Have you upgraded to BI 4 yet? If so, are you happy with the results? This poll aims to gather feedback for SAP on BI 4, specifically the Web Intelligence program.
Bob (BOB member since 2002-06-06)
Biggest problem for us is the regression of various features that were present in WebI in XI3.1. Apply a simple Is Not Null report filter is one example - the option has disappeared. No longer being able to run a single query from within the query panel. Editing one data provider causing all data providers to be purged of their data.
You can vote for my ideas at the links below:
Restore the Is Not Null report filter
Run a single query from the query panel
Edit one data provider should only purged that data provider
Nick Daniels 
(BOB member since 2002-08-15)
Just to get the ball rolling 
(And thanks for the poll)
We are currently on XIR2, migrating to XIR4, but will be downgrading our development to XIR3… what a rollercoaster.
The idea is to develop in XIR3 WEBI, and deploy onto XIR4 for users to then use to pull reports. (None of our users do any document creation, most simply run then export to excel 
)
We then gain:
[list]-benefits of the XIR4 server changes and speed
-ability to develop in a stable and useful WEBI interface, gaining almost all the features of XIR4, with none of the new ‘design changes’
-ability to use 3rd party version control software to properly migrate from our XIR2 to XIR3 repository, then R3 becomes our development area, deploying to a ‘special’ folder. We can then use the UMT to migrate from that folder in XIR3 to Live production as needed.
[/list]
I think the tradeoff we’ll have in needing more deployment time will outweigh the development issues we’ve seen.
For Reference, here’s a short list of some of the development issues which caused us to make this decision (in no particular order):
-
Minimum Row Height now forces .42 cm (previously it was .13 cm/4pixels)
-
New Variable Editor is practically unusable, due to needing to be resized each and every time you open it in order to see the available objects side of things.
-
Unable to EDIT a merged dimension (this is one of our biggest issues.) . Removing/Adding merged dimensions causes formulas to break and columns to be erased (messing up sorting, breaks etc… as well) See Idea Place here
-
Inability to select multiple cell ranges via Shift key slows down development time substantially when trying to ‘fit’ reports to specific specifications. (Note: addressed in ADAPT somewhere, slated for XIR4.1 patch per SAP)
-
Inablity to resize columns ‘en-mass’. It seems the only way to shrink a column is to use the drag-n-drop method on each and every column. Reports with large amounts of columns are extremely painful to resize. Again functionality removed that used to exist in XIR3.
-
Variable Mouse-over detection. In Previous versions of WEBI , if you moused over or even clicked a variable you could see it’s formula. Now you are forced to open the variable editor every time you need to
see a variables formula. -
Duplication of Variables - while you can “copy” a variable, there seems no way to “Paste” a new one, ie: Duplicate. Again Existing XIR3 functionality removed.
-
Formula Editor - Arrange By Query not being recognized. Whenever you try to use the formula editr (FX button), it forces you to use Alphabetical listing in the object list rather than the preference you selected in the data pane as previous versions did. (This also carries over to Filtering as well).
-
Arrange-By-Query view of data objects is extremely difficult to use due to new change to expand everything by default. See Idea Place here
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Lastly, the overall toolbar/ribbon bar is not user friendly. Tasks that took 1 click to accomplish now require 2-3 clicks , IF you can locate that feature. See Idea Place here
Bottom line is we are spending 3x as much time developing reports in XIR4 than we were in XIR2… It just isn’t ready for production level use IMO.
JPetlev (BOB member since 2006-11-01)
I suppose everyone has noticed that you can’t even exit the rich client smoothly? It minimizes to the system tray instead. I have not looked hard, but is there an option or preference somewhere that can be used to change that behavior?
Nick, I checked, and I have “is not null” as an option for my query panel. What database are you connecting to?
Another quirk: when I start rich client and start a new document and click on a secured universe in my “recent” list, WRC prompts me to log in. If I click on a secured document in my “recent” list, it tells me that I can’t open that document without logging in first. Nice to be consistent.
Dave Rathbun 
(BOB member since 2002-06-06)
We installed 4.0 and patched up to SP 2 patch 16. Went live and ended up having to roll back to 3.1 SP4 because of all the issues. We had worked with SAP and they said it was problem with one of the APS’. So we have patched up to sp19 now and increased our servers. Hopefully when we roll out the second time it goes better.
I find it extremely frustrating that a company like SAP has released a product that is so far from enterprise ready as it is. Makes me really wonder what problems are lurking for me in my BW environment. 
eric.woerle (BOB member since 2012-08-29)
Ohh BOB, I just realized an option is missing to handle people like eric.woerle…
Currently on XIR3 or Earlier - Rolled Back from XIR4 due to Issues.If you could add that as the last option it’d be appreciated.
JPetlev (BOB member since 2006-11-01)
I cannot find the following option 
Currently on XIR3 or Earlier - No planning to upgrade
summoner 
(BOB member since 2008-12-18)
Oracle 10…we’re on Redhat, I’m wondering if the problem is only limited to that or some operating systems.
