1 Introduction to SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

19

1.1 What Is SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards?

19

1.1.1 Who Works with SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards?

19

1.1.2 Installation

20

1.1.3 Relationship with Excel

21

1.2 What Can SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Do?

22

1.2.1 Data Visualization Capabilities

23

1.2.2 Data Connectivity Capabilities

27

1.2.3 Distribution

28

1.2.4 Changes in SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0

29

1.2.5 Extensibility

33

1.3 SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards in the SAP BusinessObjects Portfolio

33

1.4 Summary

34

2 Becoming Familiar with SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

35

2.1 Menu

36

2.1.1 File

36

2.1.2 SAP

58

2.1.3 Edit

62

2.1.4 View

63

2.1.5 Format

68

2.1.6 Data

71

2.1.7 Help

74

2.2 Toolbar

77

2.2.1 Standard

78

2.2.2 Export

78

2.2.3 Themes

79

2.2.4 Format

79

2.2.5 Start Page

80

2.2.6 Summary

80

2.3 Components Browser

82

2.3.1 Category

82

2.3.2 Tree

83

2.3.3 List

84

2.4 Canvas

84

2.5 Embedded Excel Spreadsheet

85

2.6 Property Panel

85

2.7 Object Browser

88

2.8 Query Browser

89

2.8.1 Select a Universe

90

2.8.2 Build Query

90

2.8.3 Preview Query Result

92

2.8.4 Usage Options

92

2.9 Summary

93

3 Dashboard Tutorial

95

3.1 Introduction

95

3.2 Choose the Right UI Components

96

3.3 Bind Data

98

3.3.1 Bind Data for Pie Chart

99

3.3.2 Enable Drill-Down for the Pie Chart

100

3.3.3 Bind Data for Label

103

3.4 Connect to External Data

103

3.5 Formatting

104

3.6 Distribute the Output

106

3.7 Summary

108

4 UI Component Basics

109

4.1 Working with Charts

110

4.1.1 Pie Chart

110

4.1.2 Column Chart

133

4.1.3 Line Chart

155

4.1.4 Bar Chart

163

4.1.5 XY Chart

164

4.1.6 Bubble Chart

168

4.1.7 Area Chart

171

4.2 Selectors

174

4.2.1 Introduction to SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Selectors

174

4.2.2 Select a Single Item

175

4.2.3 Filter

181

4.2.4 Checkbox

185

4.2.5 Ticker

186

4.2.6 Picture Menus

188

4.2.7 List Builder

192

4.3 Represent a Single Value

194

4.3.1 Introduction to Single-Value Components

195

4.3.2 Slider

195

4.3.3 Progress Bar

200

4.3.4 Dial and Gauge

200

4.4 Use Containers to Wrap Several Components

206

4.4.1 When to Use a Container

207

4.4.2 How to Use a Container

207

4.5 Build Backgrounds to Assist Layout

210

4.5.1 When to Use Backgrounds

211

4.5.2 How to Use Backgrounds

211

4.6 Universe Connectivity

214

4.6.1 Query Refresh Button

215

4.6.2 Query Prompt Selector

216

4.7 Summary

219

5 Advanced UI Components

221

5.1 Advanced Charts

221

5.1.1 Stacked Column Chart

222

5.1.2 Stacked Bar and Area Chart

227

5.1.3 Combination Chart

227

5.1.4 OHLC Chart

229

5.1.5 Candlestick Chart

239

5.1.6 Radar Chart

240

5.1.7 Filled Radar Chart

243

5.1.8 Tree Map

245

5.1.9 Sparkline Chart

247

5.1.10 Bullet Chart

251

5.2 Advanced Selectors

255

5.2.1 Accordion Menu

255

5.2.2 Icon

261

5.2.3 Play Selector

263

5.2.4 Calendar

270

5.3 Advanced Single-Value Components

273

5.3.1 Dual Slider

273

5.3.2 Spinner

275

5.3.3 Play Control

276

5.3.4 Value

278

5.4 Displaying Data in a Table

280

5.4.1 List View

280

5.4.2 Spreadsheet Table

285

5.4.3 Grid

289

5.5 Using Art

292

5.5.1 Image Component

292

5.5.2 Shapes

294

5.5.3 Lines

298

5.6 Use Maps for Geographical Representation

299

5.7 Web Connectivity

304

5.7.1 Connection Refresh Button

304

5.7.2 URL Button

307

5.7.3 Slide Show

312

5.7.4 SWF Loader

314

5.8 Others

315

5.8.1 Local Scenario Button

315

5.8.2 Trend Icon

317

5.8.3 Trend Analyzer

318

5.8.4 History

321

5.8.5 Print Button

324

5.8.6 Reset Button

324

5.8.7 Source Data

