After successfully setting up the SAP BW Bridge Tenant and connecting it to the S/4HANA source system, we will first carry out a test scenario by transferring business content to the Datasphere on the business entity layer.
In our case, we want to create a simple report in which we determine the material quantity from the S/4HANA ERP system using SAP BW Bridge and transfer it to the Datasphere. For the transaction data, we use the overarching source table FI ACDOCA and for the material text and material attributes, we use the DataSource 0Material_Text and 0Matreial_Attr from the source system S/4HANA.
Prerequisite: The S/4HANA system must first be connected to the SAP BW Bridge. You can find out how to do this in this blog article.
ODP extractors are used for data management. Data replication will take place in the bridge tenant, starting with a RAW layer and ending with a data mart layer. All further steps will only take place remotely in the Datasphere.
The following graph shows the architecture of the report:
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SAP BW Bridge: Creation of a simple data model for using the Datasphere
After a successful setup of the SAP BW Bridge Tenant and a connection with the S/4HANA ...
Step 1: Activating the DataSource
After a successful connection to the S/4HANA system, a selection of DataSources is available. However, these DataSources are not always automatically visible in the repository and must be added and activated manually.
How to activate a DataSource:
1.1. Log in to your S/4HANA source system.
1.2. Call up the RSA5 transactions.
1.3 Select "SAP" and expand the tree.
1.4 Search for the desired DataSource. In our case: 0FI_ACDOCA_10.
1.5. click on "Activate".
After activation, the corresponding DataSource must be visible under transaction RSA6.
1.6 Open Eclipse modeling tools and add a new DataSource.
Step 2: Replication in the SAP BW Bridge
For our scenario, we need three DataSources from the S/4HANA system:
(1) 0FI_ACDOCA_10: The Universal Journal, which includes all postings from Financial Accounting in the S/4HANA ERP system.
(2) 0MATERIAL_TEXT: Master data table, which includes all text attributes of the material data.
(3) 0MATERIAL_ATTR: Master data table, which includes all attributes for each material.
The transaction data is initially transferred and replicated directly in an aDSO object in the SAP BW Bridge. This aDSO represents the raw data layer (RAW layer) in our SAP BW architecture model.
2.1 Transaction data replication
Prerequisite: The DataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10 is activated.
2.1.1 We open our Eclipse modeling tools and log in to the SAP BW Bridge Tenant.
2.1.2 For the RAW data layer, we first recommend creating a separate InfoArea. We call this InfoArea: RAW layer.
2.1.3 To replicate the transaction data from the ACDOCA table, we create a new Advanced DataStore Object (aDSO). We take the DataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10 as a template so that the exact same structure is transferred here.
2.1.4 Keys must be defined so that the aDSO can be set as the default aDSO. Under "Details" > "Manage keys", we select the corresponding fields that we want to have as keys and drag them into the field below. We take: "Fiscal Year", "Line Item", "Ledger", "Document Number", "Client" and "Company Code" and finally press "OK".
2.1.5 Now we set the modeling properties of the aDSO under "General" > "Modeling properties" to "Standard aDSO" and activate it.
Now we have an empty data store object that looks something like the ACDOCA table in the ERP system and only needs to be loaded with data.
2.1.6 For data loading, we create a new transformation and select the DataSource: 0FI_ACDOCA_10 as the source.
2.1.7 Finally, we make sure that all mapping arrows between the sources and the target are correct and finally press "Activate".
2.1.8 For the loading process, we create a new Data Transfer Process (DTP) under the transformation created above.
2.1.9 After activation, we run the DTP and open the monitor at the same time.
Pressing "Execute and open monitor" loads all transaction data from the ACDOCA table into aDSO. In the meantime, a new browser window (BW Cockpit) opens in which the progress of the process can be tracked. Once the process is complete, one last step remains, namely to activate the data. This is because it is still in the input table of the aDSO and must be moved to the table of active data.
2.1.10. To activate, press "Manage request" in the DTP Monitor, then "Activate".
We have thus successfully replicated all transaction data on our SAP BW Bridge Tenant. You can now view the data using the data preview function and continue modeling as required.
2.2 Creation of the data mart (optional)
After we have managed all the transaction data in the RAW layer, in practice, a transformation, adaptation and cleansing is performed on the data before it is exported for reporting purposes. In our example, the data cleansing is only applied as a form of filtering to the fields that we need for our test scenario.
We have retained the following fields from the ACDOCA table: Download table.
