Working with the SAP BW/4HANA Content

You should already be familiar with SAP BW Content that has been included as part of the solution since the launch of SAP BW more than 20 years ago. The content developed and provided by SAP ensures customers can get a fast start with their implementation and implement best practice models that integrate deeply with the underlying SAP data sources. The content was built around the Layered Scalable Architecture (LSA) approach.

For SAP BW/4HANA, brand-new, ready-made content is delivered that uses the new objects, such as CompositeProviders, and is based on the simplified LSA++ architecture. The new content combines the capabilities of SAP HANA and SAP BW/4HANA for the most optimal solution.

The new SAP BW/4HANA Content provides many benefits compared to the previous content, including:

• Less data persistence which means less storage and management of data: Based on the LSA++ concepts redundancies of data are minimized, there are no unnecessary data marts, and navigation attributes/transitive attributes are used wherever possible.

• Better data load performance: Wherever possible, the run-time of transformations is set to SAP HANA, for example, by using formulas (which can easily be converted to SQL in SAP HANA) instead of ABAP in Transformations.

• Better report performance: Query design follows SAP HANA-based performance principles.

• More flexibility in data acquisition: The business logic is defined only in Transformation between InfoSource and Integrated Data Warehouse Layer DataStore Objects (advanced); the Corporate Memory is available in the data flows.

• Simple and easy to understand: The SAP BW/4HANA Content is documented in detail in the SAP Help portal, but also within the delivered objects (especially where program code is included).

• BW4CONTB: This is called Content Basis Add-On. It provides subject-independent InfoObjects, InfoAreas, Query variables, conversion exits, and master data read classes.

• BW4CONT: This provides the subject-specific data models and data flows for business processes and industry solutions.

There is a set of documentation that covers all aspect of SAP BW/4HAHA Content including installation.

Some technical aspects of SAP BW/4HANA Content include:

• Content has been rebuilt using the new SAP BW/4HANA objects such as DataStore Object (advanced) and CompositeProviders. There is also an examples for an BAdI Provider in Finance (General Ledger).

• The Open Operational Data Store layer and Corporate Memory layer are modeled with field-based DataStore Objects.(advanced).

• There is a new set up of delivered variables which follows updated naming conventions. For details refer to SAP note 2395579.

• Persistence of time characteristics is streamlined by leveraging the new navigational attributes of the InfoObjects 0CALDAY and 0FISCPER.

• The core part of the content is based on ODP-enabled classic SAP ABAP DataSources. However, there is also content for SAP SuccessFactors (Human Capital Management) based on OData interfaces or SAP S/4HANA specific content based on ABAP CDS Views.

There is content for SAP BW/4HANA available for the following areas (as of release 2.0 SP12):

• Sales & Distribution: Sales Orders, Conditions, Deliveries

• Service: Orders, Contracts, Confirmations

• Asset Management: Plant Maintenance and Customer Service

• Quality Management: Inspections and Notifications

• Finance: Accounts Receivable and Payable, Fixed Asset Accounting, General Ledger, Contract Accounts, Fixed Assets, Funds Management, Real Estate (classic), and Cloud for Real Estate.

• Controlling: Profit Center Accounting, Overhead Cost Controlling, Product Cost

• Finance and Controlling: S/4HANA Finance Universal Journal

• Supply Chain Management: Procurement, Invoice Verification, Inventory, Production Planning, Transportation Management, and Extended Warehouse Management

• Master Data Governance: MDG content

• Global Trade Services: Import , Export, Transit, Addresses, Compliance, and Licenses

• SAP SuccessFactors Human Capital Management: Human Resources Master Data, Workforce Management, and Performance Management

• Industry solution for Utilities with Master Data, Sales Statistics, and Energy Data Management

The SAP BW/4HANA Content follows the LSA++ recommendations and delivers an LSA++ aligned structure. It is structured in three layers with data models providing the following features:

1. The data is acquired in the Staging layer and Corporate Memory. This layer can be used for the following purposes:

   • The layer for staging, such as Open Operational Data Store layer, serves as a first physical data inbound layer on SAP BW/4HANA from which the data is propagated into one or more target InfoProviders in the Integrated DWH Layer.

   • The Corporate Memory serves as storage of all data records delivered by a particular DataSource for rebuilding the Integrated DWH Layer. Potentially a DataSource will not be able to deliver the same records again, e.g. due to archiving of data in the source system.

