SAP Business Intelligence ( BI ) Financial and Budget Reporting Level II A Step (or Two) Beyond ( Limited Edition Signed Copies Available ) December 2009
Table of Contents Personalize the Initial Variable Screen... 3 Create Your Own View... 5 Bookmarks... 8 Context Menu Options... 11 Fiscal Period Selection... 15 Hierarchies... 16 Exceptions... 19 Conditions / Criteria... 22 DrillDowns... 25 DrillAcross... 27 Additional Filtering... 29 2
Personalize Your Initial Variable Screen If you have a specific fund center or group of fund centers that you submit on a regular basis, you can save your input so that you do not have to re-enter the same information each time you want to run a report. Saving the input is called a personalization. In this example, I want to save the particular selection made below. Personalize button Selection to be saved / personalized Execute button Right click the Personalize button and select the personalize option. When you do this, the screen will clear. However, a new button (All) will appear at the bottom of the window. You should also notice that the row that was used, Fund Center Hierarchy (Groups), will not be displayed. At this point, you simply have to click the execute button to run your report. Fund Center Hierarchy (Groups) row is missing. All button 3
To use your personalization, click the All button. Your personalization will be displayed the missing row will re-appear. Also, the Personalize button, will now have a small face profile to indicate that the selection is a personalization. Face profile Row is now visible Selection button Delete button Free button To change your personalization, simply click the Delete button and make another selection in any of the variables. Delete Personalization To delete your personalization, right click the Personalize button. From the menu that opens, select Delete Personalization. Right click menu from Personalize button 4
Create User Defined Views Each report tab comes with a number of different delivered views of the information. You can select a different view from the drop down list. You can also create your own views that will be available whenever you run a report in the future. Any view you create will only be available for your use. No one else will have access to the views that you create. The value of this feature is that you can manipulate a current view by expanding particular triangle / navigation nodes selecting various sorts using any screen available buttons adding filters / conditions on the information (to be discussed later). Once you have the view changed to your liking, click on the Create User Defined Views button next to the view dropdown list. Create User Defined View button 5
A window will open. Click on the Save View button. (Click the Close button if you do NOT want to save the view.) Save View button Close button Another window will open. Enter a name for you view in the Description field. Description field Suggestion: Name each of your views in a consistent manner. For example, you might want to use the word My as the first word in each name you assign. 6
Your personal view is now available anytime you open the BI Report. In other words, it will be there whenever you use the BI Report. It does not go away when you close the session. You can create as many views as you like on each tab (other than the Dashboard tab). Your view will be included in the drop down list. My View included in the drop down list When you select your view, you also have the ability to remove / delete this view using the trash can icon that appears. Please note that you cannot delete any of the delivered views. The Trash Can button will only appear when a user defined view has been selected. My View selected Trash Can button to remove your user-defined views 7
Bookmarks You have the ability to bookmark a report for future reference. Take the time to set up each tab the way you want to see it by selecting the appropriate view, including user-defined views on each tab. You can also include any filtering conditions and exceptions (topics to be discussed later) that you want on each tab. Once the entire report is as you want it, create a bookmark so that you do not have to repeat all these steps each time you submit your report. The bookmark can be saved as an Internet Explorer favorite for easy access. Utilizing a bookmark eliminates the need to complete the Initial Variable screen. When you click on the favorite, you will have to log-in to BI, but you will not have to complete the Initial Variable screen. The favorite will only work on the PC where it was created. However, you can copy and paste the text of the link in an e-mail message so that others can create the same favorite assuming they also have a SAP BI account. Bookmark button on toolbar 8
