Module 1 : Overview of SAP BW

TCS Internal | Copyright © 2016 Tata Consultancy Services Limited

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Disclaimer

The content provided in this presentation is for TCS internal use only. The content of this presentation
should not be distributed outside TCS.
Reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the information provided here is accurate. However, we
do not claim that content provided here is free from all defects.

References:
https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/BI/Open+Hub+Service
https://blogs.sap.com/2013/03/12/introduction-to-multidimensional-databases/
https://blogs.sap.com/2013/11/15/basic-understanding-on-asap-methodology-for-beginners/
https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/4a/793a3d57e572dde10000000a42189b/frameset.ht
m

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Objective

This tutorial provides a basic understanding of ERP packages that is known as SAP R/3 and SAP BW System.
Objective
The training covers key concepts and high level information about the BW/ERP system.

The content in this presentation has been created based on SAP BW 7.4. The features described in this
SAP BW 7.4
presentation may have been modified by SAP after release of this course during annual or quarterly release.

Target The course presentation is relevant for participants who are new to the SAP functional and technical
participants modules of SAP BW/BI

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Agenda

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6

Module 1 : Overview of SAP BW

1.01 Introduction and Overview of SAP ERP
1.02 Overview and Introduction of SAP BW
1.03 Multidimensional modelling
1.04 ASAP methodology
1.05 Summary

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Introduction and Overview of SAP ERP

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1.01 Introduction of SAP and ERP
Key Points

• SAP - SAP is the leader in enterprise applications in

terms of software and software-related services. it is
one of the independent software manufacturer
supporting all sizes of industries helping them to
operate profitability, grow sustainably and stay ahead
of the competition.
• SAP ERP (R/3)
o SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a business
management software
o Suite of integrated applications that a company can
use to collect, store, manage, and interpret data
from many functional areas such as procurement of
goods and services, sales and distribution, finance,
accountings, human resource, manufacturing,
production planning, logistics & warehouse
management.
o Also Known as R/3 (the R is for Real-time data
processing and 3 stands for 3-tier- database,
application server, and Presentation (SAP GUI)).

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 1.01 Functional Areas

Functional Areas of an organization that can be integrated using ERP

Human Resource Sales and Distribution Manufacturing and Material Financial Accounting
Management

Information related to employee of Order placement, delivery, production and production financial transactions and data.
an organization shipment and invoicing. planning activities.

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1.01 Functional Areas cont..

Different Functional Areas of an organization which can be integrated by ERP

Customer Relationship Logistics and Warehouse

Supply Change Management Management
Management

movement of products, storing, capturing and managing customer’s storage of products and shipment.
managing, and controlling supplies. relationship, facilitating the use of
customer experience to evaluate
the knowledge database.

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1.01 Advantages of ERP

Helps in tracking every transaction that Allows utilizing the data to incorporate
Single data source and sharing of data
takes place in an organization, from complex business logics to BW and in
among all the units of an organization.
starting till end. turn reporting tools.

Provides synchronized information

Supplies real-time information
transfer in between different functional
whenever required.
areas.

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1.01 Limitations with ERP

Sometimes business processes critical to Switching from one ERP solution to

Cost of complex integration can be very
an organization are to be reengineered another increases the implementation
high.
to align them with an ERP solution. cost even further.

End-users are to be trained for their

Customization is not preferred.
daily operations.

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Overview and Introduction of SAP BW

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 1.02 Introduction to Data Warehouse
Key Points
• Data Warehouse : A warehouse is a subject-oriented, integrated, time-variant and non-volatile collection of data in support of management’s decision making
process.

• Data Warehousing : The process of designing, building, and maintaining a data warehouse system. Some of the data warehousing tools available in market are
SAP BW, Informatica, hyperion, datastage, cognos and Teradata.

• SAP BW : SAP Business Warehouse (also known as SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse or SAP BW) is an Enterprise Data Warehouse solution of SAP and runs
on standard RDBMS and recent SAP’s HANA in-memory DBMS. SAP BW is capable of performing ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) operations along with
Dimensional Modelling and Reporting capabilities.

• SAP NetWeaver (Portal) : SAP NetWeaver is a web-based, open integration, application platform that serves as the foundation for enterprise service-oriented
architecture and allows the integration and alignment of people, information, and business processes across business and technology boundaries.

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1.02 Landscape of SAP BW
Key Points

• SAP BW is an end-to-end data-warehousing

solution that is usually built on a three tier
environment consisting of Development (DEV), Test
(Quality Assurance (QA)) (Consolidation), and
Production (PROD) systems.

