50 Best SAP BW Interview Questions and Answers

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SAP BW Interview questions, these questions would give you a broad picture to some extent, the kind of questions asked who intend to prepare for the interview.

Introduction

SAP  Business Warehouse (SAP BW) provides tools and functions that enable organizations to achieve the optimization processes, enabling the company to react quickly in line with the market needs. SAP BW provides you with high-performance infrastructure that helps to interpret  

data and identify target-oriented activities on the basis of analyzed data.

Here are the 50 Best SAP BW Interview questions and answers.

Q 1. What is the difference between the star schema and the Extended star schema?

Ans.In the star schema, we have the fact tables and dimensions whereas in the extended star schema we not only have a fact table but also text surrounded by each dimension that is master data.

• Uses generated numeric keys and aggregates in its own tables for faster access
• Uses an external hierarchy 
• Supports multiple languages.
• Contains master data common to all cubes 
• Supports  slowly changing dimensions  

Q 2. How many dimensions are there in the cube?

Ans. There are max 16 dimensions, 3 are predefined that is time, unit and request,  13 are user-defined dimensions. There should be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 16 dimensions in a cube.

Q 3. What is the transaction for the administrator workbench?

Ans.Transaction RSA1. RSA11, RSA13 will also take you to a workbench or at the info cube level. 

Q 4. What is ” Myself data mart”?

Ans.Feeding one info protocol with another info protocol. “Myself data mart” is feeding data to itself. ALE is used to transfer data. It is created automatically.

Q 5. What is an Aggregate?

Ans.Aggregates are mini cubes. We have a subset of cubes 

It contains less amount of data.

Cube has 1 billion records. we can store less amount of data in the mini cube that works faster to increase the performance 

Q 6. Can we restrict the key figures?

Ans. In Aggregate there are two ways to reduce the number of characters and not reduce the key figures 

Q 7. What is the calculated key figure?

Ans.Calculated key figures are used to do complicated mathematical calculations, percentage functions, when we are building the BEx reports, to calculate the quantity and tax.

Q 8. What is the enhancement user exit for BEx reporting?

Ans. RSR00001

Q 9. What is a characteristic variable?

Ans.You can have a dynamic input for the characteristic using characteristic variables if you are developing a sales report for a given product then you will define the variable 0 material

Q 10. What is a Condition?

Ans.If you want to filter any key figure or do a rank based analysis like top 10 customers with more than 10 million sales, we use this feature.

Q11.  What are the data types supported by characters?

Ans.       NUMC   Numeric

• CHAR (upto60) Character
• DATS   Date 
• TIMS  Time

Q 12. What are the types of attributes?

         Ans.Display only these attributes are only for display and non-analysis 

• Navigational attributes these attributes behave like regular characteristic suppose we have customer characteristics with country, navigational attribute you will be able to analyse the data using customer and country.

Q 13. What is meant by compounding?

Ans.Compounding is superior info object which must be combined to define an object.

Q 14.What are the 10 decision points of Data warehousing?

          Ans.Identify the fact table 

• Identify the dimension table
• Define the attributes of the entities
• Describe the granularity means how  detailed you want the data to be 
• Specify the precalculated key figures 
• Identify slowly changing dimensions 
• Identify aggregates
• How long is the data be kept
• How often is the data extracted
• From which system is the data to be extracted

Q 15. What are the options available in the transfer rule?

Ans. Transfer rules were used in an older version, now we use transformation 

• Assign an info object 
  • Assign a constant 
• ABAP routine

Q 16. What is compression or collapse?

Ans.All regular request is saved to the F table.

When we compress the request ID, data is moved to E- table. E table is the compressed table, this saves space.

If you are using noncumulative key figures in a cube, the cube should be compressed to improve the performance. 

Q 17. To load the data from a file source, what is the requirement in the BW system?

Ans.The Metadata must be available in BI in the form of a data source before the transfer.

Q 18.  In SAP BW is it possible to have multiple data sources have only one info source? 

Ans.Yes, It is possible to have multiple data sources having one info source. 

 Q 19. How data is stored in PSA? 

Ans.  Data is stored in PSA Tables.

Q 20. What is UD connect in SAP BW system? how does it allow reporting in BI/BW system?

Ans.Universal data UD connect allows to access the relational and multidimensional data source and transfer the data in the form of Flat data. When UD connect is used it transfers multidimensional data into Flat format. UD uses JE connector to allow reporting on SAP and NON SAP data Different BI Java connectors are available for various drivers, protocols as resource adapters –

BI ODBO connector

BI JDBC  connector

BI SAP Query connector

XMLA connector

Q 21. What is the use of DB connection in SAP BW Data acquisition?

