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SAP BI 7.0 Also works on SAP BW 3.5. For more information, visit the Business Intelligence Homepage.
Summary
This article is about Attribute Change Run (ACR), which adjusts aggregates for any change in characteristics value. It is useful for characteristics which are used in aggregates build over cubes. Attributes, hierarchies and aggregates need ACR, while text loads don‟t require. Attribute change run is specific to aggregates. If any aggregates built on master data info objects it‟s important to perform ACR.
Author: Arun Bala Ganesan
Company: Wipro Technologies Ltd.
Created on: 6 January 2010
Author Bio
The author currently works for Wipro Technologies (Bangalore, India) as an Associate SAP BI Developer. His expertise includes SAP BI 7.0 and ABAP.
Attribute Change Run ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Steps for ACR ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Process Chains ............................................................................................................................................. 33
Related Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 34
Disclaimer and Liability Notice .......................................................................................................................... 35
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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This article addresses the requirement of Attribute Change Run (also known as ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0. This article describes a scenario of implementing the ACR Concept on SAP Demo: Purchase Cube (0D_PU_C01) which is as follows.
Scenario
In SAP BI 7.0, we often require a sub set of data to be accessed from Info cube. So, in this case we need to create smaller sets of data from the larger info cube. For Example: For a FY2009 with „Material A‟ data is only required from a set of 10 materials
Since the info cube is small, the required disk I/0 volumes during the query execution will be smaller too, and the query users will have an improved query performance.
SAP implements this idea in Business Intelligence & calls the new Info cube an Aggregate. An Info cube can have many aggregates, and all these aggregates are very transparent to users. That is, End users can comfortably create aggregates on Info cubes, and the BI OLAP processor does all the selection of the appropriate aggregate. In case of non-availability of aggregates, OLAP decides need to retrieve data directly from Info cube.
Attribute Change Run
A change run refers to the activating master data changes to attributes and hierarchies, realigning aggregates containing navigational attributes or defined on hierarchy levels
The main problem when the master data is changed (i.e. after data is loaded into the Info cube) is that the change on the attribute is not reflected at the cube side. We need to perform a PSA to DTP. We‟ll try an approach to solve this issue using Aggregate maintenance.
Fig 1.1 describes the changes affected to the availability of master data once a new record has been added.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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First of all we need to use the transaction code RSA1, which is the SAP BI Administrative Workbench.
Now, create a test Info Area (say testX), and provide its description also as in Fig 1.2.
Fig 1.2 – Creation of an Info area for demo purposes
After creating the Info Area, create 2 main things,
1. Characteristic Info object catalog
2. Key Figure Info object catalog
Fig 1.3 – Creation of an Info area for demo purposes
Do not forget to activate any info objects. It can lead to varied results, as often the object exists in either A or M state. It‟s necessary for these objects to be first Edited Saved Activated.
Note: Please check status before activating any info object.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Attribute change run (ACR), adjusts aggregates for any change in characteristics value. It is useful for
characteristics which are used in aggregates build over cubes.
Fig 1.11 – Here we select the data type for a particular KFs Example: Quantity here is a data type which has a unit of measure, which has been specified as 0UNIT.
Fig 1.12 – The Characteristic IO „Materials‟ defaults: CHAR (5) now click on „Maintain Master data‟
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.21 – Here, we are copying a standard cube‟s structure (With phyiscal data store) to an sample test cube called “TESTXube” which is nothing but meta data or skeletal model of the cube.
As shown now we create copy cubes for the same.
Fig 1.22 – Selection of IOC.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.23 – Further after this step we need to choose the Dimensions, Navigational Attributes & Keyfigures for the newly created cube. We have to now make sure that the deimensions are perfectly modelled, as the reporting section (Viz. using BEx etc) will encounter lot of planning from modelling side.
Info Cubes
The Infocube database design has a central database table, known as „Fact Table‟ which is surrounded by associated dimension tables.
Info Objects can contain single field definitions such as transaction data or complex Customer Master Data that hold attributes, hierarchy and customer texts that are stored in their own tables.
These dimension tables contain references to pointer tables that point to master data tables which in turn contain Master data objects such as material and destinations stored in BI 7.0 as Info objects.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.24 – Currently checking the Info object Z38_MATID after activation.
Fig 1.25 – Here, once after activation, we create a new “Application component Area” in the Data Sources section. To perform this operation, right click on the top of the DS “Create new Appl. Comp. Area”
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Attribute change run is specific to aggregates. This is the CSV flat file which holds the values. It‟s to be noted there‟s no MATGRP referencing here. If any aggregates built on master data info objects it‟s important to perform ACR. This is really important as the CSV/Excel flat files are the raw input data for these specific aggregates, must hold the referencing very well.
