SAP BW Data Retrieval
Mastering the ETL process
1st Edition
Published on 28. December 2005
Book
Hardback
552 pages
978-1-59229-044-4 (ISBN)
Description
This much anticipated reference makes an excellent addition to your SAP BW Library. Read this book and you'll discover a comprehensive guide to configuring, executing, and optimizing data retrieval in SAP BW.
The author takes you, step-by-step, through all of the essential data collection activities and helps you hit the ground running with master data, transaction data, and SAP Business Content. Expert insights and practical guidance help you to optimize these three factors and build a successful, efficient ETL (extraction, transformation, loading) process.
This all-new edition is based on the current SAP BW Release 3.5, but remains a highly valuable resource for those still using previous versions.
Highlights include:
Detailed ETL Concepts and Implementation within SAP BW
Extractors: Overview of Available Techniques: Homogenization of Data, Data Extraction from Heterogeneous Systems, Extraction Mechanisms in SAP BW
ETL Process: Master Data: Data Targets, Update Types and Rules, DataSources, InfoPackages
ETL Process: Transaction Data - SAP Business Content DataSources, InfoSources, Transfer and Update Rules
SAP Business Content: Elements and Areas of Use
Detailed Sample Scenario
Comprehensive Appendix: Includes BW Glossary, Transaction Codes, Metadata Tables, Index
... and much more!
More details
Persons
Author
Norbert Egger is the Managing Director of the CubeServ Group, which specializes in BI solutions. In 1996, he established the world's first data warehouse based on SAP. Since then, he has implemented hundreds of projects with SAP BW and SAP SEM. He has many years of experience in the operation of SAP-based BI solutions.
Jean-Marie R. Fiechter has worked as a senior data warehousing consultant at CubeServ AG (Jona, Switzerland) since 2003 and is a certified SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence consultant. He has international, practical experience in the areas of data warehousing, business intelligence, massively parallel processing, and management information systems (MIS). For the past several years, he has taught data warehousing at various universities and colleges. In addition, he works as a BI instructor on behalf of SAP.
Robert Salzmann works as a consultant at CubeServ AG (Jona, Switzerland), which specializes in business intelligence solutions. He has many years of experience with projects in the SAP BW area and is currently involved in several SAP BW projects in medium-size and large European companies.
Ralf Patrick Sawicki is an SAP BW consultant at CubeServ GmbH (Flörsheim am Main, Germany), which specializes in business intelligence solutions. He has many years of experience with SAP Business Information Warehouse and SAP R/3 and has been involved in numerous national and international projects with well-known companies. Ralf Patrick Sawicki is a certified solution consultant for SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence.
Thomas Thielen is a senior consultant for business intelligence solutions at CubeServ AG (Jona, Switzerland). He holds a degree in Business Administration, Accounting, and Fiscal Law. In May 2002, SAP Europe certified Thomas Thielen as an Application Consultant for SAP Business Warehouse Systems. Since then he has managed and successfully implemented numerous projects with SAP BW and SAP SEM.
Content
Preface ... 11
Foreword ... 13
Introduction and Overview ... 15
1. Data Warehousing and SAP BW ... 21
... 1.1 Introduction ... 21
... 1.2 The Data Warehouse Concept ... 22
... 1.3 Basic Characteristics of a Data Warehouse Solution ... 24
... 1.4 Architecture of SAP BW: Overview ... 32
2. Data Acquisition: ETL Concepts and Their Implementation in SAP BW ... 43
... 2.1 Introduction ... 43
... 2.2 Process Steps in the Data Acquisition Layer ... 44
... 2.3 Metadata Management ... 50
... 2.4 ETL Components of SAP BW ... 52
... 2.5 Data Transfer into SAP BW: Components and Options ... 58
... 2.6 Data Transfer out of SAP BW: Components and Options ... 63
... 2.7 Data Transfer and Application Development with SAP BW: BI Java SDK ... 65
3. Sample Scenario ... 67
... 3.1 The Model Company: "CubeServ Engines" ... 67
... 3.2 Requirements of the Case Study ... 70
... 3.3 Procedure and the SAP Components Involved ... 73
... 3.4 Details of ETL Requirements ... 74
... 3.5 A Look Ahead: Additional Steps in the Implementation ... 76
