1).SAP BW Basic..

§ Q:- What is STAR Schema?

Ans:- A Fact Table at the center and surrounded (linked ) by dimension Table.
§ Q:- What is a slowly changing dimension?
§ Ans:- A dimension containing a characteanristics which changes over a time ; for
example take employee job title ; this changes over a period of time with different job
titles.
What are the Advantages of Extended STAR Schema Vs. the Star Schema?
Use of generated keys(numeric) for faster access.
External Hierarchy.
Multilanguage support.
Master Data common to all cubes.
Slowly changing dimension support.
aggregates in its own table for faster access.

Q. What is an external hierarchy?

Ans. Presentation hierarchies are stored in its own tables(hierarchy tables) for
characteristic values.

Q.What are time dependent text/attributes of a characteristic?

Ans. If the text(for example name of a product/person
Over a time)or if the attribute changes over a time( for example job title) then these
must be marked as time dependent.

Q.Can you create your own time characteristics?

Ans. No.

Q.what are the types of attributes?

Ans.Display only and navigational; display only attributes are only for display and no
analysis can be done ;navigational attributes can behave like regular characteristics;
for example assume that we have customer characteristics with country as
navigational attribute; you can analyse the data using customer and country.

Q. what is alpha conversion?

Ans.Apha conversion is used to store data consistently by storing any numeric
values by prefixing 0s; for example if you defined any material as 6 numeric then
number 1 is stored as 000001 but displayed as 1; this removes inconsistency
between 01 vs. 001.

Q. what is the alpha check execution programme?

Ans.This is used to check consistency for BW 2.x before upgrading the system to
3.x; the transaction is RSMDCNVEXIT.
Q.What is the attribute only flag?
Ans.If the flag is set, no master data is stored; this is only used as the attribute for
other characteristics; for example comments on a AR document.

Q.What is compounding?
Ans.This defines the superior info object which must be combined to define object;
for example when you define cost centre then controlling area is the compounding
(superior) object.
Q.What is the Bex options for characteristics like F4 help for querry definition and
execution?
Ans.This defines how the data is displayed in query definition screen or when query
is executed; options are from the data displayed, from master data table ( all data)
and from dimension data; for example let us assume that you have 100 products in
all, and 10 products in a cube; in bex you display the query for 2 products; the
following options for products will display different data
a.selective data only - will display 2 products
b.dimension data -will display 10 products
c.from master data - will display all 100 products

2). SAP BW ... Basics...2

Q.What are the data types allowed for key figures?

Ans:-Amount, number, integer,date and time.
Q.What is the difference between amount/quantity and number?
Ans:-Amount/quantity always comes withunits; for example sales will be amount and
inventory quantity.

Q.what are the aggregation options for key figures?

Ans:- If you are defining prices then you may want to set “no aggregation” or you can
define max, min, sum; you can also define exception aggregation like first, last etc.,
this helpful in getting headcount; for example if you a monthly inventory count key
figure you want the count as of last day of the month.

Q.What is the maximum number of key figures you can have in an info cube?
Ans. 233.

Q.What is the maximum number of characteristics you can have per dimension?
Ans. 248.

Q. what are the nine decision points of data warehousing?

Ans:- a. Identify fact table.
b. Identify dimension tables
c. Define attributes of entities
d. define granularity of the fact table( how often)
e. Pre calculated key figures
f. Slowly changing dimensions
g. Aggregates
h. How long data can be kept
i. How often data is extracted

Q.How many dimensions in a cube?

Ans :-total 16 out of which 3 are predefined time, unit and request; customer is left
with 13 dimensions.

Q.What is a SID table and advantages?

Ans:-the SID(surrogate ID) table is the interface between master data and dimension
tables;
Advantages:-
a. Uses numeric as indexes for faster access
b. master data independent of info cubes
c. language support
d. slowly changing dimension support

Q.what are the other tables created for master data?

Ans.
a. P Table-Time independent master data attributes
b. Q table- time dependent master data attributes
c. M Table- Combines P and Q
d. X Table- Interface between master data SIDs and
time independent navigational attributes SIDs ( P is
linked to the X table)
e. Y Table- interface between master data SIDs and
time independent navigationsal attributes SIDs ( Q
is linked to the Y table)

Q. what is the transfer routine of the info object?

Ans. it is like a start routine; it is independent of the data source and valid for all
transfer routine; you can use this to define global data and global checks.

