Creating Analytic Indexes in Analysis Process Designer

Prerequisites

You are using a SAP HANA database or a SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator (BWA).

Context

An analytic index is a data container whose data is stored in the BW Accelerator or in the SAP HANA database.

The analytic index is used to generate a TransientProvider. This is an InfoProvider that a BEx query can be executed on without the need for the InfoProvider to be modeled in the Data Warehousing Workbench or the data to be replicated. The modeling is derived from an application, from the analytic index in this case.

Analytic indexes can be created and filled with (transformed) data quickly. They are intended for ad-hoc scenarios. They can also be created as InfoProviders without reference to InfoObjects. They are therefore not integrated into the metadata repository and cannot be transported.

Note

Note that a backup and restore process is not implemented on the system for analytic indexes. To store the data on a long-term basis, you should select a different InfoProvider type.

Note

Analytic indexes that are generated by SAP HANA models being published to the BW system cannot be used as data targets in Analysis Process Designer. The data is not stored in the analytic index in this case. It simply represents a view of the data contained in SAP HANA.

The analytic index stores its data in a star schema. The characteristics of an analytic index are stored in the dimensions. These dimensions can carry attributes. Last Name is a possible attribute of User for example. The analyzed key figures such as Sales or Sales Quantities are stored in the fact table and are called facts.

As well as the fact and dimension data, an analytic index can also contain authorization data. Like with analysis authorizations, this authorization data ensures that users can only display data in the query if they are authorized. When data in an analytic index is created, changed, loaded or deleted, this is logged in the application log under Analytic Index (AIND). The authorizations for these actions are assigned using authorization object S_RS_AINX.

Procedure

Specify an InfoArea to assign the analytic index to. The analytic index is not displayed under this InfoArea in Data Warehousing Workbench, but the assignment is required to open a query in Query Designer.
Select a loading type. You can load the facts with or without keys. Without keys, new data records are always added. With keys, data records with new key combinations are added, while data records with existing key combinations are changed.
Tab Page Dimensions:
If you have selected Fact Index with Key, you can flag the dimension as part of the key. If this flag is set, the dimension is added to the physical fact index as part of the key. When loading a new record to the fact index, it overwrites any existing records that have exactly the same key parts.
By choosing Attributes, you can assign attributes and flag them as navigation attributes. Attributes can be used to display other properties for selection or query navigation.
You can assign InfoObjects: This results in the metadata on the flat view of the data becoming a multidimensional view.
The assignment supports you in the following two scenarios:
- When loading data: The assigned characteristic makes it possible to assign fields automatically in Analysis Process Designer in order to connect the source structure with the target structure for the analytic index. You can also change the assignment by specifying the characteristic name instead of the dimension name when loading authorization data.
- In Reporting: If you have set the Reference InfoObject flag for the dimension, the properties of the characteristic will be used for the analysis, meaning that display attributes and hierarchies can be used. To do this, you need to make sure that all dimension data also exists in the characteristic master data.
You can set the Reference InfoObject Metadata flag.
Transient InfoObjects OLAP reporting are derived for from the dimensions and key figures of an analytical index. These InfoObjects therefore do not belong to the BW Repository. These transient InfoObjects can reference existing InfoObjects if you set this flag.

If this flag is set for a dimension, the properties of the referenced characteristic are used. This ensures that all master data attributes, hierarchies and authorizations for the characteristic are available during the analysis. The display attributes of the analytic index are then replaced by the InfoObject attributes. The authorizations for the referenced characteristic support "flat" conditions, but do not support hierarchies. If this flag is set for a key figure, the properties of the referenced key figure are used (like display).

Note
If this flag is set when the query is executed, the facts are converted to the data type of the InfoObject. This can cause loss of data (rounding of key figures, cutting off dimensions(. You should try to make sure that these losses of data do not occur.
You can select the dimensions as authorization-relevant. If this flag is set, the system runs a check when executing a query on the TransientProvider and navigating in a query to ensure that the user is authorized for all dimension data flowing into the result set. The data for the TransientProvider is only displayed if this is the case.
You then have to load the authorizations too.

If you have defined that the dimension references an InfoObject, the InfoObject then decides about authorization-relevance. The analysis authorizations for the InfoObject are then analyzed when the query is executed.
You can specify a data element that allows proposals when making the field assignment in Analysis Process Designer. This is only necessary if the data source also contains data elements, for example with database tables.
Tab Page Key Figures:
The options here are similar to on the Dimensions tab page, with the difference that the attributes in the Unit Dimension column can be entered.
Tab Page Data:
This provides you with an overview of the data loaded so far. Under Others, you see the memory space needed by the administration data needed to create SIDs.
By choosing Where-Used List on the Data tab page, you can see which analysis process was used to load the data in each load run. By choosing Where-Used List in the toolbar in the analytic index, you can also view the analysis processes that read the data from the analytic index and the queries that display the data.
By choosing Monitor on the Data tab page, you can call the monitor for individual load runs. By choosing Monitor in the toolbar in the analytic index, you can view the monitor for the entire analytic index.
Check the analytic index and activate it. When the analytical index is activated, the TransientProvider is generated and the name of the derived characteristic is displayed in the Derived InfoObject column. Below this, this dimension is displayed in a query on the TransientProvider.
The TransientProvider is given a generic name with the prefix @3.

Caution
After an analytic index has been created in a structure, it cannot be changed. Note in particular that you cannot add any new dimensions or attributes.