Supported meta-data & functionality
BEx Query Elements Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Custom Key Figure Structure Yes No Yes
Custom Characteristic Structure Yes No Yes
Hierarchical Custom Key Figure Structure No No No
Hierarchical Custom Characteristic Structure Yes No No
Selection of elements of a custom structure in
the report Yes No No
Support for 2 structures from BEx Query Yes No Yes
Compounded Characteristics Yes Yes No
Supported meta-data & functionality
BEx Query Elements Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Support for Characteristic Data Type NUMC Yes Yes Yes
Support for Characteristic Data Type CHAR Yes Yes Yes
Support for Characteristic Data Type DATS Key Value as String.
Description Value as Date Yes Key Value as String.
Description Value as Date
Support for Characteristic Data Type TIMS As String Value Only Yes As String Value Only Support for Key Figures Data Type Amount /
Quantity Yes Yes Yes
Support for Key Figures Data Type DATS Yes Yes Yes
Support for Key Figures Data Type TIMS As String Value Only Yes As String Value Only
Information about configured Filters in the BEx
Query No No No
BEx Text Elements No No No
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variables Web Intelligence 4.x using
Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Optional Variables Yes No Yes
Mandatory Variables Yes No Yes
Characteristic Value Variables Yes No Yes
Formula Variables Yes No Yes
Hierarchy Variables Yes No Yes
Hierarchy Node Variables Yes No Yes
Hierarchy Version Variable No No No
Key Date Variable Yes No Yes
Text Variables Yes No No
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variables Processing Type Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
User Entry / Default Value Yes No Yes
Replacement Path Yes (2) No Yes (2)
Customer / SAP Exits Yes No Yes
Authorization Yes No Yes
(2) To be able to use BEx Queries with Crystal Reports for Enterprise, Web Intelligence, and SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards the BEx queries need to be configured to allow external access in the BEx Query Designer. For limits of BEx queries which are released for external access please also take a look at SAP Note 820925.
In particular for the for the variable processing type Replacement Path:
Variables with replacement from query result are not supported, if the query again has variables that are ready for input.
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variables Presentation Option Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Single Value Yes No Yes
Multiple Single Value Yes No Yes
Interval / Range Value Yes No Yes
Selection Option Limited Support (3) No Limited Support (3)
Selection Option Operator Functionality (except
Contains Pattern) Limited Support (3) No Limited Support (3)
Selection Option Operator Functionality -
Contains Pattern Limited Support (3) No Limited Support (3)
Selection Option Include / Exclude Functionality Limited Support (3) No Limited Support (3)
PreCalculated Value Set Yes No No
(3) Crystal Reports for Enterprise, Web Intelligence, and SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards are creating range variables for a selection
option variable from a BEx Query. In addition the option to include or exclude values and to select an operator is not supported.
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variables Presentation Option Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Support for manual entry of values No - NA - Yes
Support for Variables in Defaults Area of BEx
Query No No No
Support for single Key Date Variable Yes No Only Limited support
Support for multiple Key Date Variables in single
BEx Query No No No
Support for Hierarchy / Hierarchy Node Variable
dependency Yes No Yes
Support for cascading variables for
Compounded Characteristics Yes - NA - No
Support for Variable Default Values Yes No Yes
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Copy / Paste variable values from clipboard No - NA - No
Filling variable values from Microsoft Excel File No - NA - No
Merge / Unmerge Variables Yes - NA - No
Defining Variable Sequence in the report Planned for release 4.1 - NA - No
Variable Sequence based on BEx Query
Designer Yes - NA - No
Support for validating values before executing
the report No - NA - No
Read Mode for list of values (master data,
InfoCube) Yes - NA - Yes
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV) Currency / Unit Conversion defined in BEx
Query Yes No Yes
Currency / Unit Conversion (Runtime) No Possible with manual modeling No
Condition in Rows (from BEx Query)
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release Condition in Columns
(from BEx Query)
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release Conditions for fixed set of characteristics (from
BEx Query)
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release Condition for independent characteristics (from
BEx Query)
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
Defining Conditions in the report Yes (4) - NA - Yes (4)
Exceptions (from BEx Query) No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
No
Not planned for future release
Defining Exceptions in the report Yes - NA - Yes
Constant Selection Yes - NA - Yes
(4) the BI clients are able to create condition type of filters (for example, Top N) in the report but these filters are applied after the data has been retrieved from SAP NetWeaver BW
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Cell Editor Calculation Limited Support (5) No Limited Support (5)
Local calculations (defined in BEx Query) No No No
Defining Calculations in the report (at run time) Yes - NA - Yes
Exception Aggregation Yes No Yes
Zero Suppression No No No
Read Mode for characteristics (master data,
InfoCube) Yes Yes Yes
(5) Crystal Reports for Enterprise, Web Intelligence, and SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards to support BEx queries with two structures and cell definitions created with the cell editor but in cases where the cell definition combines different data types, the resulting output in these BI clients will be a string value instead of a numeric value.
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Scaling Factor Yes - NA - No
Reverse Sign (+/-) Yes - NA - No
Number of Decimals No
Not planned for future release - NA - No
Not planned for future release
Hide / Show the Element Yes - NA - Yes
Sort Characteristics No - NA - No
Display Options for characteristics (Key, Key &
Text, Text)
Elements can be included as
part of the report design - NA - Elements can be included as part of the report design
Result Rows (Show, Suppress) No - NA - No
Placement of subtotal (above / below nodes) No - NA - No
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Support for Hierarchies with Linked Nodes No No No
Support for time-dependent Hierarchies Yes No Limited (6)
Support for time-dependent Hierarchy Structures Yes No Limited (6)
Support for Hierarchies with Temp Join Yes No Yes
Support for Hierarchy Versions (without usage of
Variables) Yes No No
(6) SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.1 OLAP Universes are created using the Universe Design Tool and there is no option available to
configure a key date when authoring the XI 3.1 OLAP Universe. Based on this situation the XI 3.1 OLAP Universe will always be authored based on the system date and the authored Universe will only consider meta-data for time-dependent objects based on the system date.
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Hierarchical Member selection (nodes and leafs) Yes No Yes
Member Selection based on hierarchy levels Yes No No
Show specific Hierarchy Levels Yes - NA - No
Skip levels of a hierarchy No - NA - No
Show Leaf Members only No - NA - No
Ranking Data along a hierarchy No - NA - No
Exchange of hierarchies in the BI client tool No No No
Expand to Level Functionality (BEx Query
Designer) No - NA - No
Expand to Level Functionality (Run Time) No - NA - No
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Compact Axis in the Rows (Display as hierarchy)
No
Not planned for future release - NA - No
Not planned for future release Compact Axis in the Columns (Display as
hierarchy)
No
Not planned for future release - NA - No
Not planned for future release
Hierarchical Report Design Yes - NA - No
Hierarchical charting Yes - NA - No
(8) Design Studio: possible to define it in design time. But it‘s not possible to define/change it in ad-hoc manner in run time with Design Studio 1.0
Supported meta-data & functionality
Variable Functionality Web Intelligence 4.x using Direct BICS Connectivity
Web Intelligence 4.x using Relational Universe (BI4 UNX)
Web Intelligence 4.x using XI 3.1 OLAP Universe (UNV)
Schedule a document Yes - NA - Yes
Create a Publication (= Broadcasting) Yes - NA - Yes
Support for Variable Variants No - NA - No
Support for Variable Personalization No - NA - No
Support for Report Report Interface as Sender No - NA - No
Support for Report Report Interface as Receiver No - NA - No
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