Q. what is the DIM ID?

Ans. DIM ID links dimensions to the fact table.

Q.what is the table partition?

Ans. SAP is using fact table partitioning to improve performance, you can partition
only on 0CALMONTH OR
0FISCPER;

Q.How many extra partitions are created and how?

Ans. Usually 2 extra partitions are created to accommodate data before the begin
date and after the end date.
Q.Can you partition acube which already has data?
Ans.No. the cube must be empty to do this. One work around is to make a copy of
the cube A to cube B; export data from A to B using export data source; empty cube
A;
Create partition on A; re-import data from B and delete cube B.

Q.What is the transaction for Administrator work bench?

Ans. RSA1.

Q.What is a source system?

Ans. Any system that is sending data to BW like R/3, flat file, oracle database or
external systems.

Q.what is a data source?

Ans. The source which is sending data to a particular info source on BW; for
example we have a 0CUSTOMER_AFTER data source to supply attributes to
0CUSTOMER from R/3.
Q.What is an info source?
Ans. Group of logically related objects; for example 0 customer info source will
contain data related to the customer and attributes like customer number, address,
Phone number etc.,

3). SAP BW ....Basics ....3

Q.What are the types of info source?

Ans.transactional, attributes,text and hierarchy.

Q.What is the communication structure?

Ans. It is an independent structure created from info source; It is independent of the
source system/data source.

Q.What is communication structure?

Ans.The transactional rules for data from source system to info source/
communication structure.

Q.What is global transfer rule?

Ans.This is a transfer routine (ABAP) defined at the info object level; this is common
for all source systems.

Q.what are the options available in transfer rule?

Ans.Assign info object, assign a constant, ABAP routine or a formula(from version
3.x). example are
a.Assing info object – direct transfer, no transformation
b.Assign a constant – for example if you are loading data from a specified country in
a flat file, you can make the country constant and assign the value
c.ABAP routine- for example if you want to do some complex string manipulation;
assume that you are getting a flag file from legacy data and cost centre is in a field
and you have to “message’the data to get it; in this case use ABAP routine.
d.for simple calculations use formula- for example you want to convert all lower case
letters to upper case; use the TOUPPER formula.

Q. Give some important formula available?

Ans.Concatenante, sub string, condense, Left/right (n characters), l_trim, r_trim,
replace, date routines like DATECONV, date_week, add_to_date, date_diff, logical
functions like if and;

Q. when you do to the ABAP code for rule, what are the important variables you will
use?
Ans.
a. RESULT – this gets the result of the ABAP code
b. RETURN CODE-You set this to value 0 if everything is Ok; else this record is
skipped.
c. ABORT- set this to a value not 0, to abort the entire package

Q. what is the process of replication?

Ans.This copies the data sourxce structures from R/3 to BW.

Q.What is the update rule?

Ans. Update rule defines the transformation data from the communication structure
to the data targets; this is independent of the source systems/ data sources.

Q.What are the options in update rule?

a.one to one move of info objects
b.constant
c.look for master data attributes
d.formula
e. routine(ABAP)
f.Initial value

Q.What are the special convertions for time in update rule?

Ans.Time dimensions are automatically converted; for example if the cube contains
calendar month and your transfer structure contains date, the date to calendar
month will be converted automatically.

Q.What is the time distribution option in update rule?

Ans.This is to distribute data according to time; for example if the source contains
calendar week and the target contains the calendar day, the data is split to each
calendar day. Here you can select either the normal calendar or the factory
calendar.
Q.what is the return table option in update rules for key figures?
Ans:- Usually the update rule sends one record to the data target; using this option
you can send multiple records; for example if we are getting total telephone
examples for the cost centre, you can use this to return telephone expenses for each
employee ( by dividing the total expenses bythe total number of employees in the
cost centre) and creating cost record for each employee in the ABAP code.

Q.What is the start routine?

Ans.The first step in the update process is to call start routine; use this to fill
globalvariables to be used in update routines.

Q.How would you optimize the dimensions?

