Defining Grouping Mode
There are several options for defining how the objects of BI Content should be collected before they are copied to the active version and transported.
By default, only those objects are collected that are absolutely necessary in order to activate and transport an object. If you also want to take additional dependencies between the objects into consideration when you collect objects, you can make a selection using a grouping mode.
More information: Object Dependencies and Consistency
In the right pane, select the objects of the BI Content to be collected by choosing 
.
The different ways in which you can group the objects are described in the next sections.
Required objects only
Only those objects that are really required for the action (copying or transporting the selected objects) are taken into account (minimal selection).
The following applies for InfoObjects and InfoCubes, for example:
With InfoObjects, the corresponding attributes are collected, as are the application components to which the InfoObjects are assigned.
With InfoCubes, the InfoObjects contained in the InfoCube are collected along with the InfoArea. The attributes and application components are also collected recursively for the InfoObjects found in this way.
Data Flow Before
The objects that pass data to a collected object are collected.
If your start point is an InfoCube, all the objects that are in the data flow before the InfoCube, and are therefore necessary for providing data to the InfoCube, are collected. This includes transformation rules and InfoSources, for example.
In order to activate these objects, all the corresponding objects required for these objects have to be collected in addition. To activate an InfoSource, you may also require InfoObjects that are not contained in the InfoCube and have therefore not been collected yet. However, the objects that are in the data flow before the additional objects are not collected.
The figure below illustrates this:
If you are collecting data In Data Flow Before, note the following about DataSources:
The BW system collects the DataSources for those objects that are at most one level before the selected object. This is sufficient to provide transaction and master data.
If the selected object is for example an InfoCube, as in the above figure, the following DataSources are collected:
DataSources from which the corresponding InfoSource supplies transaction data to the InfoCube
DataSources that contain the original master data of the InfoObjects contained in the InfoCube (characteristics of the InfoProvider as well as their display and navigation attributes). No DataSources are collected for the attributes of these InfoObjects.
The following is valid for activating DataSource with the option Data Flow Before if the D versions of the DataSources exist in the BW system: When you collect the objects, the system checks whether you have the authorization to activate DataSources in the source system remotely from the BW system. When you trigger the copying of BI Content to the active version in the BW system, the results of the authorization check refer to the cache. The system either gives a warning or performs the activation and then replicates the active DataSources. BW Service API with Release SAP NetWeaver 7.0 (Plug-In Basis 2005.1) in the source system and BW are prerequisites for this. If this prerequisite is not met, you have to activate DataSources in the source system and replicate them in BW afterwards.
More information: Installing the Business Content DataSources in Active Version
Data Flow Afterwards
The objects that receive data from a collected object are collected.
If your start point is an InfoCube, all the objects that are in the data flow after the InfoCube, and are therefore reporting objects that display the data stored in the InfoCube, are collected. This includes queries and Web templates, for example. In order to activate these objects, all the corresponding objects required for these objects have to be collected in addition. To activate a role, you may also require additional workbooks that are based on other InfoCubes. However, the objects that are in the data flow after the additional objects are not collected. The additional workbooks cannot be used for reporting unless they are installed from the BI Content by some other means.
The following figure illustrates this in more detail:
Data Flow Before and Afterwards
All objects that pass or receive data are collected.
For example, if you are using an InfoCube, the objects required to activate the InfoCube are collected together with other objects that are required to activate those objects as well. This includes objects positioned both before and after the InfoCube in the data flow.
Based on the InfoCube, the evaluation string and all incoming data streams are then activated. In this way the data streams are completed, enabling a complete evaluation in the workbooks.
If you set the In Data Flow Before and Afterwards or In Data Flow Afterwards indicators, the system does not collect all objects. This is due to performance reasons.
Use the In data flow before and after option only if you want to collect and install a small number of objects.
Optional objects
In the context menu, you can select the Add Optional Objects option. The where-used list is called and all objects that use the selected object are added. In addition, all objects required for these objects are collected. Otherwise it may not be possible to activate these objects.
For example, an InfoCube can be used by transformation rules and queries.
Backup of System Copy (Only in Transport Connection function area)
There is the additional option Save For System Copy for the grouping in the Transport Connection function area.
We recommend you make this setting when a source system needs to be copied and renamed.
You can avoid having to re-create objects for both SAP systems and BW systems in the following way:
Collect objects dependent on the source system in BW.
Save these to a request.
Export the request.
Delete the objects and rename the source system. Maintain the mapping table RSLOGSYSMAP so that the old system name Original Source System is changed to the new system as Target Source System.
More information: Defining the Target Source System
Import the request, to which you saved the objects dependent on the source system.