BusinessObjects Board

Any sample/model/free Universes

building semantic layer
#11

Thanks David,JPetlev,Damocles

                       Thanks for your valuable suggestions,i was expecting something that provides me a starting point or just a clue to start.Yeah,i understand the look of the universe doesnt have to match its quality,

thanks once again for your ideas.

Regards
Travis :slight_smile:

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#12

Travis,

I guess you looking for some case studies. Have a look on below link.

http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/customers/index.epx

Rakesh_K :india: (BOB member since 2007-12-11)

#13

Thanks Rakesh,it was very useful!

Regards
Travis :slight_smile:

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#14

Hi Travis

I have only been working with Universes for about 6 months now but in that short time I have found that (and having inheritted a fair few universes that donā€™t do what they should!), a good universe will have addressed the main concerns of loops, contexts, etc, but the main thing is that it when you report from it, it gives users the correct answers and gives them no headaches trying to report from it!

Check the results direct against the database using tools like TOAD, get access to the front end systems and talk with the users to get an idea of how things work, what tricks they use to get things to work (amazing how much ā€˜fudgingā€™ goes on in the front end) and what their business processes are, then create your universe, testing as you go. A schema for the database and the support desk of the company providing the database is a bonus! If you come across issues, BOB has the answers or links to the answers (Rakesh - great link! Havenā€™t seen that page before).

As for visually looking like a good universe, it can look a mess - as long as it does what it is meant to and users get the correct answers, that is all that matters.

As for sample universes, they are good to get a feel for things but getting stuck in and finding your way is the best approach I have found.

Best wishes

Rolls.

dunbarr (BOB member since 2009-09-17)

#15

Thanks for the insight,Rolls.So,the requirement anlaysis plays a very important role than the actual process of building the universe.Is there any standard or streamlined process or methodology or recommendations for designing a universe,i see a lots of nice ideas about designing a universe,but they are not documented well to know the enitre process,it would be a great help for beginners like me if some mentor or a collective effort could deliver such one.

Thought for the day.

There is no free universe.
:smiley:

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#16

For best practices, check this.

Jansi :india: (BOB member since 2008-05-12)

#17

That has actually already been done. SAP Business Objects and their worldwide partners provide training course on universe design. This would be ideal for you.

Nick Daniels :uk: (BOB member since 2002-08-15)

#18

At this risk of sounding like a broken record (scratched compact disc?) you should investigate the universe designer training course. Itā€™s a three day course that covers a wide variety of standard universe challenges as well as best practices.

Dave Rathbun :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-06)

#19

Sorry Dave and Nick,cant help it.Anyway i will try to get into a course(If I could afford one)

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#20

Hi Travis

Aologies for late reply.

I really sympathise with you, I had the same thing when I started at my place - designer training and a manual then ā€˜please can you look after these 25 universes, create new ones and develop reportsā€™, not to mention having to do helpdesk, user administration and migration to XI R3; not great. My approach is below as to what I did to get going but at my place there is one chap who know everything, who is a nice chap and really helpful - hopefully there will be someone at your place like this who can help, 5 minutes with these people can help you for weeks!

  • Get SQL books on the databases you use (oracle, sql server) and learn your functions (www.techonthenet.com) - plenty of reading on universe design - get access to the front end systems (even if only View access) and have a play - get access to a sql tool like TOAD (again with view access to the database) and try to match the front end with the backend - spend time with the users of the front end systems and get to know their processes (universes are not a map of the database, they represent business processes - get to grips with that and you will be on your way) - find your fact table and start adding the dimension tables (always test everything you do at each stage, in BO and front end system - get it right first time and save yourself some hassle later on) - build your objects and measures. Keep a note book with everything you learn.

When things go wrong - Check BoB first every time! - test the SQL (there is usually a clue there) - keep in touch with DBAā€™s (they know when changes have been made to tables, etc. A DBA at my place has been a great help from this perspective and I would have been lost without his help!) - check with system administrators on any changes to workflow, etc - be persistant.

