Function documentationDefinition of Data Streams

 

You use this function to define data streams for totals records, documents, and the additional financial data you want to use in the consolidation system.

Data can be read from all assigned data streams, and data can be written to all data streams. The following types of data streams are available:

Data Stream

Required/Optional

Application

Totals records

Required

This data stream primarily defines the data basis. It defines the characteristics and key figures available in the data model.

Documents

Optional

For the posting documents that are generated in consolidation

Inventory data

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred inventory

Supplier data

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred inventory

Supplier share

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred inventory

Assets/liabilities

Optional

Capitalization and valuation allowances

Noncurrent assets

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred assets

Noncurrent assets (consolidated)

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred assets

Asset transfers

Optional

Elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred assets

Third-party investment

Optional

Consolidation of investments (business combinations)

Investments

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Equity

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Equity holdings adjustments

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Goodwill

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Activity numbers

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Sequence of activities

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Activity sorting

Optional

Consolidation of investments

Integration

The data streams are assigned to the data basis.

Prerequisites

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

Features

For the data streams you want to use, you make the following settings in Customizing for the data basis on the Data Streams tab page:

  • For each data stream type you want to use (except for totals records), you need to assign or generate a data target.

  • As an option, for each data stream you can also assign or generate a virtual InfoProvider for reporting purposes.

  • As an option, for the data stream Totals Records you can use a MultiProvider to make further settings for reporting.

Assignment of Data Targets

You either assign the data streams to existing data targets, or let the system generate the data targets. (See the section "Generate Data Targets and Virtual InfoProviders".)

The system uses the following InfoProviders as data targets for the data streams:

  • InfoCube for totals records

    This only adds new data records and updates key figures.

  • ODS objects for all other data streams (documents, additional financial data)

    This also updates characteristics (which is needed for activities such as posting reversal entries).

You can generate database lists for InfoCubes and ODS objects in the consolidation system. To do this, navigate to the process view of the consolidation workbench and choose one of the functions under Start of the navigation path Analysis Next navigation step List Data End of the navigation path.

Assignment of Virtual InfoProviders for Reporting

For business reporting, you can also assign or generate a virtual InfoProvider for each type of data stream. (See the section "Generate Data Targets and Virtual InfoProviders".) This does not apply to the data streams for activity numbers and the sequence of activities.

For more information, see Data Staging in the Virtual InfoProvider.

Assignments for Reporting with MultiProviders

For the data stream Totals Records, you can make further settings for reporting based on a MultiProvider.

The consolidation system supports the following scenarios for MultiProvider reporting, in particular:

  • MultiProvider Reporting with Delta Load

    The MultiProvider reads the data from an additional InfoCube (called the reporting InfoCube) and a virtual InfoProvider. The reporting InfoCube retrieves its data over data mart transfer from the transactional InfoCube for totals records. Data preparation required for the business report occurs in a Business Add-In (BAdI). The virtual InfoProvider merely returns the data that has not yet been recorded in the reporting InfoCube since the last data mart transfer.

    You can generate the complete delta load scenario on the Data Streams tab page.

    For more information, see MultiProvider Reporting in the Delta Load Scenario.

  • MultiProvider Reporting with an Additional Virtual InfoProvider

    The MultiProvider reads the data for closed periods from an additional InfoCube (called the reporting InfoCube) and the data for open periods from an additional virtual InfoProvider. The reporting InfoCube retrieves its data over data mart transfer from the virtual InfoProvider. Both the virtual InfoProvider and the additional virtual InfoProvider retrieve their data for reporting from the transactional InfoCube for totals records, and prepare the data for reporting.

    You can generate both the virtual InfoProvider and the additional virtual InfoProvider on the Data Streams tab page.

    For more information, see MultiProvider Reporting with an Additional Virtual InfoProvider.

Activities

Generate Data Targets and Virtual InfoProviders

To automatically generate the data targets and virtual InfoProviders, perform the following steps (see also the example below):

  1. In the process view of the consolidation workbench, go to Start of the navigation path Data Model Next navigation step Data Basis End of the navigation path, choose your data basis, and go to the Data Streams tab page.

    The InfoCube for totals records appears in the first row. This setting results from the definition on the Field Catalog tab page and is shown here merely for informational purposes.

  2. Allow the system to automatically generate the remaining rows for the documents and additional financial data. To generate the data target for a data stream, do the following:

    1. Either enter the name in the row assigned to the data stream in the Data Target column, or leave the name field blank.

    2. Select the Generated indicator to the left of the Data Target column.

    3. Generation starts when you save the data basis.

      You can generate multiple data targets and virtual InfoProviders at the same time.

    The system uses the name you specified when it generates the ODS objects for the selected data targets. If you left the name blank, the system also generates the name of the ODS object.

  3. You should also allow the system to generate the virtual InfoProviders for reporting (including those for the totals records). To generate the virtual InfoProvider for a data stream, do the following:

    1. Either enter the name in the Virtual InfoProvider column assigned to the data stream, or leave the name field blank.

    2. Select the Generated indicator to the left of the Virtual InfoProvider column.

    3. Generation starts when you save the data basis.

      You can generate multiple data targets and virtual InfoProviders at the same time.

    The system uses the name you specified when it generates the virtual InfoProviders for the selected virtual InfoProviders. If you left the name blank, the system also generates the name of the virtual InfoProvider.

    Note Note

    You also can use the Generate Data Basis function to start the generation. As compared to the procedure described earlier, this function has this special feature:

    This function allows you to generate the data basis even if you have no change authorization or you are currently in display mode. This is often the case in live systems. However, it may be necessary to change Customizing settings in feeder systems. These settings are then transported to the live system. If this merely transports the changes in the consolidation system (SEM–BCS), but not the referenced objects in SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (BI), you need to synchronize the data model of the consolidation system with BI afterwards. To do this, you use this function.

    End of the note.

Once the ODS objects and virtual InfoProviders have been successfully generated, you can use the data streams for the consolidation functions and the virtual InfoProviders for reporting. You can assign or generate additional data targets and virtual InfoProviders later on (on the Data Streams tab page).

Example

The figure below depicts a section of the Data Streams tab page. The sequence numbers refer to the steps outlined in the "Generate Data Targets and Virtual InfoProviders" section.