Desktop Compatibility Pack (DCP) with SAP BI Platform 4.1 SP1

[wmarcy]

REWIND

The “Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack” will be delivered in Fix Pack (FP) 6.1 which is to be installed over Desktop Intelligence XI 3.1 SP6 desktop product. When installed, it will allow the Desktop Intelligence reports, users, universes and database connections to be managed by the BI 4.1 platform. The estimated release date is mid-year in 2013.

The goal is to allow Desktop Intelligence users and content to move to BI 4 as easily as possible.  The Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack helps in scenarios with reports are difficult or costly to convert to Web Intelligence.

Source :

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-31798

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Now, I want to show what's really "DCP" (Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack) with DESKI integration in SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.1. Let's have some fun.

Version management

First of all, you'll have to check your version of each component such as Desktop Intelligence Client Tools XI 3.1 SP6 FixPack 6.1 and SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.1 Server component.

Be curious about DESKI in BI 4.1

If you are a little bit curious about the return of Deski, you'll see in CMC a Desktop Intelligence Application. BUT, there's no possible configuration, just user security to control access for users.

Desktop Intelligence

This is the first funny thing to do, you have to open Desktop Intelligence and work as usual with a document (.REP) in DESKI XI 3.1 SP6 FP 6.1.

Test that your document is working fine, once done I know you want to export it to BI 4.1 CMS....SO LET'S GO !

Connect to the BI 4.1 CMS

In Desktop Intelligence application, there's an option wich allow you to "Login as...", do it.

Connect to your CMS and you'll see that you'll be able to connect to a 4.1 deployment. Make a test with a 4.0 version or Desktop Intelligence lower than SP6 FP 6.1 and a pretty error will occur. Magical.

At the end, you can export your document to the CMS in personnal folders or public folders depends on security.

See the magic in BI Launch Pad

Now, you can see the magic works. Connect to BI Launch Pad where the document was saved and you'll see your document recognized as a Desktop Intelligence document....But, without properties or anything else. It is just placed right in front of you and you can do nothing more.

If you want to actualize or schedule your document, you'll have to re-open it in Desktop Intelligence application. Nothing less, nothing more.

Important behaviour

To succeed this tutorial and use DCP, you'll have to install both client tools XI 3.1 SP6 FP 6.1 AND BI 4.0 or BI 4.1 Client tools. This is not shown anywhere but you have to believe me, you have to install both.

Don't bet on "DCP" to keep your Deski documents alive, this feature is only there to facilitate your migration project and nothing more. We must not forget that a migration project is often associated with a project to convert your Deski (.REP) documents to Webi (WID).

See it in action

More ressources

Deski and Webi - scope of features

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/BOBJ/Deski+and+Webi+-+scope+of+features

Convincing Reasons to Move to Web Intelligence

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-10978

Managing the Conversion from Desktop Intelligence to Web Intelligence

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-21103