designing mobile bi reports for blackberry users

Designing Mobile BI Reports for BlackBerry Users

SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 2

Introduction

What does this presentation cover? This presentation describes how a real-world SAP customer has used

various developer tools to build optimized SAP BI reports for BlackBerry device users within their organization

It covers the following topics:– Understanding the mobile requirements for BI reports

– Using SAP BW Web Application Designer to build optimized web-based reports for BlackBerry users

– Using BlackBerry MDS Studio to develop custom rich-client applications for BlackBerry to interact with SAP BI

– Key lessons learned


Learning Objectives

As a result of this workshop, you will be able to Understand options available to deploy SAP content to BlackBerry

devices

Recognize pros and cons associated with different approaches

Use best practices to quickly create BI content for BlackBerry using SAP development tools

Use BlackBerry Mobile Data System (MDS) Studio to quickly create custom BI content for BlackBerry devices

Pushing SAP Web Content to the BlackBerry

Use MDS to Create Custom Applications for BlackBerry

Mobility Requirements

Use MDS to Create SAP BI Content for BlackBerry

Summary


Typical Mobile Applications

Sales Needs – View and update accounts and transactions

Executives – Remote approval and communication

Business Intelligence – Real-time access to confidential information

Workflow– Target participants could be anywhere


Challenges to be Overcome

Mobility is a fact of today’s business Executive and Sales / Field Service Reps have to be mobile in today’s

global business place

Timeliness Cached information is not sufficient

Real-time workflow is impossible with disconnected or sync-based solutions

Security Typical applications require secure communications





Summary


Goals for Deployment of BI Content

Content Centralized information from many sources

– Cross-functional audience / Cross-functional content

Security Multi-tiered authorization to control access

Respect internal territory guidelines

Security roles need to encompass deployment

Timeliness Static reports are seldom read when generated

Self-service must be seamless to be efficient

Analysis tools generally best-suited to desktop workstation


Available Deployment Alternatives

Portal Deployment Perfect to act as a gatekeeper for BPS / BW deployed to workstations Best suited to dashboard content and analytics NOT designed for mobile deployment

Email Broadcasting Perfect for sending reports via email to distribution lists In-line content designed for viewing from a desktop or BlackBerry Challenge: multiple BlackBerry models deployed across customer base

BlackBerry Deployment Best suited for mobile deployment Easy click for real-time rendering of data as required Customizable to the individual PIN holder Alternatives:

– Browser push: Fast deployment of existing web content from SAP

– Custom MDS Studio application: Requires design work to use BW services


Email Broadcasting

If content is delivered in-line from broadcaster, content must be viewable by any email reader used by the recipient

Design content to be long and narrow (scrollable down not across) for blackberry distribution

Advantages– One template can be ”filtered” to create multiple slices of data

– Flexibility to publish to the portal as well as via email

– Flexibility on output options- Independent HTML files is the only option used if BlackBerry usage expected- Attachments sent to the BlackBerry have to be opened and read by another application- Online Links need to be modified by parameters to be viewed correctly

on BlackBerry


Broadcasting Best Usage

Best use of Broadcasting:

scheduling

Regularly deploy content to recipients via email or portal

Rich Content for Analysis

Static In-line HTML


BlackBerry Deployment Using SAP Toolset

SAP toolset provides ability to produce rich content including graphics, tables, text, and XML

Content is web-deployed and therefore can be deployed on a blackberry with a browser


URL Parameters for Web Templates

Mobile BW Web Applications have two modes: WAP and HTML Default is WAP (WML) when connecting from a BlackBerry device Change to HTML mode (to enable richer rendering on BlackBerry)

– Append following string to the URL (see OSS note 902036)&USER AGENT=WINDOWS%20CE&ACCEPT=text/html&JAVASCRIPT=&NO_SESSION_COOKIE=X

Passing Variables&VAR_NAME_1=MU_04031&VAR_VALUE_EXT_1=01%2e01%2e2004

MU_04031 is the name of the variable

01.01.2004 is the value of the variable

Passing Parameters<SAP_BW_URL Parameter1='Value1' Parameter2='Value2' ...>

Add other parameters with “&“ after <SAP_BW_URL> tag:

<SAP_BW_URL>?Parameter1=Value1&Parameter2=Value2&..

