Connection to ERP System

[Former Member]

dear experts,

after trying hours und reading lot of papers i need your help. I'm using BO 4.0

I created an transient provider (bex query based on an infoset) in my ERP system. now i want to use this transient provider for an web intelligence report. therefore i think i have to create a connection to my ERP system from the business objects server (or maybe i'm wrong?). so when i try to create a new realtional connection within the information design tool. But there is no entry for SAP ERP - SAP Java Connector (SAP JCo) as mentioned in the book "integratiing sap business objects bi platform 4.x with netweaver"- page 171 or also shown in the article http://www.google.at/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=data%20federator%20jco%20sap%20businessobjects&source=web&cd=1...

hope someone can help me

br

Otto

[former_member230663]

Hi Henry,

     Any thoughts on how to configure the use of Key Date in a universe that is connecting to an InfoSet? I can see the key date parameter when I connect using Crystal Reports 2011, but not when I connect via the JCO connection. I tried adding the KEYDATE_ENABLE to the SQL parameters within the data foundation, but no luck. Any examples or guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

David

[Former Member]

Also thanks from my side!

br Otto

[Former Member]

The connections are there. Here is a screenshot. There is information on connecting to ERP in the guide I've linked below.

http://help.sap.com/businessobject/product_guides/boexir4/en/xi4sp4_data_acs_en.pdf

Thanks,

John

[Former Member]

hi john!

what did you install exactly?

* SBOP BI Platform Servers 4.0 SP04 (including FP03) - ENTERPRISE04_0-20007504.EXE (win64)

* SBOP BI Platform Clients 4.0 SP04 (including FP03) - ENTERPRISECLNT04_0-20007508.EXE

thanks in advance

ryan

[Former Member]

Hi Ryan,

I believe those are the two that you'd need. I also have Live Office and Explorer installed but they shouldn't be required for this. As you saw, SP04 will have all the necessary files.

Thanks,

John

[Former Member]

Hi John,

I've installed this both files, but I'm not able to choose the Database Middlewar Drivers as in your pic...

any help?

br

[Former Member]

Hi Ryan,

Great question and I actually learned something new today. You'll need to follow this kb:

1733837 - How do I install the new SAP drivers with the BI 4.0
SP04 upgrade patch?

In essence, you do a modify in add / remove programs on BI 4.0 client tools (the base install, not SP4 patch) and select it there. You'll see below what mine looked like before I selected it.

Thanks,

John

[Former Member]

hi john!

indeed it work!

you made my day!

last question: with this drive it is still not possible to connect to ERP Tables? is there a way without CR 2011?

many thanks

ryan

[Former Member]

Hi Ryan,

I've connected to SFLIGHT which I believe is a table. This was from Web Intelligence but I expect Crystal could connect as well.

Thanks,

John

[Former Member]

Hello Otto and Henry, and all BI gurus

I have the same problem: I want to access ERP sources from Crystal Report for Enterprise 4.X, such as Classic InfoSets, SAP Queries or ABAP functions (as described in Ingo's book, pp. 143 and ff).

I thus go to the Information Design Tool, create a new project, a new relational connection, and try to select SAP ERP from the list of available options, but it is missing (in the list for middleware driver selection, I have only MaxDB 7.7 and SAP HANA, but no SAP ERP / SAP Java Connector (SAP JCo), as shown in the book, p. 171).

What did go wrong?

Thanks for any relevant hint.

Br

André

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

and therein lies your problem: Ingo's book is previewing a feature which hasn't yet been delivered to the public.

What you are seeing there is in Feature Pack 03 . I guarantee you that

Regards,

H

[Former Member]

Hello Henry,

Thanks for your answer, and let us wait for Feature Pack 03!

Br

André

[TomGra]

Hello Henry,

after installing FP3 there is still no Database Middleware Driver to SAP ERP available!
when will this drive be available?

BR

Thomas

[Former Member]

Thank you Henry for your reply.

My question tended to point 3 (point 1 and 2 iu2019ve got already in use).

These 2 tutorials show how top connect the SAP ECC 6.0 System EHP 5 directly with a u201Ctransient provideru201D (BEx Query on a Infoset within the ERP ECC 6.0 System) to Business Objects:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/index?rid=/library/uuid/d01f24f9-048d-2e10-5abd-a9b82e6b3cb4&override...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/elearn?rid=/library/uuid/30c52df3-98a2-2b10-15b6-e569f104dd58&overrid...

But therefore I think I have to create a relational connection to the ERP ECC 6.0 System. Otherwise I wonu2019t be able to choose the ECC 6.0 BEx-Query (that is saved within the ECC 6.0 System) for a Web-I Reportu2026

As in the book of Ingo Hilgefort (u201Cintegration SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform 4.x with Netweaveru201D mentioned (page 171) there should be additionally to the u201CSAP NetWeaver BWu201D also an entry u201CSAP ERPu201D with the SAP Java Connector (SAP JCo) inside (should be the same detail screen but without the InfoProvider entry)

So how can I use the BEx query (saved in the ECC system and based on an ECC-InfoSet) via Web-I?

br Otto

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

You would have to ask Ingo about that, I'm not familiar with the book.

If it's a BEx Query - then it is an OLAP Connection you will need in IDT (no Universe) - we are reading that with an OLE DB driver.

As for JCO connections to ERP tables, I think what you are seeing in your book, is a preview of the feature i am discussing in 3b)

Regards,

H

[Henry_Banks]

Hi,

i can see the confusion coming off these pages!!

1. 'transient universe' is a marketing term, best forget it to everyone else, let's call it " BICS direct connectivity "

This connectivitiy is for BW OLAP providers.

WebI will require a BEx Query , Analysis Web can go to the Cube.

You do not need to generate or publish a Universe outline for this OLAP connection, all the metadata gets generated on the fly. Infact, it is not possible!

2. Next, you are talking about Relational Connections . These are not for BEx Queries or OLAP structures.

In IDT, if you click on Server Resources > new relational connection > you WILL get a SAP JCO driver option, only if you select Multi Source Enabled. (but not if you go "Local Projects" etc. )

The reason for this is that leveraging the 'server resources' means activating the Data Federator Query Server , which will allow Relational access to BW data targets - i.e. Cubes, InfoProviders etc (but will not pick up Hierarchies and some other OLAP-only features.) Remember, this is purely SQL access , not BICS or MDX etc.

3. Finally, with regards to ERP systems. Do you mean R/3 / ECC6 or other ?

If you mean transactional systems (like Sales and Distribution mode) - rather than BW DataWarehouses - this can be consulted in 2 ways :

a) using Crystal Reports 2011 drivers, as found currently in BI 4.0 SP02 +, as per previous versions of BOE XI3.1

b) use the dedicated ERP drivers, to be delivered in IDT, when FeaturePack03 comes out end Q1 - this will allow a Relational BusinessLayer / universe publication ontop of R/3 systems for BOBJ client tool consumption

i trust this helps clarify.

Regards,

H

Edited by: Henry Banks on Jan 9, 2012 4:05 PM

[Former Member]

Hi Henry,

i started to work with the new feature pack 03 now. After I established the relational connection to SAP ECC 6, I can work only with Infosets, SAP Queries and ABAP functions, but there is no direct access to the underlying tables of ECC. I am wondering, whether that might make sense to create a relational connection in IDT to one or multiple tables of the SAP ECC database - which is an Oracle or SQL one like any other?

Thanks!

S