A new window will open. When done, the web address / link will be available. A sample of copying and pasting the web address https://maximus.sytec.passhe.edu:44430/sap/bw/bex?sap- LANGUAGE=EN&BOOKMARK_ID=4EQBHZWI1T01S6A5R8PGTN7GA Beginning of bookmark identifier Entire link must be used when creating a Favorite or Shortcut You have to add this bookmark to your Internet Explorer favorites in order to access it at a later time. (The entire web address needs to be copied.) You can create as many bookmarks as you like. When you use the bookmark to access the BI Report, the Initial Variable screen selection that was in place at the time the bookmark was created will be used. However, once you enter the BI Report, you can click on the appropriate link to return to the Initial Variable screen and select different fund centers. 9
Bookmarks versus User-Defined Views Bookmarks / Favorites All Initial Variable Screen selections are saved with the Bookmark / Favorite. All drill downs / expansions will be saved with the Bookmark / Favorite. Bookmarking will save the navigation state of all the tabs. Each tab will be saved as it was left when the bookmark was created. Multiple bookmarks / favorites can be created. User-Defined Views User defined views will not save any of the Initial Variable screen selections. These views will be available every time you use the BI Report, regardless of the Initial Variable screen selections. User defined views will only impact the particular tab. Multiple views can be created on any tab (other than the Dashboard tab). 10
Context Menu Options Various portions of the BI Report are web items typically underlined like web links that have a Context Menu associated with them. This menu can be accessed by right clicking on the underlined item. The Context Menu provides various functions that are dependent on the particular starting point. In other words, the content of the Context Menu can change from location to location. Underline appears as mouse is rolled over the text Right click on the text to open the Context Menu. Context Menu sample Note: This is a sample of the Context Menu. The menu options will vary based on where you right clicked to get the menu. The menu itself is context sensitive. If a particular menu option does not apply to a particular entry, it will not be displayed at that point. 11
Context Menu Options Back Choose Back if you want to undo a navigational step in this query view. This takes you back one step to undo your most recent action. Back to start Choose Back to start if you want to undo all of the navigational steps in this query view. This will return you to the original / default query view. Bookmark Creates a bookmark of the page in the current configuration. After bookmarking, simply add the web link to your Internet Explorer favorites for future viewing. This works the same as the Bookmark button on the toolbar. Calculate result as... Use this function to recalculate the results rows and single values that are displayed in the query according to the following criteria: a. Summation b. Maximum or Minimum c. Count All Values or Count all values < > 0 d. Average of All Values or Average of All Values < > 0 e. Standard Deviation or Variance f. Suppress Result g. First Value or Last Value. Calculate single values as... Use this function to recalculate the single values that are displayed in the query according to the following criteria: h. Normalize result i. Normalize total result j. Normalize Ranked list or Olympic ranked list Cumulated Use this function to cumulate the individual cells in an area. The first value is added to the second value the result is added to the third value and so on. In the columns, the cells are cumulated from top to bottom, and in the rows, the cells are cumulated from left to right. With blocks of single values, that is, a drilldown in both the rows and the columns, the values are cumulated from top to bottom and from left to right. Distribute Allows for the distribution of a query by e-mail. The Broadcaster Wizard dialog box will display to guide the user through the e-mailing options. Drilldown across or down For characteristic descriptions (for example, country), you can choose Drill Down Vertically in the navigation block or from a label in order to drill down along the axes for the columns or rows. 12
Export as CSV file / MS Excel 2000 file MS Excel 2000 File The navigation status does not change and the formatting is transferred. You can see the filter restrictions and the data in the table. Exceptions are highlighted in color in the same way as they are on the web. CSV File You can export the query data into a CSV (comma separated value) file. Unlike exporting to MS Excel 2000, you do not see the numbers in context and you cannot see the filter data. The query formatting (such as how the exceptions are displayed) is not transferred to the CSV file. Filter and Drilldown According to Characteristic Use this to afix a characteristic to a value in one step (meaning to filter it) and to drilldown according to another characteristic on the same axis (row axis or column