How To Create InfoObjects With Key Figures in SAP BI/BW
Jessica Blake
⚡ Smart Summary
Key figure InfoObjects in SAP BW hold the numeric values evaluated in queries, such as amount or quantity, and are created within a key figure InfoObject catalog with type, aggregation, and display properties.
What is a Key Figure InfoObject?
A key figure InfoObject holds the numeric values that are evaluated in a query, such as amount, quantity, number, date, or time. Key figures are created inside a key figure InfoObject catalog and are added to InfoProviders such as InfoCubes and DSOs.
How to Create a Key Figure InfoObject
Go to RSA1 -> Modeling -> InfoObjects. Right click on the InfoArea and click Create InfoObject Catalog for key figures. Activate the key figure InfoObject catalog. Now click on the InfoObject catalog -> Create InfoObject.
- Give the technical name of the key figure.
- Give a meaningful description.
- Reference key figure is mentioned if the new key figure has the same technical properties as an existing key figure (its technical name is entered here).
- Template is specified if the new key figure has some of the technical properties of an existing key figure (its technical name is entered here).
- Hit the Enter button.
On completion of the above step, the Edit screen of the key figure InfoObject opens. The Edit screen has three tab pages, listed below. Let us see each tab page individually.
- Type/unit
- Aggregation
- Additional Properties
Tab Page: Type/Unit
- On this tab page, you determine the key figure type (amount, quantity, and so on), the data type, and the currency/quantity unit.
- If you choose key figure type amount or quantity, you must assign a currency or quantity unit to this key figure.
- For key figure type Amount, you can choose between a fixed currency (such as USD) or a variable currency (such as 0CURRENCY).
- For key figure type Quantity, you can choose between a fixed quantity unit such as KG or a variable quantity unit such as 0UNIT.
Tab Page: Aggregation
An aggregate is a materialized, summarized view of the data in an InfoCube. It consolidates and stores a subset of InfoCube data into a database. When a query is executed on an InfoCube with appropriate aggregates, the query reads the summarized data directly from the database. It is also referred to as a baby cube of the InfoCube. It is recommended to use aggregates if an InfoCube contains a lot of data.
Aggregation rules are set on this tab page for the key figure behavior when data is stored in BI tables and in BEx reports.
- Aggregation: in the Aggregation field, you specify the function (SUM/MAX/MIN) that determines how the key figure is aggregated.
- Exception Aggregation: you specify the function (last value, first value, max, or min) that determines how the key figure is aggregated using the reference characteristic in the Business Explorer.
- Reference Characteristic for Exception Aggregation: you choose the characteristic with reference to which the key figure is aggregated; generally this is a time characteristic.
- Cumulative/non-cumulative values: a non-cumulative value is a non-aggregating key figure, on the level of one or more objects, that is always displayed in relation to time.
Tab Page: Additional Properties
- This tab page is primarily used to change default settings for the key figure display type (number of decimal places, display scaling, and so on) in the Business Explorer (BEx).
- It also allows you to set Key Figure with Maximum Precision, which internally processes calculations with more decimal places, reducing rounding errors but at the cost of reduced speed.
Finally, save and activate the key figure.
