SAP BW/BI Interview Questions Part-2

1) How and where can I control whether a repeat delta is requested?

Ans: Via the status of the last delta in the BW Request Monitor. If the request is RED, the next load will be of type 'Repeat'. If you need to repeat the last load for certain reasons, set the request in the monitor to red manually. For the contents of the repeat see Question 14. Delta requests set to red despite of data being already updated lead to duplicate records in a subsequent repeat, if they have not been deleted from the data targets concerned before

2) I would like to display the date the data was uploaded on the report. Usually, we load the

transactional data nightly. Is there any easy way to include this information on the report for users so that they know the validity of the report?

Ans: If I understand your requirement correctly, you want to display the date on which data was loaded into the data target from which the report is being executed. If it is so, configure your workbook to display the text elements in the report. This displays the relevance of data field, which is the date on which the data load has taken place.

3) How many days can we keep the data in PSA?

Ans: In our project we delete the PSA tables and ChangeLog tables excluding recent 10 days tables.

4) How can u get the data from client if u r working on offshore projects? Through which network.

Ans: VPN (Virtual Private Network), VPN is nothing but one sort of network where we can connect to the client systems sitting in offshore through RAS (Remote access server).

5) In BW we need to write abap routines. I wish to know when and what type of abap routines we got to write. Also, are these routines written in update rules? I will be glad, if this is clarified with real-time scenarios and few examples?

Ans: Over here we write our routines in the start routines in the update rules or in the transfer structure (you can choose between writing them in the start routines or directly behind the different characteristics. In the transfer structure you just click on the yellow triangle behind a characteristic and choose "routine". In the update rules you can choose "start routine" or click on the triangle with the green square behind an individual characteristic. Usually we only use start routine when it does not concern one single characteristic (for example when you have to read the same table for 4 characteristics).

We used ABAP Routines for example:

a) To convert to Uppercase (transfer structure)

b)  To convert Values out of a third party tool with different keys into the same keys as our SAP System uses (transfer structure)

c) To select only a part of the data for from an infosource updating the Infocube (Start Routine) etc.

6) What does Infocube contains?

Ans: Each Infocube has a Fact Table and a maximum of 16 (13 userdefined+3 system defined, time, unit & data packet) dimensions.

7) What does FACT Table contain?

Ans: Fact Table consists of Keyfigures which hold the transaction data. Each Fact Table can contain a maximum of 233 key figures.

Note: One Dimension table can be assigned with 248 characteristics.

8) What does SID Table contain?

Ans: SID keys linked with dimension table & master data tables (attributes, texts, hierarchies)

9) What are the different master data tables in BW?

Ans:

10)Differences between STAR Schema & Extended Star Schema?

Ans: In STAR SCHEMA, A FACT Table in center, surrounded by dimensional tables and the dimension tables contains of master data. In Extended Schema the dimension tables does not contain master data, instead they are stored in Master data tables divided into attributes, text & hierarchy. These Master data & dimensional tables are linked with each other with SID keys. Master data tables are independent of Infocube & reusability in other InfoCubes.

 

11) When are Dimension ID's created?

Ans: When Transaction data is loaded into Infocube.

12) When are SID's generated?

Ans: When Master data loaded into Master Tables (Attribute, Text, Hierarchies).

13) How would we delete the data in ODS?

Ans: By request IDs, Selective deletion & change log entry deletion.

14) Partitioning possible for ODS?

Ans:  No, It is possible only for Infocube and PSA in BW

15) Different types of Attributes?

Ans: Navigational attribute, Display attributes, Time dependent attributes, Compounding attributes, Transitive attributes.

16) Transitive Attributes?

Ans: Navigational attributes having navigational attribute, these navigational attributes are called transitive attributes.

17) Compounding attribute?

Ans:

18) Time dependent attributes?

Ans:

19) Steps in LO are Extraction?

Ans:

Maintain extract structures. (R/3)

Maintain DataSources. (R/3)

Replicate DataSource in BW.

Assign InfoSources.

Maintain communication structures/transfer rules.

Maintain InfoCubes & Update rules.

Activate extract structures. (R/3)

Delete setup tables/setup extraction. (R/3)

InfoPackage for the Delta initialization.

Set-up periodic V3 update. (R/3)

InfoPackage for Delta uploads.

