How to Configure and Access Dashboards from IPad

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How to Configure and Access Dashboards from IPAD

Applies to:

SAP BusinessObjects Mobile, SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards and SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence 4.0 SP6. For more information, visit the SAP BusinessObjects Mobile homepage.

Summary

This article describes the prerequisites, configuration steps and supported devices for accessing SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards from SAP Business Objects Mobile app in IPad/IPhone. The content in this article is intended for all those developers in mobile BI space who are interested in viewing dashboards via IPad and for users (like CEO’s, Managers, Directors) who would wish accessing the their BI dashboards from their IPad devices to make informed decisions based on targeted, personalized information anywhere and anytime.

Author: Mallikarjuna Chary Narayandas

Company: Gyansys Inc.

Created on: May 26, 2013

Author Bio

The author has worked on several SAP BusinessObjects projects and has experience on using all the SAPBusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform tools. Author has experience on working with SAPBusinessObjects mobile including designing and accessing BusinessObjects content (Web Intelligence Reports, Crystal Reports, Dashboards, Analysis and Information Spaces) through IPad / IPhone / Android.

Introduction

This article describes the prerequisites, configuration steps and supported devices for accessing SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards from SAP Business Objects Mobile app in IPAD/IPhone. This article also provides high level details of supported and unsupported dashboard components for mobile access and the process of releasing the dashboard for mobile access. The content in this article is intended for all those developers in mobile BI space who are interested in viewing dashboards via IPAD and for users (like CEO’s, Managers, Directors) who would wish accessing the their BI dashboards from their IPAD devices to make informed decisions based on targeted, personalized information anywhere and anytime

Prerequisites

• BusinessObjects server should be on SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform 4.0 Support Package 5 or higher.

• SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform is configured with mobile server and categories.

• SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Client tool should be on Support Package 5 or higher

• IPAD2 or higher available for testing the dashboards access.

• SAP BusinessObjects Mobile app on the IPAD is of version 4.4.27 or higher

Note: Dashboards are currently not supported on IPhone devices even with latest version of mobile app.

Mobile Supported Features for Dashboards

I wish and hope that SAP would ensure that they would work on closing the gap of unsupported features soon to make everything on Dashboards is supported on mobile to make giant strides in this area. Mobile Compatibility" panel shows the yellow and red warning icons for unsupported features, you can either choose to disable those properties or use alternative supported components/features to keep the dashboard functionality intact.

• Unsupported components - Red warning icon
• Supported components with unsupported properties. - Yellow warning icon
• Visual variant components. - replaced by their fallback component. For example, unsupported gauges and background components would be replaced by supported ones.

• Dashboards currently support only "NOVA" theme, so if you are using any other theme change it to NOVA for mobile access of the dashboard.

• Dashboards currently support only data manager connections defined using Query Browser as Live Data connections and QaaWS and Flash variable connections support is planned in BI 4.1

• Dashboards currently support only fonts that have "(iOS 5+)" appended, if your dashboard is using any other font you can default it to Verdana or change it to aforesaid fonts for mobile access of the dashboard.

• Dashboards with canvas size greater than 1024 x 768 would show scroll bars on IPad, so avoid using size greater than this size for better access.

• Refer to SAP BusinessObjects Mobile for iOS guide section 6.2 Supported components in mobile dashboards on page 108 to read the details of Supported components with unsupported properties.

Publish Dashboards to BI Platform

Open your dashboards file from your client tool, and then verify that there are no warnings or errors on “Mobile Compatibility panel” to ensure there are no mobile unsupported components on the dashboard.

• Use one of the options below to publish the dashboard to BI Platform for mobile access.

• Save to Platform > Mobile Only (To access dashboard only from IPad)
• Save to Platform > Desktop and Mobile (To access dashboard both from IPad and BI Launchpad)

• Enter the below details in “Log On to SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform” dialog to successfully publish the dashboard.

• System:  CMS: port
• User name: BI Platform username
• Password: BI Platform password
• Authentication: Enterprise/SAP

Note: Once the dashboards are on BI Platform they do not have to be specifically assigned to any of the mobile categories like “Mobile” or “Mobile Designed” in order to access them from IPAD.

Access from IPad

Once your dashboards are published as mentioned in the above section, then you can launch the SAP Business Objects Mobile app (version 4.4.27 or higher) from IPad.

• Click on Connect button at top right of the home page to connect to the existing connection to BI platform.

• Look for the dashboards you have published using steps mentioned in above section in the list of documents from Server.

• Tap the dashboard file to open it

• Play around with the dashboard to ensure you are getting the same interactivity that you were getting from BI platform.

Note: Once you have opened the dashboard successfully from IPad, it shows the graphic as the icon from the next time you open it.

Dashboards Checklist

If your answer to the below checklist items is yes then you should be able to access your dashboards from IPAD.

• Did you modify or update the source XLF file to remove/redesign all unsupported components on mobile that are listed in mobile compatibility viewer?

• Did you publish XLF file to platform using either of Save to Platform>Mobile Only or Save to Platform>Desktop and Mobile options?

• Is your dashboard assigned to Mobile or Mobile Designed Category? (optional)

• Are you using the latest version of app on your IPad (4.4.28)?

• Are you using IPad2 or higher?

Related Content

SAP BusinessObjects Mobile

Space: SAP BusinessObjects Mobile | SCN

For more information, visit  SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform

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This document may discuss sample coding or other information that does not include SAP official interfaces and therefore is not supported by SAP. Changes made based on this information are not supported and can be overwritten during an upgrade.

SAP will not be held liable for any damages caused by using or misusing the information, code or methods suggested in this document and anyone using these methods does so at his/her own risk.

SAP offers no guarantees and assumes no responsibility or liability of any type with respect to the content of this technical article or code sample, including any liability resulting from incompatibility between the content within this document and the materials and services offered by SAP. You agree that you will not hold, or seek to hold, SAP responsible or liable with respect to the content of this document