Last month I published a Using SAP NetWeaver BI in Guided Procedures: Info Callable Object Scenario on using SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (BI) in Guided Procedures (GP) by using an Info callable object. In a GP Process, the user can optionally execute the Info callable object to provide additional information to support completing the task. As you will see in the first blog scenario, the user selects the Info callable object from the You Can navigator in the GP runtime. The system replaces the current view in the Application Area of the GP work center with the BI iView used in the Info callable object. After reviewing the presented information, the user selects "Back" to return to the previous view and complete the task.
But what if you want to provide one user interface (UI), which includes both the elements required to perform the task (e.g., a form) and the supporting information from BI? One way to accomplish this is to use Embedded BI functionality. To develope Embedded BI applications, you use SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer (VC), using its capabilities to combine visualizations of BI data with other elements, such as a GP form element.
Using the same scenario as before, I have a simple process in which:
1. A user ("requestor") requests staffing for a project from the engineering department.
2. The engineering department manager ("manager") approves the request.
3. The requestor reviews the response and completes the process.
To create the scenario, I used VC to develop iViews with simple forms for the first and third steps and deployed the iViews in Web Dynpro. I included these in the GP process activities by generating WD4VC Application callable objects.
For the second step, where the BI data is required, I created an iView in VC that included a GP form, as well as a table and a chart, with BI queries as the data sources. In this case, though, I had to deploy the iView in Flash, as this is the only format supported for BI in SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer 7.0. (VC supports Web Dynpro for BI starting with SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment 7.1.) Because of this limitation, I had to use the Portal iView or Page callable object type, as the WD4VC Application type only supports Web Dynpro UIs. This method requires the additional step of assigning the iView to a Portal role before you can create the callable object.
Because I am able combine the form and BI outputs in an Embedded BI application, the manager has all the information needed to make a decision and complete the task in one screen, rather than having to navigate to a separate screen.
You can find the scenario, including a description of how to build the VC models and create the necessary callable objects, in the Using SAP NetWeaver BI in Guided Procedures: Embedded BI Scenario document.
For more information on when to use guided procedures and examples business scenarios, see the Usage guide for creating Guided Procedures.