Re Rich Client I’ve seen it take up to 0.5Gb while hidden in the system tray doing nothing…
[edit]It is fixed in SP04 Patch 4.2…if you are on SP2 Patch 16 or earlier you won’t see it[/edit]
Nick Daniels (BOB member since 2002-08-15)
On SP2 patch 12 about to move to Patch 18. If my maths is right 66% of folk on 4 have major issues - thats a pretty bad state of affairs. I remember 6.0 be pretty bad, shame things havent improved
agulland (BOB member since 2004-03-17)
I would have picked this
filip 
(BOB member since 2005-12-29)
Me as well. XI3.1 is a good, stable platform (sure, it may not have come without it’s “growing pains” but I think most can agree that it has nicely ripened with age.
If every customer decided to use Webi against a HANA data source, then I assure you that Webi would quickly evolve light-years ahead of where it is today :>
Atul Chowdhury (BOB member since 2003-07-07)
As of right now, 66% of respondents who are on BI4 have answered “major issues” or “rolling back”. Wow. This is shocking – we were told that BI4 was delayed in its release to ensure that it would have no bugs. The metrics! Remember the metrics!
joepeters (BOB member since 2002-08-29)
Keep in mind this poll is directly pointed at WEBI. From what I’ve seen, outside of WEBI and possibly the ‘optional’ IDT, XIR4 is actually pretty stable and doesn’t seem to give me any issues.
Unfortunately our main use for the product is WEBI (as many other smaller companies I bet). I’m also still of the mind that as a user who is a consumer only of WEBI documents (no access to modify interface) that WEBI isn’t so bad. Sure it’s slower overall, and that’s mostly the whole launchpad interface, but if you take away the ‘development’ issues, there isn’t much I can complain about in the new Interface vs the Old.
Sadly, if you cannot develop WEBI’s properly or quick enough, then there is nothing for users to use
JPetlev (BOB member since 2006-11-01)
Hi folks,
We have the major issue, that our company has thousands of Desktop Intelligence reports (using Business Objects since 2001) and we want to migrate (BigBang) from BOXI R3.1 to SBOP 4.0 (4.1) in future.
So we are trying to convert as many reports as possible on 3.1 system from DeskI to WebI to have a downtime as short as possible. During migration downtime not all reports can be covered.
The major issues are:
[list]Report Conversion Tool is erroneous. → Output: Fully converted but there are differences, … So we would have to check each report.[/list]
[list]WebI XI3.1 missing functionality. (eg. charting component, markers, line thickness, combination of chart-types …) [/list]
[list]Missing VBA-Macros [/list]
So there are currently important questions I don´t have an answer, how we can migrate to SBOP 4.0, even if 4.0 system would be stable.
Thx for your feedback.
pirkerge 
(BOB member since 2010-08-16)
So here’s my two cents on BI4.0 WebI:
Merged Dimensions: No way to edit ones that are existing. If you need to change an existing one then you have to destroy and rebuild. So that means every formula and every block that references the merged dim has to be reworked.
The big box IT shops are going to have a heck of a time; that’s where I tend to see them used the most by the business.
vonwolf (BOB member since 2002-10-21)
well @ pirkerge
there is still hope… since there is an afterlife of DESKI: Deski compatibility pack will keep your unconverted Deski reports alive in 4.1 you may checkin at www.bo-stammtisch.at You would be welcome to talk with us about “migration”
WoBi
Wolfgang Bidner (BOB member since 2002-08-30)
I wonder what that 11% is doing?? (Currently on BI 4 as new installation, no issues)[u]
Just simple list tables with absolutely no lay-out on it?[/u]
Tiny 
(BOB member since 2004-11-10)
I “like” your list! It’s almost the same as mine!
Tiny (BOB member since 2004-11-10)
I have a feeling those with no issues either never used a previous product (so they have no comparison and just assume it’s normal), or misread the question and are not using WEBI at all but just BI4 and say Crystal or something.
I’d love to see a few comments from those who have no issues and what they think of the comments already brought up. Specifically how they are working around them and/or why they don’t see it as an issue.
I had an interesting conversation with my boss the other day who started off by saying he thought we should just scrap BI4 all together and upgrade to XIR3 instead (We’re on XIR2).
After we went over the pro/con list of the two versions it was clear BI4 gives us a lot of advantages overall as a system, but that WEBI itself (along with the IDT) was the issue, and most of those issues are on the development side of the house and not the user end. (Our users are pure consumers, no development ability at all, just view/export type users).
I think I convinced him to keep us on the BI4 path, with XIR3 as a development platform, but he’s not liking all the issues I keep finding. (Found 2 new ones yesterday and am waiting on SAP to advise to understand if they are new design choices, bugs or something we’re doing wrong)
JPetlev (BOB member since 2006-11-01)
I’m curious:
- what are the 2 new items?
and - How the h*ll did you contact SAP? If I log a support ticket I’ve got the feeling nothing happens with it…
(or do you have a different way in logging these kind of SAP BI 4.0 bugs? directly to a SAP-person?)
Tiny (BOB member since 2004-11-10)