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Using Precalculated Value Sets (Buckets)Locate this document in the navigation structure

Use

A bucket is a precalculated value set that is stored either in a database table or in an index in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator and can be used as a filter in a BEx query.

The filter is defined in a BEx query as a variable of type Precalculated Value Set and executed at runtime. It is important here that the filter is executed on the database or in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator before all the data from the bucket has to be loaded to OLAP processing. This makes for significant runtime improvements if large amounts of data are processed in the bucket.

A variable that refers to buckets can only be used as a filter in characteristic restrictions. It cannot be used in default values, structure elements and the like.

To fill a bucket with data, you can either use a reference table or add the data directly.

Procedure

You are in the Bucket Definition screen (transaction RSBUCKET).

To create a bucket, proceed as follows:

  1. Select the characteristic that you want to create a bucket for.
  2. Specify the name of the bucket.
    Note

    Input help is provided for existing buckets.

  3. You can also enter a description.
  4. If you want to use an existing reference table, select Use Existing Sources. You can select the reference table under Existing Table or Index. The system can read the data either from a specified column in a database table (that is known to the ABAP DDIC) or from a column in an index in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator.
    1. To view the content of a table or index, press Display Table/Index.
      Caution

      Note that displaying a large table can be time-consuming if a large number of rows is set as standard for it in the Data Browser (transaction SE16). You can also expect long runtimes when displaying data from a large index in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator. You do have the option however of refining the display and thus minimizing the number of values that are actually displayed.

    2. To create an index from a table, press Create Index from DB Table.
      Note

      This function is particularly useful when using InfoCubes in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator. When doing this, all of the data in the table has to be loaded to the working memory, meaning that the size is restricted here too. The name of the index that is created contains a prefix. This prefix is made up of the system name and a special namespace 0BW:RST:<SID>:<Name>, where <SID> is the system name and <Name> the name of the table.

    3. Specify whether the reference is an ABAP table or a index in SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator (flag for Reference table is an index in BWA).
    4. Choose either key values (by selecting Table/index contains keys) or SID values (by selecting Table/index contains SIDs).
    5. In the Field Name in Table/Index field, specify the column that you want the characteristic values to be read from.
  5. If you do not want to use an existing reference table, do not select Use Existing Sources. You can select the characteristic values under Characteristic Values of the Bucket. You can select the values manually, copy them from the buffer or upload them from files.
  6. To save your settings, press Save.
Result

The system has precalculated the required value set, which is now available in the form of a bucket. You can use this bucket in a BEx query to define a variable of type Precalculated Value Set (seeDetails).