Design Studio Templates Webcast Part 1 - No Coding Required

[TammyPowlas]

This was a SAP webcast this past week covering Design Studio 1.5 templates.  The usual legal disclaimer applies.

Figure 1: Source: SAP

This webcast covered the templates shown in Figure 1.  This blog only covers the Generic Analysis template.  I just realized in pulling together this blog is that no coding is required with these templates.  In theory a business analyst or power user could use these templates without involving "IT".

Figure 2: Source: SAP

Predefined template

Slicing and dicing of data sources

Do not assign data source at design time but at run time

BW or HANA can be a data source

Can only BIP or NetWeaver mode

Use on Desktop browser only

Share PDF in offline mode

Figure 3: Source: SAP

So following the steps in Figure 3, you give the application a name, select Generic Analysis Template and then run the application.

Figure 4: Source: SAP

After executing the application you are prompted for the data source

Figure 5: Source: SAP

Figure 5 shows the option to change data source, bookmark, export, context menu and filter

Figure 6: Source: SAP

Figure 6 shows changes available at run time when the chart is being used.  Traditionally these are settings at design time.

Figure 7: Source: SAP

Figure 7 shows the available chart types in the template

Figure 8: Source: SAP

Figure 8 covers the first part of the menu.  One item to add - it was helpful to follow along with my own data sources and templates to this webcast to realize the features available.

Figure 9: Source: SAP

This template has only 1 chart, 1 cross tab

If want to build more, new data source selection

Figure 10: Source: SAP

The bookmark features are built into this template.

Figure 11: Source: SAP

Save a particular view or app as a smart object

Figure 12: Source: SAP

Two folders created for 1 app - one for images, the other for the actual app

Figure 13: Source: SAP

Different folders to save portable fragments on bookmarks

To be continued...

Question and Answer

Q: What are all the data sources supported? any increase from 1.4?

A: Design Studio supports BW, HANA and universes - see http://help.sap.com/businessobject/product_guides/AAD15/en/ds_15_user_en.pdf - "for relational single source universes"

Q: Can we use this Generic Analysis feature with universe or excel data source?

A: BW or HANA; No its not possible to use it with Universe datasources.

There is limited support for .Unx datasources

Q: Can you clarify if Universes are supported as data source for this template?  I am seeing some mixed comments above

A: the templates being discussed only connect to BW and HANA; generically Design Studio can connect to BW/HANA/Universes

Q: can we connect to multiple data sources

A: Yes

Q: in Generic Analysis we can create multiple visulization or just one in the dashboard

A: yes; she said she would demo

Q: Can we leverage data from say HANA as well as Universe to create an analysis both in on-line and off-line mode?

A: the universes cannot be used with these templates

Q: where can we leverage Universes?

A: you can create a blank application against universes - there are other template types too

Q chart library used here is D3? same as in Lumira?

A: CVOM library, I believe

Q: is there any plan to let users bring in their Lumira Viz Extensions into the Generic Analysis template?

A: You should be able to customize Generic Analysis template if you want by integrating extensions.

It is just a template

Q: How can you create your own templates?  Is there a way to take a HTML page and convert it to a Design Studio template?

A: you can import/export, and there are also documents on SCN that cover this

Design Studio is a HTML5 based app.

Q: But is there an option to "generate" a template from a HTML page? Design Studio will generate the dashboard as a HTML5 page.  But can you actually take an existing web page and somehow convert it/save it as a design studio template that I can import and use on other dashboards

A: There is a specific format attached to Design Studio apps, which you can import and export. You can certainly apply custom .css scripts to create the look and feel of your custom html page.

Q: Is there some documentation on that specific format?  How can I create my own templates (without exporting an existing template)

A: Yes, please refer to the help page documentation as it gives you all the details: http://help.sap.com/boad.

Q: can a story board created in Lumira be used as a starting point to create an app in DS?

A: not today; you can export to Lumira from Design Studio - not the other way

Q: Can we use this template for Mobile?

A: Once it is published to BIP, yes it can be consumed via MOBI

Q:  It seems General analysis is nothing but Explorer and Data Discovery template is nothing but Lumira, if customer have BI enterprise with Lumira and Explorer tools available , does this template make any sense for them?

A: Lumira is BW offline, Design Studio can use BW online data sources

Upcoming ASUG SAP Design Studio Events/Items of Interest

On Monday, October 19, ASUG is offering a SAP Design Studio Deep Dive full-day hands-on session at SAP TechEd Las Vegas - see Announcing ASUG SAP TechEd Pre-Conference Sessions - Open for Registration

ASUG BusinessObjects Design Studio Sessions at #SABOUC in Austin

ASUG Webcasts:

• November 4 World Premiere of SAP BusinessObjects Design Studio 1.6
• November 5 - Using SAP BusinessObjects Design Studio for Self Service BI