325

5.8.8 Panel Set

328

5.9 Summary

333

6 Data Connectivity Basics

335

6.1 Embedded Excel Spreadsheet

336

6.1.1 Role of Excel

337

6.1.2 How to Use Excel

337

6.2 Import Data from an Excel File

340

6.2.1 When to Import Data from an Excel File

340

6.2.2 How to Import Data from an Excel File

341

6.3 Security Issues Related to Accessing External Data

341

6.3.1 Run Locally

342

6.3.2 Run on a Web Server

343

6.4 XML Data

343

6.4.1 When to Use XML Data

346

6.4.2 How to Use XML Data

347

6.4.3 Practice

357

6.5 Web Service Connection

364

6.5.1 When to Use a Web Service Connection

364

6.5.2 How to Use a Web Service Connection

365

6.6 Excel XML Map

369

6.6.1 When to Use an Excel XML Map

370

6.6.2 How to Use an Excel XML Map

370

6.7 Summary

373

7 Advanced Data Connectivity

375

7.1 Query as a Web Service

376

7.1.1 When to Use Query as a Web Service

376

7.1.2 How to Use Query as a Web Service

377

7.2 SAP NetWeaver BW Connection

385

7.2.1 When to Use SAP NetWeaver BW Connection

386

7.2.2 How to Use SAP NetWeaver BW Connection

387

7.3 Live Office Connection

388

7.3.1 When to Use Live Office Connection

389

7.3.2 How to Insert SAP BusinessObjects Reports in Excel

391

7.3.3 How to Use Live Office Connection

391

7.3.4 Practice

397

7.4 Crystal Reports Data Consumer

399

7.4.1 When to Use the Crystal Reports Data Consumer Connection

401

7.4.2 How to Use the Crystal Reports Data Consumer Connection

401

7.4.3 Practice

408

7.5 Flash Variables

411

7.5.1 When to Use Flash Variables

412

7.5.2 How to Use Flash Variables

412

7.6 FS Command

417

7.6.1 When to Use FS Command

417

7.6.2 How to Use FS Command

418

7.6.3 Practice

421

7.7 External Interface Connection

424

7.7.1 When to Use an External Interface Connection

424

7.7.2 How to Use an External Interface Connection

425

7.7.3 Practice

427

7.8 LCDS Connection

431

7.8.1 When to Use an LCDS Connection

432

7.8.2 How to Use an LCDS Connection

433

7.9 Portal Data

435

7.9.1 When to Use Portal Data

436

7.9.2 How to Use Portal Data

436

7.10 Summary

440

8 Special Features

441

8.1 Drill-Down

441

8.1.1 When to Use Drill-Down

442

8.1.2 How to Use Drill-Down

443

8.1.3 Drill Down from One Chart to Another

444

8.1.4 Drill-Down on the Same Chart

447

8.2 Make Smart Use of Dynamic Visibility

452

8.2.1 When to Use Dynamic Visibility

453

8.2.2 How to Use Dynamic Visibility

456

8.2.3 Practice

458

8.3 Alerts

464

8.3.1 How to Use Alerts

464

8.3.2 Practice

465

8.4 Direct Data Binding

472

8.4.1 One-Dimensional Binding

473

8.4.2 Two-Dimensional Binding

474

8.5 Export

474

8.5.1 Flash

475

8.5.2 AIR

475

8.5.3 HTML

476

8.5.4 SAP BusinessObjects Platform

476

8.5.5 PDF

477

8.5.6 PowerPoint Slide

478

8.5.7 Outlook

479

8.5.8 Word

479

8.6 Themes and Colors

479

8.6.1 How to Apply a Theme

480

8.6.2 How to Apply a Color Scheme

482

8.6.3 How to Create a Customized Color Scheme

483

8.7 Summary

488

9 A Comprehensive Hands-On Example

489

9.1 Planning the Dashboard

491

9.1.1 Plan the Workflow

491

9.1.2 Plan the UI

492

9.2 Preparing Data

493

9.2.1 The US Map

494

9.2.2 The Gauge

495

9.2.3 The Column Chart

495

9.2.4 The Line Chart

497

9.2.5 The Radio Button

500

9.2.6 The Pie Chart

500

9.3 Organizing Data in Excel

501

9.4 Designing the Dashboard

505

9.4.1 Position the UI Components

505

9.4.2 Import the Excel File

506

9.4.3 Connect to External Data

508

9.4.4 Adjust the Appearance

509

9.5 Summary

510

10 Introduction to the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards SDK

511

10.1 About the SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards SDK

511

10.2 About Flex

512

10.3 When to Use the SDK

513

10.4 How to Use the SDK

515

10.5 What Can I Do with the SDK?

518

10.5.1 Flex Applications

