BI Launch Pad User's Guide
■ BI Launch Pad User's Guide
2010-11-16
Copyright
© 2010 SAP AG. All rights reserved.SAP, R/3, SAP NetWeaver, Duet, PartnerEdge, ByDesign, SAP
Business ByDesign, and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective
logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and other countries. Business
Objects and the Business Objects logo, BusinessObjects, Crystal Reports, Crystal Decisions, Web
Intelligence, Xcelsius, and other Business Objects products and services mentioned herein as well
as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects S.A. in the
United States and in other countries. Business Objects is an SAP company.All other product and
service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this
document serves informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.These materials
are subject to change without notice. These materials are provided by SAP AG and its affiliated
companies ("SAP Group") for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any
kind, and SAP Group shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The
only warranties for SAP Group products and services are those that are set forth in the express
warranty statements accompanying such products and services, if any. Nothing herein should be
construed as constituting an additional warranty.
2010-11-16
Contents
Getting Started........................................................................................................................9Chapter 1
1.1
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.2
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3.1.4
3.1.5
3.1.6
3.1.7
Before you start.......................................................................................................................9
Key concepts...........................................................................................................................9
Key tasks...............................................................................................................................10
About this documentation......................................................................................................10
Who should use this documentation?.....................................................................................11
What is BI launch pad?...........................................................................................................11
What's new in BI launch pad...................................................................................................12
Licensing................................................................................................................................13
BI Launch Pad Basics...........................................................................................................15Chapter 2
User interface........................................................................................................................15
Header panel..........................................................................................................................15
Home tab...............................................................................................................................15
Documents tab......................................................................................................................17
Tabs.......................................................................................................................................20
To log onto BI launch pad.......................................................................................................20
Setting Preferences...............................................................................................................23Chapter 3
Setting preferences................................................................................................................23
To set general preferences....................................................................................................23
To change your password......................................................................................................24
Preferred viewing locales.......................................................................................................25
To set Crystal report viewing preferences..............................................................................26
To set BI workspaces preferences.........................................................................................27
To set Advanced Analysis preferences...................................................................................28
Interactive Analysis preferences.............................................................................................28
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
Viewing Objects....................................................................................................................35Chapter 4
Viewing objects......................................................................................................................35
To view an object...................................................................................................................35
To pin a tab for future viewing................................................................................................36
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Contents
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
4.2.5
4.2.6
4.2.7
4.2.8
4.2.9
4.3
4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3
4.3.4
4.3.5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.3.1
5.4
5.4.1
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.11
5.12
5.13
5.13.1
5.13.2
5.13.3
5.13.4
5.14
5.14.1
5.14.2
5.14.3
Viewing Crystal reports..........................................................................................................37
Crystal report viewers............................................................................................................37
Crystal report viewer toolbar..................................................................................................41
SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011..........................................................................................42
To drill down Crystal report data............................................................................................43
To view alerts in Crystal reports.............................................................................................43
To view and edit the parameters of Crystal reports in the Web viewer...................................44
To print Crystal reports..........................................................................................................45
To export Crystal reports.......................................................................................................45
To sort data interactively........................................................................................................47
Viewing Interactive Analysis documents.................................................................................47
Interactive Analysis viewer toolbar.........................................................................................47
To display the navigation map.................................................................................................48
To display user prompts.........................................................................................................49
To find text.............................................................................................................................49
To drill document data............................................................................................................49
Working with Objects...........................................................................................................51Chapter 5
Managing objects in BI launch pad.........................................................................................51
Creating and adding new objects in BI launch pad..................................................................52
Adding objects to BI launch pad.............................................................................................52
To add a document from your computer to BI launch pad.......................................................52
Sorting and filtering objects....................................................................................................53
To sort or filter objects...........................................................................................................53
To set the object properties ..................................................................................................54
To copy an object...................................................................................................................55
To move an object..................................................................................................................55
To create a shortcut to an object............................................................................................56
To send an object or an instance to a destination ..................................................................56
To generate an OpenDocument link for an object...................................................................57
To delete an object................................................................................................................58
To create a hyperlink..............................................................................................................58
Folders and categories...........................................................................................................58
To create a folder or category................................................................................................59
To set the properties of a folder or category..........................................................................60
Adding objects to a folder......................................................................................................60
To assign an object to a category...........................................................................................60
Searching in BI launch pad.....................................................................................................61
Platform Search features........................................................................................................61
What gets searched by Platform Search................................................................................62
Platform Search techniques...................................................................................................64
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Contents
5.14.4
6.1
6.1.1
6.1.2
6.1.3
6.2
6.3
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.3
6.3.4
6.3.5
6.3.6
6.3.7
6.3.8
6.3.9
6.3.10
6.3.11
6.3.12
6.4
6.4.1
6.4.2
6.5
6.5.1
To perform a search in BI launch pad......................................................................................66
Scheduling Objects...............................................................................................................69Chapter 6
Working with instances..........................................................................................................69
To view the latest instance of an object..................................................................................69
Viewing historical instances...................................................................................................69
To empty your BI Inbox..........................................................................................................70
Scheduling objects.................................................................................................................70
To schedule an object............................................................................................................71
To set the instance title..........................................................................................................72
To choose a recurrence pattern.............................................................................................72
To specify database logon information...................................................................................74
To specify an instance format.................................................................................................74
To specify a destination..........................................................................................................80
To apply a record selection formula........................................................................................86
To set the print settings for a Crystal report...........................................................................86
To schedule an object with parameters or prompts................................................................87
To schedule an object with events..........................................................................................87
To set the scheduling server group settings...........................................................................88
To select a cache format for Interactive Analysis documents..................................................88
To select languages for report instances................................................................................89
Pausing or resuming an instance............................................................................................89
To pause an instance.............................................................................................................89
To resume an instance after pausing it...................................................................................90
Scheduling an object package ...............................................................................................90
To schedule an object package..............................................................................................90
7.1
7.1.1
7.1.2
7.1.3
7.1.4
7.1.5
8.1
8.1.1
8.1.2
8.1.3
Using Discussions................................................................................................................93Chapter 7
Discussions...........................................................................................................................93
To open Discussions..............................................................................................................93
To add a note.........................................................................................................................93
To edit a note.........................................................................................................................94
To reply to a note...................................................................................................................94
To delete a note.....................................................................................................................95
Publishing.............................................................................................................................97Chapter 8
Publication concepts..............................................................................................................97
Report bursting......................................................................................................................97
Delivery rules.........................................................................................................................98
Dynamic recipients...............................................................................................................100
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Contents
8.1.4
8.1.5
8.1.6
8.1.7
8.1.8
8.1.9
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.4.1
9.1
9.1.1
9.1.2
9.1.3
9.1.4
9.1.5
9.1.6
9.1.7
9.1.8
9.1.9
9.1.10
9.1.11
9.1.12
9.1.13
9.1.14
9.1.15
9.2
9.2.1
9.2.2
9.2.3
9.2.4
9.2.5
9.2.6
9.2.7
9.3
9.3.1
9.3.2
9.3.3
Destinations.........................................................................................................................101
Formats...............................................................................................................................105
Personalization.....................................................................................................................107
Publication extensions..........................................................................................................109
Subscription.........................................................................................................................109
PDF merging for Crystal reports..........................................................................................110
About Publishing..................................................................................................................110
What is a publication?..........................................................................................................110
Rights required for Publishing...............................................................................................111
Publishers and recipients: Who has rights to view what?......................................................113
Working with Publications..................................................................................................115Chapter 9
Designing publications.........................................................................................................115
Designing publications for use with SAP BusinessObjects Live Office.................................115
Designing publications for SAP recipients............................................................................115
To create a new publication in the CMC...............................................................................116
To create a new publication in BI launch pad........................................................................116
To open an existing publication.............................................................................................117
To enter general properties for a new publication.................................................................117
To select source documents................................................................................................117
To select Enterprise recipients.............................................................................................118
To specify dynamic recipients...............................................................................................118
To specify a destination for the publication...........................................................................120
To embed content from a dynamic content source document in an email.............................120
To specify scheduling information.........................................................................................121
Design tasks for Crystal reports publications.......................................................................122
Design tasks for Interactive Analysis document publications................................................128
Using additional publication features....................................................................................130
Post-design publication tasks...............................................................................................139
Finalizing the publication.......................................................................................................139
To test a publication.............................................................................................................139
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from a publication................................................................140
To schedule a publication to run...........................................................................................141
Viewing publication results...................................................................................................141
To redistribute a publication instance....................................................................................144
To retry a failed publication...................................................................................................145
Improving publication performance.......................................................................................146
Recommendations for adding source documents.................................................................146
Recommendations for using dynamic recipient sources.......................................................147
Recommendations for sending and receiving email publication instances.............................148
2010-11-166
Contents
Working with Alerting.........................................................................................................149Chapter 10
10.1
10.1.1
10.1.2
10.1.3
10.1.4
10.1.5
10.1.6
10.1.7
10.2
10.2.1
10.2.2
10.2.3
10.2.4
11.1
11.2
11.3
11.3.1
11.3.2
Alerting tasks.......................................................................................................................149
Locating alert source objects in BI launch pad......................................................................149
To subscribe to an alert........................................................................................................149
To unsubscribe from an alert................................................................................................150
To subscribe others to an alert.............................................................................................151
To exclude users from an alert.............................................................................................151
To manage Alerting settings for an alert source....................................................................152
Viewing alert notifications.....................................................................................................153
Alerting................................................................................................................................153
Available alert sources.........................................................................................................154
Differences between Alerting and Crystal report alert notifications......................................154
The Alerting workflow...........................................................................................................155
Rights required for Alerting..................................................................................................156
Working with Applications..................................................................................................159Chapter 11
Working with applications in BI launch pad...........................................................................159
To launch an application in BI launch pad..............................................................................159
BEx Web applications in BI launch pad.................................................................................159
To access Business Explorer Web applications in BI launch pad...........................................160
To save Business Explorer Web applications as bookmarks.................................................161
More Information.................................................................................................................163Appendix A
Index 165
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Contents
2010-11-168
Getting Started
Getting Started
1.1 Before you start
1.1.1 Key concepts
Before you begin, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the following concepts. Depending
on the types of tasks you perform, some of these concepts may not apply to you.
Objects
“Objects” are documents and files created in SAP BusinessObjects applications or in other software,
then stored and managed in the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise repository.
Categories
“Categories” are an organizational alternative to folders and allow you to label objects.
Scheduling
“Scheduling” allows you to run an object automatically at specified times. Scheduling refreshes any
dynamic content or data in the object, creates instances, and distributes the instances to users or stores
them locally.
Events
“Events” are objects that represent occurrences in the system. Depending on the event type, events
can be used for a variety of purposes:
• They act as scheduling dependencies which trigger specific actions once a scheduled job runs.
• They trigger alert notifications.
• They allow system administrators to monitor the health of the system.
Calendars
A “calendar” is a customized list of run dates for scheduling jobs.
Instances
An “instance” is a snapshot of the object that contains data from the time that the object was run.
2010-11-169
Getting Started
Publishing
“Publishing” is the process of making personalized dynamic content publicly available for mass
consumption.
Profiles
“Profiles” are objects that associate users and groups with certain personalization values. Profiles are
used with Publishing to create and distribute personalized content to recipients.
Alerting
“Alerting” is a feature that notifies users and administrators when events have occurred in the system.
1.1.2 Key tasks
This section identifies some of the key tasks you can perform in BI launch pad and topics that contain
more information about these tasks.
How do I view objects in BI launch pad?
See the “Viewing Objects” chapter.
How do I add objects to BI launch pad?
See Adding objects to BI launch pad.
How do I modify and manage objects once they have been added?
See the “Working with Objects” chapter.
How do I distribute content to users?
You can distribute content to users through scheduling, Publishing, and Alerting. For more information
about each of these options, see the following topics:
• Scheduling objects
• About Publishing
• Alerting
How do I set my personal preferences?
See the “Setting Preferences” chapter.
1.2 About this documentation
This documentation provides you with information and procedures for using SAP BusinessObjects
Enterprise and BI launch pad.
2010-11-1610
Getting Started
BI launch pad runs within your web browser and is your main interface for working with objects in SAP
BusinessObjects Enterprise. Your SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator may deploy different
types of objects such as Crystal reports and Interactive Analysis documents that are created from SAP
BusinessObjects Enterprise plug-in components. BI launch pad allows you to view these objects,
organize them, and work with them to suit your needs.
Note:
Because the appearance and functionality of BI launch pad can be customized, your user interface
may be different from the one that is described in this documentation. However, you can still apply
many of the procedures that are described in the sections that follow.
1.3 Who should use this documentation?
This documentation is intended for users who work with objects over the web through SAP
BusinessObjects Enterprise and BI launch pad.
For more information about the product, consult the
Guide
and the
available on the SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise User's Guide
1.4 What is BI launch pad?
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise comes with BI launch pad, a web application that acts as a window
to a range of useful business information about your company. From BI launch pad, you can access
Crystal reports, Interactive Analysis documents, and other objects, and organize them to suit your
preferences.
The features that are available in BI launch pad vary by content type, but in general, you can view
information in your web browser, export it to other business applications (such as Microsoft Excel), and
save it to a specified location. SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise also provides access to a range of
analytic tools to help you explore information in more detail.
