Microsoft Driven BI for SAP

using the
iNet Business Optimization Platform

Linking the Worlds of SAP & Microsoft

Certified for SAP NetWeaver

 iNet for SAP
The First Complete Platform To Provide .NET-
.NET- SAP Interoperability

Improve, Extend & Optimize SAP-

SAP-based Business Processes

Certified for SAP NetWeaver

 iNet for SAP

Enabling Composited SAP Interoperability

Companies can now

leverage the latest Microsoft
technology (of their choice)
to extend SAP processes
 iNet for SAP

„ SAP Reporting Transformed: Optimizing SAP Business Processes By Leveraging

… BI, CPM & BAM, Mobile, etc…
.NET Interoperability
„ Embed BI with transaction processes
p

„ e.Business Processes hosted in Portals

… CRM, Sales Force Automation, Supply Chain
Collaboration, etc.

„ Goal--driven processes & actionable analytics

Goal

„ Document-centric Processes
Document-
… Invoice Processing, PLM, Plant Maintenance, Bill
Presentment, Self
Self--service HR, etc.

„ BI/CPM with records management

„ “Bolt--on” 3rd Party Apps

Leverage “Bolt to
extend SAP functionality
 iNet for SAP

iNet.BI Provides Full-spectrum BI and CPM

ALL SAP Info Objects can be used for:
ƒ CPM and Business Analytics

ƒ Business Modeling, Planning,

andd BBudgeting
d ti
ƒ Decision Support and Business
Activity Monitoring
ƒ Goal
Goal--driven Business Processes
ƒ Transactional and BI Composite
Processes
 iNet for SAP

Codeless,, Universal Data Provisioningg

iNet.BI: Usable SAP Objects
1 SAP R/3 Query Objects
1.
2. SAP R/3 Report Objects
3. SAP R/3 BAPIs/RFCs
4. SAP R/3 Table Views
5. BW ODS Queries
6 BW InfoCubes
6.
7. BW Cube Queries
 iNet for SAP

Codeless, Universal Data Provisioning

ƒ Auto transformed .NET-
.NET-ready and OLAP-
OLAP-ready
ƒ Full Meta Data Provisioning
ƒ Auto Table Creation and Loading in SQL
Server2000/05 or as . . .
ƒ In
In--memory .NET or Web Service Objects for
real-time delivery to user desktops and BI tools
real-
of choice
ƒ Optional iNet.BI Viewer for SharePoint Server

Comprehensive Information Integration (EII):

• No ETL, no middleware, no data warehouses
• All SAP systems directly linked to any Microsoft
Microsoft--centric
BI/CPM platform or tool
 iNet for SAP

Codeless
C d l SAP BI PProvider
id PPackage
k CCreation
ti IIn Mi
Minutes!
t !
¾ iNet.BI SSIS/DTS plug-in automatically
exposes SAP Info Objects for access
in the SSIS Task Panes
Panes.

¾ All meta data for the SAP Info Object

is presented in the Wizard

¾ The user selects the data subsets as

desired in the Wizard and orders the
desired target tables as the business
needs dictate

Both designer/admin & end-user SAP security is reflected and

enforced in the packages
 iNet for SAP

Extending Microsoft’s Connectivity to SAP

SAP Info Object Sources Microsoft iNet

Report Programs C#

Query Objects C#
Target Integration
SAP
R/3

BAPIs C#
SQL Server 2000 (DTS)
Table Views C#
Analysis Services

SQL Server 2005 (SSIS)