520

10.5.2 Data Processors, Connections, and Functions

521

10.6 SDK Best Practices

521

10.6.1 Use Only What You Need

521

10.6.2 Bindings

522

10.6.3 Use Custom Property Sheets

522

10.6.4 Don’t Repeat Yourself

522

10.6.5 Develop Test Containers

522

10.6.6 Trace and Alert

523

10.6.7 Development Approaches (MXML versus ActionScript)

523

10.6.8 Styling

523

10.7 SDK Pitfalls

524

10.7.1 Flash Shared Local Objects are Unreliable

524

10.7.2 XLPs and XLXs Should Be Archived

524

10.7.3 Common Component Classes—First in Wins

525

10.8 Summary

525

11 Get Started with Custom Component Basics

527

11.1 Developing Basic Add-On Property Sheets

527

11.1.1 Property Sheet Data Binding

528

11.1.2 Explicitly Setting Property Values

531

11.1.3 Explicitly Getting Property Values

532

11.1.4 Property Sheet Styling

532

11.1.5 Basic Property Sheet Overview

532

11.1.6 Proxy.Bind Explained

542

11.2 Developing Basic Add-On Components

543

11.2.1 Main Component Initialization Event Handler and Import Statements

544

11.2.2 Private Variables

544

11.2.3 Public Chart Color Variable—xcChartColor

545

11.2.4 Public Chart Series Variable

545

11.2.5 Public Chart Data Variable

546

11.2.6 Chart Building Function

548

11.2.7 Tooltip Function

551

11.2.8 MXML Markup: Grid Lines and Cartesian Chart

552

11.3 Creating Basic Component Packages

552

11.3.1 Basic Component Packaging Steps

553

11.3.2 Packaging for Special Components

554

11.3.3 Packaging Best Practices

555

11.4 Summary

555

12 Implement Advanced Custom Add-On Component Features

557

12.1 Implementing Advanced Property Sheet Features

557

12.1.1 Subelement Binding

558

12.1.2 Persisting Property Sheet Values

560

12.1.3 Retrieving Persisted Property Sheet Values

561

12.1.4 Setting Custom Component Property Values

562

12.1.5 Retrieving Custom Component Property Values

562

12.1.6 Generating Reusable Property Sheet Patterns

563

12.1.7 Communicating with External Data Services

565

12.1.8 Implementing Advanced Component Features

566

12.1.9 Communicating at the Application Level

577

12.1.10 Additional Packaging Features

578

12.2 Where to Go from Here: Tips, Tricks, and Resources

579

12.3 Summary

579

13 Hands-On: Develop Your Custom Add-On Component

581

13.1 Creating the Chart

581

13.2 Creating the Flex Component and Property Sheet Project

582

13.2.1 Creating the Flex Property Sheet

588

13.2.2 Creating the Flex Component

594

13.3 Creating the Flex Test Container

597

13.4 Creating the Packager and SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards XLX Add-On

597

13.5 Creating the Data Sharing Component

598

13.5.1 Model Locator

599

13.5.2 Component Files

600

13.5.3 SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Component Files

602

13.5.4 Property Sheet

603

13.6 Summary

608

Appendices

609

A Location Intelligence

611

A.1 What Makes Up Location Intelligence?

612

A.2 Why Location Intelligence Is Important

614

A.3 How Does Location Intelligence Fit into SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards?

615

A.4 Location Intelligence Options in SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

617

A.5 Common Location Intelligence Use Cases

621

A.6 Location Intelligence Best Practices

626

A.7 Summary

633

B Tips for Using SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

635

B.1 Using SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards in an SAP BusinessObjects Environment

635

B.2 Deployment and Migration

643

B.3 How to Use SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards with SAP NetWeaver BW and SAP NetWeaver Portal

644

B.4 Supported Excel Functions

647

B.5 SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards Editions

659

B.6 Tips for Creating a Good Dashboard

662

C The Authors

669