SAP BW Interview Questions

What is ODS?

It is operational data store. ODS is a BW Architectural component that appears between PSA ( Persistant Staging Area ) and infocubes and that allows Bex ( Business Explorer ) reporting. It is not based on the star schema and is used primarily for details reporting, rather than for dimensional analysis. ODS objects do not aggregate data as infocubes do. Data are loaded into an IDS object by inserting new records, updating existing records, or deleting old records as specified by RECORDMODE value. *-- Viji

1. How much time does it take to extract 1 million of records from an infocube?

2. How much does it take to load (before question extract) 1 million of records to an infocube?

3. What are the four ASAP Methodologies?

4. How do you measure the size of infocube?

5. Difference between infocube and ODS?

6. Difference between display attributes and navigational attributes? *-- Kiran

1. Ans. This depends,if you have complex coding in update rules it will take longer time,orelse it will take less than 30 mins.

3. Ans:
Project plan
Requirements gathering
Gap Analysis
Project Realization

4. Ans:
In no of records

5. Ans:
Infocube is structured as star schema(extended) where in a fact table is surrounded by different dim table which connects to sids. And the data wise, you will have aggregated data in the cubes.
ODS is a flat structure(flat table) with no star schema concept and which will have granular data(detailed level).

6. Ans:
Display attribute is one which is used only for display purpose in the report.Where as navigational attribute is used for drilling down in the report.We don't need to maintain Nav attribute in the cube as a characteristic(that is the advantage) to drill down.

*-- Ravi

Q1. SOME DATA IS UPLOADED TWICE INTO INFOCUBE. HOW TO CORRECT IT?
Ans: But how is it possible?.If you load it manually twice, then you can delete it by request.

Q2. CAN U ADD A NEW FIELD AT THE ODS LEVEL?
Sure you can.ODS is nothing but a table.

Q3. CAN NUMBER OF DATASOURCE HAS ONE INFOSOURCE?
Yes ofcourse.For example, for loading text and hierarchies we use different data sources but the same infosource.

Q4. BRIEF THE DATAFLOW IN BW.
Data flows from transactional system to analytical system(BW).DS on the transactional system needs to be replicated on BW side and attached to infosource and update rules respectively.

Q5. CURRENCY CONVERSIONS CAN BE WRITTEN IN UPDATE RULES. WHY NOT IN TRANSFER RULES?

Q6. WHAT IS PROCEDURE TO UPDATE DATA INTO DATA TARGETS?
Full and delta.

Q7. AS WE USE Sbwnn,SBiw1,sbiw2 for delta update in LIS THEN WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE IN LO-COCKPIT?
No lis in lo cockpit.We will have data sources and can be maintained(append fields).Refer white paper on LO-Cokpit extractions.

Q8. SIGNIFICANCE OF ODS.
It holds granular data.

Q9. WHERE THE PSA DATA IS STORED?
In PSA table.

Q10.WHAT IS DATA SIZE?
The volume of data one data target holds(in no.of records)

Q11. DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFOCUBES.
Basic,Virtual(remote,sap remote and multi)

Q12. INFOSET QUERY.
Can be made of ODSs and objects

Q13. IF THERE ARE 2 DATASOURCES HOW MANY TRANSFER STRUCTURES ARE THERE.
In R/3 or in BW??.2 in R/3 and 2 in BW

Q14. ROUTINES?
Exist In the info object,transfer routines,update routines and start routine

Q15. BRIEF SOME STRUCTURES USED IN BEX.
Rows and Columns,you can create structures.

Q16. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT VARIABLES USED IN BEX?
Variable with default entry
Replacement path
SAP exit
Customer exit
Authorization

Q17. HOW MANY LEVELS YOU CAN GO IN REPORTING?
You can drill down to any level you want using Nav attributes and jump targets

Q18. WHAT ARE INDEXES?
Indexes are data base indexes,which help in retrieving data fastly.

Q19. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2.1 AND 3.X VERSIONS.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Refer documentation

Q20. IS IT NESSESARY TO INITIALIZE EACH TIME THE DELTA UPDATE IS USED.
Nope

Q21. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KPI'S?
KPI’s indicate the performance of a company.These are key figures

Q22. AFTER THE DATA EXTRACTION WHAT IS THE IMAGE POSITION.
After image(correct me if I am wrong)

Q23. REPORTING AND RESTRICTIONS.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Refer documentation

Q24. TOOLS USED FOR PERFORMANCE TUNING.
ST*,Number ranges,delete indexes before load ..etc

Q25. PROCESS CHAINS: IF U ARE USED USING IT THEN HOW WILL U SCHEDULING DATA DAILY.
There should be some tool to run the job daily(SM37 jobs)

Q26. AUTHORIZATIONS.
Profile generator

Q27. WEB REPORTING.
What are you expecting??

Q28. CAN CHARECTERSTIC CAN BE INFOPROVIDER ,INFOOBJECT CAN BE INFOPROVIDER.
Of course

Q29. PROCEDURES OF REPORTING ON MULTICUBES.
Refer help.What are you expecting??.Multicube works on Union condition

Q30. EXPLAIN TRANPORTATION OF OBJECTS?
Dev ---> Q and Dev ---> P