Ans. Use as many as dimensions as possible for performance improvement ; for
examplefor example assume that you have 100 products and 200 customers; if you
make one dimension for both, the size of the dimension will be 20,000; if you make
individual dimensions, then the total number of rows will be 300. Even if you put
more than one characteristic per dimension, do the math considering worst case
scenario and decide which characteristics may be combined in a dimension.

4). SAP BW .... Basics...4

Q.What is the conversion routine for units and currencies in the update rule?
Ans.Using this option you can write ABAP code for unit/currency conversion; if you
enable this flag, then unit of key figure appears in the ABAP code as an additional
parameter; for example you can use this to convert quantityin pounds to kilograms.

51
Q.How do you add an entry in the monitorlog from the update rules?
Ans:-This is added in the internal table MONITOR; the following fields describe the
monitor structure
a. MONITOR – MSGID → gives an ID
b. MONITOR - MSGTY→ message type
c. MONITOR- MSGNO→ message number
d. MONITOR- MSGV1→monitor message 1
e. MONITOR- MSGV2→monitor message 2
f. Append it to the MONITOR table; this will show up in the monitor

Q.What is a data mart?

Ans.The BW system can be a source to another BW system or to itself; the
ODS/cube/info provider which provide data to another system are called data marts.

Q.What is the myself datamart?

Ans.The BW system feeding data to itself called the myself datamart; this is created
automatically; uses Ale for data transfer.
Q.How do you create a data mart?
Ans.
a.right click and create the export datasource for the ODS/cube
b.in the target system replicate the data source
c.create transfer rules and update rules
d.create info package to load

Q. Can you make multi providers and master data as data marts?
Ans. Yes

Q.What are the benefits of data mart?

Ans.
a.simple to use
b.Hub and spoke usage
c.Distributed data
d.Performance improvement in some cases.

Q.What are the events and how you use it in BW?

Ans:-Events are background signals to tell the system that certain status has been
reached; you can use events in batch jobs; for example after you load data to the
cube you can trigger an event which will start another job to run the reporting agent.
Use SM62 to create and maintain events.

Q. What is an event chain?

Ans.This is a group of events which complete independently of one another; use this
to check the successful status of multiple events; for example you can trigger a
chain event if all loads are successful.

Q. How do you create event chains?

Ans. AWB→ Tools → Event collector

Q. What is PSA?
Ans. Persistent Staging area- is based on the transfer structure and source system
dependent.

Q.what are the options available for upgrades to data targets?.

a.PSA and data targets in parallel – improves performance
b. PSA and data target in sequence
c. PSA only; you have to manually load data and data tagets
d. data targets only – No PSA

Q.Why if one request fails, all the subsequent requests will turn to ‘red’?
Ans. This is to avoid inconsistency and make sure that only verified data is entered
in to the system.
Q.What are the two fact tables?
Ans. There are two fact tables for each info cube; it is the E-table and F-table.

Q.what is compression or collapse?

Ans.This is the process by which we will delete the request IDs; this saves space; all
the regular requests are stored in the F table; When you compress the request ID is
deleted and the data is transferred from the F table to the E Table; this saves the
space and improves the performance; but the disadvantage is that you can not
delete the compressed request individually.

Q. what is reconstruction?
Ans. this is the process by which you load the data in to the same cube or in to the
different cube.
66

Q. What is a remote cube?

Ans. remote cube is a logical cube, where the data is extracted from an external
source; usually it is used to report the real time data from an R/3 system instead of
drilling down from BW to R/3

Q. What is the virtual info cube with services?

Ans. in this case the user defined function module is used as data source.

Q.What are the restrictions/recommendations for using remote cube?

Ans. These are used for small volume of data with few users; no master data
allowed.

5). SAP BW Basics... 5

Q. Give examples of data sources that support remote cubes?

Ans. 0FI_AP_3-vendor line items, 0FI_AR_3-customer line items.

Q.What is a multiprovider?
Ans.Using multiprovider you can access data from different data sources like cube,
ODS, infosets, master data.

Q.what are the added features in 3.x for multiprovider?

Ans.Prior to 3.x only multi cubes were available; you can not combine ODS and
cube for example.

Q.what is an info set?

Ans. An info provider giving data by joing data from different sources like ODS,
master data etc.,

Q.What is the difference between infoset and multi provider?

