Contents

How-To: Creating a Universe with the BO XI 4.0 Information Design Tool 2

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How-To: Creating a Universe with the BO XI 4.0

Information Design Tool

The following describes the steps to create a universe with SAP

BusinessObjects XI 4.0s new Information Design Tool.

We would like to start with a graphic displaying a systematic method to

create universes in the new tool.

Figure 1: Universe Creation Flowchart for

the Information Design Tool

There are a few new terms that may jump out as you are reading this, but
in case you have not noticed them, lets take a minute to list those terms
out:

Connection define how a universe connects to a relational or

OLAP database. Local connections are stored as .CNX files, and
secure connections are stored as .CNS files.

Data Foundation a schema that defines the relevant tables and

joins from one or more relational databases. The designer enhances

the data foundation with contexts, prompts, calculated columns, and
other SQL definitions. The data foundation becomes the basis of one or
more business layers.
Business Layer the universe under construction, and when the

business layer is complete, it is compiled with the connections or

connection shortcuts and data foundation, published, and deployed as
a universe.
Universe the compiled file that includes all resources used in the
definition of the metadata objects built in the design of the business
layer.

Each of the items above refers to a resource that can be stored in a

Project when developing in the Information Design Tool. A project is a
named local workspace that contains one or more resources used to build
universes. Projects can be shared so that multiple designers are able to
work on the same resources.

Step 1: Open the Information Design Tool. The new interface screen will
be displayed.
NOTE All created resources will be labeled as
TestProject[resourceType], i.e. TestProjectConn for Test Project
Connection.

Figure 2: New Interface Screen

Step 2: Create a new Project by clicking on File->New->Project.

Figure 3: Create Project Option

A local project must exist to assign resources; otherwise an error message

will be given.

Figure 4: Sample Error if no local project exists

Figure 5: New Local Project Created

Step 3: Create a new Connection. Right-click on the project you just

created, or use File->New and choose the Relational Connection or OLAP
Connection.
For the purpose of this entry, we will be creating a Relational Connection.

Figure 6: Choose a Connection

Figure 7: Define a name for Connection

Step 4: Select the proper Database Middleware driver and configure the
connection. The tool comes equipped with several DB driver connections
with a default installation.
Note You must have proper privilege to the schema you are accessing.
Also, an ODBC or OLE DB connection must already be established to
function properly.

Figure 8: Choose the Middleware Driver

Figure 9: Connection Configuration 1

Figure 10: Connection Configuration 2

Figure 11: Connection Configuration 3

Figure 12: New Local Connection Created

A new connection should now be present and expanded in the project.

This connection remains local to the project. Connections to be used in
published universes will need to be published to the repository and saved
as secure connections.

Step 5: Publish the connection to the repository as a secure connection.

Right-click on the new local connection, or highlight the connection and
choose the File->Publish->Publish Connection to a Repository option.

Figure 13: Publish the Connection to a Repository

Figure 14: Secure Connection Shortcut Established

Step 6: Create a new Data Foundation and configure the Data

Foundation. Right-click on the project you created, or use the File->New>Data Foundation option.

Figure 15: Data Foundation Configuration 1

Note there are two types of data foundations: Single-Source and

Multisource-Enabled.
Single-Source

Support a single connection.

The connection can be local or secured, which means you can

publish universes based on the data foundation either locally or to a

repository.
Recommended for the following situations: you want to work
exclusively with database-specific SQL syntax, or you want to publish
the universe locally and work outside of a repository.

Multisource-Enabled

Support one or more connections.

You can add connections when you create the data foundation and
anytime later.

Multisource-enabled data foundations only support secured

connections, and universes based on this type of data foundation can
only be published to a repository.
Required for the following situations: you want to insert tables and
joins from more than one relational data source, you want to insert
tables and joins from more than one relational data source, or you want
to use SQL-92 syntax and SAP BusinessObjects SQL functions.

Figure 16: Data Foundation Configuration 2

Step 7: Select the Connection to associate to the Data Foundation.

Figure 17: Data Foundation Configuration 3

Figure 18: Data Foundation Created

Step 8: Choose the Tables to Insert. You also have an option to insert
Derived Tables and Views as well.
Note Joins to objects in the Data Foundation can either be detected or
manually inserted.

Figure 19: Insert Tables for Data Foundation 1

Figure 20: Insert Tables for Data Foundation 2

Figure 21: Data Foundation Created

Step 9: Create a Business Layer. Right-click on the project you created,

or use the File->New and choose the Relational Business Layer or OLAP
Business Layer. The type of business layer depends upon the connection
that you used for the Data Foundation.

Figure 22: Business Layer Configuration 1

Step 10: Select the Data Foundation that you would like to use as the
basis for the business layer. The tool also provides the option to
automatically create classes and objects based on the Data Foundation
Layer.

Figure 23: Business Layer Configuration 2

Figure 24: Business Layer Created

Step 11: Publish the Universe to the Repository. Right-click the Business
Layer and choose the Publish->To a Repository option. This will save the
Universe as a .UNX file.
Note Ensure the Connection for the corresponding Data Foundation is a
Secure Connection.

Figure 25: Publish Universe 1

Step 12: Execute a Universe Integrity Check and ensure critical errors
are resolved.

Figure 26: Publish Universe 2

Step 13: Choose the Repository Folder to store the Universe.

Figure 27: Publish Universe 3

After clicking the Finish button, the Universe is successfully published

and ready for use by the users.

Figure 28: Universe Published

You can verify that the Universe is available by logging into Interactive
Analysis and creating a new document.

Figure 29: Universe Available for use in Interactive Analysis

This concludes the guide to create a Universe using the Information

Design Tool. As you can see, some new terminology has been added along
with a different approach to create an entire universe. We feel that the
new layout and approach is tailored for multiple information designers to
work on specific resources. Even though no official statement has been
made by SAP BusinessObjects, we believe that the Information Design Tool
will become the eventual successor to the Universe Design Tool.