Cube Queries * C#
Analysis Services

ODS Queries C#
C# ADO / .NET–Table Views
SAP
BW

ODS Report Programs C#

Reporting Services
p Programs
InfoCube Report g C#

• Requires SAP NetWeaver

iNet extends Microsoft’s connectivity with broad access to SAP * • Direct to RS without SQL Server or
Analysis Services
if
information
ti andd bbusiness
i objects
bj t (Without Requiring NetWeaver)
 iNet for SAP

iNet BI Viewer for SharePoint

„ Enterprise-wide collaboration on critical

business information

„ Provides SharePoint business card-

sized, dynamic, graphical overviews of
information

„ Use Microsoft Pivot-Table* for instant

drill-down into key business drivers

„ Link with Microsoft Outlook for

collaboration on key issues

„ Link with Microsoft Office for quick

export of data to other applications

„ Embed SAP BI with business process

activities
 iNet for SAP

iNet BI Enables Full

iNet.BI Full-spectrum
spectrum BI and CPM
Advantages:
True
T FFreedom
d off IInformation
f ti for
f Users!
U !

ƒ SAP Info and Asset Re-

Re-use

ƒ Full end-
end-solution flexibility

ƒ One solution for all potential needs

ƒ Significant
Si ifi reduction
d i iin ddeployment,
l maintenance,
i andd user
training costs
 iNet for SAP
Optimizing SAP BI Driven
Business Processes
With iNet
iNet, the business can deploy composite business
processes that incorporate:
• Write-back of budget & plan data from CPM
systems
• Embedded business intelligence and activity
monitoring
• Collaboration and workflows
• Transactional activities
• Document driven process support

Synchronized to support each other in a unified

composited process

Powerful, Intelligent SAP - .NET based business processes and business

performance optimization.
optimization
 iNet for SAP

Enabling SAP - .NET

NET Document
Document--centric Processes
Microsoft MOSS2007, SharePoint DM/ECM and SAP‘s ArchiveLink Module

ƒ Increase productivity: document-enabled R/3®

/ ® software
f
applications

ƒ Improve customer service: eliminate manual search and

routing of documents

ƒ Improve productivity: provide documents at every SAP

desktop, portal, or Office application

ƒ Improve report management: eliminate printing and

distribution

ƒ Minimize implementation time and costs: integrate with

.NET document process software components.

ƒ Ensure data security and integrity: no unauthorized

access to documents
 iNet for SAP

Microsoft BI Linked to SAP Processes

„ Leverage SharePoint DM/ECM for
Financial Records Management
g

„ Link SAP processes with Financial

Documents

„ SharePoint Portal hosted

collaboration & report sharing

„ SharePoint hosted budget planning &

modeling
 iNet for SAP

Business Process Services for SAP - .NET

NET
Intelligent Process Optimization ƒ Enterprises can create and deploy .NET
e.Business scenarios, SharePoint Portal
WebParts, and mobile apps

ƒ iNet BPS provides runtime plus object

design services

ƒ Visual Studio 2003/05 tools for Object

creation and combining SAP tasks:
ƒ transactional
ƒ reporting
ƒ analytic
ƒ collaboration
ƒ workflow

Truly optimized for the business, whether interoperable transactions/activities are distributed between SAP and Microsoft platforms, or SAP information
is accessed within Microsoft Office applications
 iNet for SAP
SAP-.NET: Distributed Capabilities, Done
Enterprise Class BP Services SAP-
SIMPLY
iNet ODK - Component Based Modeling and
Design Toolkit Gives Business Analysts and
.NET Developers:
ƒ Access to all SAP objects and all supporting services and
tools to quickly define, model, create, test and deploy
composited modules

ƒ Auto
Auto--generated .NET
NET and Web Service objects that can be
composited into larger process components and
published for re-
re-use by others

No Boundaries
Boundaries. No middleware.
middleware Full .NET-
.NET
NET-SAP interoperability
regardless of SAP Release
 iNet for SAP

Collaborative RAD & Powerful Runtime Service

iNet ODK - Component Based Modeling and Design Toolkit

• Business Analysts and .NET developers have access to ALL SAP objects with
all supporting services and tools to quickly define, model, create, test and deploy
composited modules