   No transformations or aggregations are defined in this layer, except for source system dependent transformations. The structure of the Staging/Corporate Memory Layer DataStore Objects (advanced) reflects the structure of the connected DataSources.
2. The data is then harmonized and transformed to the Integrated DWH Layer. The DataSource and the Corporate Memory DataStore Objects (advanced) are connected to the Integrated DWH Layer by one central InfoSource. Harmonization and business transformation logic is generally applied between this InfoSource and the Integrated DWH Layer DataStore Objects (advanced).
3. A Virtual Data Mart Layer is used for reporting. InfoProviders that reside in this layer do not contain any data. Instead, they describe which data is accessed, and how it is displayed semantically to the end user. CompositeProviders are used as InfoProviders in the Virtual Data Mart Layer and access the data from DataStore Objects (advanced). All Content queries are deployed on top of these CompositeProviders.

The following naming conventions are used throughout the data model:

Hint

Objects delivered by the SAP BW/4HANA Content are easily recognized as they have their own name space: /IMO/ referring to HANA-optimized or in-memory. If the source system is SAP SuccessFactors, then the name space is /SFA/.

The following figure describes the architecture and the applied naming convention on the example of Sales Order documents. It represents also the way the new SAP BW/4HANA Content is documented for each business area or industry solution.

When evaluating the content it is important to understand that the delivered objects are dependent on different source systems. This means that not all content applications exist for all types of SAP source systems. So thorough investigation is required if the requested scenario is available for the source system in your organization, before you start deployment of the delivered objects.

Unlike in SAP NetWeaver BW, where the content refers almost exclusively to the SAP Business Suite, the new SAP BW/4HANA content refers to four different SAP source systems:

1. SAP Business Suite: Most of this content continues to use the legacy ABAP DataSources, but provides an LSA++ optimized data flow on the SAP BW/4HANA side.
2. SAP S/4HANA on Premise: Same as mentioned for SAP Business Suite, but enhanced with new ABAP CDS View-based extractors. See unit 9 for more details.
3. SAP S/4HANA Cloud: There is a growing number of ABAP CDS Views, which serve as DataSources for SAP BW/4HANA content data flows. See unit 9 for more details.
4. SAP SuccessFactors: This SAP cloud solution can be connected via oData in combination with SAP HANA Smart Data Integration to the relevant APIs of SAP SuccessFactors. You can find a detailed how-to-guide in SAP note 2776343 (Connectivity to SAP SuccessFactors for SAP BW/4 HANA Content).
5. SAP Cloud for Real Estate: Connectivity is based on a special API provided by this cloud solution. Details provided in this blog post: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/11/22/how-to-connect-sap-cloud-for-real-estate-to-sap-bw-4hana/

The figure above shows, which parts of the SAP BW/4HANA Content connect to which kind of sources. These sources identify the relevant source system types.

• Green color: HR-related content is only available for data managed in SAP SuccessFactors and its APIs.
• Grey color: Cloud for Real Estate comes with an individual API which provides the connectivity to SAP BW/4HANA ADSOs.
• Blue color: Some parts are only available for SAP S/4HANA (regardless which deployment type, on premise or cloud, because those are based on ABAP CDS Views. Global Trade Service, Transportation Management, Service, and the Finance Universal Journal are exclusively available for SAP S/4HANA only, while there is a co-existence of ABAP DataSources and ABAP CDS Views for the areas of Sales&Distribution and Plant Maintenance. SAP is committed to enhance this area, the plans for 2021 include new SAP BW/4HANA content for SAP S/4HANA Procurement (Purchase Orders) and Transportation Management (Transportation Order Root and Item).

