Oct 3, 2011

Intended Audience

Business Objects Developers

Business Objects Business Users

Business Objects Administrators

Oct 3, 2011

Agenda
1.
Introducing Business Objects
2.
Overview of BO components
3.
What is Universe
4.
Creating Universes using different data sources
5.
Introduction to Info View
6.
Creating Reports using Web Intelligence
7.
Ad-hoc Reporting and features of Web Intelligence
8.
Creating Dashboards
9.
Administration
10. Creating Users, assigning rights and Managing other components

Oct 3, 2011

Introducing Business Objects

Oct 3, 2011

Objectives

Understanding Business Objects XI 3.1

Creating Universes
Understanding how universes allow you to query databases using
everyday business terms

Oct 3, 2011

Introducing Business Objects

Business Objects Enterprise is a flexible, scalable, and reliable solution

for delivering powerful, interactive reports to end users via any web
applicationintranet, extranet, Internet or corporate portal. In addition
BO gives us ability to create custom reports.

Can be used mainly for ad hoc and also for operational reporting needs

In BO you work with in your business terms and you dont need to have
any knowledge of your organizations Database structure

Can easily analyze and share the reports.

Oct 3, 2011

Introducing Business Objects

Oct 3, 2011

Architecture

Oct 3, 2011

BO components
Central Management Console(CMC)
Central Management Server (CMS)
Universe Designer

Info View
Central Configuration Manager (CCM)
Web Intelligence Rich client
Import Wizard

Oct 3, 2011

Introducing Universe
Business representation of relational
data sources
End-users build reports using the
Objects included within a Universe

Classes:
Number of logically group objects
Objects:
Dimensions:
Character type data such as
game name or retailer name
Measures:
Numerical data typically the
result of a calculation such
as net sales
Filters:
Give me a good
description

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A typical universe layout...

Objects
Classes

Universe Pane

Structure Pane
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Classes

A class is a logical grouping of objects within a universe. In general, the

name of a class reflects a business concept that conveys the category or
type of objects

A class can be further divided into subclasses.

As a designer, you are free to define hierarchies of classes and

subclasses into a model that best reflects the business concepts of your
company.

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Oct 3, 2011

Oct 3, 2011

Setting up Parameters : Definition Tab

A universe is identified with a user name and a connection
to the database
A detailed description can also be added

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Oct 3, 2011

Introducing Web Intelligence

Web Intelligence offers a business intelligent reporting solution to

business users by providing an easy to use interactive and flexible user
interface for creating and analyzing reports on corporate data over the
web, on secured intranets and extranets

From the local computer, Web Intelligence can be accessed from the
business intelligence portal InfoView via an Internet browser like Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox etc. Then, depending on the security profile of
the user, reports can be created/edited/interacted with, using the Web
Intelligence report panel

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Objectives

Info View
Viewing a Web Intelligence document in Info View
Accessing information with Web Intelligence
Creating Custom Reports and Dashboards
Different Features of Web Intelligence
Understanding how universes allow you to query databases using
everyday business terms

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Oct 3, 2011

Info View
A web-based interface that end users access to view, schedule, and
keep track of published reports. InfoView consolidates the presentation
of a company's business intelligence information and allows it to be
accessed in a way that is secure, focused, and personalized to users
inside and outside an organization.

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Launching Web Intelligence

Web Intelligence is hosted on the InfoView

Any Web Intelligence document can be saved into one of the

InfoView folders and later accessed

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Header Panel: Contains the InfoView Toolbar

Option

Description

Home

Displays the InfoView home page.

Document List

Shows the Document List.

Open

Opens components of InfoView such as the "Encyclopedia".

Send To

Sends an object or instance to a destination.

Dashboards

Allows you to access dashboards and analytics.

Log Out

Logs the user out.

Preferences

Allows you to set how information is displayed.

About

Displays product and sales information about InfoView.

Help

Displays the online help for InfoView.

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Workspace Panel: Displays InfoView Content

Option

Description

Switch to Folders

Shows folders in the Tree panel.

Switch to Categories

Shows categories in the Tree panel.

Refresh

Refreshes the view of the Document

List.

New

Allows you to create new objects within

InfoView.

Add

Allows you to add existing objects to

InfoView.

Organize

Allows you to organize the selected

object.

Actions

Allows you to perform actions on the

Oct 3, 2011
selected object.

