Best Practice Guide SAP EPM

Best Practice The BI Connector in SSM 7.0

Version 1.00 July 2008 Applicable Releases: SAP SSM 7.0 SP2

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1 Business Scenario
With SSM 7.0, customers have the opportunity to leverage any prior investments in SAP BI and bring Netweaver BI data to their SSM implementation.

2 Introduction
This Best Practice Guide for the BI Connector in SSM 7.0 brings together previously undocumented detailed information that was not included in the original BI Connector RKT material as well as lessons learned from the very first customer projects that used the connector. It is current as at SSM 7.0 SP02.

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3 The Best Practice Advice from First Projects

Below you will find suggestions around 4 key areas: General Setup, Troubleshooting, Consolidations over Time and Dimension and Further Tips and Tricks.

3.1

General Setup Advice

1. Ensure you follow all steps in Note 1156224 (BICA) and 1158422 (ODBO Driver)

2. Ensure you release your BI Query for ODBO 3. Some queries cannot be released for ODBO (e.g. if the query contains a formula with the operator SUMCT then the query cannot be released for OLE DB for OLAP. The operators %GT, %RT, %CT, SUMGT, SUMRT, SUMCT and LEAF depend on the display of the list in the BEx Analyzer. If you used OLE DB for OLAP or MDX, this formula would deliver unexpected values.) 4. When upgrading BW Server to latest SP, apply the Basis SPs first, then ABA, then BI SP last (Note that for BI SP17 there is a bug in the SQL generation upgrade to SP18 or apply note 1143887) 5. When defining the BI query to bring to PAS, consider that the ODBO interface has a limit of 1,000,000 cells (and also 1,000,000 rows) 6. Ensure that all Link IDs are visible in the lsdal.ini file (with the Link IDs for BI) located in the \Windows\system directory of the PAS Server as those are then available to all users. The lsdal.ini file may not be correctly updated if: - You have created the BI Link IDs while using PAS in Client Server Mode - You have enabled multi user access for remote desktop. In this case an additional lsdal.ini file may appear in the user specific Windows directory of someone who may have remotely connected to the system to create the Link ID. That additional lsdal.ini file will only be valid for that specific user. 7. If doing a Hybrid Model (i.e some of the PAS Model data will come from BI and some will come from another source e.g. Entry and Approval), ensure you have followed all the steps in Section 5.4 of the Server Config Guide for Strategy Management, specifically section 5.4.3 on creation of the Link ID for Entry and Approval 8. When you install a new BICA update (Import new zip file) ensure that you delete all temp files and cookies in IE before launching the BICA screen again. (or set flag check for newer version of Stored pages in Tools>Options>Temporary Internet Files>Settings) 9. Ensure pop-up blockers are off for your BICA URL

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3.2

Troubleshooting: General Advice and Import Schema specific advice

1. If model connections created by BICA no longer work (or seem to impact whether or not other existing model connections work) check that the PAS users GUEST and CBADMIN have a max of 255 logins defined. 2. When troubleshooting in SSM and PAS, consider that PAS Command sup kill connect to <Modelname> might be useful.

3. If you can't see a Link ID in the dropdown of the BICA Import Schema screen, make sure that PIP is actually connecting properly to PAS (i.e. check in SSM Admin to see if all the other model connections work) 4. If you're having problems with the BI connections, consider turning on PasTrace in the registry Procedure 1. Use Regedit to edit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SAP\SSM\InternetPub. 2. For the PasTrace key, set the value to 1 to turn it on. This enables tracing of application access to the Application Server model. 3. Stop and start the SAP SSM Extended listener. You have to restart the Listener in order to view the file. The file is locked by the Listener process and the only way to view it is to stop the Listener to release the lock. You can view the trace files by opening them in a text editor. The resulting trace file will be written to \<install-dir>\ApplicationServer\home on the system where Application Server is installed. The trace files are named by the username and model you are accessing as follows: <modelname><app_server_user><unique_stamp>_time.txt (Contains all commands and the response times to process the commands in the same session. <modelname><app_server_user><unique_stamp>_both.txt (Contains all commands and the results/output from those commands.) <modelname><app_server_user><unique_stamp>_cmd.txt (Contains all request commands issued to the server for user to the database in the same session.)

