Customizing of SAP BW

In a world of SAP, in general we use a term customization a lot. Normally the customization refers to adjusting an application to user specific needs. We say that the application gets customized to meet respective business needs. In case of multiple SAP modules (FI, CO, SD, MM, etc.) it means a process (usually an implementation project) thru which those modules are adjusted to fit an organization needs.

However, in SAP BW world this term is not much used. Reason is that the BW is rather technical module where the aim is to provide a user with a set of reports to help him to make a business decisions. Looking at the BW as a system to provide a business intelligence solution via frontend objects like reports/dashboards implementation of the BW is about delivering those BI objects. Therefore it cannot be just customized -  needs to be developed.

However, in my point of view there are two aspects that we possible can speak about customizing of the BW systems. One would be deploying of Business Content in order to deliver the reports. This includes an activation of it, setting it up, enhancing it (e.g. DataSources or reports via customer exits) etc. Second thing could be an initial technical configuration of the BW system right after its installation that can be viewed as the BW system customization. These are meant to be a steps that make the BW system usable and be ready for developing BI objects. This can involve steps like:

·        Defining Client Administration in the BW System (create a client copy (t-code SCCL), log sys (t-code SCCLN t-code SCCLN), etc.)

·        SAP Basis setup: profile parameters (t-codes: RZ10, ST02, etc.)

·        Create logical system (t-code: BD54)

·        Assign logical client (t-code: SCC4)

·        System Change Option (t-codes SE06)

·        OLAP cache settings (t-codes: SCUSTV14 or RSRCACHE)

·        Default processing settings (t-codes: RSODSO_SETTINGS)

·        Background settings (t-codes: RSBATCH)

·        Transfer parameters related to source systems (max kB, max lines, frequency, max. process, target system, t-codes: RSCUSTV6, SBIW)

·        Assign default logon group, default RFC group (t-codes: SMLG, RZ12)

·        Create default user, assign its authorization (t-codes: SM59, SU01)

·        Defining client administration in source systems

·        Check of IO 0OBJNM (t-code SNRO (Number Range Object Maintenance) object: BIM9999991)

·        Activate Technical Business Content (t-codes: RSTCO_ADMIN, RSTCT_INST_BIAC)

·        Check of what Business Function are in/active (t-code SFW5)

·        Configuring cold store

·        Configuring BW workspaces

·        Configuring SAP BW/4HANA Cockpit

·        Creating a Connection to a Back-End Systems (define users, logical systems names, ALE communication, RFC connections, customizing settings in source system, transfer global settings (e.g. exchange rates) from source to BW, activate DataSources, meta data upload)

·        Activate BEx history (t-codes: RSA1 or RS_PERS_ACTIVATE)

·        Activate relevant web services (t-code: SICF ->

RSO_META_DATA_REPOSITORY), web dynpros (t-code: SICF_INST)

·        Customizing of BEx/BW frontend version (t-code: RRMX_CUST)

·        Activate transport system STMS/CTS (t-code: STMS)

·        Create custom development package to be assigned to Transport Connection (t-code SE80)

·        Maintain permitted characters (t-code RSKC)

·        Check table RSADMINA

·        Check table RSADMIN

·        Activate background dispatching (t-code RZ11)

·        Assign default menu (t-code SSM2)

·        Setup trusted connection (e.g. for SSO)

·        Etc..

All of these is probably a reason why there is no a central t-code where the BW customization would take a place. Although through the history of SAP BW there were attempts to create such t-code. Actually, even in the newest BW/4HANA systems the below two t-codes are available. They both were created very long time ago as they started to appear in very old BW versions. They both call Function Module “DSYS_OUTLINE_BROWSE” but with different outline. What was meant by the outline is probably a subset of customizing entries. See below for the details.

 

t-code          program                 description                      outline

RSIMG           RSIMG_CALL           BW IMG                             SIMG_SBIW

SBIW            SBIWSHOW             BIW in IMG for OLTP           SIMG_SBIW or SIMG_SBIW

 

However, none of the above t-codes really provides big value. The RSIMG does not work at all. Attempt to run it ends up with the error message “Document not found”. In the case of SBIW t-code it runs but it provides just part of customizing related to source system.

The customization of the SAP BW as I described it in above just happens in SPRO t-code. See below pictures on how part of the SPRO t-code looks in BW 7.5 (or lower like BW 7.4, BW 7.3, BW 7.2) and BW/4HANA systems.

 

More information:

Customizing of BW4 systems

Configuration of BW system