20) Different types delta update modes in  LO Extraction?

Ans: Direct Delta, Queued Delta, Serialized V3 update, Unserialized V3 Update.

Direct Delta: - With every document posted in R/3, the extraction data is transferred directly into the BW delta queue. Each document posting with delta extraction becomes exactly one LUW in the corresponding Delta queue.

Queued Delta: - The extraction data from the application is collected in extraction queue instead of as update data and can be transferred to the BW delta queue by an update collection run, as in the V3 update.

Serialized V3 update:-

Unserialized V3 Update:-

 

21) Some important T Codes?

Ans:

  RSA6 -- Post processing of data sources

  RSA7-- Delta Queue (allows you to monitor the current status of the delta attribute)

  RSA3-- Extract checker.

  LBWG -- Delete set-up tables in LO's.

  OLI*BW-- Fill Set-up tables.

  LBWE – T-Code for Logistics extractors.

  RSO2 -- Maintaining Generic DataSources.

  PFCG -- Role maintenance, assign users to these roles.

  RSDCUBEM -- For Delete, Change or Delete the Infocube.

  RSMO -- Monitoring of  Dataloads.

  RSCUSTV6 -- Partitioning of PSA.

  RSRT -- Query monitor.

  RSRV -- Analysis and Repair of BW Objects

  RRMX -- BEx Analyzer

  RSBBS -- Report to Report interface (RRI).

  SPRO -- IMG (To make configurations in BW).

  RSDDV -- Maintaining Aggregates.

  RSKC -- Permit Special characteristics.

  ST22 -- Checking Short Dump.

  SM37 -- Scheduling Background jobs.

  RSBOH1 - Open Hub Service: Create Infospoke.

  ROOSOURCE - Table to find out details of Datasources.

  SMOD - SAP Exits

  CMOD - Customer Exits

  SE11 - ABAP Dictionary – Create tables views and other objects.

  SE16 - To see the data in tables, views and structures.

  SE09 - Transport Organizer (workbench organizer) - Transport requests will be released

  SE10 - Transport Organizer (Extended View)

  SBIW - T-code used in LO Extraction for various aspects

22) What are Process Types & Process variant in process chain maintenance?

Ans: Process types are General services, Load Process & subsequent processing, Data Target

Administration, reporting agent & Other BW services. Process variant (start variant) is the place the process type knows when & where to start.

23) What is the T-Code to delete BEx query in production system?

 Ans: RSZDELETE

24) What is the T-code for Copying Queries from one infoprovider to another infoprovider?

Ans: RSZC

25) How much time does it take to extract 1 million (10 lackhs) of records into an infocube?

Ans: This depends, if you have complex coding in update rules it will take longer time, or else it will take less than 30 minutes.

66) How to know in which table (SAP BW) contains Technical Name / Description and creation data of a particular Reports. Reports that are created using BEx Analyzer?

Ans: There is no such table in BW if you want to know such details while you are opening a particular query press properties button you will come to know all the details that you wanted. You will find your information about technical names and description about queries in the following tables. Directory of all reports (Table RSRREPDIR) and Directory of the reporting component elements (Table RSZELTDIR) for workbooks and the connections to queries check Where- used list for reports in workbooks (Table RSRWORKBOOK) Titles of Excel Workbooks in InfoCatalog (Table RSRWBINDEXT)

 

27) What is a LUW in the delta queue?

Ans: A LUW from the point of view of the delta queue can be an individual document, a group of documents from a collective run or a whole data packet of an application extractor.

28) Difference between Calculated Key Figure & Formula?

 Ans: Calculated keyfigure is the virtual keyfigure which is created based on physical keyfigures and some functions.CKF is global across all the queries on the same infoprovider. New same as CKF but its local to the query where it is created.

29) When does a transfer structure contain more fields than the communication structure of an Infosource?

Ans: If we use a routine to enhance a field in the communication from several fields in the transfer structure, the communication structure may contain more fields.

30) Why we use this RSRP0001 Enhancement?

Ans: For enhancing the Customer Exit in reporting.

31) What is the use of Filters?

Ans: It Restricts Data.

32) What is the use of Conditioning?

Ans: To retrieve data based on particular conditions like less than, greater than, less than or equal etc.,

33) What is NODIM?