In the PAS Trace files, when you see any error with a HResult 0x80004005 and/or Description starting with System Error it means the error is in the BW back end 5. BICA always creates Trace Files in \<install-dir>\ApplicationServer\home on the system where Application Server is installed regardless of whether PASTrace is turned on in the registry or not. The BICA Trace Files are BICTRACE_SCHEMA_<MODELNAME> (for Import Schemas done by BICA) BICTRACE_DATA_<MODELNAME> (For Import Data done by BICA)

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6. 3 useful PAS DOCUMENT SETS to know are: IMPORT_SCHEMA_HISTORY (from BICA) IMPORT_DATA_HISTORY (from BICA) CONSOLINFO (lists measure name and procedure used to consolidate this measure)

7. In early versions of the BICA Tool (pre 6 June 2008), if you did an Import Schema using BICA then changed the query definition in BI then tried to re-import schema using BICA (or even import schema to a brand new PAS Model) then the BICA may not have recognized the new query definition. This is because the old query definition is still in the Work Database of the PAS user that the BICA tool uses to connect to PAS. From BICA version 6 June 2008, FORCE has been added to all of the IMPORT commands so this should no longer be a problem. The other solution is to restart the extended listener (to close the work database of the PAS User) and then use the BICA to re-import the new query definition. Note that if you are working in PAS directly you would just issue an exit clear command and re-enter PAS the new query definition will then be available to you. 8. The BI Connector automatically takes care of any duplicate dimension member names (BI Characteristic value short texts) when importing from a BI Query by modifying Characteristic Value short names so that they are unique and acceptable to PAS. This handling of duplicates member names by the BI Connector will not work if you bring two separate queries into one PAS Model where e.g. in Query 1 for 0MATERIAL there is a member with a key value of "M10" and short text "Metal" and in Query 2 for 0MATERIAL there is a member with a key value of "M20" and a short text "Metal". If you bring in two queries into one PAS model then the characteristics that exist in both must be identical in every way same members, same query variables, same hierarchy nodes etc. Whether the characteristics are identical in every way or not, if you have 0MATERIAL in Query1 and 0MATERIAL in Query2 (and even if you have 0MATERIAL/Material in Query 1 and ZMATNR/Material in Query 2) then when you import Query1 and then import Query2 the import of dimension Material from Query2 will overwrite the dimension members imported with Query1. The dimension members for Dimension Material in PAS will then correspond to the members of 0MATERIAL/ZMATNR in Query2. The Connector isn't going to try and merge two different versions of the same characteristic from two Queries into a merged dimension in PAS 9. Note that in SP2 there is an issue importing ragged hierarchies from BI to PAS. This is planned to be resolved in SP3. A ragged hierarchy is one in which some of the children are at different levels in the Hierarchy, e.g TOPNODE Node1 Material 10 Material 11 Node 2 Node 3 Material 12 Material 13 ..etc..

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10. How is Time dependent Master Data in BI treated by PAS and BI Connector? All driven by key date in BI Query. There is no concept of time dependent dimension data in PAS. Re-import the schema if the change in Key Date means a change in the time dependent master data. PAS dimensions will be updated with information based on the latest key date. 10. If you cannot see any Link IDs in the dropdown on the Import Schema window of the BICA Tool then ensure that all models created using the BICA (model will end in PBI) are associated with existing Link IDs in PAS. If a Link ID was deleted, the model referring to it must also be deleted otherwise no Link IDs will appear in the dropdown box of the BICA Tool. 11. When trying to test your Link ID for a BI system you may see an error such as TCP/IP error. Partner your_server_ip:3300 not reached. You will also notice that you cannot connect to the BEX Query Designer from the PAS Server Desktop. At one customer site this happened and the resolution was to open firewall port 3300 between the PAS Server and the BI Server (Opening firewall port 3200 between the PAS Server and the BI Server allowed us to logon to the BI Server via the SAPLOGON pad, but this was insufficient for the LinkID and Query Designer to work) 12. If data appears to be in PAS, but is not being displayed in the scorecard, you can go into the PAS model in exclusive mode and do: JOB COMPILEALL;TBDB This will ensure that all dimensions are compiled correctly.

3.3

Consolidation of Measure Values over Time and Dimension Levels

1. When you Import Schema, you choose the manner in which measures will be aggregated over time (Sum/Average/First/Last) however you do not choose the method for Dimension Consolidation until you Import Data from BI into PAS (Sum/Average). Note that as at SP02, Min or Max consolidation is neither available as a time or dimension consolidation option when you import schema and import data from BI into PAS using the BICA. This means that MIN or MAX values from BI that are required in the SSM Scorecard must be left in BI (where BI correctly handles any dimension consolidation) and these MIN or MAX cannot be consolidated over time in SSM Scorecards/Reports. Furthermore, measure values sourced from BI that are MIN or MAX values must be set as MIN or MAX in the BI Key Figure Meta Data on the BI Server and not as MIN or MAX local calculations in the BI Query. 2. Measure values in BI that are averages (i.e. you have used local calculation in BI Query such as Calculate Result as<Average>) must be imported to PAS. Automatic Dimension Consolidation for averages where the data remains in BI is not supported by the ODBO interface. 3. During Import Data, this is the PAS procedure used by the BICA for consolidating measures that should be averaged just for reference. This is an exclusive average it does not include missing values. .... procedure to average up the dimension .... first consolidate the var being calc'd set var '&1' consol rollup '&1' remove everybody

