Business Objects

Business Objects Live Office

November 1, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

Live Office from SAP Business Objects integrates business intelligence functionality from the Business Objects suite within the commonly-used Microsoft Office environment. Subsequently Live Office enables users are able to embed refreshable information within documents, spreadsheets, and presentations and share them across their organization. Live Office provides users with real-time data that is verifiable and easily refreshed. As Live Office is built directly into Microsoft Office applications, needed information is available at the user’s finger tips and is available in a familiar, easy to use format. In a nutshell, Live Office empowers business users to easily access corporate data from within Microsoft Office Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint without depending on expertise from the information technology department.

Benefits of Business Objects Live Office
• Access business intelligence (BI) content directly within Microsoft Office.
• Embed business intelligence directly in your e-mail messages using Microsoft Outlook.
• Format and perform calculations using familiar features of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Increase business user autonomy by exposing corporate data in Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets, and presentations rather than web applications.
• Improve timelines of decisions by enabling simpler information consumption.
• Become less dependent on information technology personnel for generation of reports.

New Product Names within SAP BusinessObjects Version 4.0

July 14, 2011/1 Comment/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

The latest version of SAP Business Objects, released in 2011, has been officially named SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 with the title “XI” being removed from the release number. Many of the client tools in the SAP Business Objects application suite will also have a new name in the new version.

Business Objects Application Names for BOBJ XI 3.x vs. BOBJ 4.0

Source: http://bit.ly/gVurCF

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: Universes

July 11, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

A BusinessObjects Universe is a middleware device that contains a business representation of a data warehouse, data marts, or other reporting database. Fundamentally, the universe enables the end-user of BusinessObjects to interact with data without having to understand the complexities of database logic or be familiar with where the physical data is stored. Moreover, the universe is built around common business terminology that describes the business environment and provides the end-user the ability to intuitively query and retrieve exactly the data that they need.

Also known as a “semantic layer”, the universe is an intermediary layer between a database or data source and dependent reports, queries, or dashboards. The universe is a requirement as a data source for WebIntelligence and Xcelsius dashboards, while being optional as a data source for Crystal Reports.

A universe is developed using the BusinessObjects Designer tool and a universe file (.unv) contains:
• Database connection information
• Objects grouped into classes seen by the users
• Objects that map to database structures
• A schema of tables and joins based on the database

Components of a Universe Include:
• Classes – Logical groupings of fields and objects
• Tables – Mappings to database tables and views
• Objects – Structures that map to database fields
• Joins – SQL specifications on how tables relate (contains both inner and outer join information)
• Contexts – Groups of related tables with their related joins

Key Advantages of Utilizing a BusinessObjects Universe:
• Only the universe developer needs to understand the structure of the underlying database.
• Cryptic database jargon is hidden from end-users
• The designer tool allows the creation of the universe in an easy-to-use graphical interface.
• The data is read-only so there is no danger of the data being edited or changed by the end user.
• Reports can be created using a simple interface using drag and drop techniques.
• All data fields utilize consistent business terminology.
• Standards can be applied across data fields

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: Explorer

July 7, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

BusinessObjects Explorer is a relatively new component of the SAP BusinessObjects product suite that provides a more advanced and intuitive data exploration interface for business intelligence end-users, both casual and power users. Explorer encompasses the simplicity and speed of web-search technologies with the trust and analytical power of conventional business intelligence technologies to provide deep understanding and immediate answers to both simple and sophisticated business questions. BusinessObjects Explorer provides end-users with the capability of quickly exploring and visualizing large data sets. Features includes searching and sorting, interactive drilldowns, and various types of dynamic graphical visualizations while navigating through corporate data.

Features and Functions of BusinessObjects Explorer

Robust Search Capability
• Search Experience Similar to Google or Yahoo – Users enter keywords to find instant business information with return results ranked by relevance.
• Search Concurrent Data Sources – Reach data across an entire SAP BusinessObjects landscape and any data source that it accesses.
• Self-Service Access – Pervasive searches with queries directly to data without the need for a predefined report or query.

Trust and Power of a Conventional Business Intelligence System
• Guided Data Exploration – The most relevant keyword search results are presented first, allowing end-users to access additional contextually relevant details as they explore.
• Intuitive Visualization – The system automatically generates charts and grapchs that best represents the information being queries – no cryptic data model or data knowledge is required by any end-user.
• Team Collaboration – Share information easily via e-mail, embedded URL, and other popular communication formats.

Ease of Deployment to End-Users
• Leverages Existing BusinessObjects Infrastructure – Reuses existing universes, security, and administration services already deployed within the BusinessObjects platform.
• Limited End-User Training Required – Intuitive end-user interface and functionality allows first-time users to get started with next-to-no formal training.
• Rapid Implementation Schedule – Add search, exploration, and visualization functionality to an existing BusinessObjects deployment in as little as a few days.