Various applications are also accessible from BI launch pad when you have the appropriate licenses.
For information about the availability of features in your deployment, contact your SAP BusinessObjects
Enterprise administrator.
Related Topics
• Working with applications in BI launch pad
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise Administrator's
. Online versions of these guides are
2010-11-1611
Getting Started
1.5 What's new in BI launch pad
BI launch pad features an improved user interface and additional options for interface customization.
BI workspaces
BI workspaces have replaced the My InfoView functionality that existed in previous releases. To create
a personalized view of BI launch pad, you can create a BI workspace, save it, and set it as your default
Home tab.
Tabs
The new user interface features two main navigation tabs, the Home tab and the Documents tab. Objects
that you view and edit open in new tabs, although you can also choose to open them in separate
windows.
Pinning
Pinning is a feature that makes document tabs permanently open so that they are easily available for
viewing when you log on and off BI launch pad. A document tab remains “pinned” to the user interface
(and therefore open) until you choose to unpin it.
Home tab
The default Home tab features modules that enable you to better manage the documents you work
with most. The default Home tab layout contains the following modules:
• "My Recently Viewed Documents"
• "My Recently Run Documents"
• "Unread Messages in My Inbox"
• "Unread Alerts"
• "My Applications"
You or your administrator can set a custom Home tab for different users and groups.
Documents tab
The Documents tab (formerly called the Document List) lets you browse the repository in various ways.
The drawers in the left-hand Navigation panel let you switch between views of your personal documents,
folders, categories, and search results without having to navigate away from the Documents tab. The
List panel displays the contents of a folder or category. The Details panel displays further information
about a selected object.
Alerting
Alerting is a feature that notifies users and administrators when events have occurred in the system.
Related Topics
• Tabs
• To pin a tab for future viewing
2010-11-1612
Getting Started
• Home tab
• Documents tab
• Alerting
1.6 Licensing
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise supports these types of user licenses:
• BI Viewer
• BI Analyst
• Concurrent user
• Named user
Each license type grants and restricts access to certain tasks and applications. Depending on the
license you have, you may be unable to access certain applications, create new content, or add
documents to the repository. Consult your system administrator to determine which license you have.
For more information about licensing, see the
available on the SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise Administrator's Guide
2010-11-1613
Getting Started
2010-11-1614
BI Launch Pad Basics
BI Launch Pad Basics
2.1 User interface
2.1.1 Header panel
The Header panel displays the logo and the user name of the account that you used to log on to BI
launch pad. It also provides the following options:
Applications
Preferences
Help
Log Off
Related Topics
• Documents tab
2.1.2 Home tab
DescriptionOption
Lets you access various applications that plug into BI launch pad
such as SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis, Web edition
and BI workspace. Depending on your rights and license, the applications that you have access to may vary.
Allows you to set how your information is displayed.
Lets you access the online help for BI launch pad, or the "About"
page which contains information about the product.
Logs the user off.
The default Home tab contains modules that let you better manage the documents and BI launch pad
features you work with most.
2010-11-1615
BI Launch Pad Basics
DescriptionAnalytic
"My Recently Viewed Documents"
Shows the last ten documents that you have viewed recently. The
list is sorted by view date with the most recently viewed document
at the top.
Shows the last ten unread messages in your BI Inbox."Unread Messages in My Inbox"
"My Recently Run Documents"
Shows the last ten documents in the repository that you scheduled
or ran recently along with the status of each document instance.
You can view successful instances or details of failed instances by
clicking the instance link.
"Unread Alerts"
Shows the last ten unread alert notifications. To view all alert notifications, click the See More link.
Provides quick access to applications from within BI launch pad."My Applications"
Administrators can also specify custom Home tabs for different users and groups using different objects.
For example, a custom Home tab can be a customized dashboard, a Crystal report that the user views
frequently, or a customer website. If you have the appropriate rights, you can also override the custom
Home tab that the administrator has set by editing your Home tab setting in Preferences.
Related Topics
• Setting preferences
2010-11-1616
BI Launch Pad Basics
2.1.3 Documents tab
The Documents tab lets you view and manage repository objects.
2.1.3.1 Toolbar
The toolbar contains menus and controls that let you view and manage objects.
2010-11-1617
BI Launch Pad Basics
DescriptionMenu
Lets you view objects, the latest instances of objects, and object properties.View
New
Send
More Actions
Lets you upload documents and create the following types of new objects:
• publications
• hyperlinks
• folders
• categories
Lets you manage object shortcuts and cut, copy, paste, and delete objects.Organize
Lets you send objects to different destinations.
Note:
Available destinations may vary depending on what your system administrator
has configured.
Lets you perform the following tasks:
• Schedule objects
• Add objects to categories
• View categories that objects belong to
• Create OpenDocument links to objects
• View the History of an object
The available options vary depending on the object type and your system
rights.
Shows and hides the "Details" panel, which also includes Discussions.Details
Related Topics
• Details panel
2.1.3.2 Navigation panel
The Navigation panel provides a top-level view of the folders and categories in the system and lets you
browse for specific objects.
Related Topics
• Drawers
2010-11-1618
BI Launch Pad Basics
2.1.3.3 Drawers
Drawers are expandable panes in the Navigation panel that enable you to browse objects in different
ways.
Note:
Depending on your rights, you may be unable to view certain objects.
DescriptionDrawer
My Documents
Related Topics
• Navigation panel
Displays the user's Favorites folder, BI Inbox, alert notifications, and personal
categories.
Displays a folder view of the repository.Folders
Displays a category view of the repository.Categories
Displays search options and results.Search
2.1.3.4 List panel
The List panel displays a list view of the objects in a folder or category.
2.1.3.5 Details panel
The Details panel displays additional information about an object. To view the details for an object,
select it and click the Details button in the toolbar. The "Details" panel opens on the right side of the
Documents tab and displays the following information:
• Owner
• Description
• Object type
• Number of instances
• Last run date (for objects that can be scheduled)
2010-11-1619
BI Launch Pad Basics
The Details panel also displays Discussions.
Note:
Discussions is disabled by default. Before you can use Discussions, your system administrator must
enable it.
2.1.4 Tabs
Tabs display multiple pages and documents in one web browser window. BI launch pad has two default
tabs, the Home tab and the Documents tab. Applications such as Interactive Analysis, and any objects
you choose to view or edit, also open in separate tabs.
Note:
If you set your document viewing preferences to open objects in new windows, these objects will open
in separate windows instead of tabs.
Tip:
If you want to view the document in a larger viewing area, in the upper right corner of the tab, click
"Open in a new window".
2.2 To log onto BI launch pad
To use BI launch pad, one of the following web browsers must be installed on your machine:
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari (for Macintosh users)
1.
Open your web browser.
2.
Enter the URL for BI launch pad:
http://webserver:portnumber/BOE/BI/
Replace webserver with the name of the web server and portnumber with the port number that
is set up for SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise.
If your system administrator has configured a custom URL for BI launch pad, you may need to ask
your administrator for the name of the web server, the port number, or the exact URL to enter.
Tip:
If you have any SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise client tools installed on Windows, you can also
click Start > Programs > SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0 > SAP BusinessObjects
Enterprise > SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise Java BI launch pad.
2010-11-1620
BI Launch Pad Basics
The "Log On to BI launch pad" page appears.
3.
By default, you will not be asked to supply a system name. However, if you are asked to supply one,
enter the name of your Central Management Server (CMS) in the System field.
4.
In the User name and Password fields, enter your logon credentials.
5.
By default, you will not be asked to choose an authentication type. However, if you are asked to
supply one, select your authentication type from the Authentication list.
Enterprise authentication is the default authentication method. LDAP, Windows AD, Windows NT,
and other third-party authentication types require special setup. If you are unsure of which
authentication type to use, consult your system administrator. For more information about the different
authentication types, see the
6.
Click Log On.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise Administrator's Guide
.
The Home tab appears.
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BI Launch Pad Basics
2010-11-1622
Setting Preferences
Setting Preferences
3.1 Setting preferences
Preferences determine how you log onto BI launch pad and what view is displayed when you do. They
also determine specific settings for the various objects that you view, such as viewers for Crystal reports
and view formats for Interactive Analysis documents.
Note:
• As a best practice, you should set your preferences before you begin to work with objects in BI
launch pad. However, depending on your deployment, your SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise
administrator may configure your system to use predetermined settings by default.
• Depending on the rights that your system administrator has given you, you may not be able to set
your own user preferences.
3.1.1 To set general preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Ensure General is selected.
If you want to keep the default settings defined by your administrator, ensure Use Default Settings
(Administrator defined) is selected; otherwise, clear this check box and proceed to step 4.
Note:
If you choose not to use the default settings, any updates that the administrator implements for your
user group will not be reflected in your view of BI launch pad. However, you can select Use Default
Settings (Administrator defined) at any time to switch from your custom preferences to the default
settings, which include any updates implemented since you last used the administrator-defined
defaults.
4.
Set your initial view.
• If you want the Home tab to be displayed when you first log on, click Home tab and choose one
of the following options:
2010-11-1623
Setting Preferences
DescriptionOption
Default Home tab
Displays the default view that your administrator has configured.
If your administrator has not configured a default, the Home tab
provided with SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise will be used.
Select Home tab
Displays a repository object that you select.
Click Browse Home tab. In the "Select a Custom Home tab"
window, select a repository object and click Open.
• If you want the Documents tab to be displayed when you first log on, click Documents, and then
specify which drawer and node are open by default.
For example, if you want the My Documents drawer to be open to your BI Inbox when you first
log on, click My Documents and click My Inbox.
5.
Under "Choose columns displayed in Documents tab", select the summary information that you want
to see for each object in the List panel:
• Type
• Last Run
• Instances
• Description
• Created By
• Created On
• Location (Categories)
• Received On (Inbox)
• From (Inbox)
6.
Under "Set document viewing location", choose how you want to view your documents.
You can open documents for viewing in new tabs or in new web browser windows.
7.
Enter a number in the Set the maximum number of items per page field to specify the maximum
number of objects that you want to see displayed per page when you view lists of objects.
8.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
3.1.2 To change your password
Note:
Depending on your rights, you may not be able to perform this task. Consult your system administrator
for more information.
2010-11-1624
Setting Preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
3.
Click Change Password.
4.
Type your old password in the Old Password field.
5.
Type your new password in the New Password field, confirm it in the Confirm New Password
field, and then click Save & Close.
You must use the new password the next time that you log on to BI launch pad.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
3.1.3 Preferred viewing locales
The preferred viewing locale (PVL) sets how dates, times, and numbers are formatted. For multilingual
objects, the PVL also sets the language used to display the object's name and description. If an object
has multiple translated names and descriptions, the display language is determined in the following
way:
1.
The system displays the name and description that correspond to the user's PVL.
In some cases, the system may use a fallback locale. The fallback locale is determined by the system
and is usually a variation of the user's PVL. For example, if the PVL is French (Canada) and the
object does not have a translated name and description in Canadian French, the system will use
French (France).
2.
If no PVL has been set, the system displays the name and description in the same language as the
product locale.
3.
If none of the preceding options are feasible, the system displays the name and description in the
object's source language.
3.1.3.1 To set locale and time zone preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Locales and Time Zone.
4.
In the Product Locale list, select your current language.
This setting determines the language set that is used by BI launch pad.
2010-11-1625
Setting Preferences
5.
In the Preferred Viewing Locale list, select the locale that uses the formatting conventions for
dates, numbers, and time that you would like to use while viewing objects.
This locale setting also controls which language will be used to display the names and descriptions
of multilingual objects.
6.
In the Current Time Zone list, select the appropriate time zone.
Note:
It is important that you check this setting before you schedule any objects to run. The default time
zone is local to the web server that is running SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise, not the Central
Management Server (CMS) machine(s) to which each user connects. By properly setting your time
zone, you ensure that your scheduled objects are processed in accordance with the time zone in
which you are working.
7.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
3.1.4 To set Crystal report viewing preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Crystal Reports.
4.
Under "Select a default view format", select the viewer that you want to use when you view your
Crystal reports:
• Web (no downloading required)
The Web viewer does not require any downloading, and will work without Java or ActiveX.
• Web ActiveX (ActiveX required)
The ActiveX viewer is enabled if you use a version of Microsoft Internet Explorer that supports
ActiveX controls.
• Web Java (Java required)
The Java viewer is designed for web browsers that support the Java Virtual Machine.
Note:
The Web ActiveX and Web Java viewers cannot be used to view reports created in SAP Crystal
Reports for Enterprise. You must use the Web viewer.
5.
If you selected the Web viewer, under "Select printing control (for Web)", choose PDF one-click
printing (Adobe Acrobat required) or ActiveX one-click printing (ActiveX required).
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Setting Preferences
If you choose PDF one-click printing (Adobe Acrobat required) , the viewer exports the report
to PDF format when you click Print. You can then print the PDF.
Note:
If you have Flash objects in your report that you want to appear when you print, you must print to a
PDF.
If you choose ActiveX one-click printing (ActiveX required), you can print the report directly from
the Crystal report viewer.
Note:
The ActiveX option requires the installation of a small ActiveX component.
6.
If you selected the Web viewer, choose the resolution that you want to use under "Select a rendering
resolution (for Web)".
7.
Under "Select a default measuring unit", select Inches or Millimeters.
8.
