Importing Transaction Data

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to Import transaction data from SAP Business Warehouse.

Transaction Data Import Process

The Project: Importing Transaction Data from SAP Business Warehouse to SAP Analytics Cloud

Watch this short video to take a closer look at the next phase of your integration project: creating a hybrid profit center planning solution. You have created your model and now you must do the initial transaction data import from SAP Business Warehouse.

Import Transaction Data

Importing transaction data is covered in detail in the Importing and Wrangling Transactional Data in a Model lesson in the Designing Data Models and Transforming Data in SAP Analytics Cloud learning journey.

When creating a hybrid planning solution, you can use the information in this lesson to help create an import query to suit your own business requirements.

Data Acquisition Limits

Data acquisition limits for new models:

  • Non-SAP Data Center Platform: 1,000,000,000 cells, 1000 columns.
  • SAP Data Center Platform: 10,000,000 cells, 1000 columns.

Filters

As with importing master data, you can restrict the transaction data that is imported by applying filters in the import query. When importing transaction data, it's common to filter year and period.

Build SAP BW Query dialog with filters for Fiscal year and Posting period applied.

Map Data

In the Map to Facts step, keep the following in mind for transaction data imports:

  1. The version defaults to Actual. You can switch to a different public version by remapping the dimension.
  2. Generic and organization dimension types can use a member as a default or # (unassigned).
  3. It is possible to import multiple measures. For example, you can import local amount, group amount, and quantity in the same import.
Map to Facts with mapping options visible.

Review Date Settings

The date settings can be adjusted in the Map to Fact step by selecting Review Settings.

In the Mapping Summary tab, you can change Mapping and Preferences.

In the Mapping

  1. Map by Date: Choose this option if your source data is a calendar date. The system finds the date dimension member that matches this date and import data to it.
  2. Map by ID: Choose this option if your source data is fiscal shifted, or similar to the date dimension ID member. If your source data does not match the date dimension ID member, pick a format for the source data.

In the Preferences section, you can select Apply fiscal settings to column values. This allows you to pick a format for the incoming data, such as Same as Target Dimension (YYYYPP) or YYYY.PP.

In the Fiscal Settings tab, you can view the time settings for the model. For example, which periods are included in the fiscal year and the starting period for the year.

Map to Facts, Review Date Settings Dialog.

Run Import

When you select Run Import, a dialog provides an overview of the data that is being imported. You can change the settings at this point, if required.

In the Import Settings, you can update:

  1. Import Method: When data is imported multiple times for the same data region, the update method is used to control the data update. These options are covered in detail in the Importing and Wrangling Transactional Data in a Model, linked at the beginning of this lesson.
  2. Reverse Sign by Account Type: Use this option if the source data does not have the correct sign. For example, activate this option if revenue is stored as a positive value in the source system.
  3. Update Local Dimensions with New Members: Use this option to update private dimensions during the transaction data import.

If Validation Settings is enabled, you may select which hierarchies to validate against. Validating against selected hierarchies prevents data from being imported to non-leaf members.

Change Settings selected in the Run Import dialog. Job Settings dialog on screen.

After you run an import query and the data is in SAP Analytics Cloud:

  • Import query selection and data source can be changed for a model.
  • Import query selections for dimensions can be changed.
  • Import query filters can be changed for both models and dimensions.

Edit the Import Job

From the Data Management Workspace, it is possible to access a More actions menu, allowing you to refresh, edit, or delete the import job.

SAP Analytics Cloud Data Management Workspace with Import Jobs displayed.

Note

Transaction data imports can be triggered in a Multi Action. For more information, see Configuring Multi Actions.

Import Transaction Data from SAP Business Warehouse

Business Scenario

As part of the integration project, to create your hybrid planning solution, you must import transaction data from SAP Business Warehouse to an SAP Analytics Cloud model.

What skills will you develop in this practice exercise?

In this practice exercise, you will:

  • Create an import job from a data source.
  • Build an import query in SAP Analytics Cloud.
  • Use the Custom Expression Editor to prepare the data and map it.
  • Run the import job and view the imported data in the SAP Analytics Cloud model.

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