2.3 Master data replication
Prerequisite: The DataSource 0MATERIAL_TEXT & 0MATERIAL_ATTR are active.
2.3.1 We create a new InfoObject for material texts and attributes:
2.3.2 We recommend copying the structure of the InfoObject from an existing InfoObject "0Material". This is located under the "Cross-application component" folder in the SAP BW repository of your SAP BW Bridge tenant and can optionally also be used here.
Note: If you want to use the native "0Material" InfoObject instead of "ZMAT1", you must still follow the further steps to fill the material master data from the source system.
2.3.3 Now we create a new transformation and a data transfer process for each of the texts and attributes. The same steps apply as in steps 2.1.6 to 2.1.10.
Note: When loading texts, we select the DataSource "0MATERIAL_TEXT" with the object type "InfoObject - Text" as the source for the target. When loading attributes, we select the DataSource "0MATERIAL_ATTR" with the object type "InfoObject - Attribute" as the source for the target (see screenshots).
2.4 Composite provider
The final step in the SAP BW Bridge would be the creation of a composite provider, which receives the Data Mart aDSO and is ready for the Datasphere transfer.
2.4.1 In our InfoArea we create a new composite provider
2.4.2 We name the new composite provider and press "Next".
2.4.3 Under "Union Providers" we add the Data Mart aDSO and finally click on "Finish".
2.4.4 After creating the composite provider, we go to the "Scenario" tab and drag and drop the aDSO from the source area into the target area (see screenshot). Finally, we activate the composite provider and thus complete the modeling process in the SAP BW Bridge.
Final result:
Our modeling process in the SAP BW Bridge is now complete. We have created an InfoObject from the DataSources and thus obtained the master data, which consists of attributes and texts (see screenshot: Characteristic). We have also included an aDSO in the composite provider, which contains the data from a RAW aDSO, in which transaction data is extracted from the DataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10.
Step 3: Datasphere integration
The composite provider and the InfoObject can now be called up and consumed as remote tables in the Datasphere.
Prerequisite: A successful connection between the Datasphere and the Bridge Tenant as well as a Bridge Space in the Datasphere that serves as an interface between the Datasphere and the SAP BW Bridge.
You can find quick and easy instructions here: SAP BW Bridge: First steps and setup instructions.
3.1 Data integration
3.1.1 We open our Datasphere Tenant and select the Bridge Space under "Data Builder": SAP BW Bridge: First steps and instructions for setting up.
3.1.2 Under "Import" we select "Remote Table":
3.1.3 The bridge repository opens. We search for the composite provider and InfoObject that we created in step 2:
3.1.4 After the import, the data is ready for modeling, but it cannot be modeled further in the Bridge Space. For this reason, it must be shared with another space, where the modeling continues:
3.1.5 We now switch to the "Bridge Workspace", where we can continue to prepare our data and create a new Graphical View.
3.1.6 The "Shared Objects" area contains the shared tables. Using drag and drop, we join the master data that has the material ID as a shared key and then join the ACDOCA movement table. Don't forget to activate the "Expose for Consumption" option and set the semantic usage to "Analytical Dataset". Finally, we press Deploy.
3.1 Business entity
3.2.1 We now switch to the Business Builder and create a new Analytical Dataset:
3.2.2 As entity we select the Graphical View created in step 3.1. and click on "Create".
3.2.3 Press "Yes" to accept the key figures and attributes.
3.2.4 After creating the analytical dataset, we want to display the material description instead of the ID. To do this, we go to the "Attributes" tab and search for the column: Material.
3.2.5 Under "Text" we select "Language Dependent Text".
3.2.6 Select the InfoObject "ZMAT2" (or 0MATERIAL-TEXT) as the "Text Table".
3.2.7 We assign the field "Material" as a foreign key and press "Save".
For the final result, we open a "Data Preview" and display the "Material" attribute and the "Quantity" key figure. As can be seen, the text was shown instead of the material ID, as this was previously defined as a key.
This could be used to create a consumption model with a perspective that can be used in a BI platform for reporting, such as the SAP Analyitcs Cloud.
This ends our journey in the SAP BW Bridge. The test scenario has clearly shown the extent to which the SAP BW Bridge represents a hybrid infrastructure that simulates the SAP BW/4HANA component at the Datasphere level.
Authors: Tarek Chouchane, Anas Joudi
Christopher Kampmann
Head of Business Unit
Data & Analytics
christopher.kampmann@isr.de
+49 (0) 151 422 05 448