3 main points:

  1. The only way to get over the worry about starting a universe is to just get stuck in.

  2. Enjoy things going wrong - you learn more things from fixing things that having things go right all the time

  3. If you are starting from the point I started (which sounds familiar) you will learn the hard way but will great at your job in 6 months.

Hope it all goes well for you, I am sure you will find your way.

Take it easy,

Rolls.

dunbarr (BOB member since 2009-09-17)

#21

Travis,

I donā€™t understand this, so you are saying that you have ā€œupgradedā€ your personal profile.

What does this mean, are you perpetrating to be something you are not, i.e. a universe Designer?

Most companies would pay for the training as they will glean the benefit of having a professionially trained individual.

You asked about requirements being important, in universe design, they are not just important, but fundamentalā€¦:).

Looking at previously created universes will not really help you, if you do not understand what they are created for.

Apart from basic bad design practice, I would ask how would you know whether the universe was a good or a bad one, if you did not know the associated requirements?

Furthermore, I would ask what your backround is, is it in reporting?

Mak 1 :uk: (BOB member since 2005-01-06)

#22

Thanks very very much Dunbarr,

                          I very much appreciate yor detailed reply.Certainly those points does matter.Thanks for your time.

Thanks Mak 1,

Yeah,i am basically from reporting.

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#23

In that case, one thing that will really help you is to view the SQL on queries and try and understand what they are doing.

If you are using Oracle or SQL Server, both have free personal editions that you can download and install. What sort of access do you have to designer - have you been given the tool but no training?

#24

Hi Mak

                   Here in India,there so no professional training institutes or

firms that provide training in BO,all we get is a few days(Max of 3 ) of training in handling the tool(not the concepts) by tutors.Theres so no such things as Training for the Designer and likes,i can say,there is no quality training for BO in India,the persons who are Masters in Technology and know the concepts well dont do training,all i want to say is

Those who can,do.

Those who cant,teach.Period.

@dunbarr

Yeah,if i am lucky i may get a nice chap like you did.

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#25

Avarind,

I have been to India many times and have even thought of getting training myself there, for other things rather than BO :).
You surprise me, that no one in India provides decent training courses.
Years ago, when I did my Designer training, it was actually very basic and did just concentrate on the functionality of the tool.
However, training material I see these days seems to be more comprehensive.
Even so, once this is completed you would still need real life experience, coupled with plenty of reading. You have been pointed in the direction of good reading material here, IMO.

Good Luck,
Mark.

Mak 1 :uk: (BOB member since 2005-01-06)

#26

Mak,

   Really,i am surprise to hear that too,some people are ready to pay whatever to get hands on a good training.Getting material isnt a problem,getting trained is the problem here.Because,I know people who are masters in BO are mostly selftrained,if anyone gets a good tutor,then they are lucky.

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#27

Maybe, I should come and do some work in India, a sort of reverse outsource scenarioā€¦;).

The main problem is, trainers deliver a training course, quite often their actual universe design knowledge is limited, but they know how to use the tool and deliver the course.

If a company wants a tailored training course then they need someone to assist the trainers - I have done just this before on a couple of occasionsā€¦

Mak 1 :uk: (BOB member since 2005-01-06)

#28

Mak

That would be great.

aravindtravis (BOB member since 2009-10-22)

#29

Oh contraire, anyway I have lots of experience with designing universes (based on OLTP as well as datamart sources), and I love to teach every now and then to bring my real-world experience to the table. Luckily my employer is willing and able to provide me with such opportunities where I teach official SAP/BusObjects courses once in a while (such as SAP BusObjects Integration this Dec, 5-day course) :wave:

Andreas :de: (BOB member since 2002-06-20)

#30

Andreas,

Youā€™re certainly not unique. Iā€™ve found the best trainers are ones that also spend weeks out in the field because they can give you real life examples of what theyā€™re teaching. I should imagine many of the companies that offer training and consultancy are in a similar situation.