IT207 - Expert tips, Advanced features for using Netweaver BEx Broadcaster - Jeevan Ravindran Expert tips, Advanced features, custom techniques, and scheduling options for using Netweaver BEx Broadcaster: Get to know utility programs and transaction codes that can simplify administration of BEx Information Broadcasting. Garner ideas to design a tool that automates mass broadcasts to multiple departments, plants, or other large groups without the need to manually launch the distribution every day, week, or month. Find out how to use advanced features such as characteristic based recipient determination, exception based broadcasting and multi-channel broadcasting. Examine the benefits and tradeoffs of time-point based broadcasting, process chain-based broadcasting, and direct schedule based broadcasting. Pinpoint the relevant security objects that can be used to grant the right level of user access to reports.

2. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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3. Structure of a Sample Broadcast Setting
Link to a reporting object
(e.g., Query)
Where to broadcast
(Distribution Type)
Broadcasting format
(Output format)
Selection criteria (Variable
values)
To whom to
broadcast (e.g.,
email address)
To create multiple versions
of the same report with
different filter criteria
Sample broadcast setting (email bursting type)
Report scheduling options
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4. General Precalculation Tab
• Purpose of this tab is to set selection-screen values
 The values entered here will act as ―Static Filter‖
The report is generated (distributed) only
if the data is loaded/changed in the
underlying InfoProvider.
Applicable only for queries and Web templates.
Multiple variable assignment results
in multiple reports
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5. Filter Navigation Tab Details
• Produces multiple documents (reports) based on the filter criteria The
criteria can be specified in two ways:
 Characteristic values selected directly
 Characteristic values from a query output
Acts like a “replacement
path query”
• Criteria act like ―Dynamic Filters‖ in the report output
General Precalculation
tab values
Filter navigation
tab values
Fig. 1. Sample report
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6. Filter Navigation Tab Details (cont.)
Results in an extra
document with no
filter restriction
Details of Filter Navigation Tab
 ―Add Unfiltered View‖ option ignores the filter setting
Nine attachments in the email - Six from Sales Org & Dist. Channel Combination and Three from Unfiltered view for Dist. Channel.
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7. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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8. Automated Recipient Determination
• Distribution type – broadcast email (bursting)
 The recipients are determined from the master data
• Three steps to enable automated recipient determination
– Step 1 – Specify the characteristic
– Step 2 – Specify the attribute that contains email
addresses
» Pre-requisite: May need to enhance InfoObject to add email
address
– Step 3 – Restrict characteristic value selection
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2
3
Configuring “Broadcast Email (Bursting)”
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9. Broadcast According to Exceptions
• Enables reporting only when an exception is encountered
 Pre-requisite: The query should have at least one exception
 Distributes exception report via email or publishes to portal
Recipient list is
mentioned here
Shows the actual
exception report
Shows only the
count of exceptions
• This broadcasting type is NOT available to workbooks or Web
templates
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10. Multi-Channel Broadcasting
• Ability to publish a report simultaneously to Portal and via email
 No bursting option available
 For Output Format ―Printer‖ the report will be sent only
to printer
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11. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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12. Broadcast Scheduling Options
• Four scheduling options
 Option 1: Immediately after the data load
 Option 2: At a pre-determined time slot
 Option 3: Date/Time based scheduling
 Option 4: Using an ABAP program
Three standard scheduling options
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13. Option 1: Execution with Data Change Option
• Use the process type Event Data Change
 This will ensure reports are run after a successful data load
• Make use of this option sparingly
 If you set up too many broadcasts based on the event
data change, all of them will start running at once
• It can bring the system down to its knees
All the data targets are
selected
Select individual
InfoProvider
Details
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14. Option 2: Execution at Pre-Defined Time
• Helps to broadcast during certain time slots
• This option shows in the schedule screen ONLY after scheduling up a
job with prefix TP_BROADCASTING_*
 Use the program RSRD_BROADCAST_FOR_TIMEPOINT
in the step
• No need to create a variant for this program
 Schedule the job at desired frequency and start time
• Good practice to add the frequency and time in the job name
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15. Option 3: Direct Scheduling in Background Processing
• You can specify the date and time of execution
 Flexibility to choose time of report execution
 You can also set up periodic run
 The report will be executed in a ―Batch mode‖
• Broadcasting logs will be generated
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16. Option 4: Using an ABAP Program
• Use the program RSRD_BROADCAST_STARTER
 Make sure you fill only one field among the first three fields
Enter the name of the broadcast setting.