Fig 1.26 – Now that we have created a new Application Component Area, we need to create a Data Source (say „ds_et‟). Just right click on the ACA & perform “Create Data Source”
Fig 1.27 – Now that the Data Soruce needs to be created, we‟ll now specify the Source names & Data type DS
Fig 1.28 – This is a CSV/Excel sheet output for the data which must be loaded into the PSA.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.29 – This details the „Extraction‟ tab of the Data source. Here, its necessary to note that we need to make correct settings for the CSV upload. The Data seperator for the CSV is „,‟ [Comma] and the Escape Sign is „ “ ‟ (double-hypen).
Fig 1.30 – This is the “Proposal” tab. In the previous Fig. 1.29 please note the “Header rows to be ignored” here is set to 1. Once these minor details are cared, which also important ones, the extraction will be pretty smooth.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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We need to perform a transformation. We key in the source & the target names of Data Source.
Fig 1.31 – Press “Copy” to move the field properties from the info objects
Fig 1.32 – After this, press “Activate”
Fig 1.33 – Notice that the CSV file has been properly referenced, and that as we click the “Read Preview data”, a sample data list is generated from flat file.
Fig 1.34 – Now, we now need to create a transformation for this Info provider.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Possibility: If you are not able to see your characteristic in ACR as either it is not used in any aggregate or there is no master data change recorded for the characteristic.
Solution: Perform a right click on Characteristic name and activate master data and then check.
Fig 1.35 – Here, choose the Source (Data Source) & the target (Info Cube) Info provider
Fig 1.36 – Here, we need to choose the mappings between the source & target groups.
Fig 1.37 – Now, we‟ll start creating a DTP.
Right click Create DTP which intitates the „Data Transfer Process‟ Creation.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.39 – This describes the “Execute” tab. We need to initiate this at the end to mandate flow of data from PSA level to the Info provider(s) level, via the DTP.
Fig 1.38 – Here, we need to specify the source (Info Cube) & target (Data Source) for the transfer.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.40 – Now, at last we need to create an Info package. Just right click on the Data source & choose the option “Create Info Package”
Fig 1.41 – The Info package must be named with its „Description‟ & now, click on Save Activate.
Fig 1.42 – This shows activated IP. Info Package is an important & first thing to be initiated in data flow. We must always trigger IP only after complete model has been complete to avoid complications.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig 1.43 – Now in the IP level, trigger the start of the data load immediately by choosing the respective option & press “Start”
Fig 1.44 – Describes the number of records in the PSA.
PSA is nothing but Persistent Staging Engine. Its similar to the middle level of the data staging process. This must also contain the error dumps (if any has occurred)
Pl. note data for X600 is not loaded. It‟s a reference flag variable.
Fig 1.45 – Here, we can note that we have left it as a flag variable.
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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All the characteristics for which there is any master data change appear in the ACR screen.
If you do not have aggregates, just activating the master data is same as attribute change run.
Possibility:
How can we rectify when an attribute change run job fails in a process chain?
Solution:
If attribute change run fails in a process chain, it will most probably due to ALEREMOTE lock. Then you had to wait for some time and repeat the failed process
When it fails, just go to RSA1 Tools Apply Hierarchy/Attribute change.
Now if we click on info objects, it will have a list of info objects which are affected by last master data run and hierarchy list tells us the list of hierarchies which got changed
Now we can select all info objects & hierarchies and click on execute button.
The attribute change is scheduled with the given job name in background. We can monitor this job in background and can have a look at logs.
Fig 1.46 – Note the REQ is Green [Good]
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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Fig. 2.2 – Here, enter short description & long description, and then click to continue
Possibility:
Info object not found, what we must do.
Solution:
If we could not find the Info Object, it's because it doesn't have to be activated. Check if any modified data in the master data tables (SE16 on the tables, data with the version A)
Also if we want to do an attribute change run forcefully then we can create a variant and then execute attribute change run
In Attribute Change Run screen Now, Create a Variant Select your Info object and Save Later, Choose your created variant Execute.
This variant will be handy for you whenever you do a load and for some reason the info object is not available in list of ACR.
Fig 2.3 – The tech. name highlighted in yellow describes what the Aggregate is based upon
Implementation of Attribute Change Run (ACR) Concept for Purchase Cube in SAP BI 7.0
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