Here’s a little trick you can use to spiff up your CO-PA reports by adding selected images to your report headers. SAP’s 4.6 B&C release includes an entirely new reporting format called the graphical interface, which offers much improved navigation within the report, along with a better visual presentation of the data. One of the more interesting and fun features is the ability to personally customize the report headers by the addition of pictures, logos, and other images … even web addresses. In this month’s column, I’ll show you, step by step, how you can add visual interest to a simple CO-PA report.

In Figure 1, you see a simple CO-PA graphical interface report that was designed to display customers and products as the characteristics, and sales revenue and the cost of sales expenses as the key figures. Take a look at the report header. All that’s displayed right now is the report title and date — overall, pretty boring stuff. We can do better!

The following steps lay out the trick for adding an attention-grabbing feature (such as an SAP logo) to the CO