An Introduction to SAP S/4HANA and Its Role in SAP BW/4HANA

An Introduction to SAP S/4HANA and Its Role in SAP BW/4HANA

An Introduction to SAP S/4HANA and Its Role in SAP BW/4HANA

SAP S/4HANA is a next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that runs on the SAP HANA platform and leverages its capabilities for data processing and analytics. SAP S/4HANA simplifies and modernizes the core business processes of various industries and regions, such as finance, sales, procurement, manufacturing, or logistics.

SAP BW/4HANA is a data warehouse solution that also runs on the SAP HANA platform and leverages its capabilities for data integration, modeling, and analysis. SAP BW/4HANA provides various types of InfoProviders, such as ADSOs, InfoCubes, or CompositeProviders, to store and organize data in different layers and formats.

But how do SAP S/4HANA and SAP BW/4HANA relate to each other? What are the benefits and challenges of using them together? How can you integrate data from SAP S/4HANA to SAP BW/4HANA for data modeling and analysis?

In this blog post, you will learn the basics of SAP S/4HANA and its role in SAP BW/4HANA. You will also learn how to use CompositeProviders to combine data from SAP S/4HANA with data from other sources in SAP BW/4HANA.

What is SAP S/4HANA?

SAP S/4HANA is a new generation of ERP system that is designed to run on the SAP HANA platform. SAP S/4HANA offers several features and benefits that distinguish it from the previous ERP systems, such as:

  • It is optimized for SAP HANA: SAP S/4HANA uses the native capabilities of SAP HANA to enable fast data processing and analysis. It also leverages the advanced features of SAP HANA, such as calculation views, virtual data models, or smart data access.
  • It is simplified and modern: SAP S/4HANA uses a simplified and modern architecture that reduces the complexity and redundancy of data models and business processes. It also uses the latest SAP technologies and tools, such as Fiori, CDS views, or ABAP Core Data Services.
  • It is ready-to-use and customizable: SAP S/4HANA provides ready-to-use solutions that are based on best practices and industry standards. You can use SAP S/4HANA as it is or customize it according to your specific needs and requirements. You can also extend SAP S/4HANA with your own developments or third-party solutions.
  • It is flexible and scalable: SAP S/4HANA supports various deployment options and scenarios that are relevant for different industries and regions. You can choose to deploy SAP S/4HANA on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid mode. You can also scale up or down your SAP S/4HANA solutions as your business needs change.

What is the role of SAP S/4HANA in SAP BW/4HANA?

SAP S/4HANA and SAP BW/4HANA are complementary solutions that can work together to provide a comprehensive and integrated data platform for your business. Some of the roles of SAP S/4HANA in SAP BW/4HANA are:

  • It is a source system for SAP BW/4HANA: You can extract data from SAP S/4HANA to SAP BW/4HANA using various methods, such as ODP (Operational Data Provisioning), SDI (Smart Data Integration), or SLT (System Landscape Transformation). You can then use this data for data modeling and analysis in SAP BW/4HANA.
  • It is a target system for SAP BW/4HANA: You can load data from SAP BW/4HANA to SAP S/4HANA using various methods, such as ODP (Operational Data Provisioning), SDI (Smart Data Integration), or SLT (System Landscape Transformation). You can then use this data for business processes or reporting in SAP S/4HANA.
  • It is a partner system for SAP BW/4HANA: You can combine data from SAP S/4HANA with data from other sources in SAP BW/4HANA using CompositeProviders. CompositeProviders are a type of InfoProviders that allow you to merge data from multiple sources using union and join operations. You can then use this data for data modeling and analysis in SAP BW/4HANA.

How to use CompositeProviders to combine data from SAP S/4HANA with data from other sources in SAP BW/4HANA?

CompositeProviders are a powerful feature of SAP BW/4HANA that allow you to combine data from SAP S/4HANA with data from other sources, such as SAP BW/4HANA InfoProviders or SAP HANA views, using union and join operations. CompositeProviders enable you to create flexible and comprehensive data models and analytical objects that leverage the native capabilities of SAP HANA for data processing and analysis.

You can create and use CompositeProviders using the Data Warehousing Workbench (transaction RSA1) or the BW Modeling Tools in Eclipse. The steps are as follows:

  1. Open the Data Warehousing Workbench or the BW Modeling Tools and choose the BW Modeling perspective.
  2. Create a new CompositeProvider by selecting your InfoArea, right-clicking on it, and choosing New > CompositeProvider.
  3. Enter a name and a description for your CompositeProvider and choose Create.
  4. In the graphical editor for modeling the CompositeProvider, insert the nodes on the canvas using the buttons at the bottom right of the screen. You can insert different types of nodes, such as ADSOs, InfoCubes, or calculation views.
  5. Connect the nodes by drawing lines from the ports of the nodes. You can use union or join operations to connect the nodes. You can also use collection nodes to combine multiple chain threads into one thread.
  6. Double-click on each node to specify its properties, such as name, description, parameters, or variants.
  7. Save and activate your CompositeProvider.

Conclusion

SAP S/4HANA is a next-generation ERP system that runs on the SAP HANA platform and leverages its capabilities for data processing and analytics. SAP S/4HANA simplifies and modernizes the core business processes of various industries and regions.

SAP BW/4HANA is a data warehouse solution that also runs on the SAP HANA platform and leverages its capabilities for data integration, modeling, and analysis. SAP BW/4HANA provides various types of InfoProviders to store and organize data in different layers and formats.

SAP S/4HANA and SAP BW/4HANA can work together to provide a comprehensive and integrated data platform for your business. You can use SAP S/4HANA as a source, target, or partner system for SAP BW/4HANA. You can also use CompositeProviders to combine data from SAP S/4HANA with data from other sources in SAP BW/4HANA.

This content is generated by AI.

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