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Changing your Password

To change your password:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Log on to InfoView
On the InfoView toolbar, click Preferences
Click the Change Password section
Type your old password in the Old Password field
Type your new password in the New Password field, confirm it in the
Confirm New Password field, and then click Submit

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Oct 3, 2011

Oct 3, 2011

Viewing Reports
To view Report
Navigate to Report and Double-Click its OR Right click it and click on "View"

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Web Intelligence Rich Client

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Building a query

Launch Web Intelligence from the InfoView

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Building a query

Select the universe on which the report is to be built

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Oct 3, 2011

Working in the Report Panel

Data in the report can be represented in the following ways:
Table

Form

Crosstab

Free Standing Cells

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Working in the Report Panel

Visual data representation also possible

3D Bar Charts

3D Pie Charts

Stacked Radar Charts

Area Charts

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Structure View and Results View

The Web Intelligence Report Panel

allows modifying documents and Structure
View
previewing those changes in the
Structure View

This enables making multiple

formatting changes quickly and
previewing them

On coming back to the Results

View, Web Intelligence applies the
changes and returns the modified
format in a single operation

Results
View

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Features

Filters
Displaying data in Tables and cross tables
Organizing Data with Sections, Breaks and Sorts
Displaying data in Charts
Calculations, Formulas and Variables
Drilling on report data
Merging data by using common dimensions
Alerts
Ranking
Tracking changes in data
Hyperlink reports

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Restricting Data Returned by a Query

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Objectives

Understanding restriction of data in a report using prompts

Understanding restriction of data in a report using report filters

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Data Filtering using Prompts

A prompt is a special type of query filter

It is a dynamic filter that displays a question every time you refresh
the data in a document
Prompts are to be answered by either typing or selecting the values
to be view before data refresh
Prompts allow multiple users viewing a single document to specify a
different sub-set of the database information and display it in the
same report tables and charts
Prompts also reduce the time taken for data to be retrieved from the
database
A prompt contains the following elements:
a filtered object
an operator
a message

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Cascading Prompts

Cascading prompts help the user to focus on the object values they
want to include in the prompt without the need to search all possible
object values.

NOTE: Refer the universe designer training material for info on how to
build cascaded prompts

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Using Report Filters

Report filters limit the results that are displayed in the report to
specific information of interest
The data you filter out remains within the Web Intelligence
document; it is simply not displayed in the report tables or charts.
This means you can change or remove report filters in order to view
the hidden values, without modifying the query definition behind the
document
Different filters can be applied to different parts of a report
To create a report filter, three elements need to be specified :

a filtered object
an operator
values

Multiple filters can be included in a report

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Comparison: Query and Report Filters

Query Filters

Report Filters

These filters are defined on the

query

These filters are defined within the

report

They limit the data retrieved from

the data source and returned to
the Web Intelligence document.

They limit the values displayed on

reports, tables, charts, sections
within the document, but they dont
modify the data that is retrieved
from the data source; they simply
hide values at the report level

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Enhancing the Presentation of Data in

Reports

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Objectives
Understanding the use of

Alerters
Sections and Breaks
Sorting
Ranking data

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Using Alerters

Alerters are used to highlight results that meet or fail specific

Business targets
Alerters are dynamic. They always highlight the latest results
Alerters can contain multiple conditions. Hence help to highlight
information that meets multiple Business criteria
An alerter can be made of multiple sub-alerters, each containing one
or multiple conditions

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Organizing a Report into Sections

Sections allow splitting report information into smaller and more

comprehensible parts

A single section or include multiple sections with subsections in a report

can be created

Removal and re-positioning of sections within a report is also possible

A section can be created from one of two sources:

on a dimension already displayed on a table or chart
on a dimension included in the document but not displayed on a table or
chart

Sections cannot be created with a measure object

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Breaks

A break is a division within a block in which data is grouped according to

a selected dimension, detail, or measure into self contained sections
These sections are represented as smaller tables within the same block
of data
Breaks can be used to display all the data for each unique value of an
object in separate parts
Using breaks has two main advantages:
Efficient organization and representation of data
Display of subtotals

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Comparison: Sections and Breaks

Sections
A section breaks up the data into
multiple free-standing cells called
section headers

Breaks
A break divides the data up within
one block

One column contains the values

Each section header contains one
for a dimension, detail, or
value for a dimension, with a block
measure, which are repeated for
of data that corresponds to the
each other row of values in the
dimension value
block

