Precalculating and Distributing Workbooks 

Use

You can use BEx Broadcaster to precalculate and distribute workbooks. The system generates Microsoft Excel workbooks with historic data. You specify the time at which precalculation is to be performed. Workbooks can be precalculated at a predefined time or whenever data in the underlying InfoProvider changes. You can broadcast the precalculated workbooks by e-mail or to the portal, where they can be accessed by the company’s employees.

Procedure

       1.      Choose Tools → Broadcaster from the BEx Analyzer analysis toolbar.

The Tools → Broadcaster option is only visible when a workbook is open. If you only open a query in BEx Analyzer, this broadcasting option is not available.

You can also call the BEx Broadcaster from other areas (see Calling the BEx Broadcaster) and then select the appropriate workbook for broadcasting:

                            a.      Under Settings for Object Type, choose Workbook.

                            b.      Choose Open.

                            c.      Select the required workbook from your history, favorites, or roles.

                            d.      Choose Apply.

       2.      Choose Create New Setting.

The Broadcasting Wizard provides step-by-step instructions for creating the broadcast setting. If you want to use this choose Create New Setting with Wizard.

       3.      Enter a description for the broadcast setting.

       4.      Choose whether you want to broadcast the precalculated workbook by e-mail or to the portal. For more information about the relevant setting options on the corresponding tab pages, see Broadcast by E-Mail and Broadcast to the Portal.

       5.      Select the required output format:

○       MS Excel Workbook

The system generates a Microsoft Excel file containing the precalculated data. Recipients can continue navigating in this file after logging on to BEx Analyzer.

○       Online Link to Current Data

The system generates a URL. Recipients can open the workbook in BEx Analyzer by using the online link and can then continue navigating in it.

       6.      If you want to distribute the workbook as a ZIP file, select ZIP File.

       7.      Choose the Workbook Precalculation tab page.

If the workbook contains variables, you can also specify variable assignment.

Determine Here: You can create the values for input ready variables in the workbook. The workbook is precalculated with these variable values.

Determine from Variants: You can enter the required variant in the Variant field. The workbook is precalculated with the data for this variant.

Specify which precalculation server to use. For this, you have to set up a precalculation server. For more information, see Creating Precalculation Servers.

○       If you want the system to use the first available precalculation server from the precalculation servers set in Customizing, select Select Automatically.

○       If you want the system to use a specific precalculation server, choose Special Server and specify the server.

If this special server is not available, the system terminates.

       8.      If necessary, check your settings by choosing Check and then choose Save.

       9.      Enter a technical name for the broadcast setting and choose Transfer (Apply). The new setting appears in the overview in the upper screen area in BEx Broadcaster.

   10.      If you want to distribute the broadcast setting for the workbook immediately, choose Execute. A new browser window appears displaying the processing status of the broadcast setting. If you want to close the window, choose Cancel.

If you want to distribute the broadcast setting for the workbook at a specific time or when changes are made to the data, choose Schedule. For more information about scheduling broadcast settings, see Scheduling Broadcast Settings.

Result

You have precalculated a workbook and have distributed it according to the chosen setting.

If you have not precalculated the workbook as a ZIP file, the recipients will receive the formatted workbook when they open the file. They can continue navigating in this workbook.

To be able to log on to the BI system and navigate within the file, file recipients need to have BI front end installed locally.

The broadcast setting is listed in the upper screen area in BEx Broadcaster. All broadcast settings that were created for this workbook are displayed here. If you want to edit or delete the broadcast setting, choose Edit orDelete in the context menu for the setting in question.