Ans.DB connect is used to define other database connection in addition to default connection and these connections are used to transfer data into BI/BW system from tables or views

To connect an external database the prerequisites are 

• Tools
• Source application knowledge 
• SQL Syntax in DATAbase 
• Database functions

Q 22. While loading data from Flat files. when separators are used inconsistently, How this will read in BI load?

Ans.If separators are used inconsistently in a CSV file, the incorrect separator is read as a character and both fields are merged into one field and may be shortened as a result the subsequent fields are no longer in the correct order.

Q 23. What is the use of navigational attributes?

Ans.Navigational attributes is used to drill down in the report.

Q 24. Explain how is the data flow in BW

Ans.Data flow in BW is from transactional system to analytical system. Data source on the transactional system is to be copied to BW and attached to info source and update respectively.

Q 25. What is the partition of Infocube?

Ans.It is a method of dividing table for report optimization. SAP uses fact file partitioning to improve performance. Table partitioning helps to run the report faster as data is stored in relevant partition.

Q 26. What is the use of Rollup?

Ans.This is used to load new Data Package into the Infocube Aggregates. If we do not perform a rollup then new info cube data will not be available while reporting on the aggregate.

Q 27. What do you understand by Start and Update routine?

Ans. The start routine is run for each Data package after the data has been written to the PSA and before the transfer rules have been executed. It allows complex computations for a key figure. It has no return value its purpose is to execute preliminary calculations and to store them in Global data structure. The entire data package in the transfer structure format is used as a parameter for the routine.

Update routines 

They are defined at the defined object level.It is like the start routine, It is independent of the data source, we can use this to define Global data.

Q 28. Explain the difference between ODS, Infocube and Multi provider?

Ans. ODS

They provide granular data, allow overwrite and data is in transparent tables, ideal for drill-down and RRI.

Infocube 

This is used for star schema, we can only append data, ideal for primary reporting.

Multi-provider

It contains physical data and allow to access data from different info providers

Q 29. To perform a union operation on info provider which info provider is used?

Ans.Multi-provider is used to perform a union operation on info provider.

 Q 30.In SAP BW, what are the main areas?

        Ans.Data warehouse

• Analyzing and planning
• Reporting
• Broadcast publishing
• Performance
• security

Q 31. When you define aggregates, what are the available options?

Ans.H Hierarchy

F Fixed value 

Blank ..None

These are the options available.

Q 32. Can you convert an Infopackage group into a Process Chain?

Ans.Yes, you can double click on the info package group, then click on process chain Maintenance and type in the name and description.

Q 33. Is it possible to convert standard info cube to real time info cube?

Ans.To convert a standard Info cube to real-time info cube there are two options 

Convert with loss of transactional data 

Conversion with retention of transaction data.

Q 34. Can you make an Info object as an Info provider?

Ans.Yes, when you want to report on characteristics or master data, you can make them as an Info provider.

Q 35.How do you create a Real-time Info cube in the administrator workbench? 

Ans.A real-time info cube can be created using the real-time indicator check box.

Q 36. What are the non-cumulative key figures?

Ans.These are key figures that are not summarized unlike sales, example is headcount and inventory amount. They are always shown in relation to a point in time, here we have a reference with time.  

 

Q 37. What is an Infoset?

Ans.An Info set is an info provider giving data by joining data from different ODS and master data.

Info sets can also be used to combine transactional data with master data. Combine the cubes and master data. Info sets can combine data from your cube and attributes from master data.

We Can use it for advanced improvement performance of reports 

Q 38. What performance improvement can we do for reporting?

      Ans.If the cube has large amount of data build aggregates on it,then we can create l         less amount of data which can perform better.

• OLAP cache, clear the Olap Cache 
• Pre calculated web templates can be adopted for easy calculations
• Use small amount or result data as a starting point of any queries and do the drill down 
• ‘Avoid reporting on ODs for reporting use info set
•  If use exclusion in reporting(> <), The indices are not used.So avoid using exclusion but use inclusion to improve performance
• Use the read mode ‘H’ read when navigating and expanding hierarchy 
• Use compressions on Infocube since the E table is optimized for queries.
• Create additional indexes
• Run Database statistics often
• Use secondary indexes on ODS active table.
• Use RSRT transaction to look at the explain plan statement 
• If you are running a query on Info provider with non cumulative key figure then suppress summary line items( totals)

Q 39. What are the BEx options for characteristics like F4 help for query definition and execution?