Select or deselect Show SAP Variable Technical Name (SAP Crystal Reports 2011 only).
This option sets whether the technical names of SAP variables are displayed when you work with
SAP variable reports that are in SAP Crystal Reports 2011 format.
9.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
• Web viewer
• Web ActiveX viewer
• Web Java viewer
3.1.5 To set BI workspaces preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click BI workspaces.
4.
Select the visual style you want to use for new BI workspaces.
5.
Select Snap to grid if you want draggable elements on your BI workspace to automatically align
themselves with gridlines when you work in freeform layout mode.
6.
Select the type of gridline you would like to see while editing BI workspaces in freeform layout mode:
• None
• Small
• Medium
• Large
2010-11-1627
Setting Preferences
7.
Select Enable Client Tracing if you want to view all client-server activity in BI workspaces and
modules.
8.
Click Save & Close.
3.1.6 To set Advanced Analysis preferences
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Advanced Analysis Client.
4.
In the Select Default Connection list, select a default data connection to use for the creation of
new Advanced Analysis workspaces.
5.
Select Accessibility Mode if you want to use a screen reader in conjunction with the web edition
of SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis.
6.
Click Save & Close.
3.1.7 Interactive Analysis preferences
3.1.7.1 To select a reading interface for Interactive Analysis documents
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
Under "View", select the interface that you want to use when you view your Interactive Analysis
documents.
All the reading interfaces except for the PDF interface have view and design modes. The view mode
lets you perform simple viewing tasks, while the design mode lets you modify the document that
you are viewing. The only difference between the reading interfaces is that some of them require
you to download components.
2010-11-1628
Setting Preferences
DescriptionOption
Web (no download required)
Lets you view documents online without downloading any components.
Rich Internet Application
Installs and runs a Java applet that lets you view documents.
(download required)
Desktop (Windows only) (installation required)
PDF
5.
Click Save & Close.
Requires you to install and run an application on your desktop to
view documents.
Lets you view the document as a PDF.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
3.1.7.2 To select a modification interface for Interactive Analysis documents
The modification interfaces let you create and/or edit Interactive Analysis documents.
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
In the "Modify" area, select the tool that you want to use when you create or edit Interactive Analysis
documents.
DescriptionOption
Web (no download required)
Lets you create and modify documents without downloading any
components.
Rich Internet Application
Installs and runs a Java applet.
(download required)
Desktop (installation required)
Installs and runs a full desktop application.
Tip:
Select this option if you plan to work offline occasionally.
The modification interfaces all have similar features and capabilities. The only difference between
the reading interfaces is that some of them require you to download components.
2010-11-1629
Setting Preferences
5.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
3.1.7.3 To select a default universe
You can specify a universe to be used as the default data source for your Interactive Analysis documents.
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
Under "Select a default Universe", click Browse and choose one of the following options:
• If you want to select a default universe for Interactive Analysis to use when you create documents,
select a universe from the list.
• If you do not want to set a default universe, choose No default universe.
5.
Click OK to return to the "Preferences" dialog box, and then click Save & Close.
3.1.7.4 To select a formatting locale for Interactive Analysis documents
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
Under "When viewing a document", select the locale you want to use.
The locale you choose will be used to format and display numbers, times, and dates in Interactive
Analysis documents:
• Choose Use the document locale to format the data to maintain the locale used when the
document was created.
• Choose Use my preferred viewing locale to format the data to use your preferred viewing
locale in BI launch pad.
5.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
2010-11-1630
Setting Preferences
• Preferred viewing locales
3.1.7.5 To set your drill options
Before you begin a drill session, you must specify how your Interactive Analysis documents change
when you perform a drill. When you drill, you make your view of data more or less detailed. For example,
you can drill-down on data grouped by country to view it grouped by region, or drill-up data grouped by
city to view it grouped by country.
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
Under "View", ensure that either Web (no download required) or Rich Internet Application
(download required) is selected as a reading interface.
5.
Under "Drill options", select the general options that you want to apply to your drill sessions:
• If you want Interactive Analysis to prompt you whenever a drill action requires a new query to
add more data to the document, then select Prompt when drill requires additional data.
For example, when you drill the results that are displayed on a document, you may want to drill
to higher- or lower-level information that is not included in the scope of the document. In this
situation, Interactive Analysis needs to run a new query to retrieve additional data from the data
source. You can choose to be prompted with a message whenever a new query is needed.
The prompt message asks you to decide whether or not you want to run the additional query. In
addition, the prompt may allow you to apply filters to the extra dimensions that you include in the
new query. As a result, you can restrict the size of the query to just the data that is necessary
for your analysis. Note, however, that you need permission from your administrator to drill out of
the scope of analysis during a drill session.
• If you want Interactive Analysis to synchronize drilling on all report blocks, then select Synchronize
drill on report blocks.
Each table, chart, or free-standing cell in a report represents a specific block of data. There are
two ways to drill on a report with multiple report blocks:
• Synchronize drill on report blocks.
• Drill on only the selected block.
The following examples show how each option affects a report as you drill down on a table to
analyze detailed results per service line.
2010-11-1631
Setting Preferences
In the first example, Synchronize drill on report blocks is selected, so both the table and the
chart display the drilled values:
In the second example, Synchronize drill on report blocks is not selected. The drill is only
performed on the selected block, and only the table displays the drilled values:
• If you want Interactive Analysis to hide the Drill toolbar when you switch to drill mode, then select
Hide Drill toolbar on startup.
When you start drill mode, the Drill toolbar automatically appears at the top of the drilled report.
The toolbar displays the value(s) on which you drilled. These values filter the results that are
displayed on the drilled report.
For example, if you drill on year 2001, the results that are displayed on the drilled table are the
Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 for year 2001. This means that the quarterly values to which you drilled to
are filtered by 2001. The Drill toolbar displays “2001”, the value that filters the drilled results.
The Drill toolbar allows you to select other values to filter the results differently. For example, if
you use the Drill toolbar to select “2002”, then the results that are displayed on the drilled table
will be Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 for year 2002.
If the drilled report includes dimensions from multiple queries, a tooltip appears when you rest
your cursor on the value that is displayed on the filter. The tooltip displays the name of the query
and the dimension for the value.
You can choose to hide the Drill toolbar when you start drill mode. This is useful if you do not
want to select filters during your drill session.
2010-11-1632
Setting Preferences
6.
Under "Start drill session", select the option that you want to apply to your drill sessions:
• If you want to retain a copy of the original document so that you can compare the drilled results
• If you want to drill on the report so that the report is modified by your drill actions, choose On
7.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
to the data in the original document, choose On duplicate report.
Interactive Analysis creates a duplicate of the original report. When you end drill mode, both the
original report and the drilled report remain in the document for you to view.
existing report.
When you end drill mode, the report displays the drilled values.
3.1.7.6 To select an MS Excel format
This option determines the appearance of the data in instances of Interactive Analysis documents if
you schedule or export the documents to Excel format.
1.
Log onto BI launch pad.
2.
On the Header panel, click Preferences.
The "Preferences" dialog box appears.
3.
Click Interactive Analysis.
4.
Under "Select a priority for saving to MS Excel", select the option that best fits your needs:
• If you want to display the data in a format that is similar to working in SAP BusinessObjects
Interactive Analysis, then choose Prioritize the formatting of the documents.
• If you want to display the data in a text format, then choose Prioritize easy data processing in
Excel.
5.
Click Save & Close.
Related Topics
• To log onto BI launch pad
2010-11-1633
Setting Preferences
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Viewing Objects
Viewing Objects
4.1 Viewing objects
BI launch pad uses tabs to display the main navigation interfaces, the Home tab and the Documents
tab, and any objects that you open for viewing or editing. When you select a document in the Documents
tab for viewing or editing, it opens in its own tab. From the tab, you can launch the document in its own
window if necessary.
How you view an object can affect what is displayed:
• If you view a dynamic content document (for example, a Crystal report or an Interactive Analysis
document) by double-clicking the object in the List panel, the latest instance of the document opens.
If the latest instance is unavailable, the object itself opens.
• If you view an object by clicking View > View, the object opens.
• If you click View > View Latest Instance, the latest object instance opens.
• If you view a publication or program object, BI launch pad will display the object properties if the
latest instance is unavailable.
Related Topics
• Tabs
• To view an object
4.1.1 To view an object
When you view a Crystal report or Interactive Analysis document in BI launch pad, your user rights and
the default settings chosen by your administrator determine the data that you see. You can view the
report with data directly from the data source, the latest instance of the object, or its saved data. If you
have the necessary rights, you can also refresh the report or document with new data from its data
source.
Note:
Refreshing an object may use a considerable amount of system resources. Refresh an object only
when you think it is likely that the data has changed.
• In the Documents tab, navigate to an object and double-click it.
2010-11-1635
Viewing Objects
To view the object on demand, click Refresh in the object viewer. To view an older instance, select the
object in the List panel and click More Actions > History, then double-click the instance that you want
to view.
Note:
If these options are not enabled, you do not have the necessary rights to access them for the object.
Related Topics
• Scheduling objects
• To view the history of an object
If the object is a dynamic content document (for example, a Crystal report or an Interactive Analysis
document), the latest instance of the document opens. If the latest instance is unavailable, the object
itself opens. For publications and program objects, the object properties are displayed if the latest
instance is unavailable.
4.1.2 To pin a tab for future viewing
Note:
Your preferences must be set to enable tabbed document viewing.
Documents and instances can be pinned to the user interface so that they remain open as tabs the
next time you log onto BI launch pad. Pinning is useful for documents that you view frequently.
1.
Go to the Documents tab .
2.
In the List panel, select the object that you want to view.
3.
Open the object or object instance by doing one of the following:
• If you want to pin the object, click View > View.
• If you want to pin the latest instance, click View > View Latest Instance.
• If you want to pin an older instance, click More Actions > History, and in the "History" dialog
box, click the instance.
The object opens in its own tab.
4.
Click the pin icon in the upper right corner.
The pin icon points downward, indicating that the tab is now pinned.
To unpin a tab, click the pin icon so that it points sideways.
Related Topics
• Tabs
• To set general preferences
2010-11-1636
Viewing Objects
4.2 Viewing Crystal reports
When you click on a Crystal report, it is displayed in a viewer. Depending on the type of viewer you
have, you can perform a number of activities. The following section provides information about the
Crystal report viewer toolbar and instructions about how to work with your reports.
Related Topics
• Crystal report viewers
4.2.1 Crystal report viewers
The Crystal report viewers allow you to view reports, navigate through multiple pages, refresh data,
drill down to see details behind charts and summarized data, select parameters, and so on. They also
have powerful printing and exporting capabilities.
The online Crystal report viewers support ActiveX, Java, and web-only viewing formats. Typically, your
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator selects the viewer type that is best suited to your
company's needs. However, you can also manually select your preferred viewer type in your preferences.
You can also view your reports when you are not connected to SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise.
Note:
Some features of the Crystal report viewers may be disabled by your SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise
administrator. Contact your administrator for more information.
Related Topics
• To set Crystal report viewing preferences
• SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011
4.2.1.1 Web viewer
The Web viewer can be accessed using your browser without downloading a plugin. You can view,
refresh, and print your reports, edit parameters, and export reports to a variety of formats.
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Viewing Objects
The Web viewer has these functions on its custom toolbar:
• File menu:
• Open
• Send To
• Create Shortcut In My Favorites
• Schedule
• History
• " Print this report"
• "Refresh report"
• " Export this report"
• "Search for text"
• " Go to previous page"
• "Go to next page"
• Page field
• "Go to first page"
• "Go to last page"
• Zoom
The File > Open option lets you open other reports stored in the repository. Other options on the File
menu work the same way they do in the rest of BI launch pad. To access the "Group Tree" or the
"Parameter Panel", click the icons on the left side of the Web viewer.
2010-11-1638
Viewing Objects
Note:
• The Web viewer is the only Crystal report viewer that allows you to access the "Parameter Panel".
• The Web viewer is the only Crystal report viewer that lets you view reports created in SAP Crystal
Reports for Enterprise.
Related Topics
• Viewing Crystal reports
4.2.1.2 Web ActiveX viewer
The Web ActiveX viewer can be used with Microsoft Internet Explorer versions that support ActiveX
controls. It requires you to download and install an ActiveX component. You can view, refresh, and print
your reports and export them to a variety of formats.
The Web ActiveX viewer has these functions on its custom toolbar:
• Export report
• Print report
• Toggle group tree
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Viewing Objects
• Go to first page
• Go to previous page
• Go to next page
• Go to last page
• Go to page
• Stop loading
• Refresh
• Search text
• Zoom
• Close current view
Related Topics
• Viewing Crystal reports
4.2.1.3 Web Java viewer
The Web Java viewer can be accessed by using a web browser that supports the Java Virtual Machine.
You can view, refresh, and print your reports and export them to a variety of formats.
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Viewing Objects
The Web Java viewer has these functions on its custom toolbar:
• Export report
• Print report
• Show/Hide group tree
• Stop
• Refresh data
• Go to first page
• Go to previous page
• Go to next page
• Go to last page
• Current and last page numbers
• Search for text
• Magnification factor
When you place the mouse pointer over a button on the custom toolbar, the associated description
appears in the bottom left-hand side of the browser's status bar.
