More than a year has passed since the first actionable 4.3 versions were launched, which provided massive visual enhancements, a simplified WebI interface, a harmonized look and feel, and increased integration with SAP Analytics Cloud. However, these improvements were not enough for many customers, who had been reluctant to upgrade or migrate during 2021, meaning that previous versions are still in common use.
Con el comienzo de un nuevo año y el anuncio de la actualización de esta versión más reciente, algunas características clave que faltaban finalmente han sido reintroducidas. Además, sorprendentemente, hay una colección de nuevas funciones que impulsarán la capacidad, la facilidad de uso y la productividad de los usuarios de esta versión a un nivel mucho más alto que el que han experimentado anteriormente.
PUNTOS CLAVE
For those still using earlier versions, key items already launched in 4.3. were, briefly, the HTML Fiori look and feel, a simplified WebI interface, and the Live Data Connector with SAP Analytics Cloud, which have already been described in a previous article here. However, the latest version, which only recently launched, constitutes the first productionable version to include the following long-awaited additional features:
Cloud Drive Support: With many installations already in the Cloud, to be able to consume or distribute data stored in Cloud files becomes a must-have. Here, SAP proposes to use Google Drive for now, with more vendors to come on board in the future. The authorization and authentication happens via OAuth and OpenID, providing End-to-End SSO, which also works with Snowflake.
WebIntelligence OData Web Services: Information from a platform query or query block (i.e., static table) can be exposed to be consumed internally (from another WebI document) or externally from any external 3rd party tool via OData standard protocol, covering the gap that was left by the disappearance of Web Services / QaaWS. This will leave the Live Office product in a redundant position, and therefore likely to be replaced by this emerging protocol.
New features for WebIntelligence: The most interesting enhancements are:
Presentation mode: providing refreshable and dynamic visualizations for displays in presentations and shows.
Unified query panel: using objects and conditions universally for all source types on the query side and object properties being managed in the document area.
Show and hide tabs: dynamically depending on their data value.
Selectores de datos mejorados y más utilizables.
Un editor de fórmulas mejorado con más espacio y mejor uso del color.
WebI features that are back: A few features that were missing in 4.3 version for some customers in order to give a green light for the upgrade are:
Shared Elements, i.e., WebI items built once and re-used across many WebI documents.
Local files as a source, using MS Excel or TXT external files with manually processed data.
Congelar paneles, introducido por primera vez en 4.2.
Reintroduction of WebI extensions: with added JavaScript API support, providing:
Continuidad para complementos pagos como los mapas geográficos de Galigeo.
Need4viz freemium, un complemento actualmente gratuito que mejora WebI con exploración y visualización de datos. Esta es una buena opción para los que extrañan a Lumira y aún no están en SAC.
Compatibility with Private Cloud Edition (PCE), which opens a new path to the cloud in a new licensing model where SAP hosts the SW & OS and take care of HW and upgrades. This will extend support beyond 2027 and is planned to run indefinitely.
Conclusiones
SAP is still strongly committed to investing in the on-premises BI suite and WebIntelligence is still the most widely used reporting tool. It has acquired a harmonized look & feel and enhanced user experience, placing it in a strong position compared to its direct competitors.
Los planes para el futuro incluyen continuar integrando la plataforma en el nuevo mundo de plataformas en la nube, como MS Drive, Sharepoint y bases de datos en la nube, brindando mayores capacidades de administración de datos en WebI Intelligence e impulsando una mejor usabilidad al enfocarse en las ideas y solicitudes de los usuarios.
Antes de planificar su migración a esta última versión, verifique los posibles problemas con la versión cero que se lanzó el 21 de diciembre. Si uno de los siguientes escenarios se aplica a su organización, le recomendamos que se asegure de que exista un plan de corrección antes de actualizar:
Versión 4.2 SP3 o anterior
Contenido de Design Studio o Lumira Designer
WebI además de fuentes de Free Hand SQL
If you have any questions or would like more information in order to help you plan for your migration to SAP BI 4.3. please contact us at info@clariba.com.