Xcelsius Gurus: SAP Webinar Part 2: When not to Utilize SAP BusinessObjects for your Dashboard?

Xcelsius Gurus: Part 2 - Data Connectivity Series
When NOT to Utilize SAP Business Objects Enterprise
for your Dashboard?

Presented by: Mico Yuk & Ryan Goodman
Date: June 10th, 2009

@ Everything Xcelsius.com 2009

Who are We?
 Mico Yuk
 Founder – http://www.EverythingXcelsius.com (popular weblog)
 Founder - Xcelsius Guru Network
 Xcelsius Trainer / Developer / Architect / Blogger/ Fanatic

 Ryan Goodman
 Founder – http://www.CentigonSolutions.com (SAP Software
Solution Partner)
 Xcelsius Evangelist / Blogger (ryangoodman.net/blog)
 SAP BOBJ Alumni


Quick Agenda Preview & Links
 Mico Introduction
 Recap of Part 1: Utilizing BOE Connections for Xcelsius
 Review Xcelsius 12 Connectivity Options (BOE vs. Non-BOE)
 Ryan Discusses
 XML Maps vs. XML Data Button vs. SOAP Web Service Connection
 Soap Web Services
 Mico discusses
 Excel XML Maps
 XML Data
 Ryan Closes
 Application Integration (Flash Vars, Custom Components)
 Custom Components (New data connectivity Option!)
 Stay Connected to the Xcelsius Gurus Network

Slide 3 @ Everything Xcelsius.com 2009

Part 1: Recap Webinar Highlights
 Webinar Part 1 (click to view)
 Use Live office when connecting to Webi and/or Crystal Reports as a Data
Source
 Use Query as a Web Service when connecting to one or more Universes
 Live screenshots showing how to use both connections!
 Dashboard Builder provides new exciting options for Xcelsius
 Download the Presentation


Xcelsius Data Manager

Data Manger
Houses Xcelsius 12 live data connectivity options. Users
with Engage and Enterprise licenses are allowed to mix
connection types in a single dashboard!


Xcelsius 12 Connectivity Options
Non-BO Enterprise vs. BO Enterprise
Non - BO Enterprise BO Enterprise
 Web Service Connection  Query as a Web Service
 XML Data  Live Office
 Portal Data  Crystal Report Data
 LCDS Connection (Adobe) Consumer
 External Interface  Flash Variables
Connections  FS Commands
 Excel XML Maps
 (Add-on) Google
Spreadsheet Connector


Excel XML Maps vs. XML Data vs. Web Service
Connections
 Side-by-Side Comparison

 Architecture Overview

 Developer Caveats

Sometimes I wish that QaaWs could connect to Reports…
- Mico Yuk, Found of Xcelsius Gurus


XML Connectivity - Comparison

Excel XML
Web Service XML Data
Maps
• Invoke SOAP • Send or Load • Read Only XML
web services XML Connection
• Configuration • Specific XML • Use of Excel
through WSDL schema XML Maps
feature


XML Connectivity – Design Time
Data Middleware HTTP Client Development Published

SOAP Web
Service

Any XML Excel
.NET/ structure XML Xcelsius SWF
J2EE Maps

<row><column> XML
structure
Data


XML Connectivity – Run Time
Data Middleware HTTP Published

Web Service
SOAP

Excel XML Maps
.NET/ Any XML Structure SWF
J2EE

XML Data
<row><column> Structure


XML Connectivity - Caveats
Developer Caveats
 Both have the same data volume restrictions for Xcelsius
 Require additional skill sets to and knowledge of J2EE/.NET and
web services
 SOAP Web services are difficult to write
 Xcelsius will not support all SOAP web service configurations.
 XML Data Button has non-flexible, flat <row><column> structure.
 Excel XML Maps requires lots of steps to set up, though XML
structure is extremely flexible
 Database write back capabilities can only be accomplished with
XML Data and Web Service connections
 Xcelsius Engage only allows 1 data connection
 Use Fiddler for troubleshooting: http://fiddler2.com


Ryan discusses Web Services…
 Example

 Benefits

 DO’s / DONT’s (Scenarios)



Web Service Connector Benefits
4 Reasons to use Web Service Connections….

1. Non-technical Xcelsius designers can easily configure services using WSDL
input and output nodes.
2. More structure and control over data output
3. Potential use for data base write-back
4. flynet Viewer eliminates writing web services from scratch
(Included with Xcelsius 2008 Engage Server)


flynet Viewer - Architecture

Data Middleware HTTP Client Development Published
IIS (.NET)

WSDL
Web
Xcelsius
Service

SOAP
Web SWF
Service

Publish

http://flynetviewer.com

flynet Viewer - Architecture

Data Middleware Published
IIS (.NET)

Web Service
SOAP
SOAP
Web SWF
Service


flynet Viewer – Data Sources
 Connects to 30+
data sources


Web Service Connection DO’s
5 Scenarios …
1. DO use separate tabs for each data source
2. DO use the Microsoft SOAP standard for building web
services for Xcelsius
3. DO Use String data types
4. DO Use arrays
5. DO Take advantage of Flynet viewer


Web Service Connection DON’Ts
5 Scenarios ….
X DO NOT include data formatting characters ($, %, “,”)
X DO NOT trigger all queries to “Refresh on Load”
X DO NOT place formulas in data output cells
X DO NOT return more than 1,000 rows of data at a time
X DO NOT use complex data types in SOAP web services


Mico discusses using Excel XML Maps …
 Example

 Benefits




Excel XML Map Benefits
3 Reasons to use the Excel XML Map….
1. When you need to load an XML or XML stream directly into
your dashboard
2. Already familiar with technology
3. Excel based and can be configured in Excel externally before
importing spreadsheet into Excel


Excel XML Map DO’s
5 Scenarios …
1. DO enable the task pane in Excel 2003 to access XML Maps
window
2. DO enable the developer toolbar in Excel 2007 to access
XML Maps window
3. DO Use XML Maps for read-only connectivity requirements
4. DO Delete Re-import your Excel XML Maps connection in
Xcelsius when your XML structure changes
5. DO reference Xcelsius 2008 Best Practice Book, chapter 15
for more information (includes sample files)


Excel XML Map DON’Ts
6 Scenarios ...
X DO NOT use the home and student versions of Excel
X DO NOT create an excessive amount of queries
X DO NOT trigger all queries to “Refresh on Load”


Mico discusses the XML Data Connection…

 Example

 Benefits




XML Data Connection DO’s


XML Data Connection Benefits
3 Reasons to use the XML Data Connection….
1. Utilize the ASP .NET script in guide to connect
2. Simple and provides ability to write back to database
3. Ability to query database based on filters


XML Data Connection DO’s
5 Scenarios …
1. DO specify XML version in header of output XML
2. DO use the Preview button to obtain exact XML structure
3. DO change IE setting to avoid caching of data or us a RAND()
variable at the end of the URL
4. DO preview the service in the browser before importing into
Xcelsius
5. DO Use Fiddler for troubleshooting


XML Data Connection DON’Ts
7 Scenarios ….
X DO NOT include any data in the XML header
X DO NOT deviate from the specific <ROW><COLUMN> xml
structure
X DO NOT create an excessive amount of connections
X DO NOT trigger all connections to “Refresh on Load”


Ryan discusses Application Integration…
 Crossdomain.xml

 Portal Data

 LCDS Connections (Adobe)

 Flash Variables

 External Interface Connection



Crossdomain.xml

Data Application/ Portal or Web
Web Server Site

Web Service
.NET/ SWF
J2EE

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE cross-domain-policy SYSTEM
"http://www.macromedia.com/xml/dtds/cross-
domain-policy.dtd">
<cross-domain-policy>
Cross <allow-http-request-headers-from domain="*"
Domain.XML headers="*" secure="false" />
<allow-access-from domain="*" secure="false" />
</cross-domain-policy>


No Crossdomain.xml
No Crossdomain.xml file is required if:
Data Application/
Web Server 1. If the SWF and service are located
on the same application/web server
2. The URL for the web service is
relative to the SWF
.NET/
J2EE
3. If the SWF is launched from your
desktop

SWF


External Interface Connection
Additional Features to take advantage of…
1. Loading data into an Xcelsius SWF using JavaScript
2. Communicate with Java or active X controls in real-time

HTML
<SCRIPT language="Javascript">
Dashboard (SWF)

External Interface
Connection


Flash Variables HTML
FLASHVARS=“abc123”
Pass parameters to into a SWF on-load
Dashboard (SWF)

abc123


LCDS Connection (Adobe)

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/livecycle/pdfs/streaming_xcelsius.pdf


Portal Connections
 SWF to SWF communication in WebSphere and Sharepoint
 Xcelsius Portal Integration Kits are available with the Engage Server and
Enterprise products

WebSphere or SharePoint Portal

Dashboard (SWF)

Provider

Dashboard (SWF)
Consumer


Ryan discusses Custom Connections…
 Centigon NEW CSV Connector – ‘No more XML’

 Add- on: Google Spreadsheet Connector



CSV Connector
Connect directly to CSV files from Xcelsius

http://wwww.centigonsolutions.com/components/csv_beta.html

Dashboard (SWF)

CSV Connector


Google Spreadsheet
Connect directly to Google spreadsheets

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/boc/innovation-center

Dashboard (SWF)


Stay connected…
For more Guru tips, tricks, news, videos, etc.
Visit: http://EverythingXcelsius.com

Mico Yuk
 Email: mico@everythingxcelsius.com
 Company: Everything Xcelsius

Ryan Goodman
 Email: ryan@centigonsolutions.com
 Company: Centigon Solutions
 http://www.centigonsolutions.com

Join our popular Xcelsius Guru social communities…
http://www.twitter.com/XcelsiusGurus http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=18
47619&trk=hb_side_g

http://www.youtube.com/XcelsiusGurus


Xcelsius Gurus: SAP Webinar Part 2: When not to Utilize SAP BusinessObjects for your Dashboard?

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Xcelsius Gurus: SAP Webinar Part 2: When not to Utilize SAP BusinessObjects for your Dashboard?