Ans.Multiprovider is a union , where as infoset is a “join”(intersect).
Q.Can you create an infoset with info cube?
Ans.No. only ODS and master data are allowed.

Q.what is a line item(or degenerate dimension)?

Ans.If the size of the dimensionof a cube is more than the normal(more than 20%) of
the fact table, you define that dimension as a line item dimension; for example if you
store sales document number in one dimension in a sales cube, usually the
dimension size and the fact table size will be the same; when you add the overhead
of lookups for DIMID/SIDs the performance will be very slow; by flagging it as a line
item dimension, the system puts the SID in the fact table instead ofDIMID for
thesales document number; this avoids one look up in to dimension table.

Q.What are the limitation for line item dimension?

Ans. only one characteristics are allowed per line item dimension.

Q.What is transactional info cube?

Ans.These cubes are used for both read and write; standard cubes are optimized for
only read; the transactional cubes are used in SEM.

Q.What is the cache monitoring transaction?

Ans.RSRCACHE

Q.What are the profilw parameters for cache?

Ans.rdsb/esm/buffersize_kb (max. size of cache) and
rdsb/esm/max_objects(maximum number of entries in cache).

Q.Can you disable cache?

Ans.Yes. either globally or using query debug tool RSRT.

Q. Can you restart conversion?

Ans. yes

Q.When should you do the Alpha conversion?

Ans. if you are upgrading you must do it before PREPARE stage of upgrade.

Q.What are the control parameters for data transfer?

Ans.This defines the maximum size of packet, max. number of records per packet,
the number of parallel processes ,etc.,

Q.What is the number range object?

Ans. This defines the characteristic attributes; for example the object MATERIALNR
defines the attributes of material master like length etc.,
Q. How do you set up the permitted characters?
Ans. Using transaction RSKC.

Q. What is aggregate realignment run maintenance?

Ans.Defines the level of percentage change for realignment run will cause a
reconstruction of aggregates.

Q.What is update mode for master data?

Ans.defines whether the master data is added automatically for non existing master
data when you load transaction data.

Q.What is the ODS objects settings?

Ans.Defines number of parallel processors in activation, min number of data records
and wait times.

Q.What are settings for flat files?

Ans. Defines thousand separator, decimal pointer, field separator(default is), field
delimiter (default).

Q.Which transaction defines the background user in source system?

Ans.RSCUSTV3.

6). SAP BW ....Aggregates

Q.What is an aggregate?
Ans.aggregates are mini cubes; they are used to improve the performance when
doinf query; similar to indexes on a table; it is transport to the user

Q.How do you create/maintain aggregates?

Ans. AWB→ right click on infocube→ select maintain aggregate

Q.Can you create aggregate on ODS or multi provider?

Ans.No

Q.What are the options when defining aggregates?

Ans. a. * - groups according to characteristics values
b.H - hierarchy
c.F - fixed value; for example if you have a 0COUNTRY characteristics, if only
country US is reported often, then you can create aggregate only for US
d. Blank= none
Q.What is “filling” of aggregate?
Ans. The data from infocube is summarized in to the aggregates

Q.Which table has the aggregate status and data?

Ans. RSDDAGGDIR
Q.What is change run?
Ans.Using a process chain or AWB→Tools → Apply Hierarchy attribute change
Q.which report can you use to monitor change run?
Ans. RSDDS_CHANGERUN_MONITOR

Q.What is the programme to maintain?

Ans.RSDDS_AGGREGATES_MAINTAIN

Q.What is “roll Up”?

Ans.Roll up is the process by which requests loaded in to the info cube are “rolled to
“ the aggregates; till roll up is done you can not do a report on the request

Q. What is the optimal size of the aggregates?

Ans.
It should have around 10-20% of the size of the fact table; for example if your fact
table contains 1 million rows, the aggregate should have less than 200,000 rows.
Q.what is propose from statistics for aggregates?
Ans.You can ask the system to get the optimal characteristics for aggregation by
using the BW statistics data(like query run time etc)
Q.can you define aggregates on time dependent navigational attributes?
Ans.NO
Q.what are the naming conventions for aggregates created from statistics?
Ans.STAT 1 through STAT n
Q.what are naming conventions used for aggregates created from query?
Ans. MIN 1 through MIN n and MAX1 through MAX n.
Q.what are important aggregation usage indicators?
Ans.
a. Number of records
b.summarization ration(compression)
c.Last used date – remember if you don’r see any recent activity then this
aggregates is not used
Q.Ho w does change run affect aggregate?
Ans.Newly loaded master data is not active until the change run has beeen applied
to hierarchy

7). SAP BW ...AUTHORIZATIONS

Q.What is an authorization object?

