Information Broadcasting 

Information broadcasting allows you to make objects with business intelligence content available to a wide range of users, according to your requirements. The followingoptions are available:

●     Distribution of BI data based on queries, query views, workbooks, Web applications, and reports

●     Generation of files in various formats, such as HTML, MHTML, PDF, ZIP, online links, alerts

●     User-specific or role-specific distribution to required recipients, such as individual users, groups, distribution lists (including non-SAP users)

●     Master data-based distribution to the required recipients (based on the master data stored for a characteristic in the BI system, such as the cost center manager of a cost center)

●     Distribution by e-mail, to a printer or to the portal (collaboration rooms, the universal worklist (UWL) or to KM folders such as the BEx portfolio)

●     Distribution at a required time: ad hoc, scheduled, when data is changed, or based on exceptions

Information broadcasting is tailored for specific groups of users. Information consumers can use the broadcasting wizard, and the step-by-step instructions it provides, to distribute ad hoc BI content. Business experts who, for example, define queries, Web applications, or workbooks, jump from the design tools directly to the BEx Broadcaster, where they can distribute or schedule the distribution of generated BI objects to the required recipients by e-mail or to the portal, as required.

Structured BI data (precalculated documents with historic data, online links to the current data, or alerts) are available to users in the portal, along with unstructured data from Knowledge Management. Users can hold discussions based on the BI data or work in collaboration rooms. They can use various Knowledge Management functions to work with BI data. You can also receive a notifications about all document changes; for example, when a new precalculation is performed, or you can add evaluations, feedback, or personal notes to documents.

Architecture of the Scenario Variant

The following figure provides an overview of the architecture:

You use information broadcasting to distribute the BI objects that you have defined using the various Business Explorer design tools by e-mail or to SAP NetWeaver Portal.

IT Processes of the Scenario Variant

This scenario variant comprises the following IT processes:

Process	What You Need to Know...
Broadcast Setting Creation	In this process, you create a broadcast setting in which you specify which BI object is distributed to which recipient at which time or event using which distribution type (e-mail, portal, alert framework, and so on).
Broadcasting	In this process, the system determines the settings you have defined and processes them.
Alerting	In this process, the system checks the alert category of existing exceptions and forwards the alerts to the required recipients as specified in the alert category settings, such as to the universal worklist (UWL).
BI User Interaction	In this process, users can access the distributed BI data and alerts using the BEx Portfolios or the universal worklist. Users can use various Knowledge Management and collaboration services when working with the BI data. For example, you can hold discussions or use functions such as subscribe or download from documents.