Hierarchy Display Problem

Question

Hi,
I've got a query driven from an organisational unit HR hierarchy. Unfortunately, neither way of presenting the information from the hierarchy is satisfactory.
The two options I know of are to have the rows showing as a flat structure, but org. unit displaying as a hierarchy, or have all the rows displayed within a hierarchy.
For example, with org unit as hierarchy, but the rows flat I'd get something like this:
Org Unit   Grantholder   GrantNo   Sponsor    Grant Value
University Prof X        441       Test Co.   100
                         442       TestCorp   75
           Prof Y        443       Test Co.   120
           Prof Z        444       TestCorp   80
                                      Result: 375
Faculty   Prof X        441       Test Co.   100
                         442       TestCorp   75
           Prof Y        443       Test Co.   120
           Prof Z        444       TestCorp   80
                                      Result: 375
  Res Sch  Prof X        441       Test Co.   100
                         442       TestCorp   75
           Prof Y        443       Test Co.   120
           Prof Z        444       TestCorp   80
                                      Result: 375
   Dept A  Prof X        441       Test Co.   100
                         442       TestCorp   75
           Prof Y        443       Test Co.   120
                                      Result: 295
   Dept B  Prof Z        444       TestCorp   80
                                      Result: 80
There will be potentially thousands of Grantholders at University level through to dozens within a department. This approach becomes grossly unwieldly for a user.
The obvious way to overcome this is to show grantholders only within the node they are assigned by setting the entire set of rows to use a hierarchical structure:
Hierarchical Rows     Grant Value
University            375
  Faculty             375
    Research School   375
      Department A    295
        Prof X        175
          441         100
            Test Co.  100
          442          75
            TestCorp   75
        Prof Y        120
          443         120  
            Test Co.  120
      Department B     80
        Prof Z         80
          444          80
            TestCorp   80
As the characteristics aren't laid out in labelled columns, the results are less clear and with even a small number of characteristics, drilling down within the hierarchy becomes a chore. Also, the BEx Analyser can't handle all the indents required for four levels of hierarchy and then a dozen characteristics.
I'm aware there are a few cosmetic options to play with, such as opening nodes above instead or below in the first example or defaulting open all nodes at a specified level in the second example, but none of those solve the core problems.
Ideally, the solution I'm looking for would produce the results shown below:
Org Unit   Grantholder   GrantNo   Sponsor    Grant Value
University                            Result: 375
Faculty                              Result: 375
  Res Sch                             Result: 375
   Dept A  Prof X        441       Test Co.   100
                         442       TestCorp   75
           Prof Y        443       Test Co.   120
                                      Result: 295
   Dept B  Prof Z        444       TestCorp   80
                                      Result: 80
(To be honest, to me this seems the most obvious way to present hierarchical data, so I find it surprising that it's not a standard option).
Another option might be if the org unit hierarchy can be split into separate columns:
Node 1     Node 2   Node 3   Node 4  Grantholder, etc...
University Faculty  Res Sch  Dept A  Prof X
                                     Prof Y
                             Dept B  Prof Z
This is the approach used in the original versions of the reports that we're trying to re-create in BW. However, in that case, each org unit record held information for all its parent nodes and this isn't the case with the org unit hierarchy we get from SAP.
These reports will be delivered predominantly via the web.
Any suggestions for compromises would also be appreciated.
Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi Vincent,
we came across the same problem. Moreover, the way the hierarchies are displayed interfere with our authorizations on the hierarchies. By giving detailed data on Root level, the user sees information that he is not entitled to see.
I am sorry that I cannot offer any help right now. Did you come across a solution in the mean time?
Regards
Catrin