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SAP BO/BI

Former Member
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Hi All,

I have doen some reading on this but would like to clarify a few issues.

We currently have an SAP landscape with ECC 5, BI 7.0 etc. BI sits on a UNIX server.

What is the latest version of BO?

What version of SAP BI (3.5, 7.0 etc) is this compatiable with?

Can I install BO on my unix server where my BI system is on? If not what Operating Sytem can I install it on (windows, unix etc?)

What is BO made up of. E.g. SAP BI 7 uses a netweaver platform made from both ABAP and Java stacks. How does this compare to BO??

The reporting tools for BO (Xcelsius, crystal reports etc), are these all client software?

Is it correct that the integration kit is needed to integrate SAP BI and BO? Apart from the reporting what other benefits will this provide?

Lots of questions help with any will be much appeciated.

Thanks,

Nick.

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Former Member
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What is the latest version of BO?

BusinessObject XI 3.1 - and you'll want the latest Service Pack and Fix Packs

What version of SAP BI (3.5, 7.0 etc) is this compatiable with?

Check the latest documentation here to see if your platform is supported::

http://service.sap.com/bosap-support

Select Integration Kit for SAP Solutions.

Can I install BO on my unix server where my BI system is on? If not what Operating Sytem can I install it on (windows, unix etc?)

See the Supported Platforms Documentation for you options:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/boc/index?rid=/webcontent/uuid/00a36667-89a1-2c10-4193-8e402f04533a&start... [original link is broken]

What is BO made up of. E.g. SAP BI 7 uses a netweaver platform made from both ABAP and Java stacks. How does this compare to BO??

BusinessObjects maintains it own server stack, Web/Application server, Database repository and File Repositories..

The reporting tools for BO (Xcelsius, crystal reports etc), are these all client software?

Some are, some aren't, some are both. Web Intelligence offers ad hoc reporting and is both client-based and web-based. Voyager is web-based. Crystal Reports and Xcelsius are developed on a client and may be uploaded to BusinessObjects Enterprise for public consumption.

Is it correct that the integration kit is needed to integrate SAP BI and BO? Apart from the reporting what other benefits will this provide?

The SAP Integration kit provides authentication to the SAP user repository and connectivity to your BI System

Former Member
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Cheers for the excellent answers Jeff, some very useful links.

I have a few more questions if anybody else can help me out:

Would BO generally only be used with SAP BI for its reporting capabilities? E.g. Use the SAP BI dataware house and Excelsious / crystal reports to develop dashboards?

Would you ever want to use BO datwarhouse if you have SAP BI datawarehouse? Is it correct you can fit a universe on top of an infocube? what would be the benefit of this? Why not report from just the infocube?

Where does Pioneer fit into this?

Can you integrate dashboards created in Excelsius/crystal reports into the SAP Enterprise Portal in iViews?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick.

Former Member
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Hi Nick

Would BO generally only be used with SAP BI for its reporting capabilities? E.g. Use the SAP BI dataware house and Xcelsius / crystal reports to develop dashboards?

You can use SAP BusienssObjcets with any database (OLAP or Relational) even you can merge in a WEBI report for example different sources

Would you ever want to use BO datwarhouse if you have SAP BI datawarehouse? Is it correct you can fit a universe on top of an infocube? what would be the benefit of this? Why not report from just the infocube?

 
BOE (BusinessObjects Enterprise) is not a DW, you need a DW to have a better solution, in this case if you have SAO BW that is your DW. 
You can create a Universe on top of InfoCube but is better if you create on top of Bex query here you have the difference

Characteristics (incl. Time and Unit) InfoCube/BI Query

Hierarchies InfoCube/BI Query

Basic Key Figures InfoCube/BI Query

Navigational Attributes BI Query only

Display Attributes InfoCube/BI Query

Calculated Key Figures / Formulas BI Query only

Restricted Key Figures BI Query only

Custom Structures BI Query only

Variables BI Query only

-

Where does Pioneer fit into this?

Pioneer is an OLAP tool, you can use SAP Explorer. 
For understand how fits the different tools in your BI strategy needs to understand you need to use the right tool for the right job / audience

Can you integrate dashboards created in Excelsius/crystal reports into the SAP Enterprise Portal in iViews?

yes, you can do it, the output of Xcelsius is a flash

I hope this help you.

Best regards,

Fede

Former Member
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Hi Federico,

Thanks for the reposnse. So to clarify:

BO does not provide a dataware house solution???

What is the benefit of creatin g a universe on top of you bex query? Why not report straight from an infoCube?

Thanks,

Nick,

Former Member
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Hi Nick,

Yes, BOBJ does not provide a Datawarehouse solution, you need another database OLAP (like SAP BW or Hyperion Essbase, etc.) or relational (Like Oracle or MS SQL Server, etc.).

Thats why the SAP integral solution is SAP BW and SAP BusinessObjects, BW is the datawarehouse with optimal integration with all the SAP solutions or you can load into SAP BW data from any source system, and SAP BusinessObjects (BOE, WEBI, Xcelsius, Crystal Reports, Explorer, Widgets, etc.) are the front end and analytical tools.

Here you can find information about SAP BusinessObjects solution and SAP BW:

[http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/index.epx]

[http://www.sap.com/platform/netweaver/components/businesswarehouse/index.epx]

[http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/large/business-intelligence/index.epx]

The benefits of creating universe from a BEX query is if you need to chance or modify the cube you don't need to update the universe and add the new key figures or dimensions becasue the BEX report is not affected, but the real benefit is you can create Variables, Calculated Key Figures, Restricted Key figures and custom structures in BEX query and use it in the universe and is transparent for the user, if you create the universe from the infocube you can't use Variables, Calculated Key Figures, Restricted Key figures and custom structures.

In this list you have the BW metadata feature and underlined if you can use it in an Universe if you create it from BEx or from Infocube.

Characteristics (incl. Time and Unit) InfoCube/BI Query

Hierarchies InfoCube/BI Query

Basic Key Figures InfoCube/BI Query

Display Attributes InfoCube/BI Query

Navigational Attributes BI Query only

Calculated Key Figures / Formulas BI Query only

Restricted Key Figures BI Query only

Custom Structures BI Query only

Variables BI Query only

Key date variable BI Query only

Best reagrds,

Fede

Answers (0)