Note:
You may experience minor problems when you scroll through reports in the Java viewer. These problems
are the result of the implementation of the Java Virtual Machine in certain web browsers. If you experience
such problems, click repeatedly on the scroll buttons to scroll. Do not hold the scroll buttons down.
Related Topics
• Viewing Crystal reports
4.2.2 Crystal report viewer toolbar
Group Tree
Parameter Panel
DescriptionOption
Export this report: Exports the Crystal report to your local machine or to a location on a network.
Print this report: Prints the report.
Group Tree: Shows/hides the "Group Tree". When the "Group
Tree" is displayed, you can use it to navigate through the data
in your report.
Parameter Panel: Shows/hides the "Parameter Panel". When
the "Parameter Panel" is displayed, you can use it to change
the data in your report or how it is displayed. You can access
the "Parameter Panel" only from the Web viewer.
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Viewing Objects
Tip:
You can navigate to different areas of a report using the report tabs after you drill down in the report.
DescriptionOption
Navigation: Allows you to move through the pages of a report.
Go to First Page, Go to Previous Page, Go to Page, Go to Next
Page, and Go to Last Page are available options.
Refresh Report: Obtains the most up-to-date data from the report's data source. You must have the necessary rights, and the
server must contain the necessary data source information, before you can refresh the report.
Search for text: Allows you to search for the specific instance
of a text.
Zoom: Allows you to zoom in or out on a report.
Related Topics
• Web viewer
4.2.3 SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011
SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011 is installed locally on your computer. This means you can view any
of your downloaded Crystal reports without connecting to the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise system.
SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011 allows you to do the following tasks:
• Print or export your reports
• Save your reports
• Select data that you want to view
• Drill down into the report for more details
• View multiple reports
SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011 functions in the same way as the Crystal report viewers included in
your BI launch pad deployment. For more information about tasks that you can perform with SAP Crystal
Reports viewer 2011, access the SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011 online Help menu.
4.2.3.1 To install SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011
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Viewing Objects
The viewer resides locally as a client-side viewer when it is installed.
Note:
This procedure only applies to the English language website.
1.
Log onto http://www.sap.com/solutions.
2.
Point to SAP BusinessObjects Portfolio and click SAP Crystal Solutions.
3.
Point to Query, Reporting & Analysis and click SAP Crystal Reports Viewer.
The Download Now link appears on the right side of the screen.
4.
Download and run the SAP Crystal Reports 2011 viewer installation program.
5.
Follow the onscreen instructions and accept the default values when possible.
6.
When the installation is done, click Finish.
4.2.3.2 Launching SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011
SAP Crystal Reports viewer 2011 launches when you select a Crystal report (.rpt) file from your machine
and double-click it.
Note:
If SAP Crystal Reports is installed on your computer, it takes precedence over the SAP Crystal Reports
viewer 2011 and displays your reports by default.
4.2.4 To drill down Crystal report data
You can drill down into report data to show the data beneath charts and summarized groups. Click the
chart or summarized data to see a drilled-down view.
1.
Open the report that you want to view.
2.
In the Crystal report viewer, double-click the links in the report to drill down for more information.
4.2.5 To view alerts in Crystal reports
Note:
This task and feature apply only to reports created in SAP Crystal Reports.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise tracks report instances that trigger alerts. Perform this task to view a
list of alerts available in a Crystal report.
2010-11-1643
Viewing Objects
1.
2.
3.
Go to the folder/category that contains the Crystal report that you want to view.
Select the object and click More Actions > Alerts.
The "Alerts" dialog box appears.
Note:
You can access alerts only for reports that contain alerts. The "Alerts" dialog box displays only the
instances that triggered the alert.
Double-click the title to open the report instance.
Related Topics
• Differences between Alerting and Crystal report alert notifications
4.2.6 To view and edit the parameters of Crystal reports in the Web viewer
1.
Navigate to the Crystal report that you want to view and select it.
2.
Click View > View.
If you are asked to enter prompt values, you must fill in the report parameters before you can view
the report. Select the data you want to view and click OK. Otherwise, you do not need to fill in any
parameters and you are taken directly to the report.
3.
To view the parameters that you can access from within the report, click the Parameters icon.
4.
View the parameters in the "Parameter Panel".
5.
Click a parameter to select it.
6.
Edit the parameter value in one of the following ways:
• Edit the parameter directly in the "Parameter Panel" by entering a new value.
• Click > to open an advanced editing dialog box and enter the new values according to the
instructions, and then click OK.
7.
Edit additional parameters if necessary.
8.
To view the report with your new parameter values, click Apply.
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Viewing Objects
4.2.7 To print Crystal reports
You can print successful instances of reports or reports that you view on demand.
Note:
• Depending on the Crystal report viewer that you use, the steps detailed in this section may vary;
however, the general principles for printing reports remain the same.
• If onscreen instructions are provided, follow those instructions instead of the steps that are described
in this section.
• Page orientation is set by report designers when they create reports.
1.
Open the document that you want to view.
2.
On the viewer toolbar, click Print Report.
The "Print" dialog box appears.
3.
In the "Print range" area, select all pages or type a specific range of pages.
4.
In the "Copies" area, select the number of copies that you want to print.
Tip:
If you select the Collate option, the pages are printed in numerical order. For example, if you are
printing two copies of a report that has four pages, your report prints pages one, two, three, and four
of the first copy, and then prints pages one, two, three, and four of the second copy.
5.
In the "Printer Paper" area, set your paper size and source options.
Note:
These options are available in the Web and Web ActiveX viewers only.
6.
In the "Options" area, select these additional print options if necessary:
• If the Crystal report is wide and you want it to fit on one page when it prints, select Fit Horizontal
Pages to One Page.
• If you want to print Flash objects embedded in the Crystal report, select Print Flash Objects for
Current Page.
Note:
These options are available in the Web and Web ActiveX viewers only.
7.
Click OK.
4.2.8 To export Crystal reports
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Viewing Objects
You can export successful instances of Crystal reports, as well as the reports that you view on demand,
to several formats to reach a wider audience. For example, you can export data that predicts sales
trends to an Excel spreadsheet and then email it to the sales team.
Tip:
• You can select the page range for the report that you want to export.
• For reports you can drill down into, export the drilled-down view.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Open the Crystal report that you want to view.
On the viewer toolbar, click Export Report.
The "Export" dialog box appears.
Choose a file format on the File Format list.
In the Page Range area, select all pages or type a specific range of pages.
Click Export.
4.2.8.1 Export format options
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise provides you with several file format exporting options:
• SAP Crystal Reports (.rpt)
• SAP Crystal Reports read only format (.rptr)
• Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf)
• Microsoft Excel (1997-2003) (.xls)
• Microsoft Excel (1997-2003) (.xls) data-only version
• Microsoft Word (1997-2003) (.doc)
• Microsoft Word (1997-2003) (.doc)—editable
• Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Separated Values (CSV)
• Extensible Markup Language (.xml)
Note:
• When you export a report to a file format other than SAP Crystal Reports (.rpt), you may lose some
or all of the formatting. However, the program attempts to preserve as much formatting as the export
format allows.
• The difference between Excel and Excel (data only) is that Excel attempts to preserve the look and
feel of your original report.
• The Microsoft Word (1997-2003) format maintains as much formatting as possible, including graphics.
Each object appears in an individual text field. Microsoft Word (1997-2003)—editable format does
not preserve as much formatting; text is displayed in lines and images are placed in line with the
text. Rich text format is similar to Microsoft Word (1997-2003).
• Separated Values (CSV) format is only available from the Web viewer.
• You cannot export to SAP Crystal Reports (RPT) format from a drilled-down view.
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Viewing Objects
• Flash objects only appear if you export to Crystal reports or PDF formats. Fallback images appear
when exporting to all other formats.
For more information about the options you must set to schedule a Crystal report to a specific format,
see Additional formatting options for Crystal reports and the section on Exporting in the
Reports User's Guide
.
4.2.9 To sort data interactively
1.
Open a Crystal report that uses interactive sorting.
2.
Choose a value to sort by.
3.
Click the appropriate arrow to sort the data in the report according to your needs:
• To create a list of data sorted in ascending order, click
• To create a list of data sorted in descending order, click
SAP Crystal
4.3 Viewing Interactive Analysis documents
When you open an Interactive Analysis document, the document appears in a viewer. Depending on
the type of viewer that is deployed and the functions that are enabled by your SAP BusinessObjects
Enterprise administrator, you can perform a number of different activities. The following sections provide
information about the Interactive Analysis toolbar and give instructions on how to work with the navigation
map, display user prompts, find text, and drill down data in your documents.
For detailed instructions on how to perform analysis on Interactive Analysis documents, refer to the
Interactive Analysis documentation.
4.3.1 Interactive Analysis viewer toolbar
The following table describes the options in the Interactive Analysis viewer toolbar.
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DescriptionOption
Interactive Analysis
Open
Save
Print
Find
History
Send
Undo
The Interactive Analysis menu lets you show or hide the following parts of the
user interface:
• Filter Bar
• Outline
• Left Pane
• Report Tabs
• Status Bar
Opens another Interactive Analysis document for viewing.
Saves changes, saves the document under a new name, or saves the document
locally in various formats.
Creates a PDF version of the document so that you can print it.
Searches for text in the document.
Shows the dates of document instances.
Sends the document to various destinations. The available destinations may vary
depending on what your system administrator has enabled.
Reverses the previous action.
Redo
Refresh
Reverses the Undo action.
Refreshes the current tab or the entire document.
Lets you set options for tracking changes.Track
Lets you drill up or down document data.Drill
Shows or hides the Filter Bar.Filter Bar
Shows or hides the document outline.Outline
Lets you view the document in HTML or PDF mode.Reading
Lets you modify the document that you are viewing currently.Design
4.3.2 To display the navigation map
The navigation map allows you to navigate to the reports that are contained in your Interactive Analysis
document.
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1.
Open the document that you want to view.
2.
Click Interactive Analysis > Left Pane > Normal.
The left pane opens.
3.
On the side of the left pane, click the Navigation Map icon.
4.3.3 To display user prompts
Prompts gather information from users. For Interactive Analysis documents, this information may
determine what data appears in the document. For example, in a document that is used by sales, there
may be a prompt that asks the user to choose a region. When the user chooses a region, the document
displays the results for that specific region instead of displaying the results for all of the regions in the
document.
1.
Open the document that you want to view.
2.
Click Interactive Analysis > Left Pane > Normal.
3.
On the side of the left pane, click the User Prompt Input icon.
4.3.4 To find text
1.
Open the document that you want to view.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
On the viewer toolbar, click Find.
The "Find" panel appears at the bottom of the document.
In the Find field, type the text you want to locate.
Click the arrow beside the Run find button and select Ignore case or Match case.
Click Run find.
If necessary, choose whether to search for the previous occurrence or the next occurrence.
4.3.5 To drill document data
You can drill down on document data to show the data beneath charts and summarized groups.
1.
Open the document that you want to view.
2.
Click Drill > Start Drill mode, and then click links in the document to drill down to more information.
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When the viewer enters drill mode, you can perform either of the actions summarized in the following
table.
DescriptionOption
Snapshot
Takes a picture of the drilled view and opens the drilled view in a new tab
within the viewer. To use this option, click Drill > Snapshot.
Filter Bar
Opens the Filter Bar in the viewer and lets you apply filters to your view of the
document. To use this option, click the Filter Bar button on the Interactive
Analysis viewer toolbar.
3.
When you are finished, click Drill > End Drill mode to end the drill session.
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Working with Objects
5.1 Managing objects in BI launch pad
This section describes how to access, organize, work with, and search for objects in BI launch pad.
All of the documents and files in your SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise system are considered objects.
Examples of objects include hyperlinks, shortcuts, Crystal reports, and Interactive Analysis documents.
There are two ways in which objects are organized in SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise: by folders and
categories. Objects must belong to a folder, and they can only belong to one. Categories are an alternate
method of organizing objects; objects do not need to be assigned to a category, and can be assigned
to several categories.
Folders and categories can be public (or corporate) or personal. Public or corporate folders/categories
can be seen by any BI launch pad user who has the necessary rights, and you can add or edit objects
in them only if you have the necessary rights to do so. Personal categories or your My Favorites folders
are for your use; you can create new folders and categories and arrange objects within them as you
wish. These are private and cannot be seen or altered by other BI launch pad users, although your
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator can edit them if need be.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise also allows you to send objects or instances (or shortcuts to
objects/instances) to other users. These objects and instances can be sent to a BI Inbox, an email
address, an FTP server, or a default file location. (Available locations may vary depending on what your
system administrator has enabled.) You can send objects from the Documents tab as you browse or
from a tab while you view a document. You can also send an instance from an object's History. To view
objects that have been sent to you, go to the Documents tab, expand the My Documents drawer, and
click My Inbox.
Tip:
Right-click the title of an object to access all of the actions that you can perform on the object. For
example, to view the history of an object, right-click the object, and select History.
Note:
Depending on the rights that your system administrator gives you, you may not have access to certain
folders or categories. For example, your administrator may disable categories if they are not used in
your company.
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5.2 Creating and adding new objects in BI launch pad
In addition to working with the objects that your administrator and other authorized users have added
to BI launch pad, if you have the necessary rights, you can create objects in BI launch pad. You can
also add existing objects to BI launch pad.
