MultiProviders 

Definition

A MultiProvider is a special InfoProvider that combines data from a number of InfoProviders and makes them available as a whole to reporting. The MultiProvider itself does not contain any data; its data comes exclusively from the InfoProviders it is based on.

InfoProviders and MultiProviders are the objects or views that are relevant for reporting.

Use

A MultiProvider allows reporting using several InfoProviders.

 

InfoCube and InfoCube: You have an InfoProvider with actual data for a logically closed business area and an equivalent InfoProvider with plan data. You can combine the two InfoProviders into one MultiProvider so that you can compare the actual data with the planned data of a query. In BW release 2.0B/2.1C, this combination of two InfoCubes was still called a MultiCube.

InfoCube and InfoObject: You have an InfoCube with your products and sales. You combine InfoObject 0PRODUCT. In this way you can display the "slow-moving items" since products that do not result in sales are also displayed. This is made possible because a union operation is used to combine the tables (see below).

Structure

A MultiProvider can consist of different combinations of the following InfoProviders: InfoCube, ODS object, InfoObject and InfoSet. The data from these objects can be combined in the MultiProvider with a union operation.

The union operation creates a union of the featured tables. That is, all values in these tables are combined. As a comparison: InfoSets are created using joins. These only combine values that appear in both tables. In contrast to a union, joins build the intersection of the featured tables

As a comparison, see also InfoSet.

Integration

MultiProviders only exist as a logical definition. The data is still saved in the InfoProviders it is based on. A query generated from a MultiProvider is divided into several queries using the InfoProviders in question, which can be worked on in parallel.

In a MultiProvider, every characteristic in every InfoProvider involved should correspond to one characteristic or navigation attribute (as long as these are available). If it is not otherwise clear, you have to define the InfoObject which the characteristic of the MultiProvider should be assigned to.

The MultiProvider contains the characteristic 0COUNTRY and an InfoProvider contains the characteristic 0COUNTRY as well as the navigation attribute 0CUSTOMER__0COUNTRY. In this case select exactly one of these InfoObjects in the assignment table.

Select a key figure contained in a MultiProvider from at least one of the InfoProviders involved. In general, exactly one of the InfoProviders provides the key figure. However, there are cases where it is better for the user to select from more than one InfoProvider:

If the key figure is 0SALES and it is stored redundantly in more than one InfoProvider (that is, contained completely in all value combinations of the characteristics), you should select from exactly one of the InfoProviders involved (otherwise the value would be incorrectly added in the MultiProvider for each occurrence).

However, if 0SALES is in a InfoProvider, for example as an actual value saved in another plan value, so that there is no overlapping in the data records (in other words: Sales is divided disjunctively between several InfoProviders), then it makes sense to make a selection from several InfoProviders.

MultiProviders with Non-Cumulative Values

Several non-cumulative cubes can also be grouped in a MultiProvider. These non-cumulative cubes can therefore contain different time characteristics as of Release BW 3.0A, Support Package 5.

See also Non-Cumulatives.