• Auto-generated .NET & Web Service objects can be composited into larger
process components and published for re-use by other developers

iNet Server - Enterprise Class Runtime Services

• Unified transaction, object integration & .NET Adapter Services

• Multi Mode: .NET,NET SOAP,
SOAP COM+ , XML
• Real-time, non messaging Windows Service
• Full SAP security reflection
• ACID Compliant distributed transaction support
• Parallel multithreaded performance
• Simultaneous connectivity to distributed SAP systems (50
distinct SAP systems/5000 users per iNet server) No Boundaries. No middleware. Full .NET-SAP interoperability
regardless of SAP Release
 iNet for SAP

iNet Business Process Services

Enterprise Ready Solutions. Rapidly. Plug-

Plug-n-Play connectivity and advanced
Visual Studio technology to support any scale .NET business scenario and/or
self development initiative.

• Ready
Ready--to Run SAP & Microsoft Interoperability

• Create New Composited e.Business Apps in Hours

• Cut Application Integration Times by 90%

• Realize 15x ROI Advantage Over Middleware

 iNet for SAP

Solution Scenarios with iNet for SAP

Invoice Reconciliation and Document Archival
Travel Management
Manager Self Services
Manager Self Services
Employee Self Services
Management Reporting Portal
Various HR and FI/CO scenarios
Mobile Field Service
Mobile Asset Management
KPI and Balanced Scorecard System
Sales Opportunity Management
Mobile Sales
 iNet for SAP
SAP -.NET Interoperability:
With t Boundaries
Without B d i or Restrictions
R t i ti

„ iNet works with any SAP® solution, including SAP® R/3®,

mySAP™ ERP or SAP® Business Information Warehouse. It is
release independent and Unicode ready

„ iNet does not require custom objects be transported into the

SAP landscape.

„ With iNet there is no middleware;

… No dependency on SAP NetWeaver, or SAP® Web Application
Server

„ No implementation of SAP BW is mandatory for on-

on-demand BI
 iNet for SAP
ERP-Link Customers

SAP R/3 Management Reporting Dashboard. Implemented a SharePoint Portal

Server and a complete reporting framework so managers could log onto the
Portal and have instant access to SAP R/3 FI/CO Reports covering School
District Operations. Existing ABAP Report Programs could be executed from the
Portal and result fed in real-time to the Portal page. Email, archival and
collaboration functions were fully supported

SAP BW – CPM Project. System was deployed that fed consolidated FI/CO
BW data into a Corporate Performance Management System based on a 3rd
Party CPM system from OutlookSoft. Utilized BW OLAP BAPI to execute Cube
Queries from SQLServer 2005 SSIS packages and then auto-create SQL tables
and auto transform the BW data to be OLAP ready and usable by analytic
CPM system
 iNet for SAP
ERP-Link Customers
SAP 3rd Party Application Integration Project. The Front Range “HEAT”
SAP- HEAT Return
Material Authorization system was integrated with SAP R/3 4.7 CO, SD and
MM modules. AN additional ASP Web Application and UI was created to allow
Customer Self Service for the RMA functions from a Website, reducing RMA
initiation time from 4 days to 1 hr. integrated with SAP R/3 and enabling
real-time status check on the Return/Replacement process

SAP Consolidated Finance Reporting Project. System was deployed that

consolidated FI/CO data from three SAP R/3 instances (one for each
Operating Group)) into a Corporate Performance Management System based on
a 3rd Party CPM system from OutlookSoft. Utilized R/3 ABAP Report Programs
and Query Objects to feed SQLServer2005 Tables which in turn were used to
build OLAP cubes to support full analytic CPM capability.
 iNet for SAP
ERP-Link Customer Projects

Invoice Processing System: SAP – SharePoint Server Project. Developed a

complete SAP ArchiveLink HTTP based interface to the SharePoint DM facility.
Siemens Complete document scanning, bar coding and archival functions were deployed in
support of SAP invoice processing and reconciliation functions.

