Using SAP Predictive Analysis in Combination with SAP Business Warehouse Queries

Using SAP Predictive Analysis in Combination with SAP Business Warehouse Queries

TABLE OF CONTENTS KEY CONCEPT... 3 ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW... 3 CREATING BW OFFLINE DATASET... 4 BEX QUERY ELEMENT SUPPORT... 8 Support for BEx Queries: SAP BI4.x vs Lumira vs Predictive Analysis... 8 Support for BEx Queries: Lumira vs Predictive Analysis (PA)... 9 Support for Existing Metadata... 10 BEX QUERY DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS... 12 2

With the release of SAP Predictive Analysis 1.21, you can now directly connect to SAP Business Warehouse (BW) systems using BEx Query connectivity. This allows you to download train sample sets for model training offline. This document details the steps required to connect to any SAP BW (database-agnostic) system using BEx Query Connectivity and shows you how your existing metadata is supported by SAP Predictive Analysis. KEY CONCEPT Until recently, SAP Predictive Analysis was able to leverage Universe-based connectivity to SAP BW InfoProviders. With the latest release, SAP Predictive Analysis 1.21, you can not only connect to SAP BW InfoProviders, but also execute BEx queries and pass values for variables defined in the queries. This eliminates the need to manually download or export data from SAP BW for predictive analysis. SAP Lumira today supports connectivity to SAP BW data and visualization features, but offers a limited subset of functionality compared to other data sources. In the Creating BW Offline Dataset section, you can see the general workflow for connecting to BEx Queries or InfoProviders, selecting Dimensions and Measures, and setting values for variables (for BEx Queries). This allows you to narrow down the train set to do predictive analysis. In the BEx Query Design Recommendations section, you can find the currently supported features and any restrictions along with prescribed best practices to define and adapt your existing queries for predictive use. ARCHITECTURE OVERVIEW 3

CREATING BW OFFLINE DATASET 1. To open SAP Predictive Analysis, go to Start > All Programs > SAP Business Intelligence > SAP Predictive Analysis > SAP Predictive Analysis. 2. Select the menu File > New. 3. In the dialog that appears, select the Download from SAP Business Warehouse option and select Next. 4. Enter BW connection details such as Client ID, Language, User, and Password and choose Connect te: List of available SAP BW servers is derived from the SAP Front End Logon Pad. 4

5. You can search for your BEx Query or InfoProvider using either the Roles or InfoAreas view. Alternatively you can search for key words in the Find box. Select the BEx Query from list of available queries and choose Create. 6. Enter values for mandatory variables of the BEx Query. 5

7. Where queries have hierarchy variables defined, you need to select a hierarchy. 8. Select values within the hierarchy that have been filtered based on the node selected for the previous variable and select OK. 6

9. Finally, select dimensions and measures with the predictive use case in mind. These are downloaded when you choose Create. 7

BEX QUERY ELEMENT SUPPORT Support for BEx Queries: SAP BI4.x vs Lumira vs Predictive Analysis Direct access using Business Intelligence Consumer Services (BICS) in Lumira offers a subset of the overall functionality. Direct access in Predictive Analysis not only leverages features of Lumira, but also enables the use of SAP BW data for predictive analysis. BEx Query Element Relational Universe SAP BI4.X Direct Access (BICS) Lumira Direct Access (BICS) Predictive Analysis Calculated Key Figure Restricted Key Figure Conditions Unit/Currency Navigational Attribute Display Attribute (planned for future scope) Hierarchies (this is a feature) Custom Structures BI Authorizations Variables 8

Support for BEx Queries: Lumira vs Predictive Analysis (PA) BEx Query Element Description Direct Access (BICS) Lumira Direct Access (BICS) Predictive Analysis Select Dimensions & Measures on Acquisition You can define which dimensions or measures from the underlying BEx Query should be used by PA Filter on Acquisition You can filter the dataset before PA acquires the data from the underlying BEx Query. Data Preparation You have access to the Prepare tab of PA and, therefore, you can use any of the data manipulation options in combination with your data from SAP BW. Compose Stories You can create stories using the Compose tab. Share Stories You have access to the Share tab and can share your PA story with Lumira server only. This is consistent with all other PA stories. Data Manipulations You have access to the context menus for dimensions or measures. You can create your own measures, create a custom hierarchy, merge columns, create a calculated dimension, or create a calculated measure in both the Prepare and Visualize tabs. 9

Support for Existing Metadata BEx Query Element Relational Universe SAP BI4.X Direct Access (BICS) Lumira Direct Access (BICS) Predictive Analysis Characteristic Each characteristic is retrieved based on the configuration of the display settings. Currency and unit Currencies and units are only supported using the cross-tab visualization and are not supported in other visualizations. Hierarchies Hierarchies are flattened in SAP Predictive Analysis in order to ensure they are in the correct format for predictive processing. (this is a feature) Key Figure Key figures are available. If a scaling factor has been configured, the scaled value is shown, but the information on the used scaling factor is not available. Calculated Key Figure Calculated key figures are treated the same way as key figures. Restricted Key Figure Restricted key figures are treated the same way as key figures. Filter Filters are applied to the underlying query but are not visible in SAP Predictive Analysis. Display Attribute Display attributes are not available in SAP Predictive Analysis. We recommend, where necessary, to convert them to navigational attributes. (planned for future scope) Navigational Attribute Navigational attributes are treated the same way as characteristics. Variables Each variable with the Ready for Input property displays a prompt during the data acquisition phase. Custom Structures A custom structure for both characteristics and key figures is supported in SAP 10

Predictive Analysis. Conditions Conditions are supported. Local Calculations Key figures configured with a local calculation are supported. 11

BEX QUERY DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS During data acquisition, it is possible to define filter values for the characteristics of the underlying BEx Queries only if they are specified as input parameters during BEx Query Creation. There is also an option to select a subset of characteristics and key figures of the underlying BEx Query for reports during data acquisition. Hierarchies are flattened during data acquisition to ensure the data is in the correct format for predictive algorithm processing. SAP Predictive Analysis respects the display settings for key and text for characteristics in the underlying BEx Query. As a result, it is important to ensure that your BEx Queries are configured accordingly, so that users are able to leverage the descriptions for the dimension values. Display attributes are currently not available for SAP Predictive Analysis. When display attributes are very critical for the project, the suggested workaround is to consider converting the display attributes into navigational attributes. A warning will be displayed to the user when such a query is executed. Currency and unit information for key figures is only available in the table visualization of SAP Predictive Analysis. Based on this, you can either offer users the option to select a unit or currency using BEx variables as part of the underlying BEx Query or configure the unit or currency as a fixed value in the BEx Query. It is also highly recommended that the same unit or currency be configured for all the key figures to avoid any confusion. SAP Predictive Analysis respects conditions (Top N) defined in the underlying BEx Query, but users do not receive any information about the configured conditions. As a result, we do not recommend the use of conditions in queries intended for use with predictive algorithms. Scaling factors are not respected in SAP Predictive Analysis. Any applied scaling factors will be removed upon data acquisition and the actual value of the key figure will be shown. We recommend that you avoid queries with both list calculations and zero suppression when using BEx Queries with SAP Predictive Analysis. This is not obvious to a user during data acquisition and as such could lead to unexpected results. By default, BEx Queries omit master data values without postings. If such items are required during algorithm processing, ensure the appropriate settings are made in the query. 12

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