Spotfire® User Guide

Accessing data from SAP BW

Follow the steps below to create a new connection to SAP BW, and add the data either as imported or in-database data.

About this task

Tip: To learn more about creating data connections and working with data using the connector for SAP BW, see:

Adding external (in-database) data from SAP BW

Follow the steps below to add a connection with in-database data to SAP BW.

Procedure

  1. On the authoring bar, click Files and data .
  2. In the Files and data flyout, click Connect to.
  3. In the list of connectors, click SAP BW.
  4. In the Oracle Essbase flyout, click New connection.
  5. In the SAP BW Connection dialog, enter the information and credentials for the data source you want to connect to.
  6. Click Connect.
    Spotfire will connect to the specified server, and retrieve the names of the available catalogs, cubes, and BEx queries.
  7. In the Catalog drop-down list, you can narrow down the amount of listed cubes. Cubes containing BEx queries are listed, but you can also select (All cubes) if you do not want to narrow down the selection.
  8. In the Cube or query drop-down list, select the cube or query of interest.
    If a name is preceded by a dollar sign ($) in the drop-down list, it is a cube, otherwise it is a BEx query.
  9. Click OK.
    The Data Selection in Connection dialog opens.
    If you selected a BEx query with variables, the BEx variables will automatically be added to the Data selection in connection list. Variables listed as Mandatory must be defined if no default has been specified already. Variables listed as Mandatory not initial must always be defined. Click on each variable to display its settings and click Define Value to specify values for each variable.
  10. Click on the object of interest in the left pane, then click Add >.
    See Icon descriptions for information about what the different objects represent. If you select the cube icon, you will get all data in the cube. When it comes to hierarchies, you always have to add the entire hierarchy to the list, but you can limit data further, see step 12.
    The selected data is added to the Data selection in connection list.
  11. Dimension columns and hierarchies can be further limited by clicking on the selected column or hierarchy in the Data selection in connection list and then, in the Settings pane, clicking Limit.
    The Limit Data dialog opens.
  12. Clear the check boxes for categories that you want to remove from the selection.
  13. Click OK to close the Limit Data dialog.
  14. When you are done with the data selection, click OK.
  15. The final step is a summary view of the data tables that will be added to your Spotfire analysis. Make sure that the data table that is added from your connection is configured as External, for in-database analysis.
    Note: To change the load method of a data table to External, click the data table in the summary view, and then use the drop-down menus to select External.
  16. Click OK.

Results

The external data table is added to your analysis.
Tip: Do all of the data selection work in a shared data connection and save it to the library instead of adding it to the analysis directly. This way you can reuse the work you have done later, or share your selections with others.

Importing (in-memory) data from SAP BW

Follow the steps below to import data from a SAP BW cube.

Procedure

  1. On the authoring bar, click Files and data .
  2. In the Files and data flyout, click Connect to.
  3. In the list of connectors, click SAP BW.
  4. In the Oracle Essbase flyout, click New connection.
  5. In the SAP BW Connection dialog, enter the information and credentials for the data source you want to connect to.
  6. Click Connect.
    Spotfire will connect to the specified server, and retrieve the names of the available catalogs, cubes, and BEx queries.
  7. In the Catalog drop-down list, you can narrow down the amount of listed cubes. Cubes containing BEx queries are listed, but you can also select (All cubes) if you do not want to narrow down the selection.
  8. In the Cube or query drop-down list, select the cube or query of interest.
    If a name is preceded by a dollar sign ($) in the drop-down list, it is a cube, otherwise it is a BEx query.
  9. Click OK.
    The Data Selection in Connection dialog opens.
    If you selected a BEx query with variables, the BEx variables will automatically be added to the Data selection in connection list. Variables listed as Mandatory must be defined if no default has been specified already. Variables listed as Mandatory not initial must always be defined. Click on each variable to display its settings and click Define Value to specify values for each variable.
  10. Click on the object of interest in the left pane, then click Add >.
    See Icon descriptions for information about what the different objects represent. If you select the cube icon, you will get all data in the cube. When it comes to hierarchies, you always have to add the entire hierarchy to the list, but you can limit data further, see step 12.
    The selected data is added to the Data selection in connection list.
  11. Dimension columns and hierarchies can be further limited by clicking on the selected column or hierarchy in the Data selection in connection list and then, in the Settings pane, clicking Limit.
    The Limit Data dialog opens.
  12. Clear the check boxes for categories that you want to remove from the selection.
  13. Click OK to close the Limit Data dialog.
  14. When you are done with your data selection it is recommended to click the Estimate Import Size button to get a hint on whether this selection will be possible to import or not.
    The calculation may take a while. No measures are taken into account in the calculation, so if you have added many measures, you may be unable to import the selection even if the estimated number of rows and columns is small. The estimated import size may be of help if an import should fail. Then, the next time you try to import data from that cube, you should try to make sure that the estimated size is smaller than the previous time.
  15. When you are done with the data selection, click OK.
  16. The final step, the Add data to analysis flyout, is a summary view of the data tables that will be added to your Spotfire analysis. Make sure that the data table that is added from your connection is configured as Imported, for in-memory analysis.
    Tip: To change the load method of a data table to Imported, click the data table in the summary view, and then use the drop-down menus to select Imported.
  17. Click OK.

Results

If the data selection was small enough, the data is imported.
Tip: Do all of the data selection work in a shared data connection and save it to the library instead of adding it to the analysis directly. This way you can reuse the work you have done later, or share your selections with others.
Note:
  • It is not possible to import multiple characteristics that belong to the same dimension.
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