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Process documentationEnhancing the Dashboard Framework with User Apps

 

In the Dashboard Framework, SAP delivers a lot of dashboards and apps, to show you the status and performance of your managed systems and applications. You can configure these dashboards and apps according to your requirements (see Configuring Dashboards). You can also change the layout of existing apps, or create and register your own apps in the Dashboard Framework.

If you want to put your own apps in the Dashboard Framework, you should understand the architecture of the Dashboard Framework. The most important details for the app developer are:

  • An app typically comprises two parts, the standard app itself, which shows performance or availability values in a dashboard, and a configuration app, in which the user can set, texts, threshold values, filters or other values, to determine the values displayed by the standard app. These two apps are a pair of partner apps.

  • The data displayed comes mostly from the SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse. To use this data in an app, create a BW query.

  • You create the user interface of the apps with the program Dashboard and Presentation Design (Xcelsius), an SAP BusinessObjects product. To create your own apps, you need a license.

    Caution Caution

    The Dashboard Framework currently only supports versions since Xcelsius 2008.

    End of the caution.

    You create connections for the data transfer of the app, in Xcelsius. Data could be transferred, for example, from the configuration app to the standard app, from a BW query (the source of the data to be displayed) to the app, or from the configuration app to the BW query, to filter the BW data.

    All data from or to an app or configuration app is transferred using Xcelsius connections.

    Note Note

    For information about using Xcelsius, see the SAP Help Portal (http://help.sap.comInformation published on SAP site) under Start of the navigation path Analytics Next navigation step Business Intelligence Next navigation step Dashboards (Xcelsius) Next navigation step Xcelsius 2008 Service Pack 4 End of the navigation path.

    End of the note.

  • Another type of app is the context app. Like the configuration app, it sets the conditions for the app data to be displayed, but for all apps with relevant connections in a dashboard, not just one app. A context app in a dashboard is always displayed.

  • Export the user interface as a Flash file (file extension SWF) in Xcelsius, to display the app user interface in a dashboard.

  • To be able to show your own apps in a dashboard, you must register it in the Dashboard Framework registration tool. You must specify how the data is transferred via the Xcelsius connections.

Note Note

For an example of how to create an app, its configuration app and a BW query, and register the apps in the Dashboard Framework, with Xcelsius, work through the Tutorial: Creating and Registering Dashboard Apps.

End of the note.

Process

Calling the Registration Tool

The registration tool is the Web Dynpro application dashboard_apploader. Call a Web Dynpro application as follows:

  1. In the SAP Easy Access menu, call Start of the navigation path Favorites Next navigation step Add Other Objects End of the navigation path.

  2. From the list in the Restrictions screen, choose Web-Dynpro Applications.

  3. On the Web Dynpro Application screen, in the Web Dynpro Application field, enter the name dashboard_apploader.

  4. Enter a description, for example Registration of Apps, and complete the creation of the new entry.

Note Note

Log on in English when you call the registration tool.

End of the note.
Registration Tool Functions

The registration tool provides the following functions:

  • You can register your own apps in the Dashboard Framework. See Registering User Apps in the Dashboard Framework.

  • You can change the layout of existing apps beyond the configuration, e.g. by changing the graphics or colors, or inserting your company logo. For more information, see Changing the Layout of an App. You make these changes in Xcelsius, but they are not complex because you do not change the connections.

  • You can delete or copy apps. See Copy and Delete Apps. This is necessary to change the layout of apps delivered by SAP. They are protected against changes, so you must copy them first.

Displaying User Apps in Dashboards

When you have registered an app in the Dashboard Framework, you will want to display it in one or more dashboards. See Displaying User Apps in Dashboards.