Use

You use this scenario when running reports for a consolidation system with a large volume of data.

Using an additional virtual InfoProvider increases performance because the preparation of data for the closed periods is performed beforehand. (Compare the use of only one virtual InfoProvider described in Data Staging in the Virtual InfoProvider .) In this way, when the MultiProvider query is executed, only the data for the open periods needs to be prepared for reporting.

Integration

The Consolidation Workbench contains functions that support the configuration of this scenario.

Prerequisites

You have assigned the InfoCube for totals records, and (if applicable) you have assigned the InfoObject catalogs for characteristics and key figures in the data basis. (See the “Field Catalog” section in Data Basis .)

Features

The following figure illustrates this scenario:

First, the consolidation data for the closed periods is read from the InfoCube for totals records, prepared for consolidation, and staged in the virtual InfoProvider. Using the data mart interface , the data is replicated in the reporting InfoCube at regular intervals, and the reporting InfoCube itself serves as the data basis for reporting. This method replicates entire periods only. If entries are posted to a period that is already closed, the system again prepares the consolidation data for the closed period plus any subsequent periods that are closed, and transfers the data via data mart to the reporting InfoCube.

When the MultiProvider query is executed, an additional virtual InfoProvider stages the data for the open periods from the InfoCube for totals records and sends it to the MultiProvider. The additional virtual InfoProvider has the same structure as the virtual InfoProvider. You can generate both the virtual InfoProvider and the additional virtual InfoProvider in Customizing for the data basis (see the “Activities” section below).

The MultiProvider provides a centralized and uniform means of access to all of the data that is staged in the reporting InfoCube and the additional virtual InfoProvider.

The Consolidation Workbench lets you define selection criteria (fiscal year and period) for reading from the reporting InfoCube and the additional virtual InfoProvider. The system then populates the two InfoProviders with the data according to the criteria defined in Customizing. This keeps the data of the two InfoProviders connected to the MultiProvider separate. As a result, the queries assigned to the MultiProvider do not need to compute a single continuous, non-overlapping set of data from the two sets of data using various selection conditions and formulas.

Activities

To use MultiProviders in reporting, proceed as follows:

Generate the virtual InfoProvider for the InfoCube for totals records. To do this, in the Consolidation Workbench run Customizing for the data basis and go to the Data Streams tab page. For the Totals Records data stream, select the Generated indicator to the left of the Virtual InfoProvider column and save the data basis. (See also the section “Generate Data Targets and Virtual InfoProviders” in Definition of Data Streams .)

The system generates the virtual InfoProvider.

Example

The MultiProvider retrieves the data for periods 00 – 11 from the reporting InfoCube, and the data for period 12 from the additional virtual InfoProvider. This means that you specified period 11 under  Analysis Reporting Settings for MultiProvider Reporting (see earlier).