Ans.Defines the fields for authorization checks.

Q.What is the role maintenance transaction?

Ans.PFCG

Q.What is a role?
Ans. Usually defines the responsibility of a User with proper menu and authorization-
example receiving clerk.

Q. give some example sof roles delivered in SAP-BW?

Ans. all the BW roles start with S_RS; S_RS_ROPAD- production system
administrator; S_RS_RRPU_bex user.

Q.What are the different authorization approaches available in SAP BW?

Ans.
a.infocube based approach- Use this in injuction with Info area to limit access
b. querry named base approach- many customers use this to limit access . for
example z querries are read only, y querries are for read/write.
c. Dataset approach- limitations of characteristics and key figures; you can use
reporting authorization for this.

Q.What are the two object classes of BW authorizations?

Ans. BW warehouse authorization –SAP standard; BW-reporting- Not delivered by
SAP- user has to create.

Q.How many fields you can assign to authorization object?

Ans. 10

Q. What are the values for ACTVT?

Ans. create, change and display

Q.What is an reporting object?

Ans.This is used for BW reporting to check authorizations by the OLAP processor.

Q.What are the new BW 3.X authorizations?

Ans.S_RS_COMP1 checks for authorizations depending on the owner; S_RS_FOLD
info area view of Bex elements (to suppress);
S_RS_ISET for infoset; S_GUI- new activity code 60 is loaded for upload.

Q. What is $ has an authorizations value?

Ans.You use the $ followed by a variable name ( values populated in user exit for
Bex)this avoids having too many roles.

Q.What is the info object 0TCTAUTHH?

Ans.This is used in hierarchy authorization.
Q.How would you debug security issues?
Ans. Using transactions ST01 and RSSMTRACE; a X mark in the log shows a failed
authorization check.

Q.Which transaction shows template for authorizations?

Ans.SU24.

8). SAP BW ....STATISTICS

Q.What is the use of Bw statistics?

Ans.The sets of cubes delivered by SAP is used to measure performance for query,
loading data, etc; it also shows the usage of aggregates and the cost associated
with them. Gives data on aggregates, OLAP and Warehouse management.
Q.How d o you enable monitoring using bw statistics?
Ans. Individual data prov ders can be enabled to minimize overhead; AWB
→Tools→ BW statistics

Q.How do you install BW statistics?

Ans.Use business content to install
a.using the business content section of AWB, select info area “BW Statistics”; right
click and select insert onjects for collections; select before and after data flow for
grouping and install
b.Similarly install the technical contents SAP_BW_TCONTrole
c. Install the info package groups for Master data/text and transaction data.

Q.Give some examples of queries delivered with BW statistics?

Ans.
a.Mean time per query
b.Runtime query
c.Using infocubes
dUtilizing OLAP

).SAP BW ...ARCHIVAL AND RETRIEVE

Q.What are the advanchages of archiving?

Ans.To minimize space, query performance, load performance.

Q.What technology is used in BW archiving?

Ans.ADK Archive Development kit.

Q.What is the archival transaction?

Ans.SARA

Q.What are the size parameters archiving?

Ans. a. Max size in M byte
b. Max no of data objects.

Q.What is the precaution you should take when archiving?

Ans. When you archive info cube or OD S it is locked for any loads till the delete is
finished; you should make sure that you archive and delete before you load any new
data.

Q.what is the difference between restoring the cube Vs. ODS from archiving files?
Ans.You can restore to ODS directly from SARA reanaction; for cube you should
schedule an info package.

Q.Give step by step approach to archiving cube?

Ans.
a. double click on the cube ( right click and select change)
b.Extras →select archival
c. Choose fields for selection(like 0CALDAY,0CUSTOMER etc.,)
d. Define file structure ( max file size and max no of data objects)
e. Select the folder ( logical file name)
f. Select the delete options(not scheduled, start automatically or
after event)
g. activate the cube
h. now cube is ready for archival.