4. Extractors: Overview of the Techniques ... 77
... 4.1 General Overview ... 77
... 4.2 SAP BW Content Extractors: Extraction of SD Transaction Data with the LO Customizing Cockpit ... 82
... 4.3 Customer-Specific Extractors in the Example of SAP CO-PA ... 113
... 4.4 Further Application-Specific Extractors ... 125
... 4.5 Application-Independent Extraction from SAP R/3 ... 133
... 4.6 Extraction from Interface Files ... 139
... 4.7 Extracting XML Data ... 145
... 4.8 Extraction via DB Connect ... 156
... 4.9 UDI-Universal Data Integration ... 159
5. ETL Process: Master Data ... 163
... 5.1 General Overview ... 163
... 5.2 Master Data ... 165
... 5.3 The ETL Process ... 165
... 5.4 Data Targets ... 166
... 5.5 Types of Updates for Master Data ... 168
... 5.6 ETL Process for Master Data ... 170
6. ETL Process: Transaction Data ... 259
... 6.1 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Profitability Analysis ... 259
... 6.2 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Sales Order Stocks ... 321
... 6.3 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Financial Reporting ... 332
... 6.4 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for the Sales Documents: Sales Order ... 354
7. SAP Business Content ... 387
... 7.1 Elements of SAP Business Content ... 388
... 7.2 Fundamental Problems of SAP Business Content ... 389
... 7.3 SAP Business Content for Master and Transaction Data ... 393
... 7.4 SAP Business Content in Selected Areas of Use ... 395
... 7.5 Conclusion ... 405
Appendix
A. Abbreviations ... 407
B. InfoSources ... 409
C. ODS Objects ... 421
D. InfoCubes ... 425
E. Update Rules ... 435
F. Transaction Codes ... 479
G. Metadata Tables ... 483
H. Glossary ... 487
I. Literature ... 537
J. Authors ... 539
Index ... 542
Foreword ... 13
Introduction and Overview ... 15
1. Data Warehousing and SAP BW ... 21
... 1.1 Introduction ... 21
... 1.2 The Data Warehouse Concept ... 22
... 1.3 Basic Characteristics of a Data Warehouse Solution ... 24
... 1.4 Architecture of SAP BW: Overview ... 32
2. Data Acquisition: ETL Concepts and Their Implementation in SAP BW ... 43
... 2.1 Introduction ... 43
... 2.2 Process Steps in the Data Acquisition Layer ... 44
... 2.3 Metadata Management ... 50
... 2.4 ETL Components of SAP BW ... 52
... 2.5 Data Transfer into SAP BW: Components and Options ... 58
... 2.6 Data Transfer out of SAP BW: Components and Options ... 63
... 2.7 Data Transfer and Application Development with SAP BW: BI Java SDK ... 65
3. Sample Scenario ... 67
... 3.1 The Model Company: "CubeServ Engines" ... 67
... 3.2 Requirements of the Case Study ... 70
... 3.3 Procedure and the SAP Components Involved ... 73
... 3.4 Details of ETL Requirements ... 74
... 3.5 A Look Ahead: Additional Steps in the Implementation ... 76
4. Extractors: Overview of the Techniques ... 77
... 4.1 General Overview ... 77
... 4.2 SAP BW Content Extractors: Extraction of SD Transaction Data with the LO Customizing Cockpit ... 82
... 4.3 Customer-Specific Extractors in the Example of SAP CO-PA ... 113
... 4.4 Further Application-Specific Extractors ... 125
... 4.5 Application-Independent Extraction from SAP R/3 ... 133
... 4.6 Extraction from Interface Files ... 139
... 4.7 Extracting XML Data ... 145
... 4.8 Extraction via DB Connect ... 156
... 4.9 UDI-Universal Data Integration ... 159
5. ETL Process: Master Data ... 163
... 5.1 General Overview ... 163
... 5.2 Master Data ... 165
... 5.3 The ETL Process ... 165
... 5.4 Data Targets ... 166
... 5.5 Types of Updates for Master Data ... 168
... 5.6 ETL Process for Master Data ... 170
6. ETL Process: Transaction Data ... 259
... 6.1 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Profitability Analysis ... 259
... 6.2 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Sales Order Stocks ... 321
... 6.3 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for Financial Reporting ... 332
... 6.4 Exemplary Transaction Data Retrieval for the Sales Documents: Sales Order ... 354
7. SAP Business Content ... 387
... 7.1 Elements of SAP Business Content ... 388
... 7.2 Fundamental Problems of SAP Business Content ... 389
... 7.3 SAP Business Content for Master and Transaction Data ... 393
... 7.4 SAP Business Content in Selected Areas of Use ... 395
... 7.5 Conclusion ... 405
Appendix
A. Abbreviations ... 407
B. InfoSources ... 409
C. ODS Objects ... 421
D. InfoCubes ... 425
E. Update Rules ... 435
F. Transaction Codes ... 479
G. Metadata Tables ... 483
H. Glossary ... 487
I. Literature ... 537
J. Authors ... 539
Index ... 542