This document compares SAP BO Dashboards (Xcelsius) and SAP Design Studio. It provides an overview of the components, functionality, integration capabilities, performance, and development experience of each. Design Studio offers a more robust set of visual components, integration options, and mobile support compared to Xcelsius. However, Xcelsius may be more familiar for those with Excel skills. The document also provides tips for optimizing Design Studio dashboard performance.

1. info@skywind.com
+ (972) 775-621927
www.skywind.com
SAP BO DASHBOARDS (XCELSIUS)
VS.
SAP DESIGN STUDIO

2. CONTENT
• INTRO
• COMPONENTS OVERVIEW
• FUNCTIONALITY OVERVIEW
• INTEGRATION AND MOBILE
• PERFORMANCE
• CONCLUSION
• EXAMPLES OF DESIGN STUDIO

3. INTRO
DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
Native HTML5 with CSSAdobe Flash with HTML5 supportVisualization Engine
Sufficient library of visual
components and selectors (getting
richer with each new release)
Rich library of visual components
and selectors
Visual Components and
Selectors
Several basic themes.
Customizing requires advanced CSS
knowledge.
Approach: scripting
Multiple built-in themes, easy to
customize via GUI.
Approach: GUI
Design and color schemes
Scripting skills (JAVA alike), CSS
scripting, data source
understanding (advanced)
Excel knowledge , data source
understanding (simple)
Skills required for
dashboards development
Advanced flexibility based on
programmatic approach and
interactive components
Moderate flexibility mostly based
on Excel-spreadsheets and non
programmable components
Flexibility

4. DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
34 Charts of 12 types *22 Charts of 16 typesChart Types
10 Selectors of 10 types18 Selectors of 16 typesSelectors **
5 Containers of 5 types7 Containers of 3 typesContainers
No What – If components6 What If componentsWhat – If Components
No Maps ***Basic (non drillable) for 100
countries and regions
Maps
Available as input fieldAvailable as a tableCalendar
Same functionality (and much
more) achieved via scripting
Local Scenario, Trend Icon,
History, Panel Set, Source Data,
Print and Reset buttons, Grid
Other Components
Full Drilling and Filtering
capabilities
No Filter PanelFilter Panel
Full Filtering capabilities for
chosen dimension
No Dimension FilterDimension Filter
COMPONENTS OVERVIEW
* As of current Design Studio version (1.4 SP2), Gauge is available only as Development Kit Add On.
** Selectors are various components (e.g. radio buttons, drop down boxes etc.), by which, user can manipulate data in a dashboard/report.
*** Available as part of Development Kit. Can be integrated nicely with Google Maps.

5. DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
AdvancedBasicFiltering
AdvancedBasicParameterization
Yes*NoDrag and Drop
Yes*NoReport to Report Interface
FullFullBex Utilization
AdvancedBasicHierarchies Utilization
Only via BI IP functionalityYesWhat – If Scenarios
Yes*NoContext Menu in Crosstab
YesNoPlanning (BI IP) Support
NoYesOffline Analysis
Yes*NoReuse of Dash. Fragments
Only ExcelYesExport to PDF and Excel
FUNCTIONALITY OVERVIEW
* As of Design Studio version 1.5. GA on May 2015

6. DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
BW/BO/HANABW/BOPlatform deployment
BW/HANA/FIORI/BO UniversesBW/BO Universes/XML …Data Source Connectivity
Available with Mobile App and
browsers.
HTML5 + CSS:
more than 95% of functionality is
supported
Available with BO Mobile App
only.
Flash exported to HTML5:
many desktop components and
properties are not supported.
Only QAAS and Flash Variables are
mobile compatible
Mobile Capabilities
JavaScript-based SDKFlex-based SDKSDK
Integrates with the new
Business Suite on HANA (FIORI)
and SAP Lumira.
Supports crosstab on Mobile.
Can consume WEBI and Crystal
through Live Office, WS etc.
Complex Bex structures not
supported on Mobile
Other Sources Integration
INTEGRATION AND MOBILE SUPPORT
* As of Design Studio version 1.5. GA on May 2015

7. DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
HTML5Adobe Flex EngineCompilation Engine
No specific limitationsExcel with more than 500
records can cause serious
performance deterioration as well
as multiple Excel tabs and complex
calculations
Data Set Limitations
Yes *NoParallel Query Processing
YesYesBackground Processing
Data Source preparation +
Flash loading /Initialization +
Web Service + Flash processing
Total Runtime
> 20 = Performance problem>10 = Performance problemNumber of Data Sources
PERFORMANCE
* As of Design Studio version 1.5. GA on May 2015

8. DESIGN STUDIOXCELSIUS
SufficientRichPool of Components
RichSufficientFunctionality
GoodSufficientIntegration
GoodModerateMobile Support
GoodSufficientPerformance
ModerateGoodDevelopment Friendliness
GoodModerateDevelopment Flexibility
Good and achieved with CSSGood and achieved with GUIDesign Flexibility
GoodModerateEnterprise Scalability
CONCLUSION

9. PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION TIPS
> We use Fiddler or similar tools to locate bottlenecks
> We optimize data sources themselves, e.g. add BW aggregates, avoiding complex
structures inside BEx queries. Yet it’s better to add 2-3 Key Figures to a query instead of
building one more with same characteristics. Be balanced
> We keep the amount of data sources minimal, reusing same data alias for KPI block,
crosstab, chart, list-box whenever it is possible
> For several pages, we use “On Background Processing” property for data aliases linked to
all pages, except for the 1st page. While an analysts examines the initial tab, additional data
will be loaded
> We use “Load in Script” property for data aliases. If 90% of users do not need extra
chart/tab – load it on demand instead on loading one more data source by default
> We use image sprites + CSS reference instead of numerous separate icons
> We use “assignDataSource” to switch between queries for an application component.
Initial reassignment may take some time, but when all the data is loaded to browser cache, it
runs very quickly

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Design Studio Roadmap