Example, Password Parameter

&sap-user=my_user_name&sap-password=my_password


Useful Settings for HTML Rendering

Ensure to address the following areas for correct rendering BlackBerry Browser settings (on device)

Template properties

Table properties

Graphic design

Query design


BlackBerry Browser Option Settings

Browser Configuration (Under Browser Options) Emulation Mode:

– Microsoft IE (if viewing BSP content)

– otherwise, BlackBerry

Support HTML Tables: Checked

Support Style Sheets: Checked (if using style sheets)

Style sheets media type: Handheld

General Properties Default Font Family: BBCondensed

Default Font Size: 7


HTML Editing Tips

Create a Main template (series embedded URLs) to Control Parameters <a href="<SAP_BW_URL>&CMD=LDOC&TEMPLATE_ID=EXAMPLE_TEMPLATE">Template_name</a>

Calling up Web Templates<SAP_BW_URL>&CMD=LDOC&TEMPLATE_ID=EXAMPLE_TEMPLATE

Calling up the Variables Screen<SAP_BW_URL>&CMD=PROCESS_VARIABLES&SUBCMD=VARIABLE_SCREEN

Changing the Values of Variables<SAP_BW_URL>&CMD=PROCESS_VARIABLES&SUBCMD=VAR_SUBMIT&VAR_NAME_1=myVar&VAR_VALUE_EXT_1=4711

Data Provider - Commands<SAP_BW_URL>&DATA_PROVIDER=DP_1&...

Back and Back to StartUndo the last action: CMD=BACKUndo all actions: CMD=RESET

Jumping using Report-Report Interface<SAP_BW_URL>&DATA_PROVIDER=View1&CMD=RRI&RRI_RECEIVER=XYZReport-Report Interface Receivers on the BlackBerry device can be BW queries, BW Web Applications, or arbitrary URLs. The

parameterization of the target action is taken from the source context you have jumped from

General Formatting Tips Use horizontal rule <hr> tags to separate sections of content Use filters (drop down preferred) to limit results Use <br> tags rather than <p> tags to separate objects


Template Properties

Template Properties Output Device Optimization: unchecked Do not display system messages: checked Do not display warnings: checked Force variable screen display: unchecked Reset variables to default values: checked Read-Mode for Data: Pre-calculated, if it Exists (depends on template

requirements)

Use style sheets to control object presentation Sizing, spacing and colors are controllable with style sheets

Create generic report structures Avoid creating multiple templates with the same data Use queries with exit variables to provide filters or make use of query

views Create central Web templates with links (edit HTML)


Table / Graphic Properties and Design Tips – 1/2

Table Properties Title: leave blank

Generate Title: unchecked

Border Type: With Border

Objects with Navigation Links: unchecked

Only Hierarchy Navigation: unchecked

Number of data columns displayed at once: 4

– Explicitly control table width so rows do not wrap


Table / Graphic Properties and Design Tips – 2/2

Chart Properties Title: leave blank

Generate Title: unchecked

Objects with Navigational Links: unchecked

Height and Width of graphic will be proportional to width of tables if Output Optimization on template is disabled

Pie charts/ vertical bar charts/speedometers are preferable

Minimize series to one level for simplified axis display

Legends take up significant space … consider leaving off and making axis display intuitive


Query Design Tips

Create global queries to maximize reuse Create filters that can be set with parameters

Central maintenance; deploy once

One controllable access point/different content per user

Maximize use of dynamic BW constructs Hierarchies (e.g., profit/cost centers)

Master data (e.g., 0Customer, 0Material)

Utilize navigational attributes to provide different dimensions to slice information

Use exit variables to minimize user interaction

Use structures and hierarchy display to replace ”Overall Result” with ”Total”

Create ”intuitive” short keys for attribute names

– e.g., regions such as ”NA” (North America) and ”EUR” (Europe)





Summary


SAP Web Application Server

WirelessBlackBerry

Enterprise Server with MDS v4.1

SOAP / XML

MDS v4.1 Rich-Client Application

Internet

CRM

BI

SAPApplications

SAP Web Services(WSDL)

ERP

Custom Applications Using MDS Studio V4.1

Benefits MDS Studio v4.1 provides simple drag and drop tools for building

rich-client applications

Custom rich-client application provides enhanced user experience

Applications function whether in or out of wireless coverage

Limitations Requires Web Services to be exposed on the back end

May require customization to existing Web Services


Web Services - Overview

”Enabling technology” that allows disparate systems to connect and communicate

Characteristics of a Web Service– programmable URL widely accessible via the Internet

– addressable code that can be activated with http requests

– called remotely using standard Internet Protocols (HTTP; XML)

– provides a standard mode of access for multiple languages and multiple platforms

Standards are Key for Communication– most important of these is the WS-Interoperability standard called BASIC

Profile (WS-I BP)

– a service that supports WS-I BP can communicate with any other service that supports WS-I BP

Relies on three XML protocols: SOAP, WSDL and UDDI– the web service is exposed on the Web through the SOAP protocol

– described with a WSDL file

– registered in UDDI registry


Web Service Discovery / Analysis / Exchange

XML Web Service

Discovery: UDDI

Schema: WSDL

Communications: SOAP

Find service

Analyze service

Send messages

Three Step Process Universal Description, Discovery and Integration

– Internet registry for web services: advertise and search for services. Analyze the Service