  Examples for extraction-enabled ABAP CDS View used in the SAP BW/4HANA Content

  Business Area	Examples of extraction-enabled ABAP CDS Views
  Service	C_SERVICECONTRACTITEMDEX: Service Contracts C_SERVICEORDERITEMDEX: Service Orders C_SERVICECONFIRMATIONITEMDEX: Service Confirmations
  Transportation Mgmt	C_FRTDSPUTCASEANLYTSDEX: Freight Dispute Case Analytics C_TRANSPORDITEMANLYSTSDEX: Transportation Order Analysis Root and Item
  Global Trade Service (GTS)	C_EXPORTDECLARATIONITEMDEX: Export Declaration Items C_IMPORTDECLARATIONITEMDEX: Import Declaration Items C_TRANSITDECLARATIONDEX: Transit Declaration Items C_TRNSTDSCHRGDECINITEMDEX: Transit Discharge Declaration Item C_CSTMSCMPLNCDOCITMLGLCLICDEX: Licenses/Customs Document Items C_CSTMSCMPLNDOCUMENTITEMDEX: Customs Document Items C_CUSTOMSCOMPLIANCEDOCUMENTDEX: Customs Documents C_LEGALCONTROLLICENSEDEX: Licenses in Legal Control C_SPLSCRNGDOCADDRCHKRESULTDEX: Document Addresses SPL Screening Result C_SPLSCRNGPARTADDRCHKRESULTDEX: BP Addresses SPL Screening Result
  Finance&Controlling	I_GLACCOUNTLINEITEMRAWDATA: Raw Data of GL-Account Line-Item
  Sales&Distribution	C_SALESDOCUMENTITEMDEX_1: Sales Document Items C_SALESDOCITMPRCGELMNTDEX_1: Sales Document Item Pricing Elements C_BILLGDOCITMPRCGELMNTBSCDEX1: Billing Document Item Pricing Element C_BILLINGDOCITEMBASICDEX_1: Billing Document Items C_SALESORGANIZATIONDEX: Sales Organization Master Data
  Plant Maintenance	I_MAINTORDEROBJTECHCUBE: Maintenance Orders I_LOCATIONANALYSISCUBE: Maintenance Notifications (MN) I_MAINTNOTIFICATIONITEMDATA: MN Items I_MAINTNOTIFICATIONCAUSEDATA: MN Causes I_MAINTNOTIFICATIONACTYDATA: MN Activities I_MAINTNOTIFICATIONTASKDATA: MN Tasks
  Procurement	C_PURCHASEORDERDEX: Purchase Order Item C_PURPRDSCHEDULELINEDEX: Purchase Order Schedule Line C_SCHEDULEAGGREEMENTHDRDEX: Purchase Scheduling Agreement Header C_SCHEDULEAGGREEMENTITEMDEX: Purchase Scheduling Agreement Items

• Orange color: Many parts of the SAP BW/4HANA content rely still on classic ABAP extractors which are available in SAP Business Suite and SAP S/4HANA on Premise. The applications build on the existing objects (see the following examples), which are released for ODP usage (see Operational Data Provisioning in unit 8).

