Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.

Applies to:
SAP BI 7.0. For SAP 4.6C with plug-in 2004.1, this option has been available since Service pack 10.For more information, visit the Business Intelligence homepage.

Summary
Virtual Infocube or SAP Remote cube does not physically contains any data. It contains only the basic structure. Using this structure we can get data from different source system into our BW system. Here in this article i m using a View Based Generic Datasource. A virtual Infocube can be loaded in three ways. 1. Based on Data Transfer Process For Direct Access. 2. Based on BAPI. 3. Based on Functional Module. This article will demonstrate a step by step guide for loading Virtual Infocube based on Data Transfer Process for Direct Access. Author: Mrityunjay Pandey.

Company: Infosys Technologies Created on: 05 May 2010

Author Bio
Mrityunjay Pandey is presently working in Infosys Technologies with a year experience as Associate SAP BI Developer. His expertise includes SAP BI 7.0 and ABAP.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Table of Contents
Introduction to Direct Access ......................................................................................................................... 3 1. 2. Infobjects(Char) ................................................................................................................................ 3 Datasource ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Data Flow Daigram. ................................................................................................................................... 4 Steps for Loading a Virtual infocube........................................................................................................... 5 Implementation Result:................................................................................................................................ 14 Related Content .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Copyright ....................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Introduction to Direct Access

1. Infobjects(Char) Direct Access infobjects are used whenever we want to avoid loading from master data. Including this type of infobject is very useful when working with virtual infoproviders. On the other hand using this type of infobjects in our infoproviders will seriously impact query performances. 2. Datasource In order to support a virtual infoprovider, a datasource must be of direct access enabled. The basic meaning of Direct Access can be understood as no Persistent storage of data on BW side. Generally all Generic Datasource supports Direct Access. But the Business Content Datasource needs to be activated for direct access. The most important use this Direct Access Datasource can be seen in data reconciliation Business Scenarios. Now, if a Datasource is supporting Direct Access, then directly the source system data can be accessed with the help of that Datasource, thus it can be used in a Virtual Infocube. There are two categories of this type of Datasources: I. Preaggregation Supporting Datasource. Such types of datasources are capable of extracting aggregated data (key figures) when data is extracted from the fields of corresponding tables. So this Datasource can be used in a DSO with Overwrite mode also. II. Preaggregation Not Supporting Datasource. Such types of datasources are not capable of aggregating data, when data is extracted from the fields of corresponding tables. So a DSO in overwrite mode cannot be used for this Datasource.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Data Flow Daigram. The following diagram shows the full fledge Data Flow of my model for loading a Virtual Infocube.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Steps for Loading a Virtual infocube. As I have discussed earlier that for loading data in a Virtual infocube using Data Transfer Process, firstly we have to create a Direct Access Datasource. Almost all Generic Datasource supports this feature. We can also create a Flat File Datasource supporting this feature. But here i m using a View Based Generic Datasource for loading data into our virtual infocube. 1. Create a View based on your table in the ECC side using t-code SE11. In my case the View is based on the standard table VBAK (Sales Document: Header Data) as shown in figure 1.

Figure 1 2. Now create a Generic Datasource based on this View using T-code RSO2.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 2.1 Here while saving the Datasource in RSO2 we can see in Figure 2.2 that our Datasource is Direct Access Enabled as shown in figure 2.2.

Figure 2.2 The various options for the direct access Datasource are as shown in Figure 2.3

Figure 2.3 Since for our Datasource it supports Data Access but without preaggregation, so we can use it for Virtual Infocube. 3. Now in BW side go to RSA1Source Systems, Right Click on your source system and then click Replicate Datasource. After replication is done just activate the Datasource once.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 3
Note: Since our Datasource is Direct Access Enabled, so there is no need for creating Infopackage for this Datasource. It will access the data directly from the source system tables.

4.1 Now go to RSA1 InfoObjects, Create your InfoArea and then under your Infoarea create your InfoObject Catalog for Characteristics as well as for Key Figures. Then activate it. 4.2 Now Right Click on your Characteristics InfoObject Catalog, go to Create InfoObject .Enter the Technical Name of your InfoObject and Description there. We can also go for an existing InfoObject Template as shown in Figure 4.2a.

Figure 4.2a Here under the Master data/texts Tab, we have changed the selection option for Master Data Access from Default to Direct Access because we are going to use this InfoObject (Char.) for a Virtual InfoCube as shown in figure 4.2b. Then Activate the InfoObject and save it.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 4.2b 4.3 Repeat the same process for all the InfoObjects Characteristics that you are going to create for the Virtual Infocube. Then go for creation of Key Figures in the Key Figure Catalog. Here I am using an already existing Standard Key Figure. The InfoObject Catalog is shown in figure 4.3.

Figure 4.3 5. Then go to RSA1InfoProvider. Create your InfoArea there. Then under your InfoArea, Right Click go to Create InfoCube as shown in figure 5.1a.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 5.1a Here enter the Technical name and Description of the Infocube and then in InfoProvider type choose Based on Data Transfer Process for Direct Access as shown in figure 5.1b. Then click on the save to create the Virtual InfoProvider.

Figure 5.1b Then create dimensions for the Infocube. Here I have created 4 Dimension as Document, Date & Time, Order and Controlling Area as shown in the figure 5.1c. Then enter the infoObjects in the respective dimensions and then enter Key Figure. After this step just activate your Infocube and save it.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 5.1c 6. Now go for creation of Transformation between Datasource that you have replicated and the Virtual Infocube as shown in figure 6.1a. Right Click on your Virtual Infocube and go to Create Transformation. In the Source just enter the Datasource technical name and Source System Technical Name there.

Figure 6.1a Once this is done go for mapping between source and target fields as shown in Figure 6.1b.Then activate the transformation and save it.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 6.1b 7. After creation of Transformation go for creation of DTP. Right Click on DTP, then create Data Transfer Process as shown in figure 7.1. Activate the DTP after that.

Figure 7.1. 8. Once the activation of Data Transfer Process is done, then go to your Infocube, Right Click the Infocube and select Activate Direct Access as shown in the figure 8.1a.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 8.1a. After this we need to save the Data Transfer Process as shown in Figure 8.1b.

Figure 8.1b

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

9. Once this is done go to the Infocube and right click, Display Data. Here you can choose what all data you want to view in the Infocube. The Display Data view for this InfoCube is shown in figure 9.1.

Figure 9.1 10. As we know this data is coming from the VBAK (Sales Document Header) table from ECC side. So the same records we can match from the ECC side in source system using t-code SE16 and entering the table name as VBAK and for the same Sales Document Number as shown in figure 16 below.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Figure 10.

Implementation Result:
The loading of Virtual Infoprovider has been successfully implemented in SAP BI 7.0 and the data was verified with the data present in the table in ECC side.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

Related Content
1. Application of SAP BI Info providers. 2. Implementing Virtual InfoProviders with Services. 3. How To Guides 4. For more information, visit the Business Intelligence homepage.

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Implementing Virtual Infocube Based on Direct Access in SAP BI 7.0

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