ECC Data extraction

Question

Hello All,
I have a situation in my department where I need to extract the ECC data to third party database (MS SQL). Initially we were thinking of using SAP BW extractors for extraction through SAP PI to push the data out but this doesn't seem to be feasible. Is this a fair assessment of the situation?
What other methods we can use for data extraction? We are evaluating options for ABAP programs, SAP Queries and BAPIs. Is there any other way we can extract this data set. The data set is required for sd,fi-ar/ap,mm,pp.
We donot need data fro real time time basis, but on the same lines of a data warehouse extraction like SAP BW.
Appreciate your help.
Thanks

Answer 1

Hi
I recently figured out what to do and here is what we do :
Not many would like to allow you to extract data directly from SAP R/3. But we have been successful in extracting data for our in-house implementation of BI at ORG level. You need to understand which tables of R/3 would give you what information.
If that information could be gathered. Then extracting data on BODS is very simple. Though it is a bit tricky and it is not direct. But a we do it as a process of different stages.
We use BODS 3.1
Step 1 :
You need to create 2 connections on SAP R/3 Datastore :
1) conn 1 :
Use the option generate and execute - ABAP Execution option
data transfer mtd : direct download
working directory on SAP Sever : here give local path on which BODS server is running e.g. ; d:\bods
local directory : : d:\bods
Generated ABAP directory : d:\bods.
execute in bg : no
Create data flow :
SAPR/3 >>> (sap r/3 table>>>query transformation>>data transport (dat file))
||__query transformation >> target database (we have chosen oracle) . You could create a datastore for sql server.
And Import that table table under this connection.
Even for SAP R/3. Import that table immediately after you create the SAP R/3 datastore.
We have used the option of replace file in data transport option in dat file
So that each time you run the job the file gets replaced.
Step 2 :
Create a job for this work flow
Run the job.
It will create a dat file and a ABAP File on the specified D: Bods   folder.
Step 3 :
Send the ABAP File : to sap bw / sap team - requesting them to create this ABAP program. and make it available on your SAP R/3 System.
(We found this is easy to do for anyone, all that you need is to copy paste and activiate and do the transport to the sap r/3 system and does not require any time to do any ABAP programming - as such)
Note : For the data store creations of SAP R/3 : THE user name being used. Need to have access to all the required tables of SAP R/3. Otherwise data access will not happen. You can chek the data flow at each stage and it will say, not authorised. If you dont have access.
Step 4 :
Now create another SAP R/3 Connection conn2 ;
This connection will use the option : execute preloaded (abab execution option)
execute in bg : no
data transfer method : shared directory
working directory on sap server :  d:\bi_share
(Create a shared folder on sap r/3 server : :\BI_SHARE (the user on data store should have complete access of read and write on this shared folder)
application path to share directory :
sapservername
bi_share
Step  5 :
Now if you have the ABAP Prog already available on your R/3 system.
Re-run the job finally using the new data store for execute - preloaded.
which is pointing to the shared directory of sap server itself.
And this job can be scheduled on production BODS server finally.
======================================================
Wherever required, import the tables under the related data store.
Although it might sound a lengthy process. Actually, it hardly takes a very little time, compared to the time involved in trying to ask someone on ABAP to code / or take help of BW or whatever.
We have done things on DEV BODS tested the same.
then we have moved everything into production.
And till date : it has been successful for us.
We have taken help of ABAP programers only when we explicity required some customised logical programming. Which was not available directly on SAP R/3 system. 
Otherwise if we generally pull all the fields once we take any table from SAP R/3 so that i could be used any time later. Even if not required today.
And SO with a little effort, even a person who is new to SAP R/3  or BW or BODS.... like me, is able to manage. So, it is not difficult i suppose.
Good Luck.
We have used oracle for reporting database. And sql server should also work the same way.
We use sql server only for meta data information.
like BO Repository or BODS repository
Cheers
Indu
Edited by: Indumathy Narayanan on Jul 27, 2011 8:23 AM
Edited by: Indumathy Narayanan on Jul 27, 2011 8:24 AM
Edited by: Indumathy Narayanan on Jul 27, 2011 8:27 AM