Functions in the SAP Source System
The BW Service API (SAPI) is a technology package in the SAP source system that enables tight integration of data transfer from SAP source systems into the BW system.
The SAPI allows you to
- make available SAP application extractors as a basis for data transfer into BW
- carry out generic data extraction
- use intelligent delta processes
- access data in the source system directly from BW (VirtualProvider support)
With transaction SBIW, the SAPI provides an implementation guide in the SAP source system that includes the activities necessary for data extraction and data transfer from an SAP source system into BW.
Irrespective of the type of SAP source system, Customizing for extractors comprises activities that belong to the scope of SAPI:
- General settings for data transfer from source systems into BW.
- the option of installing BI Content delivered by SAP
- the option of maintaining generic DataSources
- the option of postprocessing the application component hierarchy and DataSources on a source system level
In addition to the activities that are part of the scope of SAPI, Customizing for extractors for OLTP and further SAP source systems may contain source-system specific settings for application-specific DataSources.
General Settings
General settings include the following activities:
- Maintaining Control Parameters for Data Transfer
- Restricting Authorizations for the Extraction
- Checking the Delta Queue
Installing BI Content Delivered by SAP
DataSources delivered with the BI Content by SAP and those delivered by partners appear in a delivery version (D version). If you want to use a partner or BI Content DataSource to copy data from a source system into BW, you need to copy this DataSource from the D to the active (A) version.
In the source system, the DataSources are assigned to specific application components. If you want to display the DataSources in BW in the DataSource tree of the Data Warehousing Workbench according to this application component hierarchy, you need to transfer them from the D version into the A version in the source system.
Transferring data from an OLTP system or other SAP source systems
Note: You need to make some settings in advance for some BI Content DataSources before you can transfer data into a BW. These settings are listed in transaction SBIW in the Settings for Application-Specific DataSources section. You can only find this section in those SAP source systems for which it is relevant.
The following activities are associated with installing BI Content:
Generic DataSources
Regardless of the specific application, you can use generic data extraction to extract data from any transparent tables, database views or SAP Query functional areas. You do not need to program in ABAP. You can also use function modules for generic data extraction.
In this way, you can use your own DataSources for transaction data, master data attributes or texts. The data for such DataSources are read generically and then transferred into the BW.
Generic DataSources allow you to extract data which cannot be supplied to the BW either with the DataSources delivered within BI Content or with customer-defined DataSources of the application.
More information:Maintaining Generic DataSources.
Postprocessing DataSources
You can adapt existing DataSources to suit your requirements as well as edit the application component hierarchy for the DataSources.
For more information, seeEditing DataSources and Application Component Hierarchies .