Use of InfoSources
InfoSources can play a decisive role in the LSA++. The more complex an SAP BW/4HANA model becomes, the more important it is for you to think about InfoSources to ensure the maintainability of the data flows and overall flexibility.
In which use cases is an InfoSource helpful?
Connecting multiple sources and targets.
As an example, use an InfoSource if you want to connect several different sources to a common target and the different sources require the same business rules. Use the source structure as a template for the InfoSource, and create default (1:1) mappings. The required business rules are applied in the subsequent transformation between the InfoSource and the target. You can change these rules centrally in this one transformation, as required.
Suppose you have several sources and several targets, and you can identify a part that is relevant for all combinations of source and target, and other source-specific or target-specific parts. Then, use a commonly used outbound InfoSource after the sources, and a commonly used inbound InfoSource in front of the targets. Then, bundle the flow logic instead of modeling a large (and potentially confusing) number of individual transformation rules. The main part of the transformation logic is always located between the outbound InfoSource of the source InfoProvider, and the inbound InfoSource of the target InfoProvider. New InfoProviders can easily be added with just one extra rule. You gain flexibility.
Splitting a complex transformation into simple parts.
Suppose you want to convert cost center data into the currency of the controlling area. Instead of programming a complex sequence of steps, you can integrate an InfoSource. Before the InfoSource, look up the target currency from the attributes. After the InfoSource, include the currency conversion.
If the transformation must be changed, you can fix just one of the parts. You gain flexibility and usability.
Reducing the number of transformations.
If you have N sources and M targets, you need N times M transformations to fill them all. If you include an InfoSource, you can combine N rules before the InfoSource and M rules after the InfoSource. You only need N plus M individual transformations. It is easier to find and correct one of them if you need it.