Let’s state the obvious – the problem with large workbooks is, well – they are large. In situations where business cries foul when they want the data – all of it – some of these refresh times are long and frustrating. Say what? 3 minutes? Oh, you say what? 30? No way! An easy work-around is to group your data in such a way business can…

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Just for fun! If online dating was for technology, Master Data meet Reporting. Organizational data usually consists of Company Code, Segment, and Business Area. Report asks Master Data – what say you?

• Company Code says – I represent the independent legal entity.
• Segment says – I am a division of a company, you need me to comply with IFRS…

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The CRISP-DM flow chart reflects a typical project process flow. Noticing MONITORING, this is an iterative phase often overlooked by users after go-live. Monitoring is ensuring the program is accurate and reliable over time. Is there a plan in place should business or economic conditions (or environments) change? Monitoring…

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One of the greatest threats to successful model development is building very good models that answer the wrong question…. your reaction is?

Bias is how far the expected value of the estimate is. Each month we may update our predictions, but is it working? How are your numbers input? Subject to user experience or…? Is there a way to strip bias out of forecasting?

Not so fast. SAC Dashboards consists of data, which usually contains charts. Business uses this information to make decisions, so our basic design strategy is to deliver informative visuals and data to help them be successful But wait. One of the greatest threats to accomplishing this goal is that our data and charts look fantastic and…

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What are some of the steps you do before using data? Is your data misbehaving? We are interesting in learning more about issues you might be having… in the meantime the general process for preparing data:

• Load data set – perform basic cleaning tasks
• Explore and understand your data – what does each column represent? Assess format,…

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Hey – drop your questions here! Our EPM Formatting gurus will get right back to you!

What is your take on Test Data? How do you and your organization go about test data for testing reports and templates (data manager packages etc..) before moving items from test environment to prod? Are you forced to test in production? How do you go about this?

During development it is critical to test objects before they are promoted…

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Using Char/Code text functions is an oldie but a goodie. Need the ability to have multi-line headers in one cell WHERE YOU WANT THEM?

General steps:

• Turn on “wrap text” alignment
• Use CHAR(10) formula for “carriage return’
• Example: =”(1)”&CHAR(10)”&”Capital” the results are shown in the next snapshot.

Record counts!  We always need this information … now you have one-stop place to get it. There are several examples of golden code to use below.

1. Open SQL Server Management studio
2. Connect to your server
3. Expand Databases -> Select your database
4. Click on tables (no need to expand).  If you do expand you will see fact tables and dimension…

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There may be a case where you are trying to save but the Excel filter is active? The fix…

Function BEFORE_SAVE() 
    Dim noOfLists As Integer 
    noOfLists = Application.CustomListCount 
    Application.DeleteCustomList listNum:=noOfLists 
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("MySheetName").Sort.SortFields.Clear 
... end snip

Just want to get the last value in a column after a report refreshes? This method is quick and reliable. Example below is assigning NEXT_NEW member of a list after refresh.

Set context parent during run-time. Sample code:

Sub SetContextParent()
‘ Sample Code – iuse SetContextParent() and SetContextBase()
On Error Resume Next
Set api = Application.COMAddIns(“SapExcelAddIn”).Object
If Not api Is Nothing Then
Set z = api.GetPlugin(“com.sap.epm.FPMXLClient”)
Else
Set z…

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Set named ranges during run-time. Sample code:

Sub Z_NAME_RANGES()
Dim strRangeName As String
Dim strCellName As String
Dim rng As Range
strRangeName = “JOpen_TopRow”
strCellName = “A10”
Set rng = Worksheets(“JOpen”).Range(strCellName)
ThisWorkbook.Names.Add Name:=strRangeName, RefersTo:=rng
End Sub

The fun of being a consultant is we get to see how other people write VBA logic. I once came across a statement with so many If..Then..Else statements I never thought I would reach the end! Since I was refining the code anyways, I couldn’t help myself and revised the If..Then..Else to use Select Case..Case else framework. Not only is the…

