What is new in the Semantic Layer and the Information Design Tool BI4.1 – SAP ERP and BW – Part 2

This is part 2 of an ASUG webcast covering what is new with the Semantic Layer BI4.1 and the Information Design Tool. 

Pierpaolo Vezzosi provided this ASUG webcast earlier this month.  Part 1 is here

Figure 1: Source: SAP

Figure 1 shows improvements for SAP data sources coming in 4.1 for ERP universe support.

In BI4 you can connect to ERP using a universe with an ABAP function,  infosets or SAP queries.

Figure 2: Source: SAP

Figure 2 shows that BI4.1 supports joins in single-source universe.

Figure 3: Source: SAP

Optional input parameters in BI4 were treated as mandatory – this is now optional in BI4.1

Figure 4: Source: SAP

When creating Business Layer on ERP universe in BI4 it was using the technical name.   In BI4.1 it is now using the description which is the “business meaning” of the column.

Figure 4 shows this as an example.

Figure 5: Source: SAP

When create a BW connection the performance will be faster, as shown in Figure 5.  Figure 5 shows improvements for BW variable management.

Figure 6: Source: SAP

Figure 6 shows variable selection before the query panel display

Figure 7: Source: SAP

Figure 7 shows you can set the depth of hierarchy retrieval.  On the right it shows 3 levels down

Figure 8: Source: SAP

Figure 8 shows you can set the hierarchy variable level too.

Part 3 will cover semantic layer improvements with SAP Hana. 

SAP ERP and BW universes will be covered as part of the ASUG BI4.1 pre-conference session – please see more details below:

ASUG Annual Conference BI4.1 Hands-on Preconference Session