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Sorting Report Data

Sorts are applied to organize the order in which results are displayed

Sort orders available in Web Intelligence are:

Default Depending on type of data in column or row, referred as
natural order
Ascending smallest value at the top of the column moving to the
highest value at the bottom
Descending Highest value at the top of column moving to the lowest
value at the bottom
Custom Users own order

To apply sorts:
Select the section cell or table cells to be sorted
Click the down arrow next to the Apply/Remove Sort button on the
Report toolbar and then, select Ascending or Descending or Custom
from the drop-down list

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Using Ranking

Ranking allows the user to isolate the top and bottom records in a
set based on a variety of criteria
Ranking options available in Web Intelligence are:
Rank the top and/or bottom n records based on sum of a related
measure
Rank the top and/or bottom n% of the total number of records
based on the value of a related measure as a percentage of the
total value of the measure
Rank the top and/or bottom n records based on the cumulative
sum of a related measure
Rank the top and/or bottom n records based on the value of a
related measure as a cumulative percentage of the total value of
the measure.

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Using Ranking

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Analyzing Data

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Objectives

Understanding drilling into data

Setting Web Intelligence drill options

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Drill Mode

Drill mode allows user to analyze the data in a document by breaking it

down and view it from different angles and levels of detail

To pinpoint the driving factor behind a good or bad result. In drill mode,
user can analyze data in different levels of detail by analyzing the data
retrieved from the database

When working in drill mode, user is guided through the necessary steps by
dynamic graphical features

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Drill Mode
Hierarchies and Dimensions :
Hierarchies can be created at Universe by universe designer
Highest level object of the class is at the top and the most
detailed at the bottom
Example of Resort hierarchy:
Country
Resort
Service Line
Service
The Universe classes are the default hierarchies for drilling
Universe designer can also set up custom hierarchies
Hierarchies can also be created and edited at report level

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Drill Mode
Document can be made drillable in two ways:
With the document definition open in the Web Panel, click on the
Drill button on the toolbar
While viewing the document click on the Drill icon on the top
right corner
After you enable drill mode and run the query, the following changes take
place in the document:
The drillable information in document tables is underlined,
representing hyperlinks to the other levels
Some of the headers may contain an up arrow, to indicate that
you can drill up a level

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Drilling on a report

After enabling drill mode and run the query, following table can be
seen: If you position your cursor over one of the hyperlinks, the tool
tip indicates that you can drill down to Quarter. Right click on the
column value shows the popup menu which guides about the drill
options.

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Using Multiple Data Sources

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Objectives

Creating multiple documents in a document

Synchronizing data with merged dimensions

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Using Merged Dimensions

Multiple data providers can be included in a Web Intelligence

document
Data returned by these data providers needs to be synchronized
This can be done by incorporating common dimensions into a
merged dimension
When dimensions are merged, Web Intelligence creates a new
dimension that contains all the values from the original dimensions
that make up the merged dimension
This dimension can be used in reports as you use any other report
object
Report objects can be added from all the data providers
synchronized through the merged dimension in the same block as
the merged dimension

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Rules of Synchronizing Data Across Data Providers

4 rules for synchronizing data

Only the dimension objects can be linked

Any number of data providers can be linked by common dimension
objects
Any number of dimension objects can be linked
A measure object can only be aggregated to the lowest level of
dimension object that has been linked between the synchronized
data providers

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Calculating Data with Formulas and

Variables

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Objectives

Creating formulas and variables to calculate data

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Using Formulas, Calculations and Variables

Web Intelligence provides a variety of functions to carry out report level

calculations, conversions etc
The Formula toolbar can be displayed by clicking the Show/Hide Formula
Toolbar button on the Reporting toolbar. When a cell is selected, its
formula appears in the Formula toolbar
Web Intelligence also provides a few standard calculations like Sum,
Count, Average, Variance etc which can readily be used in the report
Formulas can contain mathematical, conditional, logical, function-specific
or extended syntax operators
If a formula is intended to be used frequently, it can be made a Variable
and re-used
The variable then appears in the objects pane of the reporting interface
and can be dragged and dropped like any other object

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Using Formulas, Calculations and Variables

Sample usage of Formulas

Type

Formula

Numeric

=[Revenue]*1.10

String

=[City] + ", " + [State]

Purpose
Increases revenue by 10 percent

Concatenates City and State separated by a comma

into a single string

=Concatenation("Dear ";

Creates the salutation string that could be used for a

[Name])

form letter

=ToDate("01/11/2009";

