Use
The Business Explorer Analyzer (BEx Analyzer) is the analysis and reporting tool of the Business Explorer that is embedded in Microsoft Excel.
Features
You can call up the BEx Query Designer in the BEx Analyzer, in order to define queries. Subsequently, you can analyze the selected InfoProvider data by navigation to the query created in the Query Designer and create different query views of the data. You can add the different query views for a query or for different queries to a work book and save them there. You can save the workbook in your favorites or in your role on the BW Server. You can also save the workbook locally on your computer.
Beyond that, you can precalculate the workbook and distribute it by e-mail to recipeients or you can export it to the Enterprise Portal and make it accessible to other employees in the company.
You can start queries in a standard view (with a Standard Web Template set up in Customizing) in the Web browser and forward the URL or continue to navigate on the Web. Similarly, you can export the Web query to MS Excel 2000.
Overview of the Functional Area of the BEx Analyzer:
· BEx toolbar
You access the functions of the BEx Analyzer from the BEx toolbar, which takes you to the BEx Open dialog box where you can open existing queries, or to the BEx Query Designer where you can create new queries or change existing queries.
· Evaluating Query Data
The BEx Analyzer offers convenient functions for evaluating and presenting InfoProvider data interactively. In the BEx Analyzer, you can add queries to workbooks, navigate within them and refresh the data. You can also process the queries further in Microsoft Excel or display them in the Web browser in a default view.
Navigation of a query allows you, for example, to filter characteristics on a single value, drilldown on all values for a characteristic, regroup characteristics and key figures in the rows and columns of the results area, or hide key figures. Navigation results in different views of the InfoProvider data. In addition, a range of further functions is available which allow you to edit a query interactively (for example, sorting, cumulated output, among others). In addition, you can use the editing functions in Microsoft Excel in order to set up individual format templates, to print results areas, or to create graphics.
Evaluating Query Data
· Queries in Workbooks
Queries are inserted into workbooks so you can display them. When you insert a query, a link is made between the cell areas of the worksheet and the data of the InfoProvider upon which the query is based. A link therefore exists between the Business Explorer and the Business Information Warehouse Server (BW Server).
When inserting a query into the workbook, a VBA routine is automatically generated in the workbook. You can also connect the Business Explorer with your own VBA programs (Visual Basic for Applications).
You can create workbook templates, into which you can insert your queries. Workbook templates can contain pre-determined items for the area of the query, formatting settings, logos, VBA macros, and so on.
Queries in Workbooks
· Precalculating workbooks
You can precalculate and distribute workbooks with the BEx Broadcaster, which is a Web application you get to form the BEx toolbar. The system generates MS Excel workbooks with historical data. You determine the time for precalculation yourself: You can have workbooks precalculated at a predefined time or they can be precalculated whenever data in the underlying InfoProvider changes. You can have the precalculated workbooks sent by e-mail or you can export them into the Enterprise Portal, where you can make them available to employees within your company.