• This three-tier configuration separates

development work from a live system, and allows
for sufficient testing with real data in the QA
system.

• Enhancements are transported through a well-

defined process that moves from DEV to QA for
testing, and then DEV to PROD, where BI users can
access information.

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1.02 High Level architecture of SAP BW
Key Points

• SAP BW has a three-tiered architecture. Figure

summarizes the architecture, which consists of the
3 layers.
• Presentation layer(Front end Layer) -Consists of the
SAP Business Explorer (BEx) tools such as BEx
Analyzer and BEx Web Application Designer (WAD).
• Database layer - Consists of InfoCubes, Data Store
Objects (DSO), MultiCubes, and Master Data
Objects that can be reported on. This layer also
includes the Administrator Workbench and ETL
capabilities.
• Source Systems layer -Consists of SAP ERP Central
Component (ECC) or ERP systems, legacy systems,
text files, or another SAP BI environment that
serves at a Data Mart.

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1.02 Data Flow in SAP BW System
Key Points

• Data flow in data acquisition involves

transformation, info package for loading to PSA,
and data transfer process for distribution of data
within BI(Database Layer).

• When we move the data from one BI object to

another BI object, the data is using a
transformation. This transformation converts the
source field in to the format of the target.
Transformation is created between a source and a
target system.

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1.02 Detailed level architecture of SAP BW
Key Points

The flow of data in SAP BW architecture is as follows

1. This is data Source layer , it may be SAP ECC or non
SAP applications as well.
2. Source data is loaded to the entry layer in the
Persistent Staging Area (PSA),in the same format
as source.
3. Data is cleansed, loaded and stored in Data Store
Object.
4. This data is further loaded into an info
cube(multidimensional object),also known as
Architected Data Marts Layer.
5. Business Explorer can access this data using OLAP
processor(Analytic Engine) and queries are created
as per business logic which can further be used by
reporting tools.(Webi, Design Studio,etc..)
6. Open hub service allows us to send BW data (in a
file format) to other SAP/Non SAP applications.

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Introduction to multidimensional Modelling

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 1.03 Introduction to multidimensional Modelling
Key Points

The multidimensional data model came into picture since relational model was efficient is performing “online” transactions but did not perform well when the
objective was to analyze data (especially on large scale). So, the multidimensional model was designed specifically to express support for data analysis.
it is the core component in the Business Intelligence (BI) industry.

Important terms:

Master data-
• It refers to the information that is normally unchangeable for long period of time .

• Master data are the top level data required it in order to run system ,examples are employee ID , Address, Bank Account Number etc.

• We can have following master data types:

• Attributes
• Texts
• (External) Hierarchies

Transactional data-

• It refers to the facts information during the transaction process. Example; credit memo, invoice transaction are transactional data.

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1.03 Introduction to multidimensional Modelling cont..
Key Points

• In the SAP BW-star schema, the facts in the fact table

are referred to as Key figures and the dimension
attributes as characteristics.
• The dimension table are linked relationally with the
central fact table by way of foreign or primary key
relationships.
• Characteristics (Master Data) are not components of
the dimension tables, in other words, the
characteristic values are not stored in the dimension
tables.
• Master data information is stored in separate tables,
are called Master data tables(separately for
attributes, texts and hierarchies).
• for example, the attribute ‘CUSTOMR_ID’ is stored in
the attribute table, the text description for ‘material
name is stored in the text table and the material
hierarchy is stored in the Hierarchy table for the
characteristic ‘MATERIAL.

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1.03 Introduction to multidimensional Modelling cont..
Key Points

• A numerical SID key is generated for each characteristic.

• This foreign key replaces the characteristic as the
component of the dimension table.
• Here, SID stands for Surrogate ID (replacement
key)these keys are given the prefix SID_. For example,
‘SID_MATERIAL”, is the SID key for the characteristic
‘MATEIAL’ (‘MATERIAL_ID’).
• Each dimension table has a generated numerical
‘primary key’, called the dimension key.
• dimensions key is denoted with the prefix DIM_ID_.
• Here, ‘DIM_ID_MATERIAL’ is the dimension key for the
material dimension table.

