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Object documentation VirtualProvider Based on the Data Transfer Process Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

Definition

VirtualProviders whose transaction data for reporting is read directly from an SAP system via a DataSource or an InfoProvider.

Use

Use this VirtualProvider if

     You need very up-to-date data from an SAP source system

     You only access a small amount of data from time to time

     Only a few users execute queries simultaneously on the database.

Do not use this VirtualProvider if

     You request a large amount of data in the first query navigation step, and no appropriate aggregates are available in the source system

     A lot of users execute queries simultaneously

     You frequently access the same data

Structure

This type of VirtualProvider is defined based on a DataSource or an InfoProvider and takes on its characteristics and key figures. Unlike other VirtualProviders, you do not need to program interfaces in the source system. You use the same extractors to select data in the source system as you use to replicate data into the BI system. When you execute a query, every navigation step sends a request to the extractors in the assigned source systems. The selection of characteristics together with the selection criteria for these characteristics is transformed, according to the transformation rules, to fields of the transfer structure. They are passed on to the extractor in this form. The delivered data records pass through the transfer rules in the BI system and are then filtered into the query again.

Since master data and hierarchies are not read directly by the source system, they need to be available in the BI system before you execute a query.

If you have specified a constant in the transformation rules, the data is transferred only if this constant can be fulfilled. With more complex transformations such as routines or formulas, the selections cannot be transferred. It takes longer to read the data in the source system because the amount of data is not limited. To prevent this you can create an inversion routine for every transfer routine. Inversion is not possible with formulas, which is why we recommend that you use formulas instead of routines.

See also:

Creating VirtualProviders Based on DataSources/InfoProviders

 

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