Related Topics
• Adding objects to BI launch pad
• To create a hyperlink
• To create a new publication in BI launch pad
• To create a folder or category
• Working with applications in BI launch pad
5.3 Adding objects to BI launch pad
If you have the necessary rights, you can add objects to BI launch pad from your local computer.
For example, a business analyst has finished creating a report on how a recent merger has affected
sales and needs to share it with the rest of the company. When the business analyst adds the report
to SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise, everyone in the company with the necessary rights is able to read
it.
Related Topics
• Working with applications in BI launch pad
5.3.1 To add a document from your computer to BI launch pad
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
Expand the Folders drawer and navigate to the folder you want to add a document to.
When you select the folder, the folder's contents are displayed in the List panel.
3.
Click New > Local Document.
The "New Local Document in" dialog box appears.
4.
Click Browse to choose the document you want to add.
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5.
Enter a title, description, and keywords for your document.
6.
If your document is a Crystal report, do the following:
• Select Use description from report if you want to preserve the report's summary information.
• Select Keep saved data if you want to keep the report's saved data.
7.
If necessary, enter the MIME type of the file in the MIME field.
8.
In the "Categories" area, select any categories you want to assign the document to.
This step is optional.
Note:
Depending on the rights your system administrator gave you, you may not be able to add the object
to categories.
9.
Click Add.
5.4 Sorting and filtering objects
By default, objects are sorted alphabetically by title. However, BI launch pad also lets you sort and filter
objects according to other criteria. When you click the column heading, the system sorts the objects in
ascending order. If you click the column heading again, it sorts the objects in descending order.
To apply a more complex sort, point to the column header that you want to sort or filter on. A funnel
icon ( ) appears adjacent to the column header name. Click the funnel icon and configure your
options accordingly. Depending on the column, the available options may vary.
Related Topics
• To sort or filter objects
5.4.1 To sort or filter objects
By default, when you view the contents of a folder or category, BI launch pad shows you all of the
objects that you have the rights to see. Perform this task to filter your view of repository objects.
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
In the List panel, point to one of the following column headers and click the funnel icon that appears
adjacent to the column header name ( ):
• Title
• Type
• Last Run
• Created By
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• Created On
The filter options appear.
3.
Configure your filter options.
How to configure the filterColumn
Title
Type
Last Run
Created By
Created On
4.
Click OK.
Only objects of the type(s) you selected are displayed in the List panel.
When you are finished with your filtered results, you can remove the filter by clicking the funnel icon
and selecting the Clear Filter check box. If you filtered your view by object type, click the funnel icon,
click All Types, and then click OK to remove the filter.
Related Topics
• Sorting and filtering objects
5.5 To set the object properties
Type the object title in the search field.
Select the object types that you want to view.
Specify the start time and end time.
Click Everyone or Me.
Specify the start time and end time.
If you have the necessary access rights, you can change the following properties for an object:
• Title
• Description
• Keywords
• Categories
1.
Go to the Documents tab and expand the Folders drawer.
2.
Navigate to the object and select it in the List panel.
3.
Click View > Properties.
The "Properties" dialog box appears.
4.
Change the title, description, or keywords for the object as needed.
5.
Click Save & Close.
6.
Select the object again and click More Actions > Categories.
This step is optional.
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Note:
Depending on the rights your system administrator gave you, you may not be able to add the object
to categories.
7.
Select any categories to which you want the object assigned.
8.
Click OK.
5.6 To copy an object
BI launch pad allows you to make copies of objects and save them in folders you have the necessary
rights to. This enables you to edit the new object while keeping the original version.
The Copy command in BI launch pad copies objects to a clipboard and does not create a copy in the
same folder automatically. You must navigate to the destination folder and choose the Paste command
to place your copied object in that folder.
1.
Go to the Documents tab and expand the Folders drawer.
2.
Navigate to the object you want to copy and select it.
Tip:
You can copy several objects simultaneously by selecting multiple objects at once. Hold down the
CTRL or SHIFT key and click the objects.
3.
Click Organize > Copy.
Your object is now copied to a clipboard.
4.
Navigate to the folder in which you want to keep the copy.
5.
Click Organize > Paste.
Related Topics
• To create a shortcut to an object
5.7 To move an object
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
Navigate to the object you want to move and select it.
3.
Click Organize > Cut.
Note:
Your object is copied to the clipboard as soon as you click Cut. It is not deleted until you paste it in
a new location.
4.
Navigate to the folder to which you want to move the object.
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5.
Click Organize > Paste.
Your object now exists only in the folder you pasted it into. Shortcuts to the object continue to function
properly.
5.8 To create a shortcut to an object
1.
Go to the Documents tab and expand the Folders drawer.
2.
Navigate to the object you want to create a shortcut to and select it.
3.
Click Organize > Copy Shortcut.
4.
Navigate to the folder in which you want to create the shortcut.
5.
Click Organize > Paste Shortcut.
Tip:
You can also create shortcuts to frequently viewed objects in your Favorites folder. To do this, select
the object in the List panel and click Organize > Create Shortcut In My Favorites.
5.9 To send an object or an instance to a destination
You can use Send to send existing objects or instances of an object to different destinations. The Send
command handles existing objects or instances only. It does not cause the system to run the object
and create new instances, nor does it refresh the data for a report instance.
You can send either a copy of an object or instance, or a shortcut to the object or instance. You can
also select the destination, for example, FTP or BI Inbox. Not all types of objects can be sent to all
destinations.
Tip:
If you are already viewing an object or instance in a tab, you can also send the object or instance from
within the tab.
1.
In the Documents tab, navigate to the object that you want to send.
2.
Select the object or instance that you want to send.
• If you want to send an object, select it, click Send and choose a destination.
• If you want to send an instance, select the object and click More Actions > History. In the
"History" dialog box, select an instance, click Send, and click the destination option that you
want.
Select only instances with a status of Success or Failed. Instances with a status of Recurring or
Pending are scheduled and do not contain any data yet.
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DescriptionDestination option
BI Inbox
Email
FTP Location
File Location
Sends the object to a user's BI Inbox.
Sends the object to a user's email address.
Sends the object to an FTP server location.
Sends the object to a local disk location.
Note:
• Depending on how your system administrator has configured SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise,
some of these destinations may be unavailable.
• Send Interactive Analysis documents to BI Inboxes only, or to an email destination configured
within SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise.
Tip:
Use SHIFT + click or CTRL + click to select multiple objects.
3.
Configure your destination option.
You can choose to use the Adaptive Job Server's default settings or your own settings. If you use
your own settings, you can specify:
• The users and groups who receive the object (if sent to a BI Inbox or an email destination).
• Whether to send a copy of the object or a shortcut that links to the object.
• The name of the object that is sent.
• Whether to clean up instances after objects have been sent.
• The settings specific to the destination type (for example, a directory for the file location, or the
host name and connection port for the FTP server).
4.
When you are finished, click Submit.
5.10 To generate an OpenDocument link for an object
Perform this task to generate an OpenDocument link for a document. OpenDocument links are useful
if you want to send someone a direct link, or if you want that person to avoid the inconvenience of
navigating through folders or categories. When the recipient clicks the link, the BI launch pad logon
page opens in a web browser. After the recipient enters valid logon credentials, the document opens.
1.
In the Documents tab, navigate to the document that you want to send to users and select it in the
List panel.
2.
Click More Actions > Document Link.
The "Document Link" dialog box appears with an OpenDocument link in the Link field.
3.
Ensure the entire link in the Link field is selected, and press CTRL + C.
4.
Place your cursor where you want to paste the link (for example, in the body of an email), and press
CTRL + V.
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The link is pasted.
5.
In your BI launch pad session, click OK to close the "Document Link" dialog box and return to the
Documents tab.
5.11 To delete an object
If you have the necessary rights, you can delete objects in BI launch pad.
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
Navigate to the object that you want to delete and select it.
3.
Click Organize > Delete.
4.
When prompted for confirmation, click OK.
5.12 To create a hyperlink
1.
Go to the Documents tab and expand the Folders drawer.
2.
Navigate to the folder in which you want to create the hyperlink.
Tip:
You can also create a hyperlink in My Favorites in the My Documents drawer.
3.
Click New > Hyperlink.
The "Hyperlink" dialog box appears.
4.
Ensure that General Properties is selected.
5.
Enter a title, a description, and keywords for the hyperlink.
6.
Click URL.
7.
In the URL field, enter the complete URL of the web page you want to create the hyperlink to,
including http://.
8.
If necessary, click Categories and select the categories you want to assign the hyperlink to.
9.
Click OK.
5.13 Folders and categories
Folders and categories that are accessible to all users are typically created for you by your SAP
BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator. However, if you have the necessary rights, you can also
create folders and categories in BI launch pad.
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SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise has two types of folders:
• " My Favorites"
You can create any number of folders in "My Favorites" to organize your objects in BI launch pad.
The folders that you create appear when you expand the My Documents drawer and click My
Favorites. You can add objects to your "My Favorites" folders, as well as create shortcuts to or
copies of objects in public folders. You can also create new objects. You are the only user with
access to your "My Favorites" folders in BI launch pad, although administrators can manage them
as well.
• Public folders
Public folders are typically created by the administrator or the users who have been granted the
necessary rights. If you have the appropriate rights, you can create public folders to contain objects
viewable to other users, if they have the necessary rights. To view public folders, expand the Folders
drawer.
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise includes two types of categories:
• Personal categories
You can create any number of personal categories to organize your objects. The categories that
you create appear when you expand the My Documents drawer and click Personal Categories.
• Corporate categories
Corporate categories are typically created by the administrator or the users who have been granted
the necessary rights. If you have the appropriate rights, you can create corporate categories. To
view corporate categories, expand the Categories drawer.
5.13.1 To create a folder or category
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
Navigate to the location in which you want to create a new folder or category using one of the
following ways:
• If you want to create a personal folder, expand the My Documents drawer and click My Favorites.
• If you want to create a public folder, expand the Folders drawer.
• If you want to create a personal category, expand the My Documents drawer and click Personal
Categories.
• If you want to create a corporate category, expand the Categories drawer.
3.
Click New > Folder or New > Category.
4.
When prompted, type a name for the new folder or category.
5.
Click OK.
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5.13.2 To set the properties of a folder or category
You can edit the properties of folders or categories that you have created or to which you have the
necessary rights. This enables you to change the name, description, and keywords of the folder or
category. Keywords can be used to search for folders and categories.
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
Navigate to the folder or category using one of the following ways:
• If you want to edit a personal folder, expand the My Documents drawer and click My Favorites.
• If you want to edit a public folder, expand the Folders drawer.
• If you want to edit a personal category, expand the My Documents drawer and click Personal
Categories.
• If you want to edit a corporate category, expand the Categories drawer.
3.
Select the folder or category, and click View > Properties.
The "Properties" dialog box appears.
4.
Edit the folder name, description, and key words as necessary.
5.
Click OK.
5.13.3 Adding objects to a folder
If you have the necessary rights, you can add objects individually to a folder using New > Local
Document. You can also create new objects in BI launch pad if you have the necessary rights. For
more information, see Creating and adding new objects in BI launch pad.
5.13.4 To assign an object to a category
1.
Go to the folder that contains the object that you want to assign to a category.
2.
Select the object and click More Actions > Categories.
The "Categories" dialog box appears.
3.
Select the categories you want to assign the object to.
Tip:
To expand a category, click the plus symbol beside the category name.
4.
Click OK.
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5.14 Searching in BI launch pad
This section explains searching in BI launch pad. Platform Search looks for matches between your
input and the keyword, title, description, owner information, and content of objects. After you perform
a search, it is displayed in the Search drawer. The Search drawer lets you refer back to your search
results at any time during your BI launch pad session.
5.14.1 Platform Search features
Search techniques
You can search using techniques similar to those used in other search engines.
Suggestions for alternate spelling
The system suggests an alternate spelling if a search input is misspelled or yields no results. The
suggestion is made by substituting words in the original input with words from the system that are similar
in spelling to the original one. For example, if you search for “Euroe sales trent”, the system recognizes
the misspelled words and provides a suggestion of “Europe sales trend”.
Note:
• An alternate suggestion is made only if the original search input produced no results and the
suggested search term will result in successful matches.
• This functionality does not apply to text in Chinese, Japanese or Korean.
Matched word highlighting
When the text you are searching for matches the words in an object’s title or description, the matched
words are displayed in bold type.
Facets and search results grouping
Some searches may return too many results to look at all of them easily. Search uses information in
and about the results to classify them into groups, or “facets”. The various facets that search results
can be classified by include document type, public category, data in reports, and aspects of the report
content. You can select a group, and see the search results that are part of that group.
For example, you may search for “2006 sales by employee”. The public category facet could include
“HR Reports”, “Legal Documents” and “Sales reports”, because each of these categories has objects
assigned to it that appear in your search results. You were looking for a sales report, so you click “Sales
report” to see only search results assigned to that category.
Facets are generated from metadata and document content. Content-based facets are generated based
on fields or variables that exist in the documents. For example, the variable “Product” might be used
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in many sale reports, and search creates a facet for it. You would then be able to refine your search by
product name to see only results related to that product.
After you have refined your search, you can either close the refinement to return to the full list of results,
or refine the list further by selecting options from other facets. All refinements currently in effect are
displayed at the top of the search refinement panel.
