Power BI SAP BW integration for queries and cubes
Power BI SAP BW integration lets report authors reach the queries and cubes that a Business Warehouse team has already built. Microsoft documents two connectors for it, one for an Application Server and one for a Message Server. Both support Import and DirectQuery. Both also need an SAP component on the machine first, so planning starts with your SAP Basis team.
- Two SAP BW connectors
- SAP .NET Connector needed
- Queries reused, not rebuilt
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Which connector does Power BI SAP BW integration use?
Microsoft's connector list shows two entries. The SAP BW Application Server connector points at one named server. The SAP BW Message Server connector goes through a message server and a logon group instead.
So the choice follows your landscape. A single server suits the first. A system with load balancing across several servers suits the second. Your Basis team will know which applies.
Both share a prerequisite. Microsoft's articles say the SAP .NET Connector must sit on the machine, and the download needs an SAP user. The articles also note that the first version of each connector has reached end of support, so new connections use Implementation 2.0.
What a BW source gives a report author
A warehouse carries years of modeling effort, so we reuse it where we can.
Queries and cubes
The navigator lists the objects the account may use. Then the author picks key figures and characteristics.
Hierarchies
BW hierarchies, such as cost center or product groups, arrive ready to use. So nobody rebuilds them by hand.
Variables
Many queries ask for a value, for example a period. Power BI prompts for it when the author connects.
Should we use Import or DirectQuery with SAP BW?
Import copies the result of a query into the semantic model. After that, authors can add their own measures and relate the data to other tables. However, the figures wait for the next refresh.
DirectQuery leaves the data in the warehouse. Each visual asks BW for an answer, so users always see current figures and BW security can apply. Still, Microsoft documents a list of limits for this mode, and some modeling features behave differently.
We therefore decide per report. For example, a finance pack that must match BW to the cent may suit DirectQuery. A sales analysis that blends BW with other data usually suits Import. For other SAP sources, see the Power BI SAP integration overview and the Power BI SAP HANA integration page. Models of this kind often support Power BI financial reporting.
Common faults in a Power BI SAP BW integration
We check these points first when a BW report is slow or wrong.
- The SAP .NET Connector is absent on the gateway
- The installed connector does not match the 64-bit setup
- Variables left at values nobody reviewed
- Large queries pulled at the lowest level of detail
- Old connections still on the retired first version
- Key figures re-aggregated in ways BW did not intend
How we run a Power BI SAP BW integration
The project follows four stages, and you see progress in a demo each week.
Review the BW queries
First we list the queries people trust today and learn what each one answers.
Prepare the machines
Then your Basis team supplies the SAP .NET Connector, and we set it up on the desktop and the gateway.
Pick mode per report
Next we choose Import or DirectQuery for each model and write down why.
Build and reconcile
Finally we build the reports and compare totals with BW, since finance will check them.
SAP BW data in Power BI: frequent questions
Does Power BI have a native SAP BW connector?
Yes, two of them. Microsoft's connector list includes an SAP BW Application Server connector and an SAP BW Message Server connector. Both articles list Import and DirectQuery as supported for Power BI semantic models. Both also require the SAP .NET Connector, which you download from SAP with a valid account.
Does Power BI SAP BW reporting need a gateway?
A warehouse on your own network needs an on-premises data gateway for refresh and DirectQuery in the Power BI service. Microsoft's article adds that the SAP drivers must sit on the gateway machine. So we plan that server with your administrators and install the same connector there as on the desktop.
Can Power BI read SAP BW on HANA or BW/4HANA?
Microsoft's connector articles name the BW versions they support, and the list includes BW/4HANA. Versions change, so we check your release against the current article before we quote. If your system falls outside the list, we discuss other routes, such as the HANA connector or an extract to a staging database.
Will our BW security apply inside Power BI?
That depends on the mode and the setup. With Import, the refresh account decides what loads, and Power BI row-level security then controls who sees what. With DirectQuery, single sign-on can pass the user through to BW when it is configured. We explain both options and test the result.
How do we talk to someone about BW reporting?
Phone (480) 485-7373 or write to us, and expect an answer within 2 hours. We begin with a free 30-minute assessment. Power BI Agency is a division of Sataware Technologies and has no affiliation with Microsoft or SAP. Our consultants work online.
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