Web Based Purchase Requests. Developed a .NET application that allowed

employees to initiate purchase order requests from a website. Integration of the
ASP.NET app to SAP MM and CO was implemented for real-time support of
the PR process.
 iNet.BI.bw
Technical Topics
 iNet for SAP

SAP BW – High Level Architecture

 iNet for SAP
SAP BW - Objectives
j of OLAP BAPI / (ODBO)
( )
„ ODBO/OLAP BAPIs provide third party vendors or customer developers an industry standard
method of accessing BW data via non-SAP provided front-end presentation tools

„ BW OLAP BAPIs and the derivative ODBO provider are compliant to Microsoft´s OLE DB for
OLAP specification (http://www.microsoft.com/data/oledb/olap).

„ They are based on supporting OLAP interfaces to BW which query Multidimensional result sets
or datasets using the MDX language definition for defining the data to be extracted from BW
InfoCubes.

„ ERP Link s iNet.BI.bw Provider uses the standard SAP RFC function methods to call the SAP BW
ERP-Link‘s
OLAP BAPIs. It is not a ODBO based Provider, nor is it based on the BEx API. (such as Crystal
Reports, which SAP has announced an End-of-Life for)

„ OLAP BAPI’s are more powerful than client based ODBO providers. The OLAP BAPI’s are
platform
l tf iindependent
d d t and d provide
id additional
dditi l functionality
f ti lit over and d above
b the
th ODBO
specifications. (Most BW OALP tools, Cognos, Business Objects, ARCPlan, etc use a client side ODBO
provider)

„ The iNet.BI.bw Provider thus provides a rich set of functionality which enables one to connect
BW servers to a broader spectrum of applications with a full range of OLAP architecture options.
Reference: OLE for OLAP - SAP BW Release
2.0b (SAPNET)
 iNet for SAP

SAP BW – iNet.BI/OLAP BAPI Server Layer

„ Uses SAP Query-Cubes
Query Cubes as the data source
(standard ODBO term: cube)
BI.bw Provider

OLAP BAPI
 iNet for SAP
SAP BW - ODBO - Layer
y
Client application drivers + Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)
ODBO Consumer Redistributables

BW ODBO Components like mdrmsap.dll - provider itself

mdxpars.dll - MDX parser
ODBO Provider
...

RFC SAP RFC Components like librfc.dll - SAP RFC library (SDK)
saprfc.ini - RFC connection parameter file

Function module APIs like MDDataProviderBW

BW Server
(BAPIs) MDDataSetBW
TDDataProviderBW
 iNet for SAP

SAP BW - OLAP BAPI - Layer

iNet.BI.bw Info Integration Service

Provider

RFC SAP RFC Components librfc.dll - SAP RFC library

Function module APIs MDDataProviderBW

BW Server
(BAPIs) MDDataSetBW
TDDataProviderBW
 iNet for SAP

SAP BW – about MDX

„ MDX Statement very similar to SQL but
incorporates multidimensional grammar
 iNet for SAP
SAP BW – Query (Cube) definition - Example

„ Define a Query using BEX-Analyzer -> BEX Query_Cube

„ Release the query for OLE DB for OLAP (Query Settings)
Note: If the BEx Query (Cube) has not been released for the OLE DB for
OLAP, it will not be accessible via the OLAP BAPI
 iNet for SAP

SAP BW – Cube
C b Query
Q Result
R lt Set
S t

„ Query result
 iNet for SAP

iNet.BI.bw
iNet BI bw
A DTS/SSIS Plug-
Plug-in Provider
Ready-to-Run
y Function for SQL
Q Server & Analysis
y
Services
… Utilizes the OLAP BAPI
… Exposes all meta information in a wizard to
facilitate quick creation of Provider Packages and
downstream AS cubes
… Auto Creates
C SQ
SQL SServer Tables
bl
… Makes SAP BI Objects instantly available to:
„ OutlookSOft as an AS based Reporting
p g & OLAP tool
„ Excel2003 desktops
„ Microsoft Reporting Services, etc.
 iNet for SAP

BI b tooll – Action
BI.bw A i items
i
iNet Connector
SAP BW

Connection Pools BI.BW

DTS Task
Connection Service
BW instance
DTS engine

„ Setting up SAP connections (A): Configuration of connection pools to back-office

SAP/BW systems in connection platform (Configuration items include SAP Logon
data, number of concurrent connections, etc.)

