Once the BEx Web applications have been created and made available, users can access them in the SAP NetWeaver Portal and change the view on the data as needed using various navigation functions. Different navigation functions are available, depending on the Web items that have been included in the Web application.
Navigation Using Drag and Drop
In a Web application, data is displayed in tables in the standard setting. You can use various navigation functions and additional areas, like the navigation pane and the filter pane, for data analysis purposes.
The navigation pane displays the navigational state of a data provider. All the characteristics and structures of the data provider are listed. The navigational state specifies which characteristics and key figures are located in the columns, cells and free characteristics, and the order in which they are displayed. The filter pane displays the characteristics of the data provider and enables users to filter characteristics according to their characteristic values.
You can change the drilldown state of the query view in a Web application using drag and drop and display the required detailed information. For example, if you swap the axes in the navigation area using drag and drop, the analysis grid changes accordingly. For example, to get a detailed view that shows what the number of a certain cell consists of, drag the corresponding characteristic or corresponding characteristic value from the navigation pane to the cell in the analysis grid using drag and drop.
Navigation Using Context Menu
The context menu also offers a number of navigation and analysis functions in the analysis grid, navigation pane, charts and maps. You can access these functions with a secondary mouse click on the text of a cell (characteristic, characteristic value, or structural component).
The context menu offers various functions, depending on the cell, the Web item and the settings when designing the BEx Web application:
Some of the most important standard functions are listed below:
Undoes the last navigation step on the underlying data provider.
Filters the data according to various criteria:
You can select values for characteristics and structures in order to filter the Web application.
In one work step you can filter a characteristic on one value and drill down on the same axis according to a different characteristic.
If you only want to see the data for one characteristic value, you can define this value as the filter value. The characteristic itself is removed from the drilldown.
Changes the display of the data. You can add a characteristic to the drilldown at exactly the required position. Furthermore, you can swap a characteristic or structure with another characteristic or another structure or swap the axes of the query.
Generates a print version of the Web application as a PDF file.
Broadcasts the Web application to other users by e-mail or in the portal. Alternatively you can schedule the Web application for printing or export it to Microsoft Excel.
Goes to other queries, Web applications or Web-enabled reports, functions and transactions within and outside of the SAP NetWeaver BW system.
BEx Web Analyzer
The BEx Web Analyzer is a tool for data analysis that is called with a URL or as an iView in the portal. In the Web Analyzer you can open a data provider (query, query view, InfoProvider, external data source) and generate views on BW data (query views) using ad-hoc analysis. The query views can be used as data providers for further BEx applications. You can also save and broadcast the results of your ad hoc analysis.