How to launch AfO report via URL

This is a continuation of my earlier blog post about launching AfO documents (reports) from SAP GUI. Analysis for Office (AfO) documents can be shared with users also by sending them just a simple URL that will open the document in either MS Excel or MS Powerpoint applications. The URL is basically an SICF (SAP Internet Connection Framework) service for Analysis documents. It has following syntax:

 

http(s)://<server>:<port>/sap/bw/analysis?application=<application>&object_type=<type>&object_id=<id>&var<VAR1_TECH_NAME>=<val_of_variable1>&var<VAR2_TECH_NAME>=<val_of_variable2>

 

A value of application parameter can be excel or powerpoint. The value of object_type parameter can be document (for workbooks and presentations), query, query_view or infoprovider. Finally, the value of object_id is the technical name of the object in the BW system, e.g. AfO report technical name. Parameters of the report’s selection screen can be supplied as well – see the URL’s parameter like var for passing variables values etc.

What happens when the URL is accessed is that a web browser gets a file with an extension sapaox (e.g. analysis.sapaox). Over that file depending on BW’s backend configuration either logon popup window is displayed and the user provides logon credentials there or via Single Sing On (SSO) target AfO application is opened (Excel/Powerpoint) and the AfO report is shown in there. The sapaox file is technically an XML file that contains ticket which allow the authenticated login to the backend server (BW servers BusinessObjects BI platform server).

However, in order to this function working there is a one prerequisite. The SICF service mentioned above needs to be activated via t-code SICF.

 

More information:

Online docu

Launch AfO from SAP GUI

2658872 - Analysis Office: How to ensure secure connections in Analysis Plugin

3105370 - Using and troubleshooting SAC Live Data Connections in Analysis Office