mdx or bex query ?

[Former Member]

when we build a universe on top of a cube, webi generates the mdx. When we build a universe on top of a query, will web generate mdx? or just play with the resultsets returned from the query? is there a performance trade-off between mdx and query? When will you build a universe on top of a query vs a cube? Thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

In both cases is generated an MDX code.

At the end of this presentation you can find how to activate the trace in SAP BusinessObjects, if you see the trace you will see the MDX code generated from an OLAP Universe on top of BEx query and if you execute other from an OLAP Universe on top of Infocube you can see the MDX, in the form you will see for an InfoCube $Infocube and in Bex [InfoCube /Query

SAP NetWeaver BW and BusinessObjects Web Intelligence Performance Best Practices - Webinar Presentation

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There is no performance improvements

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

I hope this help you.

Best regards.