Tab Page: Business Explorer
Use
On this tab page you determine the properties that are required in the Business Explorer for reporting on or analyzing characteristics.
Structure
General Settings
You can make the following settings for the InfoObjects contained in the InfoProvider on an InfoProvider by InfoProvider basis. The settings are only valid in the relevant InfoProvider. See also Additional Functions in InfoCube Maintenance and Additional Functions in DataStore Object Maintenance.
Display
For characteristics with texts: Under Display, you select whether you want to display text in the Business Explorer and if yes, which text. You can choose from the following display options: No Display, Key, Text, Key and Text, or Text and Key. This setting can be overwritten in queries.
Text Type
For characteristics and texts: In this field you set whether you want to display short, medium or long text in the Business Explorer.
Description BEx
In this field, you determine the description that appears for this characteristic in the Business Explorer. You choose between the long and short descriptions of the characteristic. This setting can be overwritten in queries. More information: Priority Rule with Formatting Settings.
Selection
The selection describes if and how the characteristic values have to be restricted in queries. If you choose the Unique for Every Cell option, the characteristic must be restricted to one value in each column and in each structure of all the queries. You cannot use this characteristic in aggregates. Typical examples of this kind of characteristic are Plan/Actual ID or Value Type.
Filter Selection in Query Definition
This field describes how the selection of filter values or the restriction of characteristics is determined when you define a query.
When you restrict characteristics, the values from the master data table are usually displayed. For characteristics that do not have master data tables, the values from the SID Table are displayed instead. In many cases it is more useful to only display those values that are also contained in an InfoProvider. Therefore you can also choose the setting Only Values in InfoProvider.
Filter Selection in Query Execution
This field tells you how the selection of filter values is determined when a query is executed.
When queries are executed, the selection of filter values is usually determined by the data that is selected by the query. This means that only the values for which data has been selected in the current navigation status are displayed.
In many cases, however, it can be useful to include additional values. Therefore you can also choose the settings Only Values in InfoProvider and Values in Master Data Table. If you make this selection, however, you may get the message “No data found” when you select your filter values.
These settings for input help can also be overwritten in the query. More information: Priority Rule with Formatting Settings.
Filter Display in Query Execution
This field tells you how the display of filter values is determined when a query is executed.
If the characteristic has few characteristic values, you can display the values as a dropdown list box.
Base Unit of Measure
You specify a unit InfoObject of type unit of measure. The unit InfoObject must be an attribute of the characteristic. This unit InfoObject is used when quantities are converted for the master data-bearing characteristic in the Business Explorer.
More information: Quantity Conversion.
Unit of Measure for Characteristic
You can define units of measure for the characteristic. The system hereby creates a DataStore object for units of measure.
You can specify the name of the quantity DataStore object, the description, and the InfoArea into which you want to add the object. The system proposes the name: UOM<Name of InfoObject to which the quantity DataStore Object is being added>.
More information: Prerequisites for InfoObject-Specific Quantity Conversion.
Currency Attribute
You select a unit InfoObject of type currency that you have created as an attribute for the characteristic. In this way, you can define variable target currencies in the currency translation types. The target currency is then determined from the master data upon currency translation in the Business Explorer and when loading dynamically. Also see the example Defining Target Currencies Using InfoObjects.
Authorization Relevance
You choose whether a particular characteristic is included in the authorization check when you are working with the query.
Mark a characteristic as authorization-relevant if you want to create authorizations that restrict the selection conditions for this characteristic to single characteristic values.
You can only mark the characteristic as Not Authorization-Relevant if it is no longer being used as a field for the authorization object.
More Information:
BEx Map
Geographical Type
For each geo-relevant characteristic you have to specify a geographical type. There are four options to choose from.
...
1. Static geo-characteristic: For this type you can use shape files (country borders, for example), to display the characteristic on a map in the Business Explorer.
2. Dynamic Geo-Characteristic: For this type geo-attributes are generated that make it possible, for example, to display customers as a point on a map.
3. Dynamic Geo-Characteristic with Attribute Values: For this type the geo-attributes of a geo-characteristic of type 2, which is an attribute, are used.
4. Static geo-characteristic with geo-attributes: Just like static geo-characteristics, with the addition of generated geo-attributes.
See also Static and Dynamic Geo-Characteristics.
If you choose the Not a Geo-Characteristic option, this characteristic cannot be used as a geo-characteristic for displaying information on the BEx Map. Geographical attributes of the InfoObject (such as 0LONGITUDE, 0ALTITUDE) are deleted.
Geographical Attribute
If you have selected the Dynamic Geo-Characteristic with Attribute Values geographical type for the characteristic, on this tab page you specify the characteristic attribute whose geo-attributes you want to use.
Uploading Shapefiles
For static geo-characteristics: Use this function to upload the geo-information files that are assigned to the characteristic. These files are stored in the BDS as files that logically belong to the characteristic.
See also Shapefiles.
Downloading Geo-Data
For dynamic geo-characteristics: You use this function to load the master data for a characteristic to your PC, where you can use your GIS tool to geocode the data. You use a flat file to load the data again as a normal data load into the relevant BI master data table.