Ans.This defines how the data is displayed in the query definition screen or when the query is executed.Options are from the data displayed from masterdata,from master data table from dimension data let us assume you have 100 products in total in your material master,10 products available on cube and in BEx you display a query for 2 products the following options will display different data .

• Selective data will only display 2 products 
• Dimension data will display 10 products 
• From master data will display 100 products

Q 40.  What is the difference between amount /quantity and number type key figures?

Ans.Amount /Quantity is always combined with units, for example, sales will be linked to currency and inventory will be linked to quantity in units. In your design, if you don’t need units then you should use number or integer for better performannce.

Q 41. What is the use of the time distribution option in the update rule? 

Ans.This option is used to update data according to time for example if the source contains calendar week and the target contains calendar day. The data get split into each calendar day

Q 42. What are the types of  Key figure?

Ans.Amount

Quantity

Numeric
Integer

Date and time, amount, quantity should be followed with the unit.

Q 43. How would you optimize dimensions?

Ans.Use as many dimensions as possible for performance improvement for example assume that you have 100 products and 200 customers

Option 1: make one dimension for both, the size of the dimension will be 20000 (100×200)

Option 2: Make individual dimension one for the product(100 rows) and one for customers (200 rows )the total number of rows in both dimensions will be 300

Obviously, option 2 is better

We are segregating the number of characteristic in two dimensions it would be better to do the process.

Q 44. What is a Line item or degenerate dimension?

Ans.If the size of the cube is the same as the size of the fact table you define that dimension as a line item dimension for example if the characteristic in one dimension are 100  and 100 key figure in Fact table that particular dimension is called Line item dimension.

Only one characteristic is allowed per line dimension 

Q 45. What is marker in Non cumulative cubes? 

Ans.Non-cumulative cubes which do not have a reference to time, Non-cumulative cubes are stored using a marker for the current period. A marker is nothing but a pointer referring to a time period for example an inventory cube marker may refer to the inventory levels as of yesterday.

Q 46. What is the use of a colon ‘:’ as an authorisation value? 

      Ans.It enables queries that do not contain an authorization relevant object that have          been checked into the info cube 

• It allows the summary data to be displayed if the user does not have access to detailed data.

Q 47. What is the InfoObject catalog?

Ans.Info objects are created in Info object catalog. It is possible that an Info object can be assigned to a different info catalog.

Q 48. What all data source  you have used to acquire data inSAP BW system?

          Ans.SAP Systems (SAP Applications /SAPECC)

• Relational database (Oracle,SQLserver,etc)
• Flat file (Excel,Notepad)
• Multidimensional Source systems 

(Universe using UDI connector)

• Web services that transfer the data to BI by means of push.

Q 49.  What is the maximum number of key figures and characteristics?

Ans.The maximum number of key figure is 233 and characteristics are 248.

Q 50. How will you debug errors with SAP GUI?

Ans.To debug errors inSAP GUI  you have to follow the path as mentioned

• Run Bexanalyzer 
• Business Explorer menu item
• Installation check 

This will take you to an Excel sheet where clicking on the start button it will verify the GUI installation and if you find an error fix it or reinstall it.

Henry Harvin

Henry Harvin SAP BW Training

SAP ERP has developed SAP Business Warehouse. It performs with the help of BI tools. SAP BW helps in the multidimensional analysis of data for a detailed understanding of business activities. SAP BW has extensive security tools which ensures that the data is exposed to only those at the higher levels with valid credentials, and the critical data about an organization is always protected. Data Warehousing Workbench is the central tool for task related to Data Warehousing.

Why Learn SAP BW?

• Learn to extract  data and use it to benefit the business for the
• SAP BW skilled professionalsare offered high salary
• It offers  Job Opportunities with skills of  SAP BW Consultant

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Conclusion 

SAP BW is a perfect start for your career as SAP has a huge market share in BI/BW.  So the people with skills in this area are always in high demand. SAP BW is a data warehousing tool and you can create reports over the data for reporting purpose. You can aggregate the data from different systems and show it in a single report. These reports help decision-makers in organizations in taking major decisions.

SAP BW Consultant’s demand is very high on job portals.

Hope these 50 Best SAP BW Interview questions and answers help you for grabbing the opportunity!

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