Design Studio is the reference tool retained in the SAP roadmap for the implementation of complex applications "dashboards" in web mode. It replaces other tools that previously covered the same need but are no longer held in the roadmap: BO Dashboard, Xcelsius and Web Application Designer. Thus Design Studio is a compelling solution in the Business Intelligence offering from SAP.
Using SAP Design Studio
This powerful tool is not intended to be placed in the hands of end users but is reserved for IT. The result is in HTML5 web applications that can be published on the SAP portal or be used by smartphones.
It allows you to create interactive dashboards and great precision in graphics ( "pixel perfect" tool), with possibility to have multiple tables or graphs displayed in different tabs as needed.
It also allows for the budgetary input (BI-IP input masks and PCBs since version 10.1) and execute BI-IP calculation functions (functions or planning sequences).
Features
There are several options for installation: BI4 platforms, SAP BW or SAP HANA .
The BI4 platform is recommended as it offers more possibilities:
- Access to various connected systems BW, HANA, and the BO universe Platform
- integrated mobility
- can jump to the WEBI documents (via link OpenDoc and passing parameters)
For developers , They must also install the Windows Client Add-on (ECLIPSE) corresponding to the workstation. It is possible to develop applications locally or connected to the platform.
The Design Studio provides direct access to numerous data sources.
If installed on platform BI4, Design Studio provides access to:
- The BW data sources (cubes, multi-cubes, virtual cubes, BEX queries). Integration with BW is perfect, especially regarding the management of hierarchies and permissions
- The views HANA (attributes, analytical, calculated) of the various systems HANA
- Other possible data via the BO universe
If installed on BW on HANA platform or, Design Studio can access only the data platform on which it is installed.
In local mode, it can also access BW data (Saplogon) or HANA, through the ODBC connection.
The data are not stored by Design Studio but they are refreshed differently depending on the setting:
- When launching the application or later
- In order of priority or according to user request
- In groups or individually sources
- For the optional use of a script
Components
Design Studio allows you to build a web application , starting from a predefined template or adding each component in the structure of the page.
Several components can be placed in the canvas and parameterized: containers, tables, charts, filters, drop-down list, check boxes, command buttons, text areas, etc.
The interface is based on Eclipse WYSIWYG: left up the components, bottom left the structure of the components used in the center and the canvas on the right properties for the selected component.
Datasource represent loaded data will be used in the application. A chart or graph is associated with one of these datasources to allow the display of data in the format requested.
Type components "filters" used to restrict the data from one of these datasources. This selection will automatically apply to graphs or tables that use these datasources.
It is possible to associate dependent dropdowns to each other in the application of filters. For example, state filters, City, Company can be combined to facilitate selection.
The customization of the application is enhanced by the interactive event concept. If you have activated the property "Event: select one" of a component, it is possible to enter the script in a syntax similar to JavaScript, which will be executed when you click on that component. This allows for example to hide a screen, filter a data source, refresh the data, etc.
Script creation is facilitated by suggestion functions that provide the stated objects and functions available. Since version 1.5, a page can contain executable scripts global by several components.
GEO MAP component is based on the geographical characteristics of data to enable a dynamic analysis on card performance indicators.
Application creation Steps
In practice, we realize that SAP Design Studio has benefited from the experience of previous tools and concepts such as the Web Application Designer. Here are the main steps for creating an application:
- Start by creating datasources all of which will need given the reporting requirements, filter, etc.Several datasources can be based on the same data source.
- Manage the initial view datasources, which consists of a selection of characteristics and ratios that will actually be used in reports, but also in additional settings (sorting, display, totals) of data to be restored which will be applied in the tables This can have a significant impact on performance.
- Create tables and charts assigned to datasources
- Add the formatting components
- Set the properties of each component (display, positioning, formatting CSS class, etc.) and add the script.
- If necessary, use the SDK to create additional components not available in the standard
- At each step, test the results to verify the result and correct.
SAP Design Studio in SAP offers
SAP Design Studio was created to accompany two movements: the will of SAP to simplify and rationalize the offer in the application of business intelligence, and development of the HANA platform at the heart of SAP strategy.
If the WAD had the advantage of being integrated with BW-IP, and particularly powerful, and Xcelsius was recognized as a very attractive tool, SAP Design Studio takes the path of a successful merger between the two tools. It strengthens SAP's offer with a powerful tool for application developers.
It complements the range of business intelligence tools now composed of Design Studio, Webi, Crystal, BO Analysis for Excel, and the new platform Lumira BI and EPM: SAP Cloud for Analytics.
Special thanks to our SAP Mentor Tony de Thomasis for the guidance throughout the completion of the ERP Applications subject #bco6181, as well as Paul Hawking , Robert Jovanovic, Mohammad Bilal for giving us the opportunity to interact with SAP BusinessObjects Design Studio and learn more about the potential of this application.
Group : Shilpa and DIMPLE
Here is the links of some nice blogs on design studio.........
- tammy.powlas3's document on "On Background Processing"
How to set up Background Processing in Design Studio
- nithyanandamvenu's document on "Real time chat component in SAP BusinessObject Design Studio with Node.js ,Express and Socket.io"
Real time chat component in SAP BusinessObject Design Studio with Node.js ,Express and Socket.io
This is the video for new version 1.6.....
This blog is written for part of assessment in our Unit ERP Applications subject #bco6181 as Academic project. Looking forward to have feedback on our first attempt.
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