Make sure that setting is NOT scheduled.
Enter the suffix of the job name
starting with TP_BROADCASTING_*
Enter the name of the InfoProvider
If marked, the setting will be executed immediately. No
background and parallel processing will be utilized.
Initial screen of ABAP RSRD_BROADCAST_STARTER
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17. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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18. Broadcasting Administration
• Use transaction RSRD_ADMIN to access the broadcast administration
cockpit
 You can also get here via Tcode RSA1
• Click Administration  Broadcasting
Details
Fig. 1: RSA1  Administration
Fig. 2: Broadcasting Administration cockpit
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19. Administration of Broadcast Settings
• RSRD_ADMIN  Settings
 Or use program RSRD_ADMIN_SETTING
• Output report
Edit – will take you directly
to portal
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20. Displaying Schedules
• To see what has been scheduled already
 RSRD_ADMIN  Schedules
• Or use the program RSRD_ADMIN_REGISTRATION
 Output report
• Shows the list of schedules
– Can gauge the distribution of scheduled jobs
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21. Displaying Broadcast Logs
• Tcode – RSRD_ADMIN  Broadcast Logs
 You can also get here directly using Tcode RSRD_LOG
Details
Fig. 1: Initial screen of transaction RSRD_LOG
 Broadcast logs are recorded only for background execution
• It is not kept for type ―Execute‖ in SAP BEx Broadcaster in the
portal
• It is not kept for ―Execute Online‖ in
RSRD_BROADCAST_STARTER
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22. Utility Programs
• To clean up broadcast logs, use program RSBCSRE03
Initial screen of report RSBCSRE03
• To reorganize bookmarks IDs and view IDs, use
RSRD_ADMIN  Bookmarks
 Or use program – RSRD_BOOKMARK_REORGANISATION
• Bookmarks – Saved navigational state of a Web app
• View ID – Saved navigational
state of a query
– Created when you create
online links
Initial screen of RSRD_BOOKMARK_REORGANISATION
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23. Utility Programs (cont.)
• To clean up orphan schedules
 Use program RSRD_CLEAN_SCHEDULES
• Cleans schedules for executing upon data change or at a time
for which there is no longer a broadcast setting
• Background jobs for execution of a broadcast setting that no
longer exists
• To schedule (execute) more than one broadcast setting at a time
 Use program RSRD_BROADCAST_BATCH
Initial screen of RSRD_BROADCAST_BATCH
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24. Utility Programs (cont.)
• To broadcast workbooks without using a portal
 Use Program RS_PREC_PLAN
 A pre-calc server is needed
• Can only broadcast to email address
 Can be integrated to a process chain
• To administer pre-calculation server
 Use Tcode RSPRECADMIN
Initial screen of RS_PREC_PLAN
Initial screen of RSPRECADMIN
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25. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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26. Ease of Use vs. Security Breach
• Broadcasting functions enable easy publishing of reports
 Broadcasting via email, or to a network share may expose BW data
to those who are not authorized to see it
• The preferred option is to send a link
– The recipient will have to log into the system to access the
actual content
 Configuration in Tcode – SCOT, can prevent inadvertent sending of
email to domains outside your company
1
2
3 4
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27. Security — Broadcasting Setting Administration
• The authorization object for creating and maintaining a broadcast
setting is – S_RS_ADMWB
 Select the field BR_SETTING – ―Broadcasting Settings‖
• Also, select appropriate value for activity
– For example, to grant “Display Only” access
» Assign value 03
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28. Security — Broadcasting Scheduling
• The authorization object S_RS_BCS controls access to broadcast
settings and schedules
 ObjectType: Query (QU), Template (HT) and Workbook (WB)
 ObjectID: QueryID/TemplateID/WorkbookID
 EventType: DataChange(DC) or TimePoint (TP), Dir. Scheduling
 EventID: Suffix of TP_BROADCASTING_* job
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29. Security — Background Scheduling and Jobs
• Authorization objects related to background scheduling
 Batch job scheduling
• Authorization object is S_BTCH_JOB
Screen scrap of profile maintenance transaction – PFCG
 To execute jobs using a different user’s authorization
• Authorization object is S_BTCH_NAM
Authorization User is different from execution user
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30. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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31. Shortcomings of Standard BEx Broadcaster
• * No easy way to
broadcast en masse * No automatic
* No Bursting to change of Time
Portals variables
* No txt or CSV Output * No Flexible file
format naming
* Limited Status
* No Factory Calendar Tracking and Audit-
based scheduling trail
* Can cause system * No Pre-calc server
overload load balancing
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32. Automation Possibilities
• You can automate broadcasting using these and other classes:
• CL_RSRD_SETTING_DT – Has many utility methods
• CL_RSRD_UTILITIES_FRAMEWORK – Many useful methods
• CL_RSRD_SETTING – Broadcast setting maintenance
• In SAP NetWeaver® BW 7.0, broadcasting is part of the SAP NetWeaver
Portal (Java Stack) and the broadcast data base and settings are
maintained on the ABAP stack
 Thus you can develop ABAP programs to
automate broadcasting
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33. Main Database Tables Relevant for Broadcasting
• RSRD_SETTING — Broadcasting settings
 Main table — contains reference to workbook/query
• RSRD_SETT_NODE — Nodes from broadcast settings
 Contains Producer, Converter, or Distributor Class names
• RSRD_SETT_NODE_A — Attributes of nodes
 Stores most of the details of the settings such as variable
information, the user ID used for Authorization Check, email
address, etc.
