¶ Managing InfoObjects and InfoProviders in SAP BI
SAP Business Intelligence (SAP BI), particularly within the SAP BW (Business Warehouse) environment, is a powerful solution for data warehousing and reporting. At the core of SAP BI’s data modeling are InfoObjects and InfoProviders, which together form the foundation of how data is structured, stored, and made available for analysis.
Understanding how to effectively manage InfoObjects and InfoProviders is crucial for SAP BI consultants and administrators aiming to build scalable, efficient data models that meet business requirements.
InfoObjects are the smallest building blocks in SAP BW and represent the fundamental data fields used across the entire data warehousing environment. These can be characteristics (such as Customer, Product, Region) or key figures (such as Revenue, Quantity).
- Characteristics: Qualitative data fields that describe objects or entities (e.g., Customer ID, Material Number).
- Key Figures: Quantitative measures used for analysis (e.g., Sales Amount, Quantity Sold).
- Units: Units of measurement (e.g., currency, kilograms).
- Time Characteristics: Special InfoObjects for time-related data (e.g., Fiscal Year, Calendar Month).
- Creation and Customization: SAP delivers a set of standard InfoObjects. Users can create custom InfoObjects to meet specific business needs.
- Attributes and Texts: InfoObjects can have associated attributes (additional descriptive fields) and texts to provide detailed context.
- Master Data Maintenance: InfoObjects link to master data, which needs to be maintained for accurate reporting.
- Data Modeling: InfoObjects are reused across InfoProviders, ensuring consistency in reporting structures.
InfoProviders are the physical data containers in SAP BW where data is stored and from which reports are generated. They structure the data for efficient querying and analysis.
- DataStore Objects (DSO): Store detailed transactional data at the most granular level; ideal for detailed reporting and data correction.
- InfoCubes: Multidimensional structures optimized for fast querying and analysis, often used for aggregated data.
- CompositeProviders: Combine multiple InfoProviders logically without physically copying data, enabling flexible reporting.
- MultiProviders: Logical unions of InfoCubes and DSOs for combined reporting.
- Open ODS Views: Lightweight, flexible structures to access operational data without traditional modeling.
- Creation and Modeling: InfoProviders are designed based on business requirements, typically involving a combination of InfoObjects.
- Data Loading: Data is loaded into InfoProviders through ETL processes (InfoPackages, DTPs).
- Aggregation and Indexing: InfoCubes use aggregation levels and indexes to optimize query performance.
- Data Activation: In DSOs, after loading, data must be activated to be available for reporting.
- Maintenance: Regular monitoring and tuning are necessary to maintain performance and data accuracy.
¶ Relationship Between InfoObjects and InfoProviders
- InfoObjects define what data is stored — the semantic definition of fields.
- InfoProviders define where and how the data is stored and structured for reporting.
- Every InfoProvider is built using InfoObjects as the columns of its tables.
¶ Best Practices for Managing InfoObjects and InfoProviders
- Reuse InfoObjects: Avoid duplication by reusing standard and custom InfoObjects across InfoProviders.
- Consistent Naming Conventions: Use clear, consistent naming for InfoObjects and InfoProviders to ease maintenance.
- Keep Models Flexible: Use CompositeProviders and Open ODS Views to create adaptable reporting structures.
- Maintain Master Data: Ensure master data linked to InfoObjects is regularly updated and cleansed.
- Optimize for Performance: Carefully design InfoCubes with appropriate aggregates; monitor DSO activation times and indexing.
Effectively managing InfoObjects and InfoProviders is vital to unlocking the full potential of SAP BI. These components provide the structure that supports comprehensive, accurate, and high-performance reporting and analytics. By mastering their management, SAP BI professionals can build robust data models that drive informed business decisions and add real value to organizations.