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add everybody end consol '&1' set var '&1' noconsol .... create var to count dim members for averaging up dimension .... needs to be re-calc'd for each kpi var so only populated .... dimension members are counted create COUNTVAR like '&1' set var countvar consol calc countvar if '&1' is missing = 0 otherwise = 1 set var countvar noconsol .... now calc average of original var calc '&1' = '&1' / COUNTVAR full .... all finished with count variable remove var COUNTVAR sure

3.4

Further Tips and Tricks

1. By default all KPIs are brought from BI in to PAS. Even the hidden key figures. If you do not want these hidden key figures in your PAS model you will need to go into PAS, get the model in exclusive mode and remove the PAS Measure variable that was created by the BI Connector based on your hidden key figure. The PAS commands for this would be: use <PASBIDB> excl sho var rem var <VARNAME> sure 2. For any measure/key figure imported from BI, PAS stores a PAS measure name based on the description of the key figure in BI (The BI Connector automatically converts some characters in the BI Key Figure name when creating the PAS Measure name. For example, . and / become _ and % becomes PCT) and a caption for PAS measure name (this is the BI Key figure description with no conversion of special characters - the long name on the PAS measure will therefore display as it does in BI.). In addition, when PAS requests data from BI, it uses the BI technical name of the measure. When drawing data from a BI Query this is the 32 character GUID for the BI Key Figure. When drawing data from a BI Cube this is the technical name of the Key Figure InfoObject. You can always see these from PAS by using command: exh var * mdxname

3. If bringing more than1 query into a single PAS Model, if the same Key Figure appears in both queries (i.e. same Info Object description) it will be impossible to distinguish these two separate key figures/model measures in the Actual and Target dropdown selects on Create Scorecard Metrics of BICA. Consider distinguishing them with a relabel in the BI Query before importing

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4. Once you have imported data from BI Fact Table into PAS, the definition of the PAS measure is changed and the reference to the BI Key Figure is lost. This Import Data and subsequent delinking of the PAS measure from BI can be undone and we can revert a measure back to being supplied from BI Fact Table Data. Use PAS command: set var <MEASURENAME> from <LINKID> prefix '<THE FULL QUERY/CUBE NAME>' 5. If you want to import BI Queries with Hierarchies, consider going into BI hierarchy definition on the BI Server then to Hierarchy Attributes and switch on "Suppress Unassigned node". Reason: When you Import Schema from BI to PAS the BICA uses HIER DEFAULT. This means that the hierarchy assigned to the characteristic in the query will be imported. If there is no hierarchy assigned to the characteristic then PAS builds a simple hierarchy which is just all members under a TOTAL top node/output level (all members in this case are limited to the characteristic values from the Dim table of the Cube in BI). The issue is that in BI, when we setup a hierarchy it is based on a master data table. This usually has many more entries than the Dim Table of the InfoCube. For example, we may have a simple hierarchy for Customer in BI which only has 100 leaf members whereas the Master data table may have 18,000 members. BI always includes a "Not assigned" node for Hierarchies which includes all the remaining master data entries in it. In the above example the unassigned node would be 17,900 members! If BICA imports schema with hier default on a hierarchy like this, then we effectively get the entire Master data table from BI in PAS. PAS would receive all 18,000 members. If you are importing many hierarchies from BI we may start to hit the dimension member combination limit in PAS. This is calculated by multiplying the number of members in all the dimensions that the measures will be dimensioned by. The limit is approximately 264 which is around 1.8 x 1019. The solution is to go into BI hierarchy definition and go to Hierarchy Attributes and "Suppress Unassigned node". (Note that excluding the Unassigned Node of the Hierarchy in the Query definition (or including all nodes except for Unassigned node) is ignored by the ODBO interface) 6. On the BICA>Create Scorecard Metrics Screen, when entering a name for your KPI Metric Set the following is now true a. %, ., / signs and other special characters are not supported. Only and _ are valid entries b. The KPI Metric Set name can have a maximum of 17 characters. 7. After you delete Scorecard Metric Set in PAS and recreate Scorecard Metric Sets in BICA, then in SSM Admin>Set KPIs the original KPI Set names may still appear. Refresh the KPI set names in the dropdown by Deleting Temp Files and Cookies 8. The child KPIs that can be defined in BI 7.0 queries are read by SSM/PAS and BI Connector as just another metric without any issues (tested to 1 level down only) 9. With the SSM7 SP02 version of PAS there is an INI file setting that can be used to turn off ODBO SECURITY across the board. If you have no need for security in PAS/BI then it is recommended for you to add this "ODBOSECURITY=0" entry to the end of the [Windows] section of the c:\windows\lsserver.ini file on the server. 10. AUTOUSE procedures may be useful if you would like to issue a PAS command that will be called every time the PAS model is opened by a user or by PIP (e.g. $ODBO SECURITY OFF if you are working in an SSM 7.0 version pre SP02). PAS command TYPE AUTOUSE allows you to view the contents of the Procedure without going into procedure edit mode. Similarly TYPE DIM XYZ allows you to see the members of the

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11. Whilst in your model in PAS, PAS Command: exh linkids used is useful to see all Link IDs used in the model.

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