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File: C:Program FilesSAP BusinessObjectsEPM Add-InFPMXLClient.dll.config
Fix for a blank Member Selector or to restore corrupt/missing:
<add key=”UseWpfMemberSelector” value=”false”/>

File: C:Program FilesSAP BusinessObjectsEPM Add-InFPMXLClient.dll.config

Improve performance by Changing 800 to 1600)

<add key=”CheckApplicationAboveMemoryLimit” value=”800″/>

After expanding a report, the print range does not automatically update with it. Avoid manual effort every time a print is required through VBA to set the print range. The VBA requires a named cell in the top left of the report and the print range is set from this cell to the furthest used row and column. I triggered the code by using a Call in…

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Programmatically change options as needed based on specific custom scenarios. Typically for input schedules the suppression is off, whereas for a report the suppression is on. In this code you can control which report within the one tab is suppressed or not. You can also create a drop down for option to set empty rows (keep or not to keep)…

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If you need to filter your selection box separate each property by a semicolon.

=EPMSelectMember($C$4,”[CATEGORY].[PARENTH1].[ACTUAL]”,”TYPE=A;TYPE=B;TYPE=P”,”CATEGORY”,FALSE)

another example

=@EPMSelectMember(“ProRev”,”[DEPT_FUND].[H2].[No_Dept_Fund]”,”INACTIVE_FUNDS<>Y;CALC=N;FUND_TYPE=PRO;DIV_MAP=PRO_DIVISION”,”Dept_Fund”,FALSE)

Not so fast …Web -based are built through the web client. They are usually super fast, light, simple, and can be shared or stored for user’s private use. Normally used for ad-hoc report or input, they are popular for use with Business Process Flows because all users have access to the same report with access to information based on security.…

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This feature is not available when using the embedded Administration screen. When using BPFs and Web Reports the initial view / default context is set through Model and Dimension Defaults. This information is also leveraged by EPM during the login process. In the example below all reports are top of the house and all input reports are…

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Data Manager packages are used for a variety of tasks related to loading and manipulating data in BPC . I rarely see Automation tool used! With this tool user’s can build their own macro and reduce the number of steps to a frequently used Data Manager package. Have you ever tried this? If not do try – it’s an incredible time-saver!

1. Click run…

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<div> When EPM showed up we all had to change how we protected cells, worksheets, and workbooks. If you think you can use the standard Excel protection with EPM Add-In this thread is for you. Let’s get started …
</div><div>Protection options </div>

• Workbook
• Worksheet
• Cell

Protection types

• Data Validation
• EPMFormatting USE column contains…

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Discussion about EPM’s functons – a starter using SAPs documentation. Need more info or assistance? Reply here …

• Reference for this section SAP documentation
• EPMInsertCellBeforeAfterBlock and EPMCopyRange – big impact on the writing time.
• Use EPMDimensionOverride instead of manually changing the EPMOlapMemberO function for very large EPM…

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SAPs Best Practices – feel free to discuss any of these items … we have many of our own C5 practices that help clients improve workbook performance.

• Parallelization is activated by default with the Axis Sharing feature, and on the same data source/connection. Axis Sharing feature will impact performance.
• If different member ID’s have the same…

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Volatile functions cause calculation to work harder and will slow down your workbook performance. Every time the workbook calculates volatile functions will calculate even if nothing has changed:

• EPMRetrieveData()
• OFFSET(), INDIRECT(), SUMIF()
• IF() function executes once but using AND / OR executes all choices

Non-Volatile alternatives

• INDEX()…

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What is a tuple? In a relational database a tuple is one row representing a piece of structured data. BPC, a tuple can be visualized as something used to store multiple items into one. There is an SAP article on this #2748824 for more information. In this article SAP writes “The solution is to disable the EMP Add-in user option…

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We have a client that has been using the default comment “…” sending thousands of records for no good reason for years. Why? he asks. YOu’re creating millions of pointless records in your comments table I said , as well as adding overhead to your templates every time you click SUBMIT- Why? I ask.

