OLAP Universe creation process questions and proposals

We have created an OLAP universe based on a BW-Query. The automatical creation of the OLAP universe does not produce a satisfying result.
We are working with the latest available releases (BOE XI 3.1 SP2 and SAP Integration KIT SP2, SAP BI 7 EHP1).
We have detected that all dimension objects store the name instead of the key field.
Example:
Customer Dimension Object (L01 Customer) = Customer Name
Customer Key Detail Object (L01 Customer Key) = Customer Number
Customer Name Detail Object (L01 Customer Name) = Customer Name
This is not usable for end user because of the following reasons:
1. The detail objects can not be used for merge dimensions, so it is not possible to merge on the supplier number.
2. If you filter on the dimension object you will only see the text in the list of values (LOV) and it is not possible to edit the list of values in the universe to add the supplier number to the LOV as it is possible in relational universes
3. If the user select the detail object always the dimension object in inserted into the report query
4. The "Business Explorer" general setting "Display" of an InfoObject has no effect on the OLAP universe dimension object. If you change it to key always the text is shown. Even if you change the "ValueDisplay as" in the underlying BW Query to "key" is has no effect.
5. The renaming of the L01 object to blank is not possible. You need to rename to " " and then remove on each object the blank.
So we need to modify manually every universe to change the "detail key object" to a "dimension object" and the "detail name object" to reference the new "dimension object" with the key. This manual process has a huge work effort in time. Is there a better solution or enhancements planned in the next releases?
Additionally there should be an option to disable the automatic creation of each characteristic as a subclass in the universe. A wizard should ask if a subclass should be created or not for each characteristic. Currently there are to many subclasses generated which were mostly not needed.

Hi,
First of all I would say u are lucky to start with SP2. Because whatever modifications you do in Universe those are retained.
We had a big trouble in using BOXIR3.1 FP1.7.
Anyways.. Back to your Questions and My asnwers for those:
1. The detail objects can not be used for merge dimensions, so it is not possible to merge on the supplier number.
Ans: True, Dimension object always shows Short text values by default. but if you can create the logic at SAP BI query level to map short text with keys then your problem will be solved.
2. If you filter on the dimension object you will only see the text in the list of values (LOV) and it is not possible to edit the list of values in the universe to add the supplier number to the LOV as it is possible in relational universes.
Ans: True u cannt edit LOV, but alternate solution to it is create the variable in SAP BI Query, that will appear as prompt in universe which will display the List of values with Key as well as Description.
3. If the user select the detail object always the dimension object in inserted into the report query.
Ans: Logically its correct, because Detail object is always associated with Dimension. Buit if you dont want that dimension in query you can remove that dimension by dragging back.
4. The "Business Explorer" general setting "Display" of an InfoObject has no effect on the OLAP universe dimension object. If you change it to key always the text is shown. Even if you change the "ValueDisplay as" in the underlying BW Query to "key" is has no effect.
Ans: In Query designer even if you ValueDisplay as "Key", but at Object level if there is Text and Key associated for perticulat Infoobject, then so by default the dimension will show the Text and there will be seperate Detail object in universe for Key.
5. The renaming of the L01 object to blank is not possible. You need to rename to " " and then remove on each object the blank.
Ans: Yes this is a big trouble.
Regards,
Nisha

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First of all I recommend you read the documentation that gives you information about OLAP universes and especially SAP BW universes.
I also recommend to download documents related to SAP universes deployment, administration and customization:
[OLAP Universes - how to samples and recommendations |https://wiki.wdf.sap.corp/wiki/display/globalregions/OLAPUniverses-howtosamplesand+recommendations]
[SAP Integration |https://wiki.wdf.sap.corp/wiki/display/globalregions/SAP+Integration]
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Logon failed with Universe data source
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/people/ingo.hilgefort/blog
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Hello to everybody.
When I was starting to work on the BO products I had exactly the same question.
Why were the OLAP Universes not supported in Crystal Reports?
Well, I have a few facts in my mind, I explained the decision of SAP in this case with for myself.
1. Very simple and my first thought: monetary aspects. There excist the SAP Integration Kit. These drivers work pretty fine. So for what reason SAP should invest money in an other technique to access the SAP data?
2. It excist a server solution for small and medium-sized companies named Crystal Reports Server. I'm not sure but I don't think this package contains the Universe Designer. If acces on SAP data over the OLAP Universes would be possible, the Crystal Reports Server customers should also get the Designer tool and the Translation tool, too. Less profit margin.
3. Creating a Universe out of OLAP data destroys the moredimensionality. Universes are flat constructs. So maybe it makes no sense to use this meta layer.
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5. I think the SAP itself did not know where the journey should go with this toolset. A roudmap that changes severalt times in one year an many many rumours about these tools proof this.
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Greetings,
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Hi,
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Edited by: Nanda Kishore B on Dec 26, 2010 6:15 AM

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Hi
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Gurus,very interesting insight here
Re: Integrating OLAP Universe and Non OLAP Universe
I need to confirm the steps here for approach 2
Create 2 queries in a Web Intelligence document and synchronize the data providers in the document: it works for any source. It needs to be done in each document.
steps
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2)Create non OLAP universe
3)create WEBI document on OLAP universe
4)create WEBI document on non OLAP universe
??? next steps please
thanks

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>> It doesn't matter.
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>> it saved as part of the report
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>> you can have common fields in different systems - or ?
I would suggest you look into the product documentation for details.
Ingo
Thanks again

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Message Edited by Jared_B on 05-04-2010 05:35 PM
Regards,
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Staff Hardware Engineer
National Instruments

Best Practice to bring OLAP Universe and WebI Report to Production

What are the best ways to bring a WebI Report that is developed on a OLAP Universe (based on BEx Query) from Development to Production environment?
Edited by: B.Wegner on Nov 8, 2010 2:54 PM

1) Move your BEx query from SAP DEV to SAP PROD (SAP internal transport system)
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3) Edit the universe connection in BOBJ PROD to point to your SAP PROD system.
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OLAP Universe creation process questions and proposals

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