How to Create and Maintain Info Objects Using Eclipse Data Modelling for SAP BW 7.5

[soundra_vel]

Beginning with SAP BW 7.5, modelling in the Data Warehousing Workbench (SAPGUI) has been replaced by Eclipse-based Modelling tools.

Eclipse Modelling tools provide a unified modelling environment for configuration, management, and maintenance of BW and HANA metadata objects.

In this post I will walk you through the process of creating and maintaining Info objects using Eclipse. I'll also discuss some additional features introduced in SAP BW 7.5.

Following are the major feature differences between SAP BW 7.4 and SAP BW 7.5 Edition for SAP HANA:

Info Object Features	SAP BW 7.4	SAP BW 7.5 (Edition for SAP HANA)
Time characteristics as attributes for 0CALMONTH, 0FISCPER etc.	No	Yes
Extended characteristics such as Unit Conversion, Miscellaneous, and Extended	No	Yes
View Data element, SID table, Master table, text table, and hierarchy table for info object	Yes, available at corresponding tabs at info object	Not available in Eclipse. Can be viewed in SAP GUI.
Support for INT8 Key Figures	No	Yes (overcome the 2 billion limitation for integer values)
Disable display attributes in Reference info object	No	We can hide the attributes of reference info objects in Attributes tab using a property called Visible to Consumers.
Additional runtime Properties	Available in Transaction Code RSRT	Available as Runtime Properties tab in Info object

In SAP BW 7.5 (Edition for SAP HANA), two additional tabs for maintaining Extended and Runtime Properties are introduced in the info object design/maintenance screen.

Procedure for creating Info object in BW Modelling tools:

Right Click on the info area to create info objects.

Enter name and description for the Info object and Info object type with Data Type, Click on 'Finish.'

List of tabs available in Info object:

General Tab:

You will land on the default general tab. Check Master Data, Texts, and Usable as InfoProvider in Properties panel for Info object as info provider.

Options to create external HANA views for your characteristic are also available. This option enables you to use these views in other HANA models.

1. External SAP HANA View for Master Data – Attribute view
2. External SAP HANA View for Reporting – Analytics view.

If you enable master data and texts, you will see new tabs added below for Master data and texts, for Usable as Info provider - Runtime Properties.

You also have the option to edit the data type and the data length.

Master data/Texts Tab:

Unlike BW 7.4, master data and text table names (though unchanged) are no longer displayed.

Hierarchies Tab:

Attributes Tab:

Switch to the attibutes tab and click on 'Add' button to create display, navigation, and XXL attributes for the characteristics.

BI Clients Tab:

If you want the initial value in the query output to be displayed on top, select Include Initial Value in Sort Sequence.

Extended Tab:

Runtime Properties Tab:

Various settings at query runtime in Transaction Code RSRT are displayed as Runtime properties.

Hiding display attributes in Reference Info object:

When you create a new info object by referencing another info object, display attributes of the reference objects are also displayed in query designer. In BW 7.5, you have an option to hide display attributes of the referenced object (if required).

Create a custom Info object YCOSTCENT with reference to Info object 0COSTCENTER.

Visible to Consumers is default-checked to all the attributes.

Visible to Consumers property is available only in Reference info object display attributes. It can be used to disable/hide display attributes of Reference info object.

In this case, uncheck the Visible to Consumers checkbox for display attribute 0BUS_AREA.

Check the info object YCOSTCENT– no errors and Info object YCOSTCENT is successfully activated.

How can you ensure 0BUS_AREA display attribute of YCOSTCENT info object is really hidden?

Create a query on top on info object YCOSTCENT.

Provide the required details.

You can see below, YCOSTCENT – 0BUS_AREA attribute is not visible in info provider view.

At the same time it is visible in the 0COSTCENTER info object and creating a query on it will display 0BUS_AREA attribute in query view.

A Change for the Better?

SAP BW 7.5 makes life a little easier for developers by incorporating Eclipse-based Modelling tools for data modelling. This change provides a unified modelling environment for BW and HANA metadata objects - a substantial improvement.