Using Variables (SAP Library - Business Explorer)

Using Variables

Definition

Variables are parameters of a query that are set in the query definition and are not filled with values (processed) until the query is inserted into a workbook. They function as a store for characteristic values, hierarchies, hierarchy nodes, texts and formula elements, and can be processed in different ways.

Variables in the Business Information Warehouse are global variables, meaning that they are defined in the variable maintenance and are then available for the definition of all queries.

The following variable types are available:

Variables for Characteristic Values

Variables for Hierarchies and Hierarchy Nodes

Variables for Texts

Variables for Formulas

Use

Variables make the flexible setting of queries (parameterization of the query) possible. If you use variables in the query definition in the Business Explorer, do not select any fixed characteristic values, hierarchies, hierarchy nodes, texts, or formula elements. Instead, set up variables as place holders. These are filled with values only after the query has been inserted into a workbook ( See also: Creating Queries with Variables). One query definition can be used as the foundation for many different queries if you use variables.

You want to create one query for all the people responsible for customer groups, who each only evaluate the data for one customer group. In the query definition, you set up a variable for the characteristic ‘customer group’. Just before the query is executed, decide for which customer group(s) you want the query to apply to.

The variable definition consists of maintaining basic data and detail statements in the variable maintenance . See Maintaining Variables

Ready for Input

You can determine whether the variables selected are ready for input or not when you open and insert the query into a workbook. If you choose ready for input in the variable definition, a dialog box appears when you insert the query into a workbook. You can then enter the value(s) you want to use, confirm default value(s), or change default values.

‘Ready for input’ is available for the processing types, manual entry / default value, customer exit, SAP exit, and authorizations.

Changeable with Query Navigation

In the variable maintenance screen, if you choose the option Changeable with Query Navigation, when you execute the query, you can not only select the values that you entered in the variables popup, but you can also use other values as dynamic filters for the query: Selecting Filter Values).

Please note that this function is not possible if you are using the variable as part of a structure in the query definition.

You can use this function for variables of characteristic values and hierarchy nodes.

Processing Types

You must establish a processing type for each variable type. The processing type identifies in which way the variable is processed when the query is inserted in the workbook.

The following processing types are available:

Manual entry / default value

Automatic replacement using a given replacement path

Processing with Customer Exits

Processing with an SAP exit (from SAP system fields) for Delivered Variables

Processing with authorizations:

Depending on the variable type, select the corresponding processing type. Depending on the variable type, only certain processing types are sensible. The following table gives an overview of possible combinations of variable type and processing type.

Processing types of the variable types:

Processing type	Characteristic values	Hierarchies	Hierarchy node	Text	Formulas
Manual entry / default value	X	X	X	X	X
Replacement path	X	-	-	X	X
SAP exit	X	X	X	X	X
Customer exit	X	X	X	X	X
Authorization	X	-	X	-	-

Manual Entry / Default Value

The processing type manual entry / default value is available for all variable types. If a variable is processed with this processing type, you can enter the value you want to use for the variable manually in the dialog box before you insert the query into the workbook. When you create the variables, you determine whether you enter a default value or not using the default value data.

Using ready for input, you control that the variable with the processing type manual entry / default values is processed automatically by the default value. Enter a default value, and deactivate ‘ready for input’. When you insert the query into the workbook, the variable does not appear in the variable dialog box - the variable is processed by the default value.

Replacement Path

The processing type replacement path can be used for variables for characteristic values, texts and formulas. If a variable is processed using a replacement path, then it is replaced automatically with the corresponding characteristic value.

If you specify a variable as a characteristic value, you do not have to give a text for the characteristic value straight away. Instead, you can fill the text field dynamically, according to the characteristic that you used for the variable when you executed the query. Define a text variable with automatic replacement for this.

When creating variables, maintain the replacement path data. You choose whether it is replaced by the from or to value and by the key or the name of the characteristic value. In addition, you can determine the offset start and offset length for the output.

Variables for characteristic values with the processing type replacement path, are replaced by the results of a query. In the Replacement Path Data field, choose Replace with a Query Result, and select the query containing the result that you want to reuse as a variable. You can now use the data result of the selected query, as a variable in a different query.

The processing type replacement path takes place automatically, meaning always without ready for input when executing.

Customer Exit

You can find information on the functions of the customer exit, in the section Processing with Customer Exits.

SAP Exit

You can create variables with this processing type in SAP Systems only. This means that customers cannot create variables of the type SAP exit. They are a component of the delivered Business Information Warehouse Business Content. You can find information on these variables in the section Delivered Variables.

Authorization

The processing type authorization can be used for variables for characteristic values and hierarchy nodes.

Authorizations are maintained in the transaction RSMM. If there are several hierarchy nodes, take the hierarchy node that you want to use automatically as the basis for the authorization, and make it the default variable hierarchy node.

When you create a variable, if you choose Process with Authorization, the variable is automatically filled with the values of the user's authorization. Now, when the user opens a query, the data is automatically selected according to his or her authorizations.

Please note that when they are automatically filled, variables do not have to be ready for input, which means you do not necessarily get a dialog box when you open the query. The user opens the query with the authorization variable, and can only see the data that corresponds to his or her authorizations.

See also:

Maintaining Variables

Delivered Variables

Creating Queries with Variables