Business Objects
A business object is an entity in a multitiered software application. It is responsible for transporting data between the business logic layer and data access layer. You can also think of business objects as components of a business process. The following sections provide an overview of how these pieces work. Then, let’s discuss how they can improve your business processes. Let’s start with Entities. Next, we’ll look at Tables, Reports, and Dashboards.
Entities
Entities are the objects that represent data in a database. In an application, entities translate business scenarios into IT solutions by transforming data from one table to another. Unlike rows, entities are not associated with any row type or collection. In addition, entities do not use collections or row objects as properties. As a result, they can be used by other business entities. Entities are separate from row types and can be used with other databases.
The simplest example is a collection of employees, each of which has a specific role. In a different example, you could have a list of employees and assign them to teams. These lists would have different types of attributes, including the type of employee. The business object model also enables you to display a list. However, it is not very efficient. Instead, you’d use a business object in a datagrid.
Entities in business objects are defined as an object that can refer to other objects, hold attributes, or perform business operations. These entities are also mapped to underlying persistence layers. In an application, entities are typically used to represent delegate objects, which represent business processes. Entities are typically modeled as wrappers around these delegate objects. Aggregates are also considered entities, but they are not created directly from the outside. However, these are still a useful part of a business application.
In some cases, entities in business objects can have internal cached states, which may be necessary for performance. When they change, they must be informed of any changes made by other objects. For example, the basket entity stores the total of all the line items in its basket. If the quantity of a line item changes, the total will no longer be valid. Similarly, an entity in business objects may not have a “find” method, but it might have other similar methods.
Tables
There are several different types of tables in business objects. Each table has its own protected attributes and must be defined per component. Often, there is no need to store all of the details for one component. In that case, it is possible to create other tables that will store important information in the business object. When creating a table, make sure that you define only the fields that are required for a particular component. If you store too much information, you will end up undermining your company’s growth potential.
As the name suggests, objects are fields in a database table or view. They are composed of a name, data-type, select statement, and value. They can be one or multiple fields. There are three types of objects in the Business Objects universe: dimension, detail, and measure. A dimension is a text value that is related to a particular attribute. A detail is always associated with a dimension. A measure, on the other hand, is a numeric value.
When creating a business object, it is important to remember that data in the object is typically stored in tables. A business object must be linked to at least one table in order to access information. It is also possible to use reference tables to store information that you need from an external application. Tables are also used to store references that prevent data from being lost or deleted. Attributes are the entry points for the data contained in a business object, and they may be linked to a table field, a calculated value, or no table at all.
In addition to storing data, business objects can also include other data types, such as derived tables. Derived tables are similar to database views, and they are created by defining the structure of an object. These elements are not required to store important information, but provide the framework for other information storing elements. There are also derived tables that perform complicated calculations and functions. If you create a derived table, make sure that it is properly named and includes @functions.
Reports
SAP BusinessObjects can be used to create dynamic reports and dashboards for use in business operations. The software includes powerful features for designing, generating, and distributing reports. It integrates with other software packages and is packaged as an OEM version with the Visual Studio suite from Microsoft. It is developed by the Business Objects Company. Originally, Crystal Services Inc. developed the software before it was acquired by Seagate Technology in 1994.
The license consumption report is an important tool to facilitate license reviews. It provides a global overview of license usage. This report also helps you identify users associated with licenses after they are disabled. The report shows how many licenses are currently in use and how many are available. It also provides information on users who have acted on documents created in SAP BusinessObjects. This feature is particularly useful for detecting data breaches. Moreover, this report can also identify which users are causing problems with the software.
Another report provides an overview of the 360Plus system. It shows unbound documents, Universes, and weak or broken links. It also gives the date of the last backup. This feature provides BI administrators with peace of mind about the system’s reliability. Using this report can help administrators track scheduled backup jobs and take appropriate action if necessary. This report is designed to give business users a comprehensive overview of the 360Plus system.
Users can also run reports for Business Objects. These reports can be customized by adding child business objects, associate options, and other settings. Using the report function, end users can generate a report with the data they need. The reports can also be exported to Excel. This functionality is useful for users who need to analyze large amounts of data at a time. For example, a user can run a report to view the current budget status of a specific org.
Dashboards
Business Objects SA is positioning dashboards to follow the evolution of reporting tools, which were once relegated to the realm of IT shops. Instead, businesses are turning to these tools to help them understand data and make better business decisions. For instance, Sears, Roebuck and Co., a consumer goods company, is relying on dashboards to provide greater visibility for its 500 users. The company’s senior IT specialist, Edgar Aguilar, calls dashboards “the next logical step” in its BI journey.
The SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 Dashboards platform is expected to make it easier for enterprises to visualize data and make informed business decisions. The product suite includes a variety of capabilities, including flexible design, what-if scenarios, and full capabilities. The Xcelsius 2008 product is a rebranding of the former. It is also compatible with a variety of business applications. For example, dashboards can be embedded in a CRM system or financial application.
The process for creating a business dashboard starts with the design. You need to select a suitable format. The default format for creating business dashboards is PDF 1.8. If you use an older version of the Acrobat Reader, it is recommended that you change the default export format to something that will be compatible with it. The next step is to export your dashboard to the BusinessObjects enterprise system. Once you have exported your dashboard, you can access it through InfoView and set security levels for different users.
The BusinessObjects Explorer provides a search experience similar to Google or Yahoo. It returns relevant results based on your query. It can access data from all parts of the SAP BusinessObjects landscape, as well as any data source. Also it allows you to access data in a self-service or guided manner. This software allows you to create and publish charts and graphs from any data source. If you want to share your dashboard with others, you can use the Export Data function to export it to PDF or PPT format.
Universes
A BusinessObjects Universe is a data model used in the BusinessObjects Enterprise reporting environment. The model includes several levels, including Data Foundation, Business layer, security, and functions. The BusinessObjects Universe is used to store data that spans multiple domains. The following example demonstrates how to create a universe. You can use the BusinessObjects Designer to prepare your universe from your warehouse database. Then, you can export it to various domains to create reports.
Business Objects support the creation of hierarchies based on the data. Hierarchies allow you to observe data from multiple perspectives. This is particularly useful for trends and analysis. By creating custom hierarchies, you can use Business Objects to drill down into data for deeper analysis. For instance, the universe for imaging studies contains different dimensions and attributes that can be used to produce reports for imaging department managers. Another universe for medicine dispense tracking uses attributes and measures to track patient encounters.
In the same way, the universe for BusinessObjects enables you to use business terms to define the data. You can use these terms to help end-users find data more easily. In addition, a universe can limit the data available to a specific user group. As a result, you can focus on the data that is important for your business. This way, you can make your business more successful by using the information you already have.
You can create a BusinessObjects universe from an XML metadata source or an Oracle Analytic Services. Once you’ve done that, you can use the Universe Builder software application to map the metadata structures you have created to the standard SAP BusinessObjects universe. It’s a comprehensive guide to creating a BusinessObjects universe. You’ll learn how to map different metadata sources to dimensions and classes. Then, you’ll automatically create a universe for BusinessObjects using your data model.