Creating Dashboards with SAP Businessobjects: The Comprehensive Guide to Xcelsius

Enlarged
ISBN: 978-1-59229-410-7
Verlag: RHEINWERK PUB INC

Buch, Englisch, 679 Seiten, Format (B × H): 184 mm x 239 mm, Gewicht: 1385 g

Reihe: SAP PRESS: englisch

Impress your audience with eye-catching, informative, and easy-to-navigate dashboards with SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards (formerly known as Xcelsius)! In this book, you’ll quickly learn the basics of building your own business intelligence dashboard and move on to customize your creations with themes, data connections, and other essential features.



1. SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Basics
Build a strong foundation by understanding the features, options, themes, and commands at your disposal, and benefit from comprehensive examples and practical exercises.



2. Visualize the Process
Benefit from numerous screenshots that show how different features will look in a dashboard (and view them in color in the online version!).



3. Custom Options
Tailor and enhance your dashboard by using SDK tools, data connectivity with options like SAP Crystal Reports and SAP BusinessObjects Live Office, and both SAP and non-SAP tools.



4. Bonus Online Information
Download source code from all examples and find color figure downloads at www.sap-press.com.



5. Updated and Revised for Release 4.0
Find all changes in the move to SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0, from small menu changes and what they mean, to new developments in location intelligence and more.


Highlights:

- Buttons, tools, and menus

- UI components

- Data connectivity

- Drill-down

- Dynamic visibility

- Location Intelligence

- SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards SDK

- Custom components

Autoren/Hrsg.

Li, Ray

Delodder, Evan

Fachgebiete

• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Business Application Unternehmenssoftware SAP
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Wirtschaftsinformatik, SAP, IT-Management

Inhaltsverzeichnis

. Foreword. 171. Introduction to SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards. 19


. 1.1. What Is SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards?. 19

. 1.2. What Can SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Do?. 22

. 1.3. SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards in the SAP BusinessObjects Portfolio. 33

. 1.4. Summary. 34



2. Becoming Familiar with SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards. 35


. 2.1. Menu. 36

. 2.2. Toolbar. 77

. 2.3. Components Browser. 82

. 2.4. Canvas. 84

. 2.5. Embedded Excel Spreadsheet. 85

. 2.6. Property Panel. 85

. 2.7. Object Browser. 88

. 2.8. Query Browser. 89

. 2.9. Summary. 93



3. Dashboard Tutorial. 95


. 3.1. Introduction. 95

. 3.2. Choose the Right UI Components. 96

. 3.3. Bind Data. 98

. 3.4. Connect to External Data. 103

. 3.5. Formatting. 104

. 3.6. Distribute the Output. 106

. 3.7. Summary. 108



4. UI Component Basics. 109


. 4.1. Working with Charts. 110

. 4.2. Selectors. 174

. 4.3. Represent a Single Value. 194

. 4.4. Use Containers to Wrap Several Components. 206

. 4.5. Build Backgrounds to Assist Layout. 210

. 4.6. Universe Connectivity. 214

. 4.7. Summary. 219



5. Advanced UI Components. 221


. 5.1. Advanced Charts. 221

. 5.2. Advanced Selectors. 255

. 5.3. Advanced Single-Value Components. 273

. 5.4. Displaying Data in a Table. 280

. 5.5. Using Art. 292

. 5.6. Use Maps for Geographical Representation. 299

. 5.7. Web Connectivity. 304

. 5.8. Others. 315

. 5.9. Summary. 333



6. Data Connectivity Basics. 335


. 6.1. Embedded Excel Spreadsheet. 336

. 6.2. Import Data from an Excel File. 340

. 6.3. Security Issues Related to Accessing External Data. 341

. 6.4. XML Data. 343

. 6.5. Web Service Connection. 364

. 6.6. Excel XML Map. 369

. 6.7. Summary. 373



7. Advanced Data Connectivity. 375


. 7.1. Query as a Web Service. 376

. 7.2. SAP NetWeaver BW Connection. 385

. 7.3. Live Office Connection. 388

. 7.4. Crystal Reports Data Consumer. 399

. 7.5. Flash Variables. 411

. 7.6. FS Command. 417

. 7.7. External Interface Connection. 424

. 7.8. LCDS Connection. 431

. 7.9. Portal Data. 435

. 7.10. Summary. 440



8. Special Features. 441


. 8.1. Drill-Down. 441

. 8.2. Make Smart Use of Dynamic Visibility. 452

. 8.3. Alerts. 464

. 8.4. Direct Data Binding. 472

. 8.5. Export. 474

. 8.6. Themes and Colors. 479

. 8.7. Summary. 488



9. A Comprehensive Hands-On Example. 489


. 9.1. Planning the Dashboard. 491

. 9.2. Preparing Data. 493

. 9.3. Organizing Data in Excel. 501

. 9.4. Designing the Dashboard. 505

. 9.5. Summary. 510



10. Introduction to the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards SDK. 511


. 10.1. About the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards SDK. 511

. 10.2. About Flex. 512

. 10.3. When to Use the SDK. 513

. 10.4. How to Use the SDK. 515

. 10.5. What Can I Do with the SDK?. 518

. 10.6. SDK Best Practices. 521

. 10.7. SDK Pitfalls. 524

. 10.8. Summary. 525



11. Get Started with Custom Component Basics. 527


. 11.1. Developing Basic Add-On Property Sheets. 527

. 11.2. Developing Basic Add-On Components

Über Autor(innen)

Delodder, Evan
Evan DeLodder is a software engineer focused on applying
cutting-edge technologies in the business intelligence and
data visualization space. Evan has led the development and
implementation of numerous business intelligence software
products and applications and continues to innovate and
apply new ideas that compliment the SAP Business Intelligence
platform. Evan is an SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards
SDK guru on the popular website EverythingXcelsius.com, an
SAP author, and a frequent contributor to the growing SAP
BusinessObjects Dashboards development community.

Li, Ray
Ray Li is a passionate business intelligence professional currently
working for Lodestone Management Consultants,
providing BI consulting services in the retail, pharmaceutical,
manufacturing, and insurance industries. He previously
worked for SAP BusinessObjects as a software engineer
where he developed the integration kit for SAP Solutions
and designed and delivered dashboards in several projects.
In his spare time he enjoys music and badminton.

Ray Li is a passionate business intelligence professional currently working for ByInsight Consulting as a BI consultant. He previously work for SAP BusinessObjects as a software engineer where he developed Xcelsius add-ons, designed and delivered Xcelsius dashboards in several projects and conducted trainings. Ray is well respected by his peers and was highly recommended by Mico Yuk, founder of the Xcelsius Gurus Network.

Evan Delodder is managing director of Summit Intelligence Services. He has extensive experience creating engaging, innovative business intelligence solutions based on Xcelsius, Flex, AIR, C#, and MS SQL Business Intelligence Suite technologies.