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1.03 Extended Star Schema
Key Points

• In Extended Star schema, fact tables are connected to

dimension tables and this dimension table is further
connected to SID table and this SID table is connected
to master data tables.
• In an extended star schema, we have the fact and
dimension tables inside the cube, however SID tables
are outside the cube.
• When we load the transactional data into the Info
cube, the Dim Id’s are generated based on SID’s and
these Dim ids’ are then used in the fact tables.
• In the extended star schema one fact table can
connect to 16 dimension tables and each dimension
table is assigned with 248 maximum SID tables.
• There are 3 system dimension tables:
o Data Package dimension table (Technical
dimension)
o Time dimension
o Unit dimension
• Hence Minimum number of dimension tables in an
info cube is 4 (3 are SAP Defined and one is user
defined).
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1.03 Extended Star Schema cont…
Key Points

• Maximum number of key figures in an info cube (in

fact table) are 233.
• These SID tables are also called as characteristics and
each characteristic can have master data tables like
ATTR, Text, etc.

ATTR – It is used to store all the attribute data.

TEXT – It is used to store description in multiple
languages.

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1.03 OLTP vs OLAP
Key Points

• Online Transaction Processing(OLTP): These

systems have detailed day to day transaction
data which keeps changing. For example, SAP
R/3.

• Online Analytical Processing(OLAP): These

systems have data for analysis purpose. The
input for this system is from OLTP systems. The
data from the OLTP systems is made use to
prepare the data for analysis purpose. For
example, SAP BW is an OLAP system.

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Introduction to ASAP methodology

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 1.04 Introduction to ASAP methodology
Key Points
• ASAP Methodology (Accelerated SAP) is a standard SAP related project preparation and systems implementation method, developed and updated by
consultants that are involved in implementing SAP software products.

• The purpose of ASAP is to help in designing SAP implementation in the most efficient manner possible, by effectively optimizing time, people, quality, and
other resources.

• Using the ASAP methodology, project management provides the roadmap for optimizing and continuous implementation of SAP systems in business
processes.

• ASAP Methodology Framework: The Accelerated SAP methodology framework consists of five phases of implementation; each phase of the roadmap provides
detailed plans for documentation, recommendations, and implementation of SAP systems. Each phase of the process ends with a quality check that helps in
monitoring deliverables. Below are the five well-known consecutive phases:

• Phase 1 Project Preparation

• Phase 2 Business Blueprint
• Phase 3 Realization
• Phase 4 Final Preparation
• Phase 5 Go-Live and support

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1.04 Phases of ASAP Methodology

ASAP Methodology Framework

Project Preparation Business Blueprint Realization

This phase focuses on the initial The aim of this phase is to arrive at This phase is focused on
planning and preparation to set a common understanding implementing all business process
ASAP goals. concerned with the procedures requirements.
intended to support the project.

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1.04 Phases of ASAP Methodology cont..

ASAP Methodology Framework

Final Preparation Go Live and Support

The final preparation involves testing, system This phase is the journey from a pre-production
management, cut over activities, end-user environment to a live project operation. The
training, and all other tasks that are required most critical elements in this phase are related
to go live. to production support setup, monitoring
system transactions, and optimizing system
performance.

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 1.04 Advantages of ASAP Methodology
Key Points

The ASAP Methodology covers the entire project lifecycle from the initial evaluation through post-project management. The ASAP roadmap also ensures a
transparent value delivery system that consistently reflects upon business care while acting as a guide for Service Oriented Architecture(SOA) and Business
Process Management (BPM).

• Proven, transparent approach that facilitates the project team to collaborate efficiently—reducing implementation costs, time, and risks

• Sensible risk management

• Better knowledge management: ASAP helps project management organize, implement, and meet business objectives

• Steering committee tools

• Better results because ASAP methodology is based on the experience of others—the roadmap requires both soft skills and hard facts

• Project times may be reduced

• Better communications planning

• Combination of best practice tools including ITIL, PMI, Internal SAP, and others

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Summary

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1.05 Summary

• ERP is a business management software is usually a suite of integrated applications that a company can use to collect, store, manage, and interpret data
from many functional areas such as procurement of goods and services, sales and distribution, finance, accountings, human resource, manufacturing,
production planning, logistics & warehouse management.

• Data Warehouse : A warehouse is a subject-oriented, integrated, time-variant and non-volatile collection of data in support of management’s decision
making process.

• SAP BW is an end-to-end data-warehousing solution that is usually built on a three tier environment consisting of Development (DEV), Test (Quality
Assurance (QA)) (Consolidation), and Production (PROD) systems.

• multidimensional model was designed specifically to express support for data analysis (especially on large scale).

• OLTP(Online Transaction Processing): These systems have detailed day to day transaction data which keeps changing.

• OLAP(Online Analytical Processing): These systems have data for analysis purpose. The input for this system is from OLTP systems

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