SAP IDT - Overview & User Interface

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Information Design Tool (IDT) is a Business Objects design tool that extracts the data from different data sources using an OLAP and Relational connection to create Universes. There are different Universe parameters that can be passed at time of Universe creation.

A Universe is called as logical collection of dimensions and objects that allow business users to analyze the business data. Objects and dimension represent different hierarchies, measures, custom calculations, and attributes.

Universe can be created on the top of relational databases like SQL Server, Oracle or also on top of an InfoCube in SAP Business Warehouse (BW) system. Different types of connections can be created to these data sources like personal connection, shared connection and a public connection. A SQL or MDX statement is generated according to data source respectively - Relational and an OLAP.

A Universe created using an IDT can be used with different reporting tools in Business Objects. When a Universe is published to a central repository, it can be used in the following reporting and dashboard tools −

  • SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence (WebI)
  • SAP Business Objects Dashboard Designer (Earlier known as Xcelsius)
  • SAP Business Objects Crystal Reports
  • SAP Business Objects Explorer
User Interface

Different Components in IDT while Designing a Universe

An OLAP or a Relational connection to data source

  • Extracting the tables and joins from Relational database or an OLAP cube.

  • Building a data foundation from extracted tables and joins.

  • Creating metadata objects from data foundation layer and these objects are managed in Business layer.

  • Using Universe parameters and to share the resources in Universe.

  • Publishing a Universe which includes Business layer, Data Foundation and a Universe connection to database

Universe can be published to the central repository to be used by other SAP Business Objects reporting applications.

Security profiles are used to provide access on Universe data and metadata objects.

IDT is primary used by application managers and report developers who wants to create analytical reports on the top of data stored in the different data sources. To create reports on top of Universes, a person needs technical understanding of IDT tool and functional knowledge of Data Warehouse.

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