10).SAP BW ......Operational Data Source

Q. What is ODS?
Ans. Operational Data Source; used for detailed storage of data (like document
level); you can overwrite existing data in ODS (in cube you cannot); you can also
drill down from cube to ODS; used for data consolidation and cleansing; the data is
stored in a flat table ( unlike the extended star schema of the cube); so using
SE11/SE16, you can query the ODS data directly.

Q.What are the table structures associated with ODS?

Ans.Active data, new data and the change log table.
Q.What is the use of change log?
Ans.Change log is used for delta updates to the target; it stores all changes per
request and updates the target.

Q. How do you delete change log?

Ans.AWB → right click on ODS →Manage →environment→ delete change log

Q.What are the advantages of using ODS in a infoset for reporting?

Ans.
a.Access via OLAP engine
b.infosets can join flat BW objects like master data attributes etc.,
Q.what are the new features of ODS after version 3.x?
Ans.
a. you can load and activate ODS in parallel
b. No M table
c.secondary indexes are created in ODS objects itself
d.selectiv deletion

Q.what is transactional ODS object?

Ans. This has only the active table; this is filled using APIs; you report on this using
Infoset only; usually used for applications like SEM

Q.What is the unique data records flag?

Ans.If you enable then when ODS gets duplicate record (identical to one in
Activetable), it rejects with an error. Use this feature to load a cube filtering any
duplicates( cubes will simply add up duplicates)

11). SAP BW ....OPEN HUB

Q.what is a open Hub?

Ans. This is a tool by which you can send data from BW to different targets; it is a
controlled distribution of consolidation and cleansed data.

Q.What are the data targets supported by Open Hub?

Ans.BW, external system, relational table, flat file, and ODBO interface.
Q.Does it have delta facility?
Ans.Yes
Q.How do you get in to Open Hub?
Ans.Transaction RSBO or AWB → tools → open hub services
Q.What are the data sources supported?
Ans.Cube, ODS, info object(attributes and text)
Q.What are the destination target options?
Ans.CSV file or database table
Q.what is delete table before ex traction option?
Ans. If you choose this option, the table contents are deleted before any new
records is written. Disable if you want to keep historical data.
Q.How will you change the default destination of open hub files?
Ans. Using SE11choose table RSB FILEand modify entry for XIDEST.
Q.what is the licensing requirement you should be aware of it?
Ans.Extracting data from SAP BW by any means require additional licensing.
Q.How do you transform Open Hub data?
Ans.Using BADI you can transform open hub data according to the destination
requirement.

12).SAP BW ...PROCESS CHAINS

Q.What is a process chain?
Ans. Process chain is a utility to schedule batch jobs on BW like SM37; it offers good
monitoring features and error handling.
Q. What is the transaction for process chain?
Ans. RSPC

Q.what are the load processing and past processing?

.
a.Info package
b.Read PSA and update data target
c.save hierarchy
d.update ODS data object
e.Data export(open hub)
f.Delete overlapping request- useful if you do a full load everyday for the current
fiscal year period and delete the data from the previous day.

Q.What are the data target administration task?

a.delete index
b. generate index
c. construct database statistics
d.initial fill of a new aggregates
e.roll up of filled aggregates
g.activate ODS
h. complete deletion of a data target

Q.what are the reporting agent tasks?

a. exception reporting
b.print in the background
c.pre calculation of web templates
d.Precalculation value sets

Q.What are the other BW processes?

Ans.
a. attribute change run
b. adjustment of time dependent attributes
c. deletion of requests from PSA
d. recognize attributes and texts for master data

Q.What are the scheduling options for start process?

Ans. direct scheduling or start from metachain(parent chain)/or API; use the second
option for your child process chains.

Q.What are the parallel processes that could have locking problems?
Ans.
a. hierarchy attribute change run
b. loading the master data for same info object; for example avoid loading master
data from different source systems at the same time.
c. rolling up for same info cube
d. selecting deletion of info cube/ ODS and parallel loading
e. activation or deletion of ODS when loading parallel

Q.By default all newly created process chains are assigned to “unassigned node”;
how would you reassign to proper component?
Ans. Process chain→ attributes →display components.