Note:
• Facet grouping by fields in report content is available only for Crystal reports and Interactive Analysis
documents.
• Facet grouping by object type may include objects of other types. For example, if you view search
results under the Crystal report facet, the results may show a Crystal report, a PDF document, and
a Word document of the same name. This behavior occurs because the other objects are instances
of the Crystal report.
Search result ranking
Each object on the search result page is assigned a score ranging from 1 to 5 bars depending on its
relevance to the search input. A score of five bars indicates the object is a strong match, while a score
of 1 bar indicates a weak match.
Related Topics
• What gets searched by Platform Search
• Platform Search techniques
5.14.2 What gets searched by Platform Search
The following table describes searchable content for each object type.
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Searchable contentObject type
Crystal reports
Interactive Analysis documents
Microsoft Excel files
• Titles
• Descriptions
• Selection formulas
• Saved data
• Text fields
• Parameter values
• Sub-reports
• Titles
• Descriptions
• Universe filter names
• Saved data
• Constants in the filter conditions defined in the
document
• Universe measure names
• Universe object names
• Data in record set
• Static text in cells
• Data
• Document properties (title, subject, author,
company, category, keywords, and comments)
• Header and footer text
• Calculation or formula values
• Number and date/time values
Word documents
RTF, PDF, PowerPoint, and TXT files
• Text
• Document properties (title, subject, author,
company, category, keywords, and comments)
• Header and footer text
• Numerical values
Text
Metadata
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• Agnostic objects
• Analysis views
• BI workspaces
• Dashboard Design and Xcelsius objects
• Discussions
• Events
• Flash objects
• Hyperlinks
• Life Cycle Management Console jobs
• Metadata (from Information Designer)
• Modules
• Object packages
• Profiles
• Program objects
• Publications
• Queries (from Query as a Web Service)
• Universes
• Widgets
• Workspaces (created in SAP BusinessObjects
Advanced Analysis)
Searchable contentObject type
5.14.3 Platform Search techniques
Platform Search is an optimized search tool which allows you to run a search by using techniques
similar to that used in other search engines. This topic describes techniques that you can use to work
with Platform Search more effectively.
Separating search
terms with spaces
finance report
DescriptionExampleTechnique
Search results will be produced only when all
the words are found in the document.
Note:
Separating search terms with a space implies
an AND separation.
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Using an asterisk or a
question mark as a
wildcard character
sales 199*
L?st
DescriptionExampleTechnique
The first example will produce results that
contain the word sales and any year from
1990 to 1999. The second example will produce results that contain the words Last or
Lost.
Note:
If you use this technique, the search string you
enter cannot be mixed case.
Enclosing search input
in quotations
Preceding search terms
with a +
Preceding search terms
with a -
Separating search
terms with a capitalized
OR
Attribute search
“total sales
growth”
episode +I
Europe sales -rev
enue
bug OR defect count
report
Type:“Crystal Re
ports”
Country:USA
Search results will be produced only when the
exact phrase is found in a document.
Search results will be produced only when all
the words are found in the document. This
technique is useful to search for words that
are typically filtered out during search process.
For example: a, for, by, is, the.
Search results will be produced only if the word
immediately after the - sign is NOT found, and
all other words are found.
Search results will be produced if any of the
words used with OR are found in the document.
Attribute search lets you search for specific
attribute values and works for metadata or
content. To perform an attribute search, type
the attribute, a colon, and the value you want
to search for. Use quotation marks to enclose
attribute values that contain more than one
word.
The first example will produce results with an
object type value of Crystal Reports. The second example will produce results with a country
value is USA.
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Combining different
search techniques
marketing OR sales
-finance “increase
OR decrease trend”
5.14.4 To perform a search in BI launch pad
Searches are performed on most objects in BI launch pad, unless they have been expressly excluded
from search by a user with the necessary rights.
1.
Go to the Documents tab.
2.
On the toolbar, type the word(s) that you want to locate in the Search field.
If you pause while you type, “quick search” functionality displays the top six matches based on the
text you enter. You can view one of these matches by clicking it. If matches do not appear
immediately, continue typing the search string.
DescriptionExampleTechnique
This example will produce results if a document contains the word marketing or the
word sales, and contains the phrase in
crease or decrease trend, but does not
contain the word finance.
3.
Click "Search".
Your results appear in the List panel. The following facets may also appear in the Search drawer
and provide filtered views of your results:
• "Location"
• "Type"
• "Refresh Time"
• "Author"
• "Data Source"
"Data Source" may or may not appear; other facets may also appear based on the content of the
results. If the search generates more than five facets, click the More link to view the other facets.
4.
View one of your search results by doing one of the following:
• In the List panel, double-click an object link.
• In the Search drawer, click a facet to refine the results displayed, and then double-click an object
link in the List panel.
If you double-click an Interactive Analysis document or a Crystal report, the viewer scrolls to the
place in the report where the first match of the search word occurs.
Note:
• This feature only works for the HTML viewer; it does not work for the Java and ActiveX viewers.
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• Facet grouping by object type may include objects of other types. For example, if you view search
Related Topics
• Platform Search techniques
• Viewing objects
results under the Crystal report facet, the results may show a Crystal report, a PDF document,
and a Word document of the same name. This behavior occurs because the other objects are
instances of the Crystal report.
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Scheduling Objects
Scheduling Objects
6.1 Working with instances
6.1.1 To view the latest instance of an object
You can view the instances of objects such as Crystal reports, Interactive Analysis documents,
publications, and object packages.
1.
Navigate to the object and select it.
2.
Click View > View Latest Instance.
The latest instance of the object appears in its associated viewer.
If you have the necessary rights , you can click Refresh in the report/document viewer toolbar
to refresh the report/document with the latest data from its data source.
Related Topics
• Viewing objects
6.1.2 Viewing historical instances
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise saves a history of object instances for scheduled objects that have
been run. The history list is arranged chronologically (with the most recent instances listed first) and
can contain the following information:
• Instance Time
• Title
• Status
• Created By
• Type
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• Locale
• Parameters
Note:
The information that is available depends on the type of object that you are viewing.
6.1.2.1 To view the history of an object
1.
Navigate to the object and select it.
2.
Click More Actions > History.
The "History" dialog box appears.
3.
Double-click a link under the Instance Time column to view an object instance.
Tip:
Click the funnel icon next to Instance Time, Title, Run By, or Status to sort and display instances
according to different criteria. This icon appears when you point to the column header.
6.1.3 To empty your BI Inbox
Perform this task to delete all instances from your BI Inbox.
1.
In the Documents tab, expand the My Documents drawer and click the Inbox node.
The contents of your BI Inbox appear in the List panel.
2.
Click Organize > Delete All Messages.
3.
When prompted for confirmation, click OK.
6.2 Scheduling objects
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Scheduling an object allows you to run it automatically at specified times. When a scheduled object
runs successfully, an instance is created. An instance is a version of the object that contains data from
the time that the object was run.
You can see a list of instances by looking at an object's history, and you can view any of the instances.
If you have the rights to view objects on demand, you can view and refresh any instance to retrieve the
latest data from the data source.
By scheduling and viewing instances, you can ensure that the objects have the most up-to-date
information available for viewing, printing, and distributing.
Note:
Before you schedule objects, be sure to check your time zone setting under Preferences in BI launch
pad. The default time zone is local to the web server that runs SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise, not
the CMS to which users connect. Set the time zone to ensure that your scheduled objects are processed
in accordance with the time zone in which you are working. If you do not have the rights to view or set
your own preferences, consult your system administrator.
Related Topics
• Setting preferences
6.3 To schedule an object
1.
In the Documents tab, browse for the object that you want to schedule and select it.
2.
Click More Actions > Schedule.
The "Schedule" dialog box appears.
3.
Specify the scheduling options that you want to use.
For more information about each option, see the following tasks:
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• Instance title: To set the instance title
• Recurrence: To choose a recurrence pattern
• Database logon information: To specify database logon information
• Parameters or prompts: To schedule an object with parameters or prompts
• Filters: To apply a record selection formula
• Formats: To specify an instance format
• Destinations: To specify a destination
• Print settings: To set the print settings for a Crystal report
• Events: To schedule an object with events
• Server group: To set the scheduling server group settings
• Languages: To select languages for report instances
• Caching: To select a cache format for Interactive Analysis documents
Note:
For some scheduling options, the settings that the administrator has specified for the object are
already selected when you choose that option. You can schedule an object with these options or
choose your own options.
4.
Click Schedule.
The "History" dialog box opens and displays your scheduled job as an instance with a status of
Running. The status refreshes every ten seconds.
6.3.1 To set the instance title
You can enter a name to be used for each scheduled instance.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Instance Title in the navigation pane.
2.
Type the name in the Instance Title field.
6.3.2 To choose a recurrence pattern
Recurrence settings specify a schedule for running an object. Each parameter in the Run object list
has its own specific data entry requirements.
You can set how many times the server should attempt to run the job if it fails in the Number of retries
allowed field. You can also set the amount of time the server should wait before retrying in the Retry
interval in seconds field.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Recurrence.
2.
Choose one of the recurrence options from the Run object list and set the required options.
The following options are available:
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• Now
• Once
• Hourly
• Daily
When you click Schedule, the object runs once (immediately).
This option requires a start and end time parameter. The object runs once at the time that you
specify. If you schedule the object with events, the object will run once if the event is triggered
between the start and end times.
This option requires information in hours and/or minutes for how frequently the object is run.
Instances are created regularly to match the parameters that you enter. The first instance is
created at the start time that you specify, and the object will cease to run on its hourly schedule
at the end time that you specify.
This option requires a start and end time parameter. The object runs once every N days at the
time that you specify. It will not be run after the end time that you specify.
• Weekly
This option requires a start and end time parameter. Each week, the object runs on the selected
days at the time that you specify. It will not be run after the end time that you specify.
• Monthly
This option requires a start date and time, along with a recurrence interval in months. The object
runs on the specified date and time every N months. It will not be run after the end time that you
specify.
• Nth Day of Month
This option requires a day of the month on which the object is run. Instances are created regularly
each month on the day that you enter at the start time that you specify. The object will not be run
after the end time that you specify.
• 1st Monday of Month
This option requires a start and end time parameter. An instance is created on the first Monday
of each month at the time that you specify. The object will not be run after the end time that you
specify.
• Last Day of Month
This option requires a start and end time parameter. An instance is created on the last day of
each month at the time that you specify. The object will not be run after the end time that you
specify.
• X Day of Nth Week of the Month
This option requires a start and end time parameter. An instance is created monthly on a day of
a week that you specify. The object will not be run after the end time that you specify.
• Calendar
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This option allows you to select a calendar of dates. (Calendars are customized lists of schedule
dates that are created by the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator.) An instance is
created on each day that is indicated in the calendar, beginning at the start time that you specify
and continuing until the end time that you specify.
3.
Set any other scheduling parameters as required, and click Schedule.
6.3.3 To specify database logon information
Some objects require you to log on to a database before you can successfully schedule them. You can
do this in the "Schedule" dialog box if you have credentials for the object's data source.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Database Logon.
2.
If necessary, change the logon information for the object's data source.
3.
Set any other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
6.3.4 To specify an instance format
Depending on the type of object that you choose to schedule, you can select the format in which the
object's instance is saved when it is generated by SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Format or Formats and Destinations.
2.
Select the format you want to schedule to.
For example, for a Crystal report, select the format from the Format Options for Selected Document
list.
3.
Select additional formatting options as required.
Some Crystal report format options require you to specify additional formatting options. These options
vary depending on the format that you selected.
4.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
Related Topics
• Additional formatting options for Crystal reports
6.3.4.1 Available formats
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The following are the formats to which specific object types can be sent or scheduled.
Crystal report formats
For Crystal reports, you can select from the following formats:
• SAP Crystal Reports
• SAP Crystal Reports read only (RPTR)
• Microsoft Excel (97-2003)
• Microsoft Excel (97-2003) (Data Only)
• Microsoft Excel (2007) (Data Only)
• Microsoft Word (97-2003)
• PDF
• Rich Text Format (RTF)
• Microsoft Word — Editable (RTF)
• Plain Text
• Paginated Text
• Tab Separated Text (TTX)
• Separated Values (CSV)
• XML
Note:
• When you select a file format other than SAP Crystal Reports, the program preserves as much of
the formatting as the export format allows. However, you may lose some or all of the formatting that
appears in the report.
• The difference between Excel and Excel (Data only) is that the Excel option preserves the look and
feel of your original report, while the Excel (Data only) focuses on preserving data and does not
merge cells.
• The Tab Separated Text format places a tab character between values and attempts to preserve
the formatting of the report; the Separated Values format places a specified character between
values and does not attempt to preserve formatting.
• The Microsoft Word (97-2003) format maintains as much formatting as possible, including graphics.
Each object appears in an individual text field. Microsoft Word — Editable format does not preserve
as much formatting; text is displayed in lines and images are placed in line with the text. Rich Text
Format is similar to Microsoft Word (97-2003).
For more information about the options you must set to schedule a Crystal report to a specific format,
see Additional formatting options for Crystal reports and the section on Exporting in the
Reports User's Guide
.
SAP Crystal
Publications formats
For more information about possible publication formats, see Possible formats.
Interactive Analysis document formats
For Interactive Analysis documents, you can select from the following formats:
• Interactive Analysis
• Microsoft Excel
• PDF
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6.3.4.2 Additional formatting options for Crystal reports
When you schedule a Crystal report to some formats, you may be required to set additional options.
