Creating Transformations

You are in the Modeling area in the Data Warehousing Workbench.

1. In the InfoProvider tree, choose Create Transformation in the context menu for your InfoProvider.

2. Choose the source for your transformation and choose Create Transformation.

3. The system proposes a transformation. The proposal is generated on the basis of a comparison with existing transformations. The system also checks for Basis InfoObjects that can be assigned (UNIT to 0UNIT for example) or whether the DataSource can be assigned to InfoObjects while editing the DataSource.

   You can accept the proposed transformation or modify it. On the left side of the screen, you see the source. On the right side of the screen, you see the rule group. To show the target as well, choose Switch Detail View On/Off.

   Note

   For InfoCubes with non-cumulative key figures, you cannot change the transformation proposed by the system. These transformation rules fill the time reference characteristic of the InfoCube. All other time characteristics are automatically derived from the time-reference characteristic.

4. Using the mouse, you can create new connecting arrows or change existing ones. You can delete a connecting arrow by choosing the relevant entry in the context menu for the arrow.

5. Under , you can do the following:

   • Allow currency translation and unit conversion for InfoSources and DataStore objects. As a prerequisite for this, all currencies and units of measure must be contained in the key of the target.

   • Activate the consistency check for units of measure. This allows you to prevent records from being updated with initial units of measure for example.

6. You can activate the check for referential integrity in the rule group for single characteristics.

   The check for referential integrity determines the validity of a characteristic's value before it is updated. The system checks if the master data table (attribute table) or DataStore object specified in the InfoObject maintenance for this characteristic contains an entry for this characteristic. If no entries are found, an error message is displayed. If a characteristic does not contain any attributes, the check is not offered.

7. If you double-click an InfoObject in the transformation group, the maintenance screen for the rule details is displayed. You can do the following:

   • Select a rule type.

     More information: Rule Type

   • Activate the conversion routine, if one has been created. This is deactivated in the default setting, as the system assumes that the DataSource provides the internal format. The data should generally be in an internal format. This means that the conversion exit should be executed in the DataSource if possible. Only conversion routines ALPHA, GJAHR, NUMCV, PERI6 and PERI7 are supported.

     More information: Conversion Routines in the BW System

   • With key figures, you can specify a transformation type and define a currency translation or quantity conversion. See:

     Currency Translation During Transformation

     Quantity Conversion During Transformation.

   • Using the InfoObject Assignment field for a source field, you can assign an InfoObject to a DataSource from which the data is to be read. This is required to read master data and for currency translations and quantity conversions. See:

     Assigning InfoObjects for Reading Master Data

     Assigning InfoObjects for Converting Amounts or Currencies

     Assigning InfoObjects for Time Conversion

     Note

     Conversion and transfer routines are not executed for assigned InfoObjects.

   • With Test Rule, you can check whether source values are updated to the target (to analyze errors in complex routines for example). See Testing Rules.

8. To create additional rule groups, choose  Rule Group   New Rule Group .

9. Choose Start Routine and End Routine to create the corresponding routines for your transformation.

   See Routines in Transformations.

10. You can select source fields for the semantic grouping by choosing . Data records with the same values in the selected fields thus form a logical key and are processed together in a package.

    This setting must be considered in combination with the settings for semantic groups in DTP:

    If handling data records with errors is activated, only the sources fields of key fields can be selected in DTP. The actual grouping uses the intersection of these selected key fields and the fields selected from the transformation for semantic grouping.

    If handling data records with errors is switched off, all the sources fields that were also selected in the transformation can be selected in DTP. The selection of the semantic group is formed from this intersection.

    If handling data records with errors is switched off, and no source fields have been selected in the transformation for the semantic grouping, all the source fields can be selected in DTP. This function has been retained for compatibility reasons, due to it not being possible to display source fields for the semantic grouping in the transformation. We recommend selecting the fields in the transformation however.

    See: Example: Conditional Update through Semantic Grouping.

11. If you want to follow changes to your InfoProvider over a given period, you can create a manual version. To do this, choose  Goto  Version Management  in the main menu.

    More information: Version Management

12. By choosing  Extras  Table View , you can display the metadata from the transformation as a table (in HTML format), for documentation purposes for example. You can use the context menu to print the Table View.

13. Activate the transformation.

    Note

    If you have installed a program for creating PDF files, you can print the graphical user interface as well as the table view of the transformation in PDF format.