Q.What are the views available for process chain?

Ans.planning view, checking view, log view and job overview.
Q. How would you send an email when a peocess is completed?
Ans. Right click on the process you want to monitor ( for example load info package)
→select create message→ select when you want to send a message(success, fail,
or always)→create a variant for the mail.

Q.How would you convert a info package to a process chain?

Ans. double click on the info package group, click on the “process chain Maint”,
button and type in the name and description; the individual info packages are
inserted automatically.

13). SAP BW .. TUNNING

Q.What are Oracle specific tuning should be done?

Ans.
a. use sap note 180605 to set the right oracle DB parameters; this does improve
performance and this note is updated continuously.
b.Use database statistics as described in SAP notes
c. Use database partitioning

Q.What are server relating tuning?

Ans.
a.the right combination of resources like CPU, memory and disk spaces.
b.load balancing with server application servers
c.check for unnecessary traces and logs
Q.What are the web related tuning we can do?
Ans.a. use HTTP conversion to reduce network traffic;
b.Use client browser caching.
c.use the eimon.exe programme and use the log file option to time the query.
d. use analyze iemon.exe to get CSV file to a spread sheet for further analysis.
Q.what are reporting performance we can do?
Ans.
a.Aggregates
b.OLAP cache
c.Pre-caliculated web templates
d.Use small amount or result data as starting point of any querries and do the drill
down
e.Avoid reporting on ODS
f. If you use exclusion in reporting(<>) , the indices are not used; so avoid using the
exclusion, but use inclusion
g.Use the read mode “read when navigating and expanding hierarchies”
h.Use compression on info cubes since the E table is optimized for queries.
i.Create additional indexes
j.Run DB statistics often

Q.What are system tools you can use?

Ans.
a. RSR T, RSRTRACE to debug and to explain plan statements on querries
b. ST05 for SQL traces
c. RSRV- to repair objects

14). SAP BW .........RSRV Transaction

Q.What is RSRV?
Ans. RSRV is a powerful transaction to test consistency and fix any issues.
Q.What are the elementary test you can run?
Ans.
a.master data
b.transaction data
c.hierarchies
d.database
e.aggregates
f. PSA tables

Q. what are the combined tests?

Ans.
a.master data
b.transaction data
c.H ierarchies
d.database.
e.aggregation

Q.Can you do any testing on ODS?

Ans. No
Q.Can you schedule this in background?
Ans. yes
Q.Typically when you use it?
Ans. when loading data sometimes you will get SID error inconsistencies in some
master data; do a combined test on info object, fix the problem and reload data.

Q.How will you schedule job in the background?

Ans. Use the edit menu and select “test package”, create a package for current
selections and schedule it.

16). SAP BW ...NON CUMULATIVE KEY FIGURES

Q.What are non cumulative key figures?

Ans. these kinds of key figures are not summarized ( unlike sales etc), for example
head count, inventory amount, these are always in relation to a point in time; for
example we will ask how many employees we had as of last quarter. We don,t add
up to the head count.

Q. what is standard and exception aggregation?

Ans. Standard aggregation specifies how a key figure is compressed using all
characteristics except time.
Exception aggregation specifies how a key figure is compressed using time
characteristics.

Q.What is inflow and outflow?

Ans. these are non cumulative changes used to get the right quantity.

Q.What is a market?
Ans. Non-cumulatives are stored using a ‘Market’ for the current period.

Q.what is a time reference characteristics?

Ans.It is a time characteristic which determines all other time characteristics.
0CALDAY, 0CALMONTH,0CALWEEK, OFISCPER.

Q.Give example data sources supporting this?

Ans. 2LIS_03_BF and 2LIS_03_UM

Q. What is the opening balance?

Ans.when you start loading inventory data from R/3 you start with a certain point in
time; this is what is called opening balance. Assume that you have inventory since
jan2002; you are loading data on Jan,2003 and the opening balance for the product
is 200; the data before Jan,2003 is ‘Historic data’ . any data loaded after jan,2003 is
‘delta load’.

Q.What is “No Marker update”?

Ans. If you choose this option when compressing Non-cumulative cube, the
reference point is not updated, but the request are moved to request 0 (usual
compression); you must do this for compressing historical data.

Q.How does the query calculated?