This topic details the additional options for each format to which they apply.
Table 6-1: Microsoft Excel (97-2003)
DescriptionOption
• To include all pages of the report, select All.
Page Range
Use the export options defined in the
report
Set Column Width
Export page header
and page footer
Create page breaks
for each page
• To include a page range, select Pages from:, type the first page you want
to include, and type the last page you want to include in the to: field.
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
• To set the widths of Excel columns based on objects in the report, select
Column width based on objects in the and choose a report area from
which to take the column widths.
• To set a constant column width, select Constant column width (in points)
and type the width.
• To include the page headers and footers in your instance, choose whether
you would like to export them Once Per Report or On Each Page.
• To exclude the page headers and footers from your instance, choose
None.
Select this option to create page breaks.
Convert date values to strings
Show gridlines
Select this option to export date values as text strings.
Select this option to see gridlines in your exported document.
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Table 6-2: Microsoft Excel (97-2003, 2007) (Data Only) and Microsoft Excel Workbook (Data Only)
DescriptionOption
Use the export options defined in the
report
Set Column Width
Export object formatting
Export images
Use worksheet
functions for summaries
Maintain relative
object position
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option.
You will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
• To set the widths of Excel columns based on objects in the report, select
Column width based on objects in the: and choose a report area from
which to take the column widths.
• To set a constant column width, select Constant column width (in points)
and type the width.
Select this option if you want to preserve the object formatting.
Select this option to export the images in your report.
Select this option to use summaries in the report to create worksheet functions
in Excel.
Select this option to maintain the positioning of objects relative to one another.
Maintain column
alignment
Export page header
and page footer
Simplify page
headers
Show group outlines
Select this option to preserve the alignment of text within columns of your
report.
Select this option to include the header and footer in your instance.
Select this option to simplify page headers.
Select this option to show group outlines.
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Table 6-3: Microsoft Word (97-2003)
DescriptionOption
• To include all pages of the report, select All.
Page Range
• To include a page range, select Pages from: and type the first page you
want to include, and type the last page you want to include in the to: field.
Table 6-4: PDF
DescriptionOption
• To include all pages of the report, select All.
Page Range
• To include a page range, select from: and type the first page you want to
include, and type the last page you want to include in the to: field.
Use the export options defined in the
report
Create bookmarks
from group tree
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Select this option to create bookmarks in your PDF file based on the tree
structure of the report. This will make the report easier to navigate.
Table 6-5: Rich Text Format (RTF)
DescriptionOption
• To include all pages of the report, select All.
Page Range
• To include a page range, select Pages from: and type the first page you
want to include, and type the last page you want to include in the to: field.
Table 6-6: Microsoft Word - Editable (RTF)
DescriptionOption
• To include all pages of the report, select All.
Page Range
• To include a page range, select from: and type the first page you want to
include, and type the last page you want to include in the to: field.
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DescriptionOption
Use the export options defined in the
report
Insert page break
after each report
page
Table 6-7: Plain Text
Use the export options defined in the
report
Number of characters per inch
Table 6-8: Paginated Text
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Select this option to insert page breaks in your RTF file after each page of the
report.
DescriptionOption
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Type a value between 8 and 16 for the number of characters to include per
inch. This setting controls how the text file is displayed and formatted.
Use the export options defined in the
report
Number of Lines
per Page
Number of Characters per inch
DescriptionOption
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Type the number of lines of text to include between page breaks.
Type a value between 8 and 16 for the number of characters to include per
inch. This setting controls how the text file is displayed and formatted.
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Table 6-9: Separated Values (CSV)
DescriptionOption
Use the export options defined in the
report
Delimiter
Mode
Report and page
sections
Group sections
Table 6-10: XML
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Type the character you want to use as the delimiter.
Type a character to use to separate values, or select Tab.Separator
Select either standard or legacy mode. In standard mode, you can choose
report, page, and group sections to include in your instance. In legacy mode,
you cannot set those options.
If you selected standard mode, indicate whether you want to export report
and page sections, and if so, whether or not your want to isolate them.
If you selected standard mode, indicate whether you want to export group
sections, and if so, whether or not your want to isolate them.
DescriptionOption
Use the export options defined in the
report
XML Exporting formats
To use the export options already defined in the report, select this option. You
will not be able to set any of the other additional formatting options.
Select the XML exporting format you want to use.
6.3.5 To specify a destination
You can schedule an object instance to be sent to a specific destination on your computer, on a network,
a default file location, email, or FTP. If your administrator has specified a particular destination for the
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object, this destination option is displayed. You may be able to update the fields for this destination, or
select a different destination. For many of these destinations, you must provide additional information.
Note:
Available destinations may vary depending on which destinations have been enabled by your system
administrator and which user rights you have.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, view your destination options.
For example, for a Crystal report, click Destinations.
2.
Select your destination.
For example, for a Crystal report, choose a destination from the Destination list.
3.
Select Keep an instance in the history if you want to save a copy of the instance.
4.
Select Use the Job Server's defaults if you want to use the default settings for that location.
5.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
Related Topics
• Destination options
• Available formats
6.3.5.1 Destination locations
You can schedule, send, or publish objects and publications in SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise to the
following destination locations:
• Default Enterprise location
If you select this option, the instance is saved to the default SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise location
(the Output File Repository Server).
• BI Inbox
This option saves the instance to the Output File Repository Server and to BI Inboxes as specified:
• If you select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, copies of the instance are saved to the
BI Inboxes that are configured on the job server.
• If you do not select Use the Job Server's defaults option, you can specify the BI Inboxes where
you want to save the instance.
• File location
This option saves the instance to the Output File Repository Server and to the specified file location:
• If you select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, copies of the instance are saved to the
unmanaged disk location that is configured on the job server.
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• If you do not select Use the Job Server's defaults option, a copy of the instance is saved to the
• FTP server
This option saves the instance to the Output File Repository Server and to the specified FTP server:
• If you select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, a copy of the instance is saved to the
• If you do not select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, you can specify the FTP server
• Email recipients
This option saves the instance to the Output File Repository Server and to the specified email
recipients:
• If you select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, copies of the instance are emailed to
• If you do not select the Use the Job Server's defaults option, you can specify the recipients to
file location that you specify.
FTP server that configured on the job server.
where you want to save the instance.
the email recipients that are configured on the job server.
whom you want to email copies of the instance.
Note:
If you select any option other than “Default Enterprise Location” and choose to use the job server's
default option, then the location must already be configured on the appropriate job server by your
administrator. For more information, see the
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise Administrator's Guide
available on the SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com.
6.3.5.2 Destination options
If you want to specify options for an object that you are scheduling to a destination (for example, the
names of users who should receive the instance in their BI Inboxes; the addresses of email recipients;
or an FTP server to which you want the instance uploaded), you must enter some destination information
that will differ depending on the destination you have chosen.
Note:
These destinations must be configured on the servers that run scheduling jobs. To find out if they are
configured on your deployment, contact your SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise administrator.
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Table 6-11: BI Inbox
DescriptionOption
Selected Recipients
Target Name
Send As
Table 6-12: File System
Select users or groups from the "Available recipients" list and click > to add
users or groups to the "Selected recipients" list.
• To let SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise generate a name for the instance,
select Use Automatically Generated Name.
• To use a specific file name, select Use Specific Name and type a name in
the field.
Tip:
For specific file names, you can select variables to be included in the name
from the list beside the field. The variable is added to the text in the box. Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your email
address, and your name.
• To send a shortcut to the instance to your recipients, select Shortcut.
• To send a copy of the instance to your recipients, select Copy.
DescriptionOption
Directory
File Name
User name
Password
Type the path to the directory you would like to send the instance to.
• To let SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise generate a name for the instance,
select Use Automatically Generated Name.
• To use a specific file name, select Use Specific Name and type a name in
the field.
Tip:
For specific file names, you can select variables to be included in the name from
the list beside the field. The variable is added to the text in the box. Available
variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your email address, and your name.
Type the user name required to access the file location.
Type the password required to access the file location.
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Table 6-13: FTP Server
DescriptionOption
Host
Port
User Name
Password
Account
Directory
File Name
Type the FTP server.
Type the port used to access FTP. The default port number is 21.
Type the user name required to access the FTP server.
Type the password required to access the FTP server.
Type the account required to access the FTP server, if applicable.
Enter the path to the directory you would like to send the instance to.
• To let SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise generate a name for the instance,
select Use Automatically Generated Name.
• To use a specific file name, select Use Specific Name and type a name in
the field.
Tip:
For specific file names, you can select variables to be included in the name from
the list beside the field. The variable is added to the text in the box. Available
variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your email address, and your name.
Table 6-14: Email recipients
DescriptionOption
Type a return email address.
Note:
This field may be unavailable depending on your system configuration.
From
Tip:
You can select variables to be included in the From field from the adjacent list.
Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your
email address, and your name.
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DescriptionOption
Type the email addresses to which you would like to send the instance. Separate
multiple email addresses with semicolons.
To
Cc
Subject
Message
Tip:
You can select variables to be included in the To field from the adjacent list.
Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your
email address, and your name.
Type the email addresses to which you would like to send copies of the instance.
Separate multiple email addresses with semicolons.
Tip:
You can select variables to be included in the To field from the adjacent list.
Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your
email address, and your name.
Type the subject line of the email.
Tip:
You can select variables to be included in the To field from the adjacent list.
Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your
email address, and your name.
Type the message that will appear in the body of the email.
Tip:
You can select variables to be included in the message from the adjacent list.
Available variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your
email address, and your name.
Deliver Document(s) as Attachment
Select this check box to add the instance to the email as an attachment. Additionally, you can specify the attachment name:
• To let SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise generate a name for the instance,
select Use Automatically Generated Name.
• To use a specific file name, select Use Specific Name and type a name in
the field.
Tip:
For specific file names, you can select variables to be included in the name from
the list beside the field. The variable is added to the text in the box. Available
variables include the object's title, ID, owner, the date and time, your email address, and your name.
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6.3.6 To apply a record selection formula
If an object includes a record or group selection formula, you can modify it before you schedule it.
Selection formulas help determine what data appears in a report and may improve performance by
eliminating unwanted records. For more information about record selection formulas, see the
Crystal Reports User's Guide
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Filters.
2.
Change the record or group selection formula as necessary.
3.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
.
6.3.7 To set the print settings for a Crystal report
SAP
When you schedule a Crystal report, you can choose to print the object instance once it has been
generated.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Print Settings.
2.
Select a print mode for your web viewer.
• If you want to print the report in PDF format, click Always print to PDF (Preview).
• If you want to use the report's print settings, click Follow Crystal Reports preference setting.
3.
If you want to print the report when it is run, select the Print Crystal reports when scheduling
check box and do the following:
a. Select Default printer to use your default printer, or select Specify the printer and provide the
appropriate printer information accordingly.
b. Type the number of copies you want to print in the Number of Copies field.
c. Under "Page Range", select All if you want to print all pages of the report, or select Pages and
type the first and last of the pages you want to print.
d. Select whether or not you want to collate the printed copies of the instance from the Set collate
option to list.
e. Indicate your scaling preferences in the Page Scaling list.
f. If you want to center each page, select Center the page.
g. If you want to force horizontal pages to fit the paper, select Fit horizontal pages into one page.
4.
Under "Specify page layout", indicate the layout you want to use:
• If you select Specify printer settings, indicate the printer settings you want to use.
• If you select Custom settings, indicate whether you would like to use standard layout settings
or custom layout settings. For custom layout settings, indicate the orientation and paper size you
want to use.
5.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
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6.3.8 To schedule an object with parameters or prompts
Parameters prompt the user to enter information. In report objects, this information may determine what
data appears in the report. For example, in a report that is used by sales, there may be a parameter
that asks the user to choose a region. When the user chooses a region, the report displays only the
results for that specific region.
Note:
In Interactive Analysis documents, parameters are called prompts.
You can set parameters in the "Schedule" dialog box. If the object that you schedule does not contain
parameters, then the Prompts option does not appear.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Prompts.
Note:
The appearance of the parameter options in the "Schedule" dialog box may differ from object to
object, depending on how the parameter field was created. Program objects may provide an
Argument field instead.
2.
Change the parameter value as necessary.
For Crystal reports, click the value of a parameter to change it. For Interactive Analysis documents,
click Modify to edit prompt values.
3.
Set scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
6.3.9 To schedule an object with events
Event-based scheduling provides you with additional control when you schedule objects: you can
configure the system so that objects are run only after a specified event occurs. Working with events
consists of two steps: creating an event and scheduling an object. That is, once you create an event,
you can select it as a dependency when you schedule an object. The scheduled job is then processed
only when that event occurs.
You create events in the Central Management Console (CMC), and then select the events in BI launch
pad when you schedule objects. For more information about creating events and the CMC, see the
SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise User's Guide
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Events.
2.
To specify an event that will trigger the scheduled object, select the event in the Available Events
list and click > to move it to the Events to wait for list.
3.
To specify an event that will be triggered on the completion of this scheduling job, select the schedule
event in the Available Schedule Events list, and then click > to move it to the Events to trigger
on completion list.
available on the SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com.
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4.
Set other scheduling options as required and click Schedule.