axis). Goto Choose Goto when you want to access documentation and jump to a lower level of detail in another report window. Keep filter value Choose Keep Filter Value if you want to see only the data for a characteristic value. The characteristic value itself is removed from the drilldown. Fix filter value to axis Use Keep Filter Value on Axis if you only want to see the data for a characteristic value but still want to see the characteristic value itself in the drilldown. Key figure definition Use Key Figure Definition to see how a concrete figure is comprised in your web application. You can check whether data has been loaded and/or analyze errors. Properties Use Properties when you want to change different settings for the characteristic or key figure. Query properties Use Query Properties when you want to change different settings for the query at run time. Remove drilldown Use Remove Drilldown if you want to remove a characteristic from the drilldown. Select filter value Use Select Filter Value if you want to filter the web application according to values. Sort Sort ascending / sort descending Use this function to sort structural component values in ascending or descending order Sort characteristic Use this function to sort characteristic values or attributes for a drilldown characteristic in descending or ascending order. You can sort by the key or the name. 13
Swap axes Use this function to swap the axes of the query. If you have characteristics in the rows and key figures in the columns and you choose Swap Axes, then the key figures are displayed in the rows and the characteristics are displayed in the columns. Swap characteristic 1 / structure 1 with characteristic 2 structure 2 Use this function to swap a characteristic / structure with another characteristic / structure. 14
Fiscal Period Selection Many of the report tabs include a Fiscal Period / Year drop down list. This allows you to select a particular period (month) within the reporting fiscal year. Fiscal Period / Year drop down list Fiscal Period / Year link If you click on the Fiscal Period / Year link, the following window will open. Selection of specific periods Create a more unique selection of fiscal periods Transfer button You can select specific periods and then click the Transfer button to move your selection to the report tab. It may take a few seconds to complete the transfer, so please be patient and wait. Do not click the Transfer button multiple times. 15
Hierarchies Hierarchies are tree-like structures to organize values the following example is a fund center hierarchy based on our organizational structure. Hierarchy level based on our organizational structure identified with triangle / navigation nodes Hierarchy level based on our organizational structure identified with triangle / navigation nodes Hierarchy level based on our organizational structure identified with triangle / navigation nodes The hierarchy can be removed either with the Context Menu or by using the appropriate toolbar button. Toolbar button to turn on (or turn off) the fund center hierarchy toggle 16
With fund center hierarchy turned off Hierarchy turned off Commitment Item Hierarchy Operating node expanded further Operating node Expanded 17
A better way Rather than clicking each individual node to expand things, take advantage of the Context Menu. Roll your mouse over the column title to get the underline. Then right click to open the Context Menu. Roll mouse over column heading underline will appear right click to open menu The Hierarchy portion of the Context Menu Click on the Expand Hierarchy option. Then click on the appropriate level. The higher the level number selected, the greater the expansion. Selecting the highest number level will ensure complete expansion. 18
Exceptions Please note that the following functionality is available on all but the Dashboard tab. The Exception functionality allows you to color code key figures based on thresholds that you determine. The color coding has three different shades of three different colors (green (good), yellow (critical), and red (bad)) for a total of nine options. Click on the Exceptions and Conditions button. The screen will expand. Exceptions and Conditions button Create button Close button Link for help 19
Click the Create button to establish a new condition. Enter a name for the Exception Select the column involved Select the appropriate operator Select desired color Enter appropriate limits Close button Transfer button Define Exception section Enter a name for the Exception in the Description field. Select a field / column to be evaluated in the Evaluation for Budget Structure field. Exception Values section Select an operator (=, >, <, between, etc.) for the Exception. Enter the appropriate values. Make sure the first field in the row is selected / checked. Validity Area of Exception Make sure the Validity Area for All Characteristics Not Listed field is set to All. Click the Transfer button. Example: The example displayed above in the printscreen is set to highlight the Actuals & Commitments column values where the dollar amount is less than or equal to $5,000. 20
