Technical Articles
SAP Analytics Cloud – Using BW Variables as Story Filter
For those of you that use SAP Analytics Cloud in combination BW queries, you might be familiar with the scenario, that your BW query has variables, and that the user is getting prompted to provide input values to those variables.
If so, I am sure you are familiar with the screen similar to the one shown below.
The user has the option then to provide the values to the variables. After the user has filled those variables with values, the option for the user to change the values typically would mean to re-prompt for the values and it might not always be exactly what you are looking for as user experience.
In addition to the re-prompting, you now also have the option to re-use your existing variables in form of Story Filters.
The Story Designer can simply create a new story filter…
.. and as part of this process the story designer can now simply choose, which variable would be exposed as story filter.
After configuring it, the consumer of the story, can simply click on the Story Filter and will receive the exact same UI that the user already knows from the variable prompting screen and can configure the variable values without the need to “re-prompt” in form of a popup screen.
Hello Ingo,
Can you please confirm, from which version it is available? I am not able to see the option Variables while creating the story filter.
should be coming out this quarter
Regards
Ingo Hilgefort, SAP
Hi Ingo,
in general I like this new feature and it's works as it should in our test stories.
At least if there is only one modell in the story. What about the case if you have several live models in one story? Then it would be nice, if there is the same variable in those models, to merge the prompts for this variable. Then the whole story can be filtered with the enter of the value in just one variable and not into the variable for every model.
Or do i miss something?
Regards
Kjell
Hello Kjell,
If you have multiple models in the same story which uses the same variables, you can actually link those variables and then you need to have just one story filter for one variable.
Hi Akash,
I also entered a question on this topic and got the answer there. I just did not see this point or just searched in the wrong area.
Merging prompts works very well.
Regards
Kjell
Hi,
merging variables is already possible and can be configured in the prompting area.
Regards
Ingo Hilgefort
Great work, this is impressive.
Thanks
Hi Ingo,
This option not available in BW(import) connection to SAC currently. Is there any possible ideal way to get Bex variables to SAC in import connection?
Thanks,
Hello Swathi,
when you IMPORT the data from BW into SAP Analytics Cloud, then you don't have BEx Variables anymore in the story because you imported the data.
Regards
Ingo Hilgefort, SAP
Hi Ingo!
when the prompt appears on the story to change the value of a variable, SAC allows you to select what will be showed (ID or description).
How this works? which fields is SAC using? Is there a way to set them?
I'm attaching an image
thanks in advance
Hello Leonardo,
you mean what decides if the ID or the description is used or do you mean which dimension is used ?
The dimension is part of the definition of the Variable in the BW Query.
Regards
Ingo Hilgefort, SAP
Hi Ingo,
I am using a hierarchy node variable in my query. In the SAC variable prompt, the hierarchy will be displayed with the short text description of the elements. Is there any way to change this to the medium text? When I am using a story filter on the very same dimension, the medium text is displayed in the filter. But I am not able to get this work for the variable as well.
Kind regards
Eric
Hi Ingo,
If we use 2 models that have different variables, the user is required to fill the variables for the first model and after that for the second model. There are 2 pop-ups. is that possible to merge the variables of the 2 models in order to get only one screen like in Web Intelligence?
thank you
Hi Ingo,
I need to achieve something similar. But my scenarios is slightly different.
In my instance SAC is connected to SCP (SAP HANA table) via a LIVE connection.
I want to create a Story Filter / Prompt on multiple dimensions say Customer Name and Customer Type and FileUploadDateTime, using variables.
I cannot see the Variables creation option in the dropdown. Please see attached 3 screen shot. Last screen shot is of the SAC version. Please can you advise.
Thanks and appreciate your time
Hello Pradeep,
you would create the variables in the HANA model already.
Regards
Ingo Hilgefort, SAP
Hi Ingo Hilgefort,
Am trying to select the cost center hierarchy node variable in a SAC story, but getting the below error:
"specify a value for variable CostCenter Hierarchy Node" and am unable to select any variables.
Please let me know what is causing the issue?
Also, I have another GL Acoount hierarchy node which gives me variable names which i can select.
BR,
Naveen
Hi Ingo, I've an story with BW Live connection, where "Automatically open prompt when story opens" is checked. It works ok in story. But, I'm using this story in a Digital Boardroom, and there, the prompt screen didn't appear when I open the Digital Boardroom. Is that by design?
Thanks in advance.
Liliana
Hi Liliana,
Were you able to overcome this challenge? I have an identical scenario where we want to display multiple stories on flat screen TVs in ~60 different locations across the globe, and we wanted to automate the criteria so the reports would automatically refresh on a daily basis.
If you could share how you resolved this issue, I would deeply appreciate it.
Thanks in advance,
Suny
Hallo zusammen,
Kann ich beim Importieren von BW-Berichten in das SAC die Logik der Customer-Exit-Variablen in der Story weiterverwenden?
VG
Tuncay
Hi everyone,
Let's assume that we have a live-connection to a BW-query containing a BW-variable displaying the interval-prompt for e.g., 0CALMONTH.
Now, we would like to populate this input-ready(!) date-variable with pre-defined, dynamic values. In this prompt, the user should be able to overwrite the suggested prompt-values which should be set dynamically (ie based on the current date/month).
e.g., the date-variable of type interval should be filled as follows:
- from: pre-defined value of variable => current month - 12
- to: pre-defined value of variable => dynamically filled based on current date/month]
What is the best way to achieve this output? Should this be done in SAC or BW?
Thank you!
Hi Ingo,
we have a bex query where calmonth is having a customer exit variable, all calculations are based on this customer exit variable. we are calculating YTD, MTD,QTD, 12m,6m and monthly calculations and some custom YTD. user wants a year filter in SAC but we have calmonth in bex query. how do we map this, and most important thing is - based on user input i.e., calmonth all the calculations will be processed at runtime and give results.
can you let me know how does SAC can handle such scenarios?
Thanks.