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: Web Intelligence (WebI)

July 5, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

Web Intelligence (WebI) is an ad-hoc query and reporting environment within the SAP BusinessObjects suite of products. Fundamentally, it is an environment that provides self-service access to data. Web Intelligence contains reporting, querying, and information analysis in one integrated product, helping end-users turn business insights into effective decisions. With just a few clicks of the mouse, WebI users can quickly access and format information as well as easily analyze information to understand underlying trends and root causes.

Web Intelligence contains a highly-interactive data interface that allows the report user a great deal of flexibility to view data from different perspectives. Although many report users may only need to build their reports from scratch, it is often necessary for the users to adjust reports to answer current business questions. With Web Intelligence, users can easily edit queries and reports to reflect their latest information needs.

WebInteligence (WebI) – Sample Report


The following options can be taken advantage by user of Web Intelligence …
• View, edit, remove report, section, or block filters
• Format and re-size cells, tables, and charts
• Set breaks and sorts
• Insert calculations
• Add rows and columns to tables
• Create and duplicate tables and charts
• Turn a grid into a chart or a chart into a grid
• Create formulas and variables
• Edit cell formulas in place
• Recombine report objects within tables and charts

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: Crystal Reports

July 4, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

Crystal Reports is an operational reporting environment and component of the SAP BusinessObjects suite of products. Fundamentally, it is a tool that enables report authors to easily design interactive reports and connect them to virtually any data source. It is the ideal solution for canned or published reports as it allows for the creation of high-fidelity, pixel-perfect reports. Additionally, end-users benefit from on-report sorting and filtering – giving them the power to execute decisions instantly.

More details and graphics of Crystal Reports can be found on the Portfolio Page.

Crystal Reports – Sample Report in Designer Tool

With Crystal Reports, report authors and end-users can leverage an intuitive interface, access data spread across multiple systems, design reports with guided interactivity, and embed reports within both client-server and web applications. Crystal Reports can be used for report design, application development, and web report delivery.

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: QAAWS

April 1, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

Query as a Web Service (QAAWS) is a technique within the SAP Business Objects suite that allows for creation and publishing of web services. Subsequently web services are utilized to integrate data between a Business Objects Universe and an Xcelsius Dashboard. The QAAWS client tool provides the dashboard developer an intuitive wizard that to create universe queries and publish these queries as web services. Once a web service is published, an Xcelsuis Dashboard can utilize and present that data. Fundamentally, QAAWS is an integration device between a Business Objects Universe and an Xcelsius Dashboard.

Query as a Web Service (QAAWS)

Components of SAP BusinessObjects: Xcelsius

March 28, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

Xcelsius is the primary dashboard development tool of the SAP BusinessObjects suite of business intelligence products. Xcelsius extends the power of business intelligence environments by offering interactive devices including gauges, charts, widgets, drop-down menus, and sliders. These intuitive and user-friendly devices simplify the display of complex business data and provide decision makers with an easy way to interact with data and test out future business scenarios with the click of a mouse.

Sample Xcelsius Dashboard
At its heart, Xcelsius is a dynamic and customizable data visualization software package that enables development of both insightful and engaging dashboards from various data sources throughout a typical organization. Moreover, Xcelsius includes graphical interfaces and real-time methods that provide guided analysis and for dynamic monitoring of organizational metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Key Features of Xcelsius Dashboards Include:

• Intuitive graphical visualizations of data.
• Dashboard customization to meet unique business needs.
• Connection of dashboards to any type of data source.
• Maximization of the value of a business intelligence solution with rich user interface.
• Deployment of dashboards within Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF, Portals, or on the Web.
• Empowerment of decision-makers to view and understand key organizational metrics.
• Improved user adoption of BI tools because of business-friendly visualizations.

SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 E-Learning Catalog

March 15, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Objects, Posts /by Adam Getz

SAP is now offering official product tutorials to assist in learning the latest SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 suite of products. Each product page acts as a dynamic library of material where content is added as it is created. Below is the list of products with available interactive and animated tutorials online. For more information on what’s available, please click here.

• SAP Crystal Reports 2011

• SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise

• SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

• SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence

• SAP BusinessObjects Explorer

• SAP BusinessObjects Information Design Tool

• SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform

• SAP BusinessObjects Analysis (coming in Q1-2011)

Resources: SAP BI Suite ELearning Catalog

Source: http://www.pieterhendrikx.com/category/sapbo/page/3/

2010 SAP Business Objects User Conference

November 23, 2010/1 Comment/in Business Objects, Events, Posts /by Adam Getz

On October 7, 2010, Adam Getz presented a “Managing a Business Intelligence Center of Excellence (BI COE) with Business Objects – A Case Study at Amtrak” to an audience of 100 professionals at the National SAP Business Objects User Conference in Orlando, FL. Open Presentation “Managing a Business Intelligence Center of Excellence (BI COE) with Business Objects – A Case Study at Amtrak”