Dear BW Expert,
How can I keep production InfoPackages from inadvertent changes? My BW Administrator Workbench users continue to change them, which causes problems in my batch loads. I want them to be secure, but I also want the ability to change them as needed. Is this possible?

Yes. Protecting BW InfoPackages from inadvertent modification or deletion can ensure that batch loads continue without interruption. Problems can occur when BW administration users are performing test loads or subset loads in the production system using InfoPackages that are scheduled for periodic batch loads. During testing, the InfoPackage is often saved with specific filter criteria. When a production InfoPackage is saved, all subsequent loads using this InfoPackage acquire these new saved settings. This could cause problems with future batch loads based on these InfoPackages.

There is no easy technique to secure InfoPackages while still allowing them to be easily changed by all administration users when needed. In my opinion, the only straightforward way to prevent InfoPackages from being changed accidentally is to use display variants to hide the InfoPackages from the BW administration users’ default view. The advantage to this approach is that it leaves the InfoPackage available for change but groups the production InfoPackages out of plain sight to keep them “safe” from inadvertent changes. This feature is available for BW 2.x and 3.x.

To create a new InfoPackage display variant, first go to the Settings drop-down menu in the Administrator Workbench (transaction code RSA1) and choose the option Change Variant. (Figure 1.) A new variant must be created here before any InfoPackages can be assigned to it. Create a new variant name. In the example in Figure 2, the variant PROTECT is created. Each InfoPackage that needs to be protected can now be assigned to the variant PROTECT.

Figure 1

Change display variant in the Administrator Workbench (transaction code RSA1)

Figure 2

Name the variant PROTECT

The standard default InfoPackage display variant is CUSTOMER. Thus, whenever a new InfoPackage is created, it is created by default with the display variant of CUSTOMER. Because this is not shown on the InfoPackage screen, users are seldom aware that the display variant is used. To see all the InfoPackages created under the default, change the display variant back to CUSTOMER.

In order to place an existing InfoPackage in a new display variant, go to the InfoPackage and choose Copy. (Figure 3.) Replace the CUSTOMER variant with the new variant PROTECT. (Figure 4.) This will copy the InfoPackage into the new display variant. The old InfoPackage using the CUSTOMER variant can then be deleted. The InfoPackage can now be scheduled.

Figure 3

Copy the InfoPackage to the new display variant

Figure 4

InfoPackage copy screen

These steps protect the InfoPackage because all users that are in the Administrator Workbench will see the display variant of CUSTOMER by default. If they want to see the protected variants, they are able switch to PROTECT. This gives the InfoPackages a layer of protection from accidental change, thus protecting the batch while still allowing for change.

Gary Nolan

Gary Nolan is an SAP NetWeaver BW-certified consultant and author of Efficient SAP NetWeaver BW Implementation and Upgrade Guide and Efficient SAP NetWeaver BI Implementation and Project Management. Gary specializes in gathering and evaluating requirements, configuring SAP NetWeaver BW, and providing project management, performance management, and data architecture and data modeling expertise. A former platinum consultant with SAP America, Inc., Gary has more than 20 years of SAP experience, working with SAP NetWeaver BW since version 1.2B.

You may contact the author at melvan.consulting@yahoo.com.

If you have comments about this article or publication, or would like to submit an article idea, please contact the editor.