So you may ask what is constant selection. Basically, this functionality has existed since BW 3.0 and allows you to do left outer joins on underlying infocubes within queries built on multiproviders.
Scenario
Infocube 1
Plant
Material
Price ($/CS)
101
A
0.12
101
B
0.14
102
A
0.11
102
C
0.24
103
C
0.23
104
D
0.15
InfoCube 2
Plant
Material
Customer
Qty (CS)
101
A
Costco
100 CS
101
B
Walmart
110 CS
102
A
Albertsons
105 CS
103
C
Sams
115 CS
104
D
Food 4 Less
110 CS
Query on Multiprovider based off InfoCube 1 and InfoCube 2
Plant
Material
Customer
Qty (CS)
Price ($/CS)
Value ($)
101
A
Costco
100 CS
0.12
$12.00
101
B
Walmart
110 CS
0.14
$15.40
102
A
Albertsons
105 CS
0.11
$11.55
103
C
Sams
115 CS
0.23
$26.45
104
D
Food 4 Less
110 CS
0.15
$16.50
How do we do this?
Constant Selection can be specified in 2 areas: on a characteristic or on a key figure. Constant Selection on a Characteristic allows you to ignore a particular characteristic or characteristic filter in your data model. Example above: InfoCube 1 Plant, Material, Price InfoCube 2 Plant, Material, Customer, Stock Qty MultiProvider 1 Plant, Material, Customer, Price, Stock Qty
Constant Selection on Customer in this data model allows you to report Stock Value by Plant, Material, Customer
Constant Selection on a Key Figure allows your key figure value to become independent of all filter values on all characteristics in your cube. This is used in rare cases when you want to report the sum of a particular key figure value to show the complete value of a key figure.
Setting Constant on Material
Constant Selection vs Infosets
InfoSets are very dynamic
InfoSets are defined in the data model
Constant Selection is defined in a query built on a MultiProvider
Constant Selection is more flexible than InfoSets as your join conditions can be specified differently per query
InfoSets within SAP NetWeaver 2004s allow you to join based on InfoCubes instead of just ODS. An InfoCube must be the left side of your join. With Constant Selection, you can specify any join condition on any particular characteristic
Summary
Now you should be able to work with constant selection!