How To Create InfoObjects With Key Figures in SAP BI/BW

Go to RSA1 -> Modeling ->Infoobjects

Right click on the Infoarea -> Click on Create Infoobject catalog for Key Figures. Activate the Keyfigure Infoobject Catalog.

Now Click on Infoobjects catalog -> Create Infoobject

1. Give Technical name of the Keyfigure.
2. Give a meaningful Description
3. Reference Keyfigure is mentioned if the new Keyfigure to be created has the same technical properties of some other already existing Keyfigure. In this case the already existing Keyfigure(Technical name is mentioned here).
4. Template is specified if the new Keyfigure to be created has some of the technical properties of an already existing Keyfigure. In this case the already existing Keyfigure (Technical name is mentioned here).
5. Hit the enter button.

On completion of the above step, it takes you to the Edit screen of the keyfigure Infoobject. The keyfigure Infoobject Edit screen has 3 Tab pages listed below.

1. Type/unit
2. Aggregation
3. Additional Properties

Let us see each of the tab pages individually.

Tab Page: Type/unit

1. On this tab page, you determine the key figure type (amount, quantity etc), the data type and the currency/quantity unit.
2. If you choose key figure type amount or quantity, you must assign a currency or quantity unit to this key figure.
3. For key figure type Amount, you can choose between a fixed currency (USD, for example) or a variable currency, (0CURRENCY, for example).
4. 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. In other words, it consolidates and stores a subset of infocube data into a database.  When query is executed on an infocube with appropriate aggregates the query reads the summarized data directly from the database. It is also referred as baby-cube of Info-cube.  It is recommended to use aggregates, if an infocubes contains lots of data.

Aggregation rules are set on this tab page for the key figure's behavior when data gets stored in tables in BI and in BEx reports.

1. Aggregation

In the Aggregation field, you specify the function (SUM/MAX/MIN) that determines the way in which the key figure is aggregated.

2. Exception Aggregation

In the Exception Aggregation field, you specify the function (last value, first value, max, or min) that determines the way in which the key figure is aggregated using the reference characteristic for exception aggregation in the Business Explorer.

3. Reference Characteristic for Exception Aggregation

In the Reference Characteristic for Exception Aggregation field, you choose the characteristic with reference to which the key figure is aggregated with exception aggregation. Generally, this is a time characteristic.

4. Cumulative/noncumulative values

A noncumulative 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

1. This tab page is primarily used to change default settings for the key figure display type (number of decimal places, display scaling etc) in Business Explorer (BEx).
2. It also allows you to set Key Figure with Maximum Precision, which internally processes calculations involving this key figure with more decimal places, thus reducing rounding errors, but at the cost of reduced speed.

Finally Save and Activate Key Figure.