– Web Service Description Language (WSDL) file, an XML file, defines the service

– WSDL provides critical application design details:- How to communicate with the service- Operations and messages supported; data exposed by the service- Protocols and data elements passed/returned as parameters

Message Exchange– Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is used to exchange messages– SOAP most commonly uses HTTP as a transport and supports several

modes of operation– Most common: RPC (remote procedure call):

synchronous Request/ Response pattern


BlackBerry Mobile Data System (MDS) Components

BlackBerry MDS Studio Visual design tool used by developers to build applications

Used to discover services, interpret WSDL and quickly build apps

Drag and drop component-based methodology

Enables enterprise developers to build rich-client applications for BlackBerry without having to do custom coding

Server-side connectivity based on Web Services

BlackBerry MDS Runtime BlackBerry device software component

Provides runtime services to BlackBerry MDS applications

BlackBerry MDS Services Resides on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server

Binds to selected Web Services and provides secure connection


BlackBerry MDS Studio: Key Concepts

Visual ”drag and drop” assembly of components Screens (UI)

Data

Message

Scripts

Three Development Approaches

1. Quick Start– Automatically generates first version of your application based on WSDL

information

2. Bottom Up– Generates essential data components, bindings and messages from WSDL

leaving developer to create screens and additional logic

3. Top Down– Developer creates entire application and binds messages to existing WSDL


Discovering SAP Services

”Out-of-the-Box” RFC Web Services in SAP All RFC-enabled function modules (all BAPIs) are exposed as web services by default

Available since Web AS 6.20, browse using: http://<sapserver.domain.toplevel>:<icmport>/sap/bc/bsp/sap/WebServiceBrowser/search.html

To retrieve the WSDL for a specific function module, use: http://<sapserver.domain.toplevel>:<icmport>/sap/bc/soap/wsdl11?services=<NameOfBapiOrRfc>

Only available for out-of-the-box RFC function modules

Web Services are delivered ”as is” and cannot be modified

There is also no way to configure web service security profiles





Summary


SAP BI Queryview WSDL

http://sapserver:port/sap/bw/xml/soap/queryview?sap-client=110&wsdl=1.11


Messages in SAP BI Query View Data Service WSDL


SAP BI Query View Data Service WSDL (cont.)


Results From Using MDS Studio Quick Start Approach

Data binding from messages (in and out)

Screens created to capture inbound message (GetQueryViewData)

Screens created to display outbound message (GetQueryViewDataResponse)

Result needs to be ”assembled” from its parts:– AxisData – row and column information

– AxisInfo – provides key figure and dimension information

– CellData – provides actual key figure values returned

– TextSymbols – provides characteristics, filters and variables (including Query Name, Last Refresh Date, Key Date, etc.)


MDS Scripting to Interpret Results


Wins

Security Handled by BlackBerry Infrastructure

Re-usable Code Useful for any query

Use SAP tools to build content

Build more complicated structures as required

Central Interface Use one central interface to content for all users





Summary


Broadcasting Advantages

Disadvantages

SAP Developed Web Content Advantages

Disadvantages

MDS Studio Developed Rich-Client Advantages

Disadvantages

Bringing It All Together

- scheduled content

- email deployment must consider blackberry

– rich content with graphics and analysis

– BlackBerry deployment must consider real estate/usage

– quick custom application built from any web service

– no graphics; best suited to interact with field content


Further Information

Americas’ SAP Users’ Group (ASUG)www.asug.com

Research In Motionwww.BlackBerry.com/go/sap

http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgecenterpublic/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/7979/1181821/832210/Optimizing_Content_for_the_BlackBerry_Browser.pdf?nodeid=1206500&vernum=0

www.BlackBerry.com/developers

www.BlackBerry.com/solutions

Public Webwww.sap.com

www.sdn.sap.com


Further Information

Specific Links of InterestCommand URLs:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/f1/50583cf7388362e10000000a114084/frameset.htm

Commands for Web Templates:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/f1/50583cf7388362e10000000a114084/frameset.htm

BEX Mobile Intelligence:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/f1/50583cf7388362e10000000a114084/frameset.htm

Text Elements:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/9f/4e9d39d44cd45ee10000000a11402f/frameset.htm

Editing Charts:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_bw33/helpdata/en/2f/776b3d32390968e10000000a114084/frameset.htm

Data Provider Commands:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/76/80a1393e3a6942e10000000a11402f/content.htm

Report to Report Interface:http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/99/08629bd3e41d418530c6849df303c9/frameset.htm


ASUG and SAP: Partners in Education

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Some highlighted benefits include:

– Access to a year-round community for SAP customers and partners

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To learn more about ASUG, visit the ASUG booth in the SDN Clubhouse, or visit our Web site at www.asug.com.

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