For more information on scheduling with events, see the “Scheduling Objects” chapter in the
BusinessObjects Enterprise User's Guide
.
6.3.10 To set the scheduling server group settings
When you schedule an object, you can select the server group that the system uses to run the object.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Scheduling Server Group.
2.
Select the scheduling server group option you want:
• Use the first available server
This is the default option. SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise uses the server that has the most
resources free at the time of scheduling.
• Give preference to servers belonging to the selected group
SAP
Select a server group from the list. This option attempts to process the object from the servers
that are found within your server group. If the specified servers are not available, then the object
is processed on the next available server.
• Only use servers belonging to the selected group
This option ensures that SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise uses only the specified servers that
are found within the selected server group. If all of the servers in the server group are unavailable,
then the object is not processed.
3.
If your deployment of SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise uses federation and you want to run the
object at the site on which the object is located, select Run at origin site.
4.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and then click Schedule.
6.3.11 To select a cache format for Interactive Analysis documents
Note:
To select a cache option, the output format you specified for the object must be Interactive Analysis.
If you select a different format, the cache options you specify will have no effect.
When the system runs a scheduled Interactive Analysis document, an instance is generated and stored
on the Output File Repository Server. You can also cache the report on the appropriate Report Server
by selecting a cache format for the document. If you don't select a cache format, the system won't cache
the document.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Caching.
2.
Select the format you want to pre-load the cache with.
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3.
Select the locales with which to pre-load the cache.
When you schedule the document, SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise generates cached versions of
the document in the locale(s) that you specify.
4.
Set the rest of your scheduling options and click Schedule.
6.3.12 To select languages for report instances
Note:
This task applies to Crystal reports only.
Perform this task if you want to generate report instances in different languages.
1.
In the "Schedule" dialog box, click Languages.
2.
Select a language option.
• Schedule the report in Preferred Viewing Locale
This option schedules the report according to the preferred viewing locale you set in your
preferences, and creates instances using that locale only.
• Schedule the report in Multiple Locales
This option schedules the report in multiple languages. If you choose this option, you must also
select locales by moving them from the All Locales list to the Selected Instance Locales list.
3.
Set other scheduling parameters as required, and click Schedule.
6.4 Pausing or resuming an instance
You can pause and resume an object's instance as needed. For example, if a Job Server is down for
maintenance reasons, you may want to pause a scheduled instance to prevent the system from running
the object, because scheduling jobs fail when the Job Server is not running. When the Job Server is
running again, you can resume the scheduled object.
Note:
Pause and resume can be applied only to scheduled instances; that is, they can be applied only to
objects that have a status of Pending or Recurring.
6.4.1 To pause an instance
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1.
Navigate to the object and select it.
2.
Click More Actions > History.
The "History" dialog box appears.
3.
Select the scheduled instance that you want to pause.
4.
Click Pause.
6.4.2 To resume an instance after pausing it
1.
Navigate to the object and select it.
2.
Click More Actions > History.
The "History" dialog box appears.
3.
Select the paused instance you want to resume.
4.
Click Resume.
6.5 Scheduling an object package
An object package is a type of object that acts as a container for other objects or components. They
can only be created or edited in the CMC, and can contain any object type that can be scheduled. To
add objects to an object package, a user with the necessary access rights must copy the object and
paste it into the object package in the CMC. Objects in an object package are then distinct from the
object they were copied from and are instead components of the object package. When you schedule
an object package, instances are created for each component, allowing you to schedule several objects
simultaneously. You cannot schedule a component of an object package on its own.
Scheduling an object package is slightly different from scheduling an individual object, because some
scheduling options must be set on an object package level. These scheduling options are recurrence,
destinations, events, and server group settings. Other scheduling options are set for each component
of the object package. These scheduling options are notification, database logon settings, filters (if
applicable), format, print settings, and parameters, prompts, or arguments (if applicable).
6.5.1 To schedule an object package
1.
Select the object package, click Actions, and choose Schedule.
2.
Set the instance title, recurrence, destination, events, and sever group settings as you would for
any object.
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For more information on these settings, see the following topics:
• To set the instance title
• To choose a recurrence pattern
• To specify a destination
• To schedule an object with events
• To set the scheduling server group settings
3.
Click Components.
4.
Click on the name of each component to set the notification, database logon, filters, format, print,
cache, and parameters / prompts settings as applicable to each component.
For more information on these settings, see the following topics:
• To specify database logon information
• To apply a record selection formula
• To specify an instance format
• To set the print settings for a Crystal report
• To select a cache format for Interactive Analysis documents
• To schedule an object with parameters or prompts
When you have finished setting the scheduling parameters for a component, click Save & Close to
return to the scheduling page for the object package and set the remaining scheduling parameters.
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Using Discussions
Using Discussions
7.1 Discussions
The Discussions feature enables you to create notes for reports, hyperlinks, programs, and other objects
in BI launch pad. SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise users who have the appropriate rights can view
notes or add comments to a discussion thread, which is a series of related notes in a hierarchical format.
You can create a discussion thread or add notes to a discussion thread for any object you have access
to.
Note:
To use Discussions, you must have view rights on an object and its associated notes, and your system
administrator must enable Discussions for BI launch pad. Contact your system administrator for further
details.
7.1.1 To open Discussions
The Discussions notes and threads for each object are located in that object's Details panel.
1.
Go to the Documents tab and select an object in the List panel.
2.
Click Details.
The Details panel opens on the right side of the Documents tab.
3.
Expand the Discussions drawer.
All notes and threads that are related to the object you selected are displayed.
7.1.2 To add a note
You can add notes to an object that you have viewing rights to.
1.
Open Discussions.
2.
Click "New Message".
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3.
In the Subject field, enter a heading for your note.
The maximum number of characters that you can use in this field is 255.
4.
In the Message field, enter your note's message.
The maximum number of characters that you can use in this field is 1,000.
5.
6.
Click Post.
Related Topics
• To open Discussions
Click "High Importance" or "Low Importance" to flag the importance of your note if necessary.
7.1.3 To edit a note
You can edit a note after you create it.
1.
Open Discussions.
2.
Select the note you want to edit.
3.
Edit the text in the Subject and Message fields accordingly.
4.
Click Post.
Note:
You cannot edit notes that were created by other users or notes that have replies in a discussion
thread unless you have administrative rights.
Related Topics
• To open Discussions
7.1.4 To reply to a note
1.
Open Discussions.
2.
Select the note that you want to reply to.
You can click the plus symbol (+) to expand the levels of notes that are related to the object. You
can post a reply to an entire group, or to the person who posted the note. Notes that you have not
yet read appear in bold.
3.
Click "Reply to Group" or "Reply to Sender".
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If you choose "Reply to Group", your reply is visible to everyone who has the right to view the notes
associated with the object.
4.
Edit the contents of the Subject and Message fields.
5.
Click Post.
Related Topics
• To open Discussions
7.1.5 To delete a note
You can delete the notes after you create them.
1.
Open Discussions.
2.
Select the note you want to delete.
3.
Click "Delete".
Note:
You cannot delete notes that were created by other users or notes that have replies in a discussion
thread unless you have administrative rights.
Related Topics
• To open Discussions
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Using Discussions
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Publishing
Publishing
8.1 Publication concepts
8.1.1 Report bursting
During Publishing, the data in documents is refreshed against data sources and personalized before
the publication is delivered to recipients. This combined process is known as “report bursting”. Depending
on the size of the publication and how many recipients it is intended for, you have several report bursting
methods to choose from:
• One database fetch for all recipients
When you use this report bursting method, all documents in the publication are refreshed once, and
then the documents are personalized and delivered to each recipient. This report bursting method
uses the data source logon credentials of the publisher to refresh data.
This is the default option for Interactive Analysis document publications. It is also the recommended
option if you want to minimize the impact of Publishing on your database. This option is secure only
when the source documents are delivered as static documents. For example, a recipient who receives
an Interactive Analysis document in its original format can modify the document and view the data
associated with other recipients. However, if the document is delivered as a PDF, the data would
be secure.
Note:
• This option is secure for most Crystal reports regardless of whether the Crystal reports are
delivered in their original format.
• The performance of this option varies depending on the number of recipients.
• One database fetch for each batch of recipients
When you use this report bursting method, the publication is refreshed, personalized, and delivered
to recipients in batches. This report bursting method uses the data source logon credentials of the
publisher to refresh data. The batches are based on the personalization values you specified for the
recipients. The batch size varies depending on the specified personalization value and is
non-configurable.
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This is the default option for Crystal report publications. It is also the recommended option for
high-volume scenarios. With this option, you can process batches concurrently on different servers,
which can greatly decrease the processing load and time required for large publications.
Note:
This option is unavailable for Interactive Analysis documents.
• One database fetch per recipient
The data in a document is refreshed for every recipient. For example, if there are five recipients for
a publication, the publication is refreshed five times. This report bursting method uses the data
source logon credentials of the recipient to refresh data.
This option is recommended if you want to maximize security for delivered publications.
Note:
Crystal reports that are based on universes or Business Views support One database fetch per
recipient only to maximize security.
Related Topics
• To specify a report bursting method
8.1.2 Delivery rules
Note:
This feature is unavailable for Interactive Analysis documents.
“Delivery rules” affect how documents in publications are processed and distributed. When you set
delivery rules on documents, you indicate that the publication will be delivered to recipients only if the
content in the documents meets certain conditions. There are two types of delivery rules:
• Recipient delivery rule
If the data in the recipient's instance meets the delivery rule, the instance is delivered to the recipient.
• Global delivery rule
If the data in a designated document meets the delivery rule, the publication is delivered to all
recipients.
Note:
The designated document for a global delivery rule can be different from the document or documents
used in a publication. For example, you can set a global delivery rule on a document used as a
dynamic recipient source instead of a document in the publication.
If a publication has recipient and global delivery rules, the global delivery rule is evaluated first to
determine whether the publication will be processed. If the publication meets the global delivery rule,
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Publishing
the system then evaluates the recipient delivery rules to determine which instances to process and
distribute for each recipient.
How you set delivery rules depends on the document type that you want to publish. For Crystal reports,
you specify a delivery rule based on a named alert that the report designer creates in the Crystal report.
You can also set a delivery rule based on whether the personalized publication contains any data.
The diagram “Global delivery rule met” illustrates how an alert-based global delivery rule works. Here
the global delivery rule is set on a document in the publication. The Crystal report has a Revenue alert
for values greater than 100,000. The publisher creates a global delivery rule based on the Revenue
alert so that the Crystal report is only delivered to all recipients if revenue exceeds 100,000. In this case
the delivery rule is met, so the Crystal report is delivered.
Figure 8-1: Global delivery rule met
The diagram “Recipient delivery rule unmet” illustrates how a recipient delivery rule works. The publisher
sets a recipient delivery rule for the Crystal report so that the report is delivered to recipients only if the
report contains data for that recipient. When the report is personalized for each recipient, Green Recipient
does not have data in the Crystal report. This means that only Blue Recipient and Orange Recipient
receive the publication.
Figure 8-2: Recipient delivery rule unmet
For publications that contain multiple documents and objects, each document can have its own recipient
delivery rule. When you do this, you have the following options for processing and delivery:
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Publishing
• If a document in the publication fails to meet its recipient delivery rule for a recipient, the entire
publication will not be delivered for that recipient.
• If a document in the publication fails to meet its recipient delivery rule for a recipient, that document
will not be delivered, but all other documents in the publication will be delivered for that recipient.
Delivery rules are useful because they allow publications intended for a large number of recipients to
be processed and distributed more efficiently. Consider a situation in which a publisher at an insurance
company creates a publication for its clients that contains the following objects:
• An insurance bill (personalized Crystal report).
• A monthly statement (personalized Crystal report).
• A payment methods brochure (PDF).
In the insurance bill, there is an Amount Due alert for values greater than zero. The publisher creates
an Amount Due recipient delivery rule for the insurance bill so that the insurance bill is published and
distributed only if a client owes a payment. The publisher also specifies that the entire publication will
not publish if the insurance bill fails to meet the delivery rule because he does not want clients to receive
a monthly statement and a brochure when they do not have to pay a bill. When the publication is run,
the publication is processed and distributed only to clients who owe payments.
Note:
If a Crystal reports publication is scheduled to print when the publication runs, the print job occurs
regardless of whether a document in a publication fails to meet a delivery rule and is not delivered to
a recipient. This is because print jobs are processed during personalization, and delivery rules are
applied to publications after personalization.
Related Topics
• To set a global delivery rule on a Crystal report
• To set a recipient delivery rule on a Crystal report
8.1.3 Dynamic recipients
“Dynamic recipients” are publication recipients who exist outside of the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise
system. Dynamic recipients already have user information in an external data source, such as a database
or an LDAP or AD directory, but do not have user accounts in SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise.
To distribute a publication to dynamic recipients, you use a “dynamic recipient source”. A dynamic
recipient source is a document or custom data provider that provides information about publication
recipients outside of the SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise system. Dynamic recipient sources allow you
to easily maintain information for dynamic recipients by linking directly to the external data source and
retrieving the most recent data. They also decrease administrative costs because you do not have to
create SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise user accounts for dynamic recipients before you distribute
publications to them.
Consider a situation in which a billing company distributes bills to customers who are not SAP
BusinessObjects Enterprise users. The customer information already exists in an external database.
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