To edit / delete an Exception Close button Right click the Exception. A menu will open. Select the appropriate option. Make the appropriate changes. Click the Transfer button. The Close button will close the Exceptions & Conditions portion of the screen. 21
Conditions / Criteria Please note that the following functionality is available on all but the Dashboard tab. The example provided here uses the Trend tab as the starting point. Also, the example provided utilizes the Fiscal Period field for applying additional conditions / criteria. All of the other fields noted in the Navigation Block are available to use separately and/or in combination with each other. Click the Trend tab to move to this report. Trend tab CI Category drop down list Display Navigation Block button In the CI Category drop down list, select the Operating option. Click on the Display Navigation Block button on the toolbar. Another section of the report will open. 22
Fiscal Period filter button Close button Click the Fiscal Period filter button. A Select Filter Value for Fiscal Period window will open. Fiscal Period / Year Filter button 23
Click the appropriate check boxes to select the desired fiscal periods. Click the desired fiscal periods. Transfer button After checking all of the desired fiscal periods, click the Transfer button. Click the Transfer button and patiently WAIT for the screen to refresh. Click the Close button to hide the filter portion (Navigation Block) of the report. 24
Navigation Block Drilldown and DrillAcross Please note that the following functionality is available on all but the Dashboard tab. The example provided here uses the Status tab as the starting point. Also, the example utilizes just one of the fields that is available. Click the Display Navigation Block icon on the toolbar. The Navigation Block will open. Drilldown icon Drillacross icon DrillDown option Drilldown icon associated with the Fund Center field Close Navigation Block button Click on the Drilldown icon associated with the Fund Center field. 25
Delivered / default view After clicking the drilldown icon associated with the Fund Center field Each commitment item now has subtotals for each fund center Commitment Items 26
DrillAcross option DrillAcross option for the Fiscal Year / Period field Close Navigation Block button After clicking the drillacross icon associated with the Fiscal Period / Year field Dollar amounts broken down by fiscal period 27
Removing DrillDown and DrillAcross functionality DrillDown by Fund Center applied icon changed DrillAcross by Fiscal Period / Year applied icon changed When a DrillDown or DrillAcross is executed, the particular image of that icon changes. DrillDown by Fund Center applied icon changed DrillAcross by Fiscal Period / Year applied icon changed To remove a DrillDown or DrillAcross, simply click the icon again. When clicking on icons in the Navigation Block, please wait patiently for the command to execute and the screen to refresh before clicking on the next command. 28
Additional Filtering Please note that the following functionality generally applies only to the following types of fund centers 7511xxxxxx through 7519xxxxxx. Click the Filter Buttons icon. This will open a new section of the report. Individual filtering buttons Filter Buttons icon Group filtering buttons Remove filtering options Close button This section of the report allows you to further filter the included fund centers. You can select 7511xxxxxx EG Education & General 7512xxxxxx ES - Ed Supplies 7513xxxxxx FD Faculty Development 7514xxxxxx HD Human Resources (Staff) Development 7515xxxxxx IN Presidential Initiatives 7517xxxxxx SS Self Support 7518xxxxxx WK - Workshops 7519xxxxxx UG Unrestricted Grants 7511xxxxxx through 7515xxxxxx 7517xxxxxx through 7519xxxxxx Click the appropriate button based on your filtering needs. 29
Note: Click the Remove All Filters button to remove any additional filtering that you had used. This will return the report to the point where all of the initially selected fund centers are included in the displayed results. Click the Close button to close this section of the report. The second time around Once you have added a filter for a set of fiscal periods (July / August / September in this example), you have to remove this filer before you can make a different selection within the same reporting session. If you exit the reporting system, this step is not necessary. Click the Display Navigation Block icon on the toolbar to open the Navigation block. Click the Trashcan icon associated with the Fiscal Period filter. This will remove the existing filter selection. Then click the Filter icon to select new fiscal periods. Filter button for fiscal periods Trashcan icon to remove existing filters 30