Linking of Local Attributes to BI Attributes

Use

You use this function to link local attributes in the consolidation system (SEM–BCS) with attributes in SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (BI).

This lets you map local attributes to the BI system for use there in reporting.

Integration

The system maps the local attributes to the linked attributes in the BI system.

Conversely, you can map the linked BI attributes in the consolidation system by means of counter-synchronizing the attributes from the BI system.

In characteristic maintenance, the consolidation system shows the BI attributes of a characteristic on the Other Attributes tab page. If an existing BI attribute is linked to a local attribute, the system does not show it on this tab page.

Prerequisites

The BI attribute in question needs to have the same technical properties as the local attribute you want to link.

Note Note

There is one exception: You can link the BI attribute 0SIGN_REV (a key figure with data type INT4) to the local attribute SIGN (a characteristic with data type CHAR). See also the section “Available Local Attributes”.

End of the note.

The local attribute is not linked to another BI attribute, and vice versa.

Features

You can create links for a selection of attributes that belong to characteristics with the following roles in the consolidation system:

Item
Transaction type
Document type
Consolidation unit
Restatement

You can also create links for a selection of attributes that belong to combinations of consolidation units.

In the process view of the consolidation workbench, you can view a list of the BI attributes to which you can link a local attribute by choosing Start of the navigation path Data Model Next navigation step Data Basis End of the navigation path , and going to the Mapping tab page. The system displays only those BI attributes that are not defined as selection attributes on the Attributes tab page.

For each BI attribute, the system lists all local attributes to which it can be technically linked. You need to decide which links are suitable from an accounting standpoint.

If the local attribute is dependent on the consolidation area , you also need to specify the consolidation area in which the mapping should apply.

If the local attribute is dependent on a special version , you also need to specify the special version (that has the predefined type) in which the mapping should apply.

Available Local Attributes

The following local attributes in the consolidation system can be linked to BI attributes:

Attributes of Characteristics with the Role “Item”

Local Attribute	Required Properties of the BI Attribute
Dr/Cr sign ( SIGN )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–
Dr/Cr sign ( SIGN )	InfoObject type	Key figure
	Type	Integer
	Data type	INT4 (4-byte integer, whole number with +/- sign)
Item type ( ITTYPE )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	NUMC (character string with numerals only)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–

Attributes of Characteristics with the Role “Transaction Type”

Local Attribute	Required Properties of the BI Attribute
Dr/Cr sign ( SIGN )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–
Dr/Cr sign ( SIGN )	InfoObject type	Key figure
	Type	Integer
	Data type	INT4 (4-byte integer, whole number with +/- sign)

Attributes of Characteristics with the Role “Document Type”

Local Attribute	Required Properties of the BI Attribute
Business application ( DOCUSAGE )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–
Deferred taxes – credit ( DTAXCFLG )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–
Deferred taxes – debit ( DTAXDFLG )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–
Tax rate for deferred taxes ( DTAXRATE )	InfoObject type	Key figure
	Type	Number
	Data type	FLTP (floating point number with 8-byte precision)
	Time dependent	Yes
Posting level ( PLEVEL )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
Posting level ( PLEVEL )	Reference characteristic	0CS_PLEVEL
Source of deferred taxes ( DTAXSOURCE )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	CHAR (character string)
	Length	1
	Conversion routine	–

Attributes of Characteristics with the Role “Consolidation Unit”

Local Attribute	Required Properties of the BI Attribute
Local currency ( CURKEY_LC )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Reference characteristic	0CURRENCY
	Time dependent	Yes
Tax rate for deferred taxes ( DTAXRATE )	InfoObject type	Key figure
	Type	Number
	Data type	FLTP (floating point number with 8-byte precision)
	Time dependent	Yes
Period of first data entry ( FISCPERIOD_DE1ST )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	NUMC (character string with numerals only)
	Length	3
	Conversion routine	–
Year of first data entry ( FISCYEAR_DE1ST )	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	NUMC (character string with numerals only)
	Length	4
	Conversion routine	GJAHR

Attribute of Characteristic with the Role “Restatement”

Local Attribute	Required Properties of the BI Attribute
Restatement period	InfoObject type	Characteristic
	Data type	NUMC (character string with numerals only)
	Length	7
	Conversion routine	PERI7

Activities

Follow these steps to link a local attribute in the consolidation system to a BI attribute or to modify an existing link:

If the BI attribute does not yet exist, create an InfoObject with the appropriate properties in the Data Warehousing Workbench.
In the process view of the consolidation workbench, choose Data Model Data Basis on the Mapping tab page and assign a local attribute to the BI attribute. To do so, click on the entry for the BI attribute in the Local Attribute column and choose the local attribute from the selection list.

If the local attribute is dependent on the consolidation area, the system adds to the CA column a consolidation area in which the link should apply. You can change the proposed consolidation area.

If the local attribute is dependent on the special version, the system adds to the special version column a special version in which the link should apply. You can change the proposed special version to the predefined special version type.

Once you save the link, the system maps the local attribute in the BI system. The BI attribute no longer appears on the Other Attributes tab page in characteristic maintenance in the consolidation workbench.

Example

Task at Hand

In the consolidation system, the attribute Year of First Consolidation is dependent on the special version. For reporting purposes, you want to map this local attribute in the BI system for the special versions 100 und 200 only.

Solution

You launch the Data Warehousing Workbench and create two InfoObjects (for example, YEAR100 and YEAR200 ) with the following properties:

Required Properties of the BI Attributes

InfoObject type	Characteristic
Data type	NUMC (character string with numerals only)
Length	4
Conversion routine	GJAHR

In the consolidation workbench, you link the BI attribute YEAR100 with the local attribute Year of First Consolidation in special version 100 , and you link the BI attribute YEAR200 with the local attribute Year of First Consolidation in special version 200 .