Pick the right Reporting Tool and SAP Lumira, SAP PAL, SAP InfiniteInsight
SAP BIBO 4.0 portfolio boasts of multiple reporting solutions. At times it might be confusing which tool to pick. Although one tool for all scenario doesn't exist, a refined set of reporting requirements should make it clear which tool to use for which scenario. Each tool has its own stronghold and weak areas.
Crystal Reports : If we want pixel perfect reports, we will go for Crystal Reports. Mostly if requirement is to design report according to legal requirements or companies follow rigid format of reporting. Also Crystal reports is ideal, if we want to place lot of data in the report like year end results for stock holders. Also we can make the content dynamic by using variables. They can be broadcast/shared with business users.
However the report format has to be pre-built and regular business users might find it difficult to deal with tool. We require power users to built these reports. However in BIBO 4.0, tool interface is redesigned(ribbons were added) for ease of use. Also, if we want to include infographics, the functionality is limited.
Dashboards: If we want our report to boast with lot of graphics(pie-chart,bar graphs), we will choose dashboards. They are ideal for preparing KPI-boards. They also posses capability to perform what-if analysis. However we need professionals to design dashboards(Professionally Authored Dashboards) and normal business find it difficult to design dash boards. Coupling with SAP HANA, provides dashboards to display real-time statics(Ex:are daily cargo operations lagging behind or not).
Web Intelligence: Probably the widely used tool of suite, it provides ad-hoc reporting. Users can create reports easily and decent infographics can also be inserted. It is best when the reporting requirements changes frequently or when users want to create reports on ad-hoc basis to answer queries. This is better use when we want to explore the large amount of history data available in combination with near real-time data.
Explorer: This tool is used retrieve results from business data just like "Google" Manner. When users don't have much clarity or just want to find/discover hidden trends in data, then just go about searching with interested keywords. Also we can create info-graphics with the search results. The data from already created information space will be indexed and refreshed at intervals. By using with HANA, no indexing will be required and we can take advantage of SAP HANA parallel/lightening speed. Hence it is recommended to uses directly on top of HANA rather than via Universe.
Microsoft Analysis for Office: This was introduced as successor of Bex Analyzer with much more capabilities like integration with power point. It uses BICS driver to connect to BI and SAP HANA Information Models.
Microsoft Analysis for OLAP : This was introduced as successor for Bex Web analyzer. It uses BICS connectivity driver to connect to Bi cubes and SAP HANA Information Models.
SAP Design Studio: This was introduced as successor for Web Application Designer. This provides WYSWYG which wont exist in Bex WAD. Also usage of HTML5 gives much glossy reports.
SAP Launch Pad: It provides one stop access for all reporting tools. We can design in multiple reports in multiple windows simultaneously. Also we can save reports as favorites for faster access.
However empowering users with capacity to create reports on their own has been SAP main focus. With introduction of SAP LUMIRA, the self-service reporting will see new heights. SAP LUMIRA can get data from multiple data sources(starting from CSV, BI, Universe, SAP HANA, crawling Twitter) and it comes with large set of Infographics. It is easier to share the reports and it also provides offline reporting capacity by downloading data from HANA and storing data locally. A small sybase database will be used to store the data and data will refreshed at regular intervals. We could see that no technical knowledge is required to use/play with SAP Lumira(however all our Technical skills can be displayed while modelling data). Hope SAP Lumira will be next gen tool of self-service BI.
Also predictive analytic is the next exciting thing. Rather than providing users with what they want, predictive analytics can discover hidden patterns in data. Reprting tools provide us the information we want where as Predictive Anlytics can make us to learn more about our data. Acquisition of KNEX by SAP and introdiction of InfiniteInsight will make normal users to apply data mining algorithms(from simple regression to advanced algos defined in R) which are generally forte of Data Scientists. SAP real-time data analytics combined with SAP PAL gives rise to new modules like Fraud Management. SAP Predictive Anlytics combined with SAP Lumira rich info-graphic will make us to learn much deeper insights about data with ease-of -use.
Crystal Reports : If we want pixel perfect reports, we will go for Crystal Reports. Mostly if requirement is to design report according to legal requirements or companies follow rigid format of reporting. Also Crystal reports is ideal, if we want to place lot of data in the report like year end results for stock holders. Also we can make the content dynamic by using variables. They can be broadcast/shared with business users.
However the report format has to be pre-built and regular business users might find it difficult to deal with tool. We require power users to built these reports. However in BIBO 4.0, tool interface is redesigned(ribbons were added) for ease of use. Also, if we want to include infographics, the functionality is limited.
Dashboards: If we want our report to boast with lot of graphics(pie-chart,bar graphs), we will choose dashboards. They are ideal for preparing KPI-boards. They also posses capability to perform what-if analysis. However we need professionals to design dashboards(Professionally Authored Dashboards) and normal business find it difficult to design dash boards. Coupling with SAP HANA, provides dashboards to display real-time statics(Ex:are daily cargo operations lagging behind or not).
Web Intelligence: Probably the widely used tool of suite, it provides ad-hoc reporting. Users can create reports easily and decent infographics can also be inserted. It is best when the reporting requirements changes frequently or when users want to create reports on ad-hoc basis to answer queries. This is better use when we want to explore the large amount of history data available in combination with near real-time data.
Explorer: This tool is used retrieve results from business data just like "Google" Manner. When users don't have much clarity or just want to find/discover hidden trends in data, then just go about searching with interested keywords. Also we can create info-graphics with the search results. The data from already created information space will be indexed and refreshed at intervals. By using with HANA, no indexing will be required and we can take advantage of SAP HANA parallel/lightening speed. Hence it is recommended to uses directly on top of HANA rather than via Universe.
Microsoft Analysis for Office: This was introduced as successor of Bex Analyzer with much more capabilities like integration with power point. It uses BICS driver to connect to BI and SAP HANA Information Models.
Microsoft Analysis for OLAP : This was introduced as successor for Bex Web analyzer. It uses BICS connectivity driver to connect to Bi cubes and SAP HANA Information Models.
SAP Design Studio: This was introduced as successor for Web Application Designer. This provides WYSWYG which wont exist in Bex WAD. Also usage of HTML5 gives much glossy reports.
SAP Launch Pad: It provides one stop access for all reporting tools. We can design in multiple reports in multiple windows simultaneously. Also we can save reports as favorites for faster access.
However empowering users with capacity to create reports on their own has been SAP main focus. With introduction of SAP LUMIRA, the self-service reporting will see new heights. SAP LUMIRA can get data from multiple data sources(starting from CSV, BI, Universe, SAP HANA, crawling Twitter) and it comes with large set of Infographics. It is easier to share the reports and it also provides offline reporting capacity by downloading data from HANA and storing data locally. A small sybase database will be used to store the data and data will refreshed at regular intervals. We could see that no technical knowledge is required to use/play with SAP Lumira(however all our Technical skills can be displayed while modelling data). Hope SAP Lumira will be next gen tool of self-service BI.
Also predictive analytic is the next exciting thing. Rather than providing users with what they want, predictive analytics can discover hidden patterns in data. Reprting tools provide us the information we want where as Predictive Anlytics can make us to learn more about our data. Acquisition of KNEX by SAP and introdiction of InfiniteInsight will make normal users to apply data mining algorithms(from simple regression to advanced algos defined in R) which are generally forte of Data Scientists. SAP real-time data analytics combined with SAP PAL gives rise to new modules like Fraud Management. SAP Predictive Anlytics combined with SAP Lumira rich info-graphic will make us to learn much deeper insights about data with ease-of -use.
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