Field Report From a SAP Webi Project We Delivered
This is a Field Report (meaning we did the delivery) postmortem discussion of Lessons Learned about key insights we have gained regarding SAP Web Intelligence (Webi Best Practices). This was a quick e-mail interview so you are hearing the voice of the consultant here.
Typical SAP Webi Dashboard Built Using 'Best Practices'
- First Off, Can You Tell Us What is SAP Webi?
It is component of the very large SAP reporting system. What is SAP reporting? Like all systems, SAP generates an enormous quantity of data that the business needs to see and understand. These reports can range from embedded mini-reports that show document flows to the Business Warehouse, a full-fledged data warehouse. Within the core ERP system, there are six core reporting systems built in, including over 6,000 canned reports, each of which can be highly configured to the users' taste. There are also various reporting cockpits, such as the SIS or Sales Information System and LIS Logistics Information System.
- What specific subject or solution were they looking for?
Well the last time it came up was around May or June. The topic was Webi. They said “we want you to come up with a list of SAP Best Practices for Webi.”
They did not know what the SAP Best Practices was other than those 3 words. And they were wanting me to compile a list and teach them, I suppose, the best way to do Webi.
But the request was rather vague and general. I was unable to find anything called a best practice other than the xCelsius Book on best practices which I think was overselling on capabilities of the tool and was the same time I figured out the best way to do a webi was to not offer all things to all people but a 1 size fits all approach template instead which is completely opposite to what SAP might say or what was in that book.
SAP will try to sell an all bells and whistles dashboard that is unique to each individual end user. But what the customer really wants is just to automate what they are already doing without really trying to re-engineer their business to fit SAP.
They want SAP to fit them
- Why couldn’t you find it (now that I sent that link, is it really not available?)
- Are you kidding me? Have you ever tried to find anything on SAP's website?
It's nice that you can find things.
I however, have tried in vain to find things on their website so many times without success that my conclusion is...well maybe it's just me.
This is why SDN or sapfans has grown to be so huge because at least I can find a few threads there that might answer my question.
Can’t find what don’t exist. (But we have developed our own field tested ones here) - I do know, because we tried it, the "Best Practices" book out there will lead you down a blind path that will actually set your project back by months.
It does not follow fundamental software engineering best practices and is amateurish in its approach.
The graphics look good, it has nice looking yellow areas set asides. It all sounds good, but it did not work in actual practice. Follow the advice in that book and you will be sorry. If you want to be successful, you should follow the advice of actual experience. - What problem were they trying to fix with Best Practices
They did not know how to do something (ie SAP BusinessObjects Webi). So was looking for a "How to" guide I guess. Not really sure. - What did they think SAP Best Practices meant?
I think knowledge of how other projects are managed or how to define a requirement.
Of all the thousands of SAP projects out there, I think the customer thinks that SAP has an overseer on every project and evaluates each development method against all the others and then the best way to do something bubbles to the top and gets published some place (unfortunately, this is not done).
Each customer is basically on their own to figure it out. That can be very costly. This is why it is important to bring in a company that has already done at least 1 Business Objects implementation because we already know how to overcome all the issues that an inexperienced project manager or inexperienced developer will face. - Best Practices bubble up to the top and the top methods of how to run a project are what they might be looking for. But this is only guess.
- What did you think SAP Best Practices meant or would provide them?
See the previous point.
Pure Project Management and Software Engineering has some best practices that have a 40 or 50 year history of success. Those are good places to start when looking for best practices because at its fundamental core, SAP software is just another software project like any other, only bigger.
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Real World SAP Webi Best Practice Guide
We've also put together our SAP Webi Best Practice guide based on our own experience which you can get by clicking the button.
Please feel free to comment and link to us!
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