„ Setting up DTS tasks (B): Insert DTS tasks into DTS packages for executing MDX
queries against SAP/BW cubes. Per task, through reference to a connection pool
select SAP/BW system as the data source, and select existing table in SQL server or
auto-create new table as the data target.

„ Run Time: Execution of DTS package hosting the DTS task for executing MDX queries
 iNet for SAP
Setting up BI.bw DTS Provider Tasks
….. Steps 1 & 2
„ User starts the tool
tool’ss user interface
from within the SQL Server DTS designer.

„ User connects to SAP/BW and maintains texts

describing the task
 iNet for SAP

Setting
g up
p BI.bw DTS Provider tasks
………….Steps 3 & 4
„ BI.bw Tool downloads a list of all cube
catalogs from SAP/BW (3). User selects desired
catalog and then the desired cube query.

„ Tool downloads meta information pertinent to selected

cube query (4). User selects dimensions,
hierarchies, levels and members to be plotted
against the vertical axis of a 2-dimensional Result
Set.
Set
 iNet for SAP
Setting up BI.bw DTS Provider tasks
………….Steps
S 5&6
A. User selects individual members from
f the Measure dimension
(that is, Measures) and dimension properties to be plotted against
horizontal axis of Result Set .
B. User associates each selected dimension property and Measure
(plotted against the horizontal axis of Result Set) with a column in
the target table .

„ User defines the positioning of each

individual column within the column
structure and assigns alternate
names to each column; optionally,
user selects columns to form a table
key (5) & (6).
 iNet for SAP

Setting
g up
p BI.bw DTS Provider tasks
………….Step 7

„ User either selects an already existing

database table that has a matching
structure,, or he chooses to have a new
table auto-created at the conclusion of
the configuration session.
 iNet for SAP

MDX Statement Creation: Assisting functions

Button for syntax check

„ Tool auto-generates all parts of the MDX string that have an impact on
layout of the horizontal axis of the Result Set, i.e. Column Axis specification
and Dimension Properties specification (a).

„ Tool provides editing assistance for editing the remaining parts of the MDX
String, i.e. Row Axis, Slicer and SAP Variables specifications; user may drag
& drop cube objects and MDX keywords from lists rather than manually
typing them into the MDX string text box (b).

„ Tool performs MDX syntax checks against online SAP/BW at user request.
 iNet for SAP

Testingg the MDX Statement

Button for mdx syntax check

mdxtest
Based on an API Function in mdxtest that
enables the generation of a test sequence
programmatically
mdxtest
Utilize the Provider Tool to construct the mdx statement and tes
it or Cut & Paste the mdx statement from the BI.bw Provider
into the mdxtest screen from SAPGUI
 iNet for SAP

Alternate MDX Test Method

„ USE SAP Transaction: mdxtest
Cut & Paste the MDX statement from
f the
Inet.Bi.bw Provider into mdxtest

USE SAP Transaction: mdxtest

Cut & Paste the MDX
statement from the Inet.Bi.bw
Provider into mdxtest
 iNet for SAP

R Time
Run Ti
iNet Connector
SAP BW

Connection Pools BI.BW

MDX Query
DTS Task
Connection Service
BW instance
Result set DB and DTS engine

„ DTS package is started, DTS package in turn starts the tool in execution mode for
each DTS task configured with this tool; multiple tasks can also run concurrently.
„ Each DTS task connects to SAP/BW via iNet Connection Service.
„ DTS Task calls the BW framework in SAP/BW, submits the MDX string from the DTS
taskk configuration
fi i and d invokes
i k the
h execution
i off the
h MDX query; accepts Result
R l Set
S
upon finishing of query execution.
„ Task formats Result Set to match the structure of the designated target table in SQL
server; stores data into table.
 iNet for SAP