  Examples for ABAP Data Sources used in the SAP BW/4HANA Content

  Business Area	Key ABAP DataSources
  Sales and Distribution	2LIS_11_VAHDR: Sales Document Header Data 2LIS_11_VASTH: Sales Document Header Status 2LIS_11_VAITM: Sales Document Item Data 2LIS_11_V_ITM: Sales-Shipping Allocation Item Data 2LIS_11_VAKON: Order Condition Data 2LIS_11_V_SSL: Sales Document: Order Delivery 2LIS_12_VCHDR: Delivery Header Data 2LIS_12_VCITM: Delivery Item Data 2LIS_13_VDHDR: Billing Document Header Data 2LIS_13_VDITM: Billing Document Item Data 2LIS_13_VDKON: Billing Condition Data
  Supply Chain Management	2LIS_02_HDR: Purchasing Data Header 2LIS_02_ITM: Purchasing Data Item 2LIS_02_SCL: Purchasing Data Schedule Line 2LIS_02_ACC: Purchasing Data Accounting 2LIS_02_SCN: Purchasing Data Confirmation of Schedule Lines 2LIS_02_SGN: Purchasing Data Delivery of Schedule Lines 2LIS_02_CGR: Purchasing Data Produced Activity: Delivery of Confirmations 2LIS_06_INV: Invoice Verification Data 2LIS_03_BX: Stock Initialization 2LIS_03_BF: Goods Movements 2LIS_03_UM: Revaluations
  Financials	0FI_AR_4: Customers: Line Items with Delta Extraction 0FI_AR_30: Accounts Receivable 0FI_AP_4: Vendors: Line Items with Delta Extraction 0FI_AP_30: Accounts Payable 0FI_GL_4: General Ledger Line Items 0FI_GL_6: General Ledger General Ledger Sales Figures 0FI_GL_12: General Ledger Balances of leading Ledger 0FI_GL_14: General Ledger Line Items of Leading Ledger 0FI_AA_11: Asset Accounting Transactions 0FI_AA_12: Asset Accounting posted Depreciations
  Controlling	0EC_PCA_1: Profit Center: Transaction Data on Accounts 0EC_PCA_2: Statistical key figures 0EC_PCA_3: Actual Line Items 0EC_PCA_4: Actual Line Items Periodic Transfer 0CO_OM_CCA_1_D: Cost Centers Costs and Allocations (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_CCA_10: Cost Centers Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_CCA_30: Cost Centers Statistical Key Figures 0CO_OM_CCA_40: Cost Centers Actual Line Items 0CO_OM_OPA_1_D: Internal Orders Cost and Allocations (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_OPA_7: Internal Orders Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_OPA_30: Internal Orders Statistical Key Figures 0CO_OM_OPA_40: Internal Orders Actual Line Items 0CO_OM_WBS_1_D: WBS Elements Costs (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_WBS_7: WBS Elements Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_WBS_4: WBS Elements Statistical Key Figures 0CO_OM_WBS_6: WBS Elements Actual Line Items 0CO_OM_NAE_1_D: Activity Element Costs (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_NAE_2: Activity Elements Actual costs (delta) 0CO_OM_NAE_3: Network Activity Element: Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_NAE_3: Network Activity Element: Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_NAE_4: Network Activity Element: Statistic Key Figures 0CO_OM_NTW_1_D: Network: Costs (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_NTW_2: Networks Actual Costs (delta) 0CO_OM_NTW_3: Network Header Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_NTW_4: Network Statistic Key Figures 0CO_OM_NWA_1_D: Network Activity Costs (Delta Totals) 0CO_OM_NWA_2: Network Activity Actual Costs (delta) 0CO_OM_NWA_3: Network Activity Commitment Line Items 0CO_OM_NWA_4: Network Activity Statistic Key Figures 0CO_PC_PCP_20: Product Cost Analysis Cost Component Split 0CO_PC_PCP_30: Product Costing Analysis: Itemization
  Plant Maintenance	0PM_WCCP: PM/PP Work Center Capacity 0PM_SCH_PLND_ORDER: Scheduling Overview and Planned Order 0PM_ORDER_STATUS: PM Order Status 0PM_OBJ_STATUS: PM Object Status 0PM_MEASUREMENT: Measuring Points and Measurement Documents 0PM_MCOST_ASSET_UTIL: Maintenance Order Costs with Asset Utilization 0PM_FLEET: Fleet Vehicle consumption detail 0PM_DSMNTL: Plant Maintenance Equipment Dismantling 2LIS_17_I3OPER: Plant Maintenance Order Process 2LIS_17_I3HDR: Plant maintenance orders 2LIS_17_I0TASK: Maintenance Notifications Tasks 2LIS_17_I0NOTIF: Maintenance Notifications 2LIS_17_I0ITEM: Maintenance Notifications Items 2LIS_17_I0CAUSE: Maintenance Notifications Causes 2LIS_17_I0ACTY: Maintenance Notifications Activities
  Customer Service	2LIS_18_I3OPER: Service order operation 2LIS_18_I3HDR: Service Orders 2LIS_18_I0TASK: Service Notifications Tasks 2LIS_18_I0NOTIF: Service Notifications 2LIS_18_I0ITEM: Service Notifications Items 2LIS_18_I0CAUSE: Service Notifications Causes 2LIS_18_I0ACTY: Service Notifications Activities
  Quality Management	2LIS_05_QVUDN: Inspection Lot/Usage Decision 2LIS_05_QE2: Inspection Result Quantitative Data 2LIS_05_QE1: Inspection Result General Data 2LIS_05_Q0TASK: Quality Notifications Tasks 2LIS_05_Q0NOTIF: Quality Notifications 2LIS_05_Q0ITEM: Quality Notifications Items 2LIS_05_Q0CAUSE: Quality Notifications Causes 2LIS_05_Q0ACTY: Quality Notifications Activities
  Production Planning and Controlling	2LIS_04_P_MATNR: Material View from PP/PP-PI 2LIS_04_P_COMP: Component View from PP/PP-PI 2LIS_04_P_ARBPL_20: Work Center View from PP/PP-PI 0PP_WCCP_20: PP(PI)Work Center Capacity
  Extended Warehouse Management	0WM_BIN: Storage Bins 0WM_BIN: Storage Bins 0WM_BIN_FULL: Storage Bins Full Upload 0WM_DLVI: Delivery Items 0WM_DLVI_IN: Inbound Delivery Items 0WM_DLVI_OUT: Outbound Delivery Items 0WM_EWL: Executed Workload 0WM_EWL: Executed Workload 0WM_EXCCODE: Exceptions 0WM_MS_RESULT: Measurement Service Results 0WM_PL_DLVI: Delivery-Item-Related Execution Data 0WM_POD: Proof Of Delivery 0WM_STOCK: Stocks 0WM_TU: Transportation Units 0WM_VAS: Value-Added Services 0WM_WO: Warehouse Orders 0WM_WT_WO: Warehouse Tasks