Ans: For example it converts 5lts + 5kgs = 10. NODIM will be available in the functions set in BEX and this is used to remove the dimensions.

34) Why SAPLRSAP is used?

Ans: We use these function modules for enhancing the datasources in r/3. We have four EXITS –

SAPLRSAP_EXIT_001- Transaction datasources

SAPLRSAP_EXIT_002- Master Data Attribute

SAPLRSAP_EXIT_003- Master Data Text

SAPLRSAP_EXIT_004- Master Data Hierarchy

35) What are workbooks & uses?

Ans: Saved output of a query is called workbook

36) Where are workbooks saved?

Ans: Workbooks are saved in favorites.

37) Can Favorites accessed by other users?

Ans: No, they need authorization.

38) What is Business Content?

Ans: Business Content is the umbrella term for the preconfigured BW objects delivered by SAP. These objects provide ready-made solutions to basic business information requirements and are used to accelerate the implementation of a BW. TCODE RSOR (BW), RSA5(R/3)

Business Content includes:

R/3 extractor programs, DataSources, InfoObjects, InfoSources, InfoCubes, Queries, Roles, and Workbooks. From the Grouping menu, choose the additional Business Content objects that you want to include. Groupings gather together all of the objects from a single area:

Only Necessary Objects: Only those additional objects that are needed to activate the objects that you have selected are included (minimum selection).

In Data Flow Before: All the objects that pass data on to another object are collected.

In Data Flow Afterwards: All the objects that receive data from another object are collected. In Data Flow Before and Afterwards: All the objects that both deliver and receive data are collected.

Backup for System Copy: You use this setting to collect some of the objects into a transport

Request

39) If you update data from ODS to data target. System will generate InfoSource with one prefix name?

Ans: It will generate with prefix name starting with 8 along with InfoSource name.

40) What is an aggregate?

Ans: Aggregates are small or baby cubes. A subset of InfoCube.

Flat Aggregate --when u have more than 15 characteristics for aggregate system will generate that aggregate as flat aggregate to increase performance.

Roll-up--when the data is loaded for second time into cube, we have to roll-up to make that data available in aggregate.

41) What is Line-Item Data, in which scenario u use line item dimension?

Ans: A line item dimension in a fact table does not have the dimension table; it connects directly with the SID table at its sole characteristic. When there is only one characteristic in a dimension, it will eliminate the dimension table. Fact table directly linked to the SID table. When the size of the dimension table is more than 20% size of the fact table we will go for line item dimension

42) You can convert currencies at 2 places?

Ans: One is at update rule level & one at the front-end

43) How can we stop loading data into infocube?

Ans: First you have to find out what is the job name from the monitor screen for this load

In Header Tabstrip in monitor screen. Go to  SM37 (job monitoring) in R/3 select this job and from the menu you can delete the job. Job cancellation is not suggestible for delta load.

 

44) What's the difference between R3 drill down reporting and BW reporting?

These two reporting seem to function similarly with slice and dice. If they function similarly, then that means we don't have to implement BW, just use R3 Drill down reporting tool, am I right?

Ans: The major benefits of reporting with BW over R/3 are in terms of performance and analysis.

1. Performance -- Heavy reporting along with regular OLTP transactions can produce a lot of load both on the R/3 and the database (cpu, memory, disks, etc). Just take a look at the load put on your system during a month end, quarter end, or year-end -- now imagine that occurring even more frequently.

2. Data analysis -- BW uses a Data Warehouse and OLAP concepts for storing and analyzing data, where R/3 was designed for transaction processing. With a lot of work you can get the same analysis out of R/3 but most likely would be easier from a BW

45) What is the Difference between Transfer Rules and Update Rules?

Ans:

Transfer Rules : Which specifies how the mapping between the Data Source fields with the Infosource fields (So called Communication Structure).

Update Rules : Which specifies how data will be updated into the Data Targets (ODS or InfoCube). (Which internally does some techinical name mapping)

46) In update rules for key figures, what are the return table options for?

Ans: Usually the update rule sends one record to the data target; using this option you can send multiple records to the data target eg. If you get 1 record from the

communication structure using this option you can create multiple records into the data target. For exa mple if we are getting total telephone expenses for the cost center, you can use this to return telephone expenses for each employee (by dividing the total expenses by the number of employees in the cost center) and creating cost record for each employee using ABAP code.