Adding or removing characteristics and key figures - SAP BO

Starting from the previous section, of CREATING YOUR VERY FIRST WORKSPACE, our workspace now, shows a cross tab with characteristic Country and characteristic Region in the Rows and all the available key figures in the Columns (see Figure 4.16). In the next few steps, we will learn about the different options of adding or removing characteristics and key figures to the cross tab.

Figure 4.16 Analysis Workspace

Adding CHARACTERISTICS

Adding characteristics to the cross tab or to a chart is possible by using the menus and by a simple drag and drop navigation. We will start with the options in the menus first.
1. In Our existing workspace, open the list of available items for characteristic Product.

Figure 4.17 Characteristic Product

2. Select the entry Product.
3. On top of the list of available objects, you also have a toolbar (see Figure 4.18) which allows you to add the selected characteristic to the Rows, Columns, or the Background area.

 

Figure 4.18 Toolbar

4. Click on the button to add characteristic Product to the Rows.

 

Figure 4.19 Analysis Workspace

Our cross tab (see Figure 4.19) now shows the key figures broken down by Country, Region, and Product.
5. Click on the  Undo button in the toolbar.
6. Now use the  button to add characteristic Product to the Columns.
The cross tab will show the key figures separated by each Product grouped by Country and Region (see Figure 4.20).

Figure 4.20 Analysis Workspace

7. Click on the Undo button in the toolbar.
8. Now use the button to add characteristic Product to the Background Filter area.

Figure 4.21 Member Selector

The Member dialog (see Figure 4.21) will be shown on the left hand side and you can now define which members of characteristic Product are being used as filter values.
9. Select all members.
10. Click OK.
11. Click on the Undo button in the toolbar.
So far, we have used the buttons in the toolbar to add characteristic Product to the Rows, Columns, or Background area, but you can also use a simple drag and drop navigation.
1. In our existing workspace open the list of available items for characteristic Product (see Figure 4.22).

Figure 4.22 Data and Layout Panel

2. Select the entry Product and drag characteristic Product into the Rows area.
You can – while keeping the mouse button pressed – move characteristic Product into the Rows and place it either on top of Country, or between Country and Region, or below Region, or you can replace Country or Region. You will be able to see the differences also in the video at the end of these steps.
3. Place characteristic Product into the Rows, so that it replaces characteristic Region.
4. Select characteristic Region in the Data Panel.
5. Drag characteristic Region on top of the members of characteristic Product in the cross tab (see Figure 4.23).

Figure 4.23 Analysis Workspace

Now characteristic Region will replace characteristic Product.
6. Select characteristic Product in the Data Panel.
7. Drag characteristic Product into the cross tab, so that is being placed as the most inner characteristic, which means your cross tab will display the key figures by Country, Region, and then Product (see Figure 4.24).

Figure 4.24 Analysis Workspace

So far, we have seen that we can use the buttons in the toolbar of the Data Panel to add characteristics to the cross tab and that we can use a drag and drop navigation to the Layout panel or directly to the cross tab as well. Now let’s take a look on how to remove characteristics.

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Removing Characteristics

In this section, we will focus on the workflows that allow us to remove characteristics or key figures from the workspace. From our previous section, we have a workspace that shows the characteristics Country, Region, and Product in the Rows and all the key figures in the columns (see Figure 4.25).

Figure 4.25 Analysis Workspace

Removing characteristics is possible by using a simple drag and drop navigation, and by using the context menu in the Layout panel.
1. In our existing workspace, select characteristic Product in the Rows of the Layout panel.
2. Use a right-click on characteristic Product to open the context menu (see figure 4.26).

Figure 4.26 Context Menu

3.Use the menu Remove to remove characteristic Product from the cross tab.
4. Now use the  Undo button in the toolbar.
5. Select characteristic Product in the Rows of the Layout panel.
6. Keep the left mouse button pressed and drag characteristic Product to an empty area (see Figure 4.27).

Figure 4.27 Data Panel

With a simple drag and drop navigation, you removed the characteristic from the cross tab.
7. Now select the first entry for characteristic Country in the cross tab.

Figure 4.28 Removing Characteristics

8. Use a right-click and select the menu Remove (see Figure 4.28).

Figure 4.29 Filtered Characteristic

You will notice that the characteristic Country is still shown in the cross tab, but that the selected country has been removed. It is important to recognize that the menu Remove in the cross tab itself is acting like a filter. You can also notice that in the Rows, because characteristic Country is shown with a Filter symbol, indicating that there is a filter defined for the characteristic (see Figure 4.29).
9. Now use the  Undo button in the toolbar.
Removing key figures from the cross tab is possible by using the Remove menu and by using the Filter option as part of the context menu.
1. In our existing workspace, select the column for key figure Net Value.
2. Use a right-click to open the context menu (see Figure 4.30).
3. Select the menu option Remove (see Figure 4.31).

Figure 4.30 Context Menu

Figure 4.31 Analysis Workspace

Key figure Net Value is being removed from the cross tab and the filter symbol in the Layout Panel also indicates that the list of available key figures has been filtered.
4. Select the entry Key Figures in the Columns.
5. Use a right-click to open the context menu.
5. Use the menu Filter by member (see Figure 4.32).

Figure 4.32 Filter by Member

7. The Filter by Member dialog is being shown and you can now decide which of the available key figures should be included in the cross tab (see Figure 4.33).

Figure 4.33 Filter by Member

8. Select the key figures Net Value, Transport Costs, and Product Costs.
9. Click OK (see Figure 4.34).

Figure 4.34 Analysis Workspace

In this section, we reviewed the different options to remove characteristics and key figures by using menus and simple navigations. In the next section, we will take a look at the options to format the data.