SAP Online Help 22.01.

2001

Transactional InfoCubes
Definition
Transactional InfoCubes differ from standard InfoCubes in that the former have an increased write
access performance level. Standard InfoCubes are optimized technically for read-only access and for
a comparatively small number of simultaneous accesses.
The transactional InfoCube was developed to meet the demands of SAP Strategic Enterprise
Management (SEM).

Use
Transactional InfoCubes are used only in conjunction with SEM. The data from this kind of InfoCube is
accessed transactionally, that is, data is written to the InfoCube (possibly by several users at the same
time) and reread as soon as possible. Standard BasisCubes are not suitable for this. You use standard
BasisCubes for read-only access (for example, reading reference data).

Structure
You cannot fill transactional InfoCubes with BW DataSources, instead, the data is written to a data
request for the transactional InfoCube using SEM. As soon as the number of records in a data request
exceeds a threshold value, the request is closed and a rollup is carried out for this request in defined
aggregates (asynchronously). You can still rollup and define aggregates, collapse, and so on, as
before.
According to the database on which they are based, transactional InfoCubes differ from standard
BasisCubes in the way they are indexed and partitioned. For an Oracle DBMS this means, for
example, no Bitmap indices for the fact table and no partitioning (initiated by BW) of the fact table
according to the packet dimensions.
Reduced read-only performance is accepted as a drawback of transactional InfoCubes, in favor of the
option of parallel (transactional) writing and improved write performance.
Note:
Since transactional InfoCubes cannot be filled with BW data (data is not supplied from the
DataSources), they are not displayed in the Scheduler or in the Monitor. Transactional
InfoCubes can therefore not be updated in the same way as standard InfoCubes.

Creating a Transactional InfoCube

1. Create a new (Basis) InfoCube in the Administrator Workbench.
2. In the InfoCube maintenance choose, using the context menu, Additional Properties and
select Transactional.
Note:
You can only make this setting when the InfoCube is "inactive". After you have activated the
InfoCube, the setting is no longer ready for input.
The field function module has nothing to do with creating an transactional InfoCube.
3. Activate the InfoCube.

Converting a Standard InfoCube into a Transactional InfoCube

InfoCube Conversion: Removing Transaction Data
If the standard InfoCube already contains transaction data that you no longer need (for example, test
data from the implementation phase of the system), proceed as follows:
1. In the InfoCube maintenance in the Administrator Workbench choose, from the main menu,
InfoCube Delete Data Content. The transaction data is deleted and the InfoCube is set to
"inactive".
2. Continue with the same procedure as Creating a Transactional InfoCube.

InfoCube Conversion: Retaining Transaction Data

If the standard InfoCube already contains transaction data from the production operation that you still
need, proceed as follows:
1. Go to the table maintenance in the ABAP Workbench and open the table RSDCUBE for
processing. To display only the entries for the InfoCube that you want to change, restrict the
selection to the technical name of the InfoCube.

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2. For both of the data records for the InfoCube, in which the field OBJVERS has the value A or
M , enter the value x in the field TRANSACT.
3. Save your entries.

Integration
The following typical scenarios demonstrate the connection between BW and SEM and the use of
transactional InfoCubes:

Scenario 1:
Actual data (read-only access) and planned data (read-only and write access) have to be held in
different InfoCubes. Therefore, you use a BasisCube for actual data and a transactional InfoCube for
planned data. Data integration is achieved using an SEM multi-planning area, which contains the
areas that are assigned to the InfoCubes. Here, access to the two different InfoCubes is controlled by
the characteristic "Planning area", which is automatically added.
Scenario 2:
In this scenario the planned and actual data have to be together in one InfoCube. This is the case, for
example, with special rolling forecast variants. Here, you use a transactional InfoCube, since both
read-only and write accesses take place. You can no longer load data, that has already arrived in the
InfoCube, directly by means of an upload or import source. To be able to load data nevertheless, you
have to make a copy of the transactional InfoCube that is identified as a BasisCube and not as
transactional. Data is loaded as usual here and subsequently updated to the transactional InfoCube.

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