• RSRD_SETT_NODE_T — Subject and contents of long text
• RSRD_REGISTRATN — Registration of settings to events
 Event type and Event ID for time point and data change events can
be found here
• RSRD_REGISTR_USR — Permitted user for registering settings for
events
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34. A Sample Mass Broadcasting Solution
• Features of a sample custom tailored solution — vSMART Broadcaster
 Bursting into Portal (KM folder/Portfolio)
 Support for all object types (queries, workbooks, etc.)
 Automatic time variable adjustment for periodic runs
Supports
various
objects
vSMART Broadcaster – Different Object Support vSMART Broadcaster – Time Variable definition
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35. Details of a Sample Mass Broadcasting Solution
• Features of vSMART
 Generate multiple reports based on Characteristic values
 Flexible file naming, as shown in the figure below
 A plethora of scheduling options
• Based on factory calendar, process-chain dependency, etc.
 Extensive audit trail
• Email alerts for errors
 Extra Authorization checks
Supports variable file names
Report distribution options
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34

36. Resources
• Adobe Document Services Configuration Guide
 http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/37/504b8cbc2848a4
94facfdc09a359b1/frameset.htm
• Alert Category
 http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/bb/f0033c128f4a7de
10000000a114084/frameset.htm
• Information Broadcasting
 http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/a5/359840dfa5a160e
10000000a1550b0/frameset.htm
• How-to-guides from SAP
 Setup, configure and trouble shoot Pre-Calc server
 Exception Broadcasting
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37. What We’ll Cover
• Standard Broadcasting – A Quick Scan
• Examining Advanced Features
• Scheduling Options
• Monitoring and Administration
• Managing Security and Access
• Enhancing Standard Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
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38. Resources (cont.)
• vSMART Broadcaster from Business Value Software
 Advanced, comprehensive broadcasting utility
• Supports bursting to Portals (KM folders, Windows Shared
drive, User-portfolio etc.)
• Automated time variable adjustment
• Dynamic file naming
• Pre-cal server load balancing
• Extensive logs and audit trails, etc.
 www.businessvaluesoftware.com
• info@businessvaluesoftware.com
• 609-759-0301
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39. 7 Key Points to Take Home
• Broadcasting increases the acceptance and adoption of SAP
NetWeaver BW data
 SAP BEx Broadcaster can pre-calculate and present reports in
aesthetically pleasing formats (PDF, Microsoft Excel, etc.)
• Broadcasting helps to open new frontiers
 Business intelligence content can be made available to a wide
spectrum of users, which includes non-SAP users
• SAP BEx Broadcaster enhances system performance
 Long running reports can be scheduled to run in background
during off-business hours
• Cache warm-up options improve query performance
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40. 7 Key Points to Take Home (cont.)
• Make use of the multitude of report distribution options
 Exception based report, email bursting, simulcasting, etc.
• Use security and authorization objects to avoid
broadcasting reports to unauthorized recipients
 Exercise caution while sending reports via email
• Perform regular housekeeping of broadcast setting/schedules
 Use the programs and utilities mentioned in this presentation
 Watch out for the barrage of broadcasting triggered by data
change or time point
• Try extending what SAP has provided
 Develop custom programs to automate mass execution of
broadcast settings
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41. Contact Details
•
info@infoelixir.com
609-468-6279
www.infoelixir.com
Jeevan K Ravindran
jeevan.k.ravindran@gmail.com
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