Add. Step 3: The spreadsheet will now be available in your Favorites folder. Step 4: Choose Web Intelligence from the Applications menu. Launching Web Intelligence - this way opens the program in Java mode. Step 5: Click the New icon to create a new report. Step 6: Double click on Excel to choose your data source. Page 26 Updated: 2/11/2016

28 Step 7: Double click on the spreadsheet you want to use as your data source. Step 8: You can choose to have all the fields display or choose a range to display. Click on OK. Page 27

29 Step 9: You can now run the query and edit and format the report as you wish including adding prompts Tips and Tricks for Using Excel as Your Data Source Have headings in your Excel spreadsheet these map to Dimension names. 5.4 BUILDING A REPORT USING MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES One of the powerful features of Web Intelligence is the ability to build reports using data from multiple data sources. If the data sources have common dimensions, you can build reports stitching data from different sources together in the same view. Page 28 Updated: 2/11/2016

30 Common applications Building a report with key figures from multiple SAP modules Supplementing BOBJ live data (from BEx or Universe) with your own uploaded spreadsheet data Before we begin, let us first understand the process of merging data from two sources from a high level. The principal requirement is that the data sources must share common dimensions. You will be attempting to stitch the data from two sources together into the same view, using the common dimensions to bring the measures into alignment. You can then use the measures in calculations, because they are in the same context of the common dimensions Building the Multi-source Report query Step 1: Build a query using the steps from any one of the prior guides, ensuring that you drag the common dimensions into the Result Objects pane. It is best to use the KEY fields when merging dimensions. For each query, ensure that Query Stripping is turned OFF during your initial development. You will have a terrible time if query stripping is enabled, often getting false negatives for compatibility of dimensions (read more about this in the following section, Stitched Data within a Single Data Table (aka block)). Query stripping, is a feature of Web Intelligence that strips away fields from the query sent to the database, based on whether or not they are actually being used on screen in your report. This allows the database to fetch less data, making queries faster. This comes with the side effect of receiving a #REFRESH in cells that are added after the query has been run. You will need to refresh the report (and wait!!!) to see the missing data. Query stripping is enabled by default to optimize queries where a report designer has forgotten to remove a field that is never used in his or her report. Page 29

31 For clarity, rename the query to something more meaningful. Page 30 Updated: 2/11/2016

32 Step 2: Once you ve finished your first query, add another query, repeating the same steps from above. Once again ensure that you select the common dimensions (using KEYs when possible). Step 3: Return to the report by click the Run Queries button. Page 31

33 Change the arrangement of the Available objects to Query. This will make the source of the dimensions more clear. Play with the data, creating data tables with only objects from one source at a time. Ensure the data is what you expect this will help to identify issues before you begin merging. The data must be perfectly congruent between data sources in order for the merge to work e.g. COP1/MFTS is not the same as MFTS000029! The dimensions must also share the exact same data type a character field cannot be merged with a numeric field. Page 32 Updated: 2/11/2016

34 When both queries are returning data as expected, merge the dimensions that both queries share. Highlight both dimensions by holding CTRL while you select them. Next, right click one of the highlighted dimensions and choose Merge. You can now create a report using merged data. Follow one of the following two sections for more details Stitched Data within a Single Data Table (aka block) To stitch data together in the same data table, all dimensions in the table must be shared/common dimensions between the queries. In the example below, Query A and Query B both share two common dimensions: Business Area Vendor Page 33

35 Because the only SHARED dimensions are Business Area and Vendor, they are the only dimensions that can exist in the data table. Technical note You can actually include other unmerged dimensions, but only from one query or the other at a time. When doing this, you may be creating a Fan Trap, and will be overstating the totals of the measures (for the query with only the merged dimensions in the data table). It is best to stick to the common dimensions unless you know exactly what you re doing or how to overcome the reporting anomalies. Page 34 Updated: 2/11/2016

36 Here is an example of the scenario above in Web Intelligence: If you try to pull a dimension into the block that hasn t been merged, you may get the following warning message: This happens when: adding a dimension from Query B would create a situation where a dimension from Query A that already exists in the data table could not be reliably split (having its measures properly allocated) into the number of rows that adding the new dimension would yield. See the following example.

37 Here is an example that describes the object is incompatible issue in more depth: Section-based view with multiple data tables To provide a section based view of data multiple data tables, one for each source, requires only the dimension to be used as the section header to be shared/common across the (multiple) data tables. This method may be easier to build (without as many dimension incompatibility issues), but the application of its use is more rare than the single data table / data block view. The following screenshot shows a mockup of this kind of report.