Integration Reporting .NET

Services Services Code

iNet.BI .NET Provider

SQL Server

iNet.BI
iNet Object Integrator
iNet Meta Provisioner
iNet Connection Service

Architecture
SAP RFC
Communication Layer

SAP BW

SAP Server SAP Server

Table Report BAPI

Query
Views Objects RFCs
Objects

BW ODS
Q
Queries
i BW BW
R/3 Info- Cube
Cubes Queries
DBMS
 iNet for SAP

S
Security
it
„ Full Pass thru of all SAP security
conventions
… Roles & Authorizations
… Super Users, Limited Data Viewer seats
… iNet.CS Connections Manager allows full
range
a ge of
o Connection
Co ect o co configuration
gu at o aand
d
individualized Security settings: Shared,
dedicated, pooled, etc…
 iNet for SAP

Creating Providers that include

R/3 Report and Query Objects
 iNet for SAP

Key fields can be selected

from any number of SAP
queries or reports
q p that
drive data into predefined
SQL tables.

Data flows
through
specialized
SQL DTS
packages
that connect
directly to
SAP queries
or reports.
 iNet for SAP
iNet.BPS & Duet
1st: Duet is a Fixed Set of Prepackaged HR & CRM Business Functions

2nd:: iNet BOP is for Creating “Duet

2nd Duet Style
Style” Business Scenarios for any Business Function or SAP
Module, and for enhancing current Duet scenarios

iNet BOP provides alternatives to SAP sites without the mandated DUET framework:
„ myERP 2005 or later
„ SAP BW
• SAP NetWeaver
• SAP XI
Duet Considerations:
„ No SharePoint hosted scenarios and no ability to create them
„ No ability to customize Duet Scenarios (i.e., no SDK)
„ Self--development of other scenarios is complex, costly
Self
„ Presumes corporate ability/desire to support Java NetWeaver stack
„ No support for MOSS2007 DM of SAP documents

©2007 ERP-Link Corporation All Rights Reserved.

 iNet for SAP
iNet BOP & Duet

iNet BOP would appeal to DUET customers who:

… Want to deploy new SAPSAP--.NET
NET business processes with access from within SharePoint and any
Office Business Application
… iNet offers broader interoperability between SAP objects, functions, and processes than does DUET
„ M robust
More b t scenarios
i andd composite
it processes are iin .NET
NET reachh
… iNet Supports document driven distributed processes using MOSS2007 DM & RM
… iNet BOP easily supports environments with multiple SAP instances, even globally-
globally-distributed
systems
… iNet enables BI
BI--driven business processes without mandating use of SAP BW

iNet.BPS enables self-

self-creation and deployment
p y of
Duet--type business scenarios that are 100% .NET
Duet

©2007 ERP-Link Corporation All Rights Reserved.

 iNet for SAP
iNet Offers Interoperability Spanning Two Distinct Worlds

SAP R/3, CRM & BW New SAP - .NET

Microsoft .NET
Business Processes
Users
EP/SAPGUI Sharepoint Office System
iNet.BI
iNet BPS
iNet.BPS
e Architecture
e

Mobile Infrastr. PDK for .NET Windows XP Windows Mobile

NettWeaver Developer Studio

Microsoft .N
INFORMATION INTEGRATION
iNet.BI
Bus. Intelligence Knowledge Mgt. MOSS2007 Sharepoint, Exchange

Visua
iNet.BPS
TRex Search iNet.DM SQLServer-
Master Data Mgt.
Mgt Content Mgmt.
Mgmt
erprise Service

NET Framework
al Studio
AS & RS

PROCESS INTEGRATION
iNet.BPS
Exchange Advanced iNet Server Advanced BizTalk
Infrastructure Web Services Web Services Server
Ente

APPLICATION PLATFORM
Solution Manager Single Sign-On iNet.BPS Active DirectorySystem Center
CCMS Web App Server iNet Server Windows Server / SQL Server