SAP BW Business Content
Author Written by Prasanthi A and last updated on Posted onFebruary 20, 2019.
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SAP BW delivers many preconfigured objects. They are called SAP BW
Business Content. During SAP implementation, the project team have to configure the BI system as per the
requirements of the customers. To simplify and speed up the project, SAP delivers BW Business Content for various
modules. It helps in providing a demo to the customers on what is the possible functionality and what needs to be
additionally done to fully meet their requirements.
SAP BW Business Content offers multiple benefits. Some of those are listed below:
Speeds up the implementation process, thereby reducing implementation time and costs
Serves as a template to get started with the system.
Good industry specific content which can be leveraged for the respective industries without much modifications
Easy to modify/customize
Good number of standard KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
Ready-to use transformations, reports, extractors, and data models
As part of SAP BW business content, the objects are delivered with ‘D’ version. Whenever you activate SAP BW
Business Content, the object version would change from ‘D’ to ‘A’.
There are various SAP BW Business Content objects. Some of those are given below:
Query Elements
Role
InfoArea
InfoCube
MultiProvider
InfoSet
InfoObject
DataStore Object
Transformation
InfoSource
Update Rules
Broadcast Setting
BEx Web Item
Data Sources
Variables
Process Chains
Data Mining Models
Planning Functions
SAP Crystal Reports
Business Case
Let’s consider a real-life example from project implementation that there is a business need to develop few reports on
Contracts (Overview) InfoCube (0TE_C01). The SAP team tried finding the InfoCube in the list of available
InfoProviders. The screenshot is given below:
Data Warehousing Workbench: Modeling
But, there are no hits because the InfoCube is not present in the system. The screenshot is given below:
Search Results
So, the next immediate step is to install the InfoCube from the BI Content. There are many steps involved in BI Content
Installation. Hence, in the next part of the tutorial, I have covered step-by-step process of installing SAP BW Business
Content.
SAP BW Business Content Installation Process
Go to transaction code RSA1 to get started with the BI Content Installation.
Calling Data Warehousing Workbench
The following screen appears:
Data Warehousing Workbench: Modeling
There are various panes in the left-hand side of the screen: Modeling, Administration, Transport Connection,
Documents, BI Content, Translation, and Metadata Repository. Go to BI Content by clicking
on . The following screen appears:
Data Warehousing Workbench: BI Content
The left pane shows the categories of objects and right pane shows the objects selected for activation. By selecting
‘InfoProviders by Info Areas’, you will get to see the complete list of InfoProviders in the middle pane by Info Area. As
we already know that we need to just install ‘0TE_C01’ InfoCube, we can select ‘Object Types’ in the left pane. The
screenshot is given below:
BI Content: Object Types
As a prerequisite, you need to make sure that you have the appropriate Source system selected. You need to select
source system with utmost care. The installation of Business Content (DataSource/ Update Rules/ Transfer Rules etc.)
is completely dependent on the source system. Select the source system by clicking on highlighted in the below
screen:
Select Source System
Before you select the object, you also need to make sure that you have the appropriate Grouping selected. You have
multiple options to choose from:
Only Necessary Objects: This activates only the required objects, without installing the data flow above and below
the object.
In Data Flow Before: This activates all the objects that are providing data to the chosen object.
In Data Flow Afterwards: This activates all the objects that are accessing data from the chosen object.
In Data Flow Before and Afterwards: This activates the entire data flow. I.e., activates all the objects that are
providing data to the chosen object and that are accessing data from the chosen object.
As we’re clear that we need to install just the InfoCube, we will choose the ‘Only Necessary Objects’ as per the below
screen:
BI Content: Grouping of Objects
In addition, you also need to make sure that you have the appropriate Collection Mode selected. You have multiple
options to choose from:
Collect Automatically: This collects all the required objects automatically when you drag your object into the
‘Collection Object’ screen.
Start Manual Collection: This involves manually collecting all the required objects for your selected object.
We will choose the ‘Collect Automatically’ option as per the below screen:
BI Content: Collection Mode
Let us now select the InfoCube in the Middle Pane to choose ‘0TE_C01’ InfoCube. The screenshot is given below:
BI Content: Selecting the Required Objects
Double click on ‘Select Objects’ highlighted in the above screen and select InfoCube ‘0TE_C01’. The screenshot is
given below:
BI Content: Selecting the Required Objects
Now, click on highlighted in the below screen:
Transferring the Selected
Objects
The following screen appears:
BI Content: Collected Objects
The installation can be performed in the following four ways:
Simulate Installation: This checks for any errors during installation.
Install: This activates the selected objects in the foreground.
Install in Background: This activates the selected objects in the background by creating background jobs that can be
used for monitoring.
Install and Transport: This activates and transport the selected objects to the next system.
Let’s choose ‘Install’ option as per the screen highlighted below to install the 0TE_C01 InfoCube.
Installation of the Collected Objects
This completes the installation of the Contracts (Overview) InfoCube.
Conclusion
SAP BW Business Content helps in quick and cost-effective implementation. It offers template/model which can serve
as a reference during the implementation. The model is created from the learnings/experiences of various other
implementations. Hence, every SAP BW consultant needs to understand the purpose and usage of SAP BW Business
Content to avoid creating customized data flows when you already have preconfigured objects to serve the purpose.
This helps in reducing time and costs of implementation.
Now that we have installed an InfoCube in this tutorial, it’s time for you to try other object types. The more you try
installing various object types, the better will be your effectiveness in leveraging the same in your real-time projects.