Sometimes we do things because ‘it’s the way…

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Are you using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)? Are you keeping up with the latest reporting API’s? Are you considering an upgrade and your organization currently uses reports and templates with VBA?

so, you want to create an offline report for each Cost Center? Who should receive the report and how? Are you currently using Distribution templates? Are you collecting data externally this way? Maybe you are using this for planning activities with those far-away offline locations?

Do you want a drill-down for report data or drill-through? Are there any questions on differences and/or benefits of each? Do you want to see data from outside Excel?

When working with script logic, whether it be to write or validate post-migration, we must use validation reports that show the data before and after the logic is triggered. What is your favorite go-to method for this task?

Some clients have a very involved Default.lgf file while others use it to call other logic files. Whatever the method the Data Manager Package will trigger different logic than the input template because Data Manager Packages have selections (prompts). If your system uses BADIs there will be calls for them, or if your system uses Darwin,…

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Do you run default logic for stored values after copying data? Does it make a difference which to use if we Replace data rather than Merge data?

Script Logic (logic scripts) is used to automate calculations and data movements to suit specific business needs. When data is submitted through an input template the logic (if scoped accordingly) will calculate any new or revised records and commit the changes as base member data. Scope is the records of interest, for example a specific…

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In Microsoft Member Formulas are ‘Dimension Logic’, whereas NetWeaver uses Member Formulas. Where they are configured will be different, however the rules are basically the same. Most of all, when using Dimension Logic / Member Formulas you can expect a drag on performance if incorrectly applied. Use for on-the-fly calculations such as cost…

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BADIs are ‘SAP Business Add-Ins. They are created using ABAP programming language within the SAP BW system. They tend to be a tool of choice for large corporations with complex calculations due to their performance benefits. Developers who work with BADIs have an understanding of object-oriented ABAP. Are you interested in using BADIs or…

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Are you getting “http 500 internal error” or some other error message when logging into the Web Client? or Maybe “Internal Server Error ….”? Did reBOOT fail? Let’s hear it …

BPC data Audit captures new data, changed data, or deleted data … We do have a course on Audit, however, if you have a general question regarding this area feel free to ask! Is your auditing tool configured to collect useful information? Are you gathering too much? too little? Does your audit report provide need-to-know information? Are…

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Do you find yourself managing emails from users asking what the page address (URL) is for the BPC Web Client? Just how many times a day you say? Or maybe your network has multiple URLs and people are handing off the wrong URL’s to their peers? Have a recommendation or question how to improve this seemingly never-ending cycle of the same…

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BPC client is web-based, unless you are using Microsoft where it will reside as a GUI on the client system. If you are using the GUI it must be downloaded and installed on your local system. BPC Client is where we do the design and development of models, dimensions, and logic. Questions? Let’s hear them!

Are you aware that BPC comes with pre-delivered components for Consolidation? Do you have questions regarding these components? Or maybe you are interested in exploring Darwin and comparing SAP Consol with Darwin Consol?

Sometimes
we need to convert TIME members (such as 2021.05) so we can perform date calculations (ABAP, script logic,
worksheet logic, etc). These numeric values will be used for date calculations. In the snapshot we are using the TIMEID to determine if a column will be hidden or visible. A more common application is with rolling forecasts…

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EPM Tip: EPMSelectMember() one drives the other

You have two EPMSelectMember() cells, perhaps one is for ‘high level’ selection and the second uses that member to drill to a sub-level. The snapshot shows two boxes.. The Class is AC_NT_RID, the Factor must always be based on class.

This does…

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For what reasons do you click on ‘refresh Metadata Cache’? When something goes wrong that appears to be everyone’s goto trick – clear the cache for the active connection. I am not sure why, but for no other reason than psychological it gets users’ attention! The metadata cache does have real-time refresh capability, but there is also…

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When building out complex formulas we often need the column letter. I see, many times, people hard-coding column letters in their reports and reference that row of letters for their formulas. In BPC, the number of columns we use is always well past “Z”, so people build these wild if-stmts and they are usually not scalable! There is an…

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