Ans. Qty= Ref point in time Qty – Non compressed delta qtys – deltas for backward
qty

Q.What is a validity determining characteristic?

Ans. that determine validity period for non-cumulative cube; example plants opening
and closing different time periods.

Q.What are do’s and don’ts?

Ans.
a. use few validity objects
b.compress the cube ASAP.

18).SAP_BW.....BEX and Web Reporting

Q.what is a free characteristics?

Ans.The characteristics in this area are not displayed in the initial view of the query
but you can drill down and filter once you execute the query.
Q.What is filter area?
Ans.The characteristics inthis area are restricted and cannot be filtered or drilled
down further.
Q.What is 1ROWCOUNT key figure?
Ans.For ODS and infosets, the query designer automatically adds this key figure
“number of records” to count the records.
Q.What is a restricted key figure and give an example?
Ans.These key figures “restricted” by one or more characteristics; for example when
you want to compare the sales of product “A’ between different fiscal year periods,
you will createa restricted key figure with “Sales Qty” as key figure and restricted by
0MATERIAL of value “A”.
Q.What is a constant selection?
Ans. This features allows you to mark a selection in the query designer as
“constant”, navigation and filtering has no effect on this selection during run time; for
example if you want to report a product’s sale in reference to a product group rather
than all the products, you make the product group as the constant selection; any drill
down, navigation, filtering will always give the sales quantity of the product group.
Q.How wil you debug errors withSap GUI (like active X error,etc)?
Ans.Run bex analyzer → Business Explorer menu item → Installation check; this
shows an excel shet with a start button; click on it; this verifies the GUI installation ; if
you find any errors either reinstall it of fix it.
Q.How do you activate personalization for bex?
Ans.IMG → Activate personalization of bex.

19).SAP BW...Boolean Operators

Q.What does a Boolean operator returns?
Ans.1 or 0

Q.What are the expressions allowed?

Ans.<, <>,>,<=,>=,=, logical NOT,AND,OR, and XOR

Q.Give an example?
Ans.Assume you are calculating tax rate on a salary; if salary is < 1000 it is 10% and
if more than 1000 then it is 15% is defined as (salary <1000)*salary *0.10)+((salary
>1000)* salary*0.15)

20).SAP BW...Calculated Key Figures

Q.What is calculated key figure?

Ans.To do complicated calculations on key figures such as mathematical functions,
percentage functions and total functions, etc.
Q.What is the percentage variance?
Ans.This is defined a parameter 1 % parameter 2; example actual expenses
exceeds the % budgeted expenses.
Q.What is percentage share?
Ans.It is defined as parameter 1 % A parameter2; gives the percentage share of
parameter 1 of parameter 2.
Q.What is percentage share of result (%CT)?
Ans.Defined as %CT parameter 1; gives the result in percentage with respect to
result
Q.Percentage result of overall result(%CT)?
Ans.Defined as % GT parameter1; similar to previous but the percentage is share of
overall result.
Q.What is COUNT function?
Ans.Count (parameter) returns value 1 if parameter is not zero else zero.
Q.What is NDIVO?
Ans.NDIVO (parameter) returns 0 if the parameter returns division by 0.
Q.what is SUMCT?
Ans.sumct(parameter) result of parameter in all rows and columns
Q.What is SUMGT?
Ans.Overall result
Q.What is SUMRT?
Ans.Report result

Q.What are the mathematical functions?

Ans.Max,Min,Absolute,smallest, division

Q.What is the diference between defining calculated key figure in infoprovider level
vs.query level?
Ans.Infoprovider level calculated and restricted key figures are available to all
queries developed under this info provider.
21).SAP BW....Structures and Cells

Q.What is a structure?
Ans.Combination of characteristics and key figures

Q.What is a reusable structure

Ans.These are query level structures which can be used in any queries

Q.Ho do you create a reusable structure from a local structure?

Ans.Right click on the local structure, select save as, enter technical name and
description.
Q.What is a cell editor?
Ans.Gives definition of specific cells in queries(intersection of two structures one
characteristics structure and one key figure structure)

Q.What is an exception cell?

Ans.cell specific definition allows you to define explicit formulas to override implicity
created cell values; this allows you to designmuch more detailed queries use the
icon ---- to create exception cells.