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39 6 FORMATTING YOUR REPORT There are many ways you can format your report to have it look exactly the way you want it. Below are some references to use when formatting your report. For an explanation of the different tabs and some basic formatting information go to the BOBJ Super User Guide. For more in depth information go the SAP Guide. Page 38 Updated: 2/11/2016

40 7 APPENDICES 7.1 APPENDIX A. DATA SOURCE REFERENCE This section describes the measures found in the newly developed SAP data sources FM Funds Management Commitments & Actuals Line Items (Document Journal) [Detail] Data Source Type: BEx Query This data source contains detailed transactional line items from the FM module. The line items contain actuals and commitments, without budget key figures. It will yield a set of results similar to the SAP Document Journal reports. This data contains real postings as well as statistical postings, so you must ensure that you are filtering the records should you choose to use the Raw actuals Below is a description of each of the measures used in the query. Measure Purchase Requisition Commitments Purchase Order Commitments All Commitments Parked FI Docs Statistical Postings Actuals Other Non-Actuals Description The Purchase Requisition Commitments measure includes only amounts where funds have been committed/encumbered via Purchase Requisitions The Purchase Order Commitments measure includes only amounts where funds have been committed/encumbered via Purchase Orders This measure includes the sum of both PR and PO commitments, as well as all other forms of commitments that can be entered in the FM module. This key figure allows you to include the budgetary impact of parked journal entries in your report. Though these haven t yet been posted, there may be value in reporting on these expected amounts. Statistical postings in this model represent those postings in the FM module that don t carry real value. Because FM is the Budget module, you will find that postings to balance sheet accounts (commitment items) are considered statistical in FM. This measure represents actual amounts recognized through various business processes. This is a junk measure that includes all value types that weren t used in the previous measures. It should be zero in all cases for the City of Page 39

41 Measure Description Portland SAP implementation, but it is included should the city s implementation change FM Funds Management Budget to Actual Figures [Medium] Data Source Type: BEx Query This data source contains aggregate Budget, Actuals, and Encumbrances data for the most commonly used FM account assignment dimensions. It does not contain detail to the document number or line item grain (because budget is not posted at that detail). Use this model when you must include budget figures in your reports. Below is a description of each of the measures used in the query. Measure Purchase Requisition Commitments Purchase Order Commitments All Commitments Parked FI Docs Statistical Postings Actuals Other Non-Actuals Description The Purchase Requisition Commitments measure includes only amounts where funds have been committed/encumbered via Purchase Requisitions The Purchase Order Commitments measure includes only amounts where funds have been committed/encumbered via Purchase Orders This measure includes the sum of both PR and PO commitments, as well as all other forms of commitments that can be entered in the FM module. This key figure allows you to include the budgetary impact of parked journal entries in your report. Though these haven t yet been posted, there may be value in reporting on these expected amounts. Statistical postings in this model represent those postings in the FM module that don t carry real value. Because FM is the Budget module, you will find that postings to balance sheet accounts (commitment items) are considered statistical in FM. This measure represents actual amounts recognized through various business processes. This is a junk measure that includes all value types that weren t used in the previous measures. It should be zero in all cases for the City of Portland SAP implementation, but it is included should the city s implementation change. Page 40 Updated: 2/11/2016

42 Raw amount Measure Description This amount includes all value types in raw form. Using this measure without filtering value type in some way will yield nonsensical results CO Plans, Actuals, and Encumbrances [Medium] Data Source Type: BEx Query This data source contains data from the Controlling module aggregated to common account assignments over an accounting period. This is where the best costing data can be found. If you will be reporting on projects data, this is the best source for costing data. Below is a description of each of the measures used in the query. Measure Description Plan Actual Encumbrances Raw amount Planning amounts posted to cost objects. Actual amounts posted to cost objects. Encumbered amounts posted to cost objects. This amount includes all value types in raw form. Using this measure without filtering value type in some way will yield nonsensical results FI General Ledger Line Items [Detail] Data Source Type: BEx Query This data source contains line item details from the FI module. It will yield results similar to FAGLL03 reports in SAP ECC. This data model will be useful for financial reporting on Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, or any manually entered journal entries. Line items include accounts of all kinds, both income and expense, but also balance sheet accounts. Use this data when reporting using modified or full accrual bases of accounting. There are no budget figures in this model. There are no statistical postings in this model postings to STBU (or other statistical orders) will be reflected in the same line item as its underlying cost center (as in the SAP FI module). Below is a description of each of the measures used in the query. Measure Description Amount This amount includes the total of both debit and credit postings. This is not an account balance (unless you include the postings from the beginning of time). Page 41

43 Measure Description Total Debit Postings Total Credit Postings Quantity Only debit postings. Only credit postings Quantities posted (if relevant). Page 42 Updated: 2/11/2016