Converts a date string to a date data type and adds 30

"MM/dd/yyyy") + 30

days

Time

=LastExecutionTime()

The last time the report data was refreshed

Boolean

=[Revenue] < 100000

String

Date

=If([Revenue]<100000;

Will display true if revenue is less than $100,000 and

false if revenue is greater than or equal to $100,000
Distinguishes between "Low Revenue" sales and "High

String
"Low Revenue";
"High
More
on the usage
can be learnt
from the Function Help in the function editor
Revenue")

Revenue" sales

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Tracking Data Changes

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Objectives

Understanding methods of tracking data changes in Web Intelligence

reports

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Track Data Changes

The Track Data Changes feature allows a report user to highlight the
values that have changed since a previous refresh for any level of
aggregation.
Report designers benefit from productivity gains because this feature
directly addresses the report users need to see data changes.
The Track Data Changes feature represents productivity gains for
report users and creators.
Report users can:
Closely monitor their business
Immediately identify important changes
Quickly focus their analysis on relevant data to determine the root
cause of those changes

Then they can make timely and informed business decisions

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Track Data Changes

Web Intelligence allows tracking the following types of data change:
added data
removed data
modified data
increased data
decreased data

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Data Tracking Modes

Automatic data tracking mode

In automatic data tracking mode Web Intelligence always

compares the current data with the data before the last refresh.

To do this, Web Intelligence sets the current data as the

reference data just before each refresh.

The reference data is always one refresh behind the current

data.
Manual data tracking mode

In manual data tracking mode, you select the reference data.

Web Intelligence continues to use this data as a reference point

until you update the reference point.

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Data Tracking Limitations

If the data provider behind a document is changed, or if the document

data is cleared, Web Intelligence no longer displays changed data.
If the data provider is changed, the current version of the document is no
longer compatible with the reference version.
If the data is cleared, the old data no longer exists for comparison.
As a result, the following actions are incompatible with data tracking:

Drill out of scope

Query drill
Deleting a query
Any modification (including modifications to security rights) that
changes the SQL generated by a data provider
Purging the document

When you perform any of these actions, Web Intelligence clears the data
history of the document

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Creating Hyperlinks

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Objectives

Understanding the options for creating hyperlinks

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Hyperlinks in Web Intelligence Reports

In Web Intelligence documents cells can be defined as hyperlinks

When a cell that contains a hyperlink is clicked, Web Intelligence opens

the target document specified in the link

The target document can be a Web Intelligence document, a Crystal

Reports document, a site on the world wide web, or any resource
accessible through a hyperlink

Generally, the need is to link the parent report to a child report through a
parameter whose value is clicked in the parent report and the child report
opens up as an elaboration for that particular value

Hyperlinks can be either static or dynamic

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Hyperlinks in Web Intelligence Reports

Hyperlinks can be defined

using the Hyperlink dialog box

The hyperlink text can be

typed or pasted into the text
box

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URL Reporting using OpenDocument function

URL reporting using openDocument provides URL access to multiple

document types by passing a URL string to a BusinessObjects Enterprise
server. openDocument provides commands to control how reports are
generated and displayed
OpenDocument can be used in BusinessObjects Enterprise to create
cross-system links to and from the following document types:
.wid: Web Intelligence documents
.rep: Desktop Intelligence documents
.rpt: Crystal reports
.car: OLAP Intelligence reports

Detailed info on OpenDocument is provided in the following document:

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Oct 3, 2011

Oct 3, 2011

Hyperlinks with the Interactive Viewing Panel

Creating a hyperlink in a Web Intelligence document using the

Interactive mode is by far easier and quicker compared to the
conventional method of coding the hyperlink using the OpenDoc function

However, across different products of Business Objects, a good

understanding of the usage of the OpenDoc function always proves
handy.
For example: The OpenDoc function can be extended to the
OpenAnalytic function in Dashboard Builder analytics for linking
dashboards to other dashboards and Web Intelligence reports
The OpenDoc function also finds its use in linking Xcelsius dashboards
to Web Intelligence reports

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Creating Dashboards
Business Objects Dashboard Builder allows organizations to build custom
dashboards and analytics that meet their specific requirements

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Creating Dashboards

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User Administration

Logging into Central Management Console

Creating Users

Deleting Users

Assigning Users to Groups

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Central Management Console

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Creating Users

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Creating Users

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Creating Users

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Thank You

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