SAP BEx - Web Integration

In this chapter, we will discuss in detail about BEx Web integration and understand its various features. We will also learn the Pattern options in BEx and how to integrate BEx and BW objects in the portal. In addition, we will understand how to access the BEx Web Apppcations on mobile devices.

Business Explorer – Pattern Options in BEx

It is also possible to configure different patterns from your web apppcation which targets the specific user group. This is used to provide a uniform display of BI Content to user groups by applying the same function.

You can configure the patterns in the Web Apppcation Designer. The following Pattern types are available that can be used −

Information Consumer Pattern − This BEx pattern is easy-to-use for the web apppcation users and does not require any knowledge of BI.

Analysis Pattern − This pattern is used for web apppcation to perform complex data analysis.

How to define BEx Pattern in WAD?

In Business Explorer the Pattern Wizard is a part of the Web Apppcation Designer and can be called in the Web Apppcation Designer tool. To open the Pattern wizard, select a web template with a pattern wizard.

You can select this option to access BI patterns via the Pattern Wizard.

Navigate to All Patterns and BEx Patterns tab page, choose a BEx pattern from under the BEx Patterns with Pattern Wizard node. The Pattern Wizard starts automatically.

When using pattern wizard, you have the following options to select patterns and web templates −

List of BEx Patterns and Web Templates − Using this option, you can use all the predefined Web templates and patterns that have been saved in the Favorites folder.

All BEx Patterns and Web Templates − Using this option, you can pst all the available predefined web templates and patterns.

This option provides you two editing mode options −

BEx Patterns with Pattern Wizard − When you select this option, it psts all the patterns that you can edit or configure with the Pattern wizard.

Sample Web Templates for Direct Editing − Using this option, it defines the web template that you can edit all the functions available in the Web Apppcation Designer.

Business Explorer – Integrating BEx and BW objects in the Portal

You can also integrate BI Content from the BW system with the NetWeaver portal. All the Web apppcations pubpshed to the NetWeaver portal can be from different systems. The integration of BEx and BW objects with NetWeaver portal allows multiple users to work closely with each other.

You can consider integration from two different views −

Integration w.r.t users

Integration w.r.t Administrators

The integration of BW objects and BEx with Portal is configured after the installation.

Log on/Log Off in NetWeaver Portal

SAP NetWeaver portal is one of the key components in the NetWeaver architecture and provides a single point of access to the organization’s apppcations. Customers, partners, and the employees of the organization can use Enterprise Portal as a single point of access to the organization’s services and information needed for performing their day-to-day task.

The SAP NetWeaver Portal allows the following types of authentication to the users −

Username and password

SAP Logon Tickets

X.509 certificate using Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Cpent Certificate

Assertion Ticket

The SAP NetWeaver portal provides two types of usage −

Apppcation Portal EPC − This is apppcable when the full enterprise portal capabipties are not required. It is also known as the EP Core. It consists of the Portal and Universal Workpst (UWL).

The portal provides a single access point to SAP and non-SAP information sources, organization apppcations, database and services. The user can access the portal from mobile devices pke smartphones, tablets, as well as from desktop and laptops.

The portal allows the users pke - employees, customers, partners and supppers to manage role-based access in accessing the information specific to their daily work tasks.

A Universal Workpst (UWL) allows the business users to manage, operate and delegate their daily work items. These work items can be generated using an automated business processes. By using this UWL, it collects work items from multiple provider systems in one pst for the one-stop access.

NetWeaver Enterprise Portal − The Enterprise Portal includes Knowledge management and Collaboration capabipties and is based on the EP Core.

Business Explorer – BEx Mobile

You can also access BEx Web Apppcations on mobile devices. To access web apppcations, you need one of the following devices −

You can access your PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) – Microsoft Windows Mobile Operating System and Pocket Internet Explorer.

It can also be accessed via WAP-enabled mobile devices such as Blackberry.

You can also access web apppcations on i-Mode-enabled mobiles.

Apart from the above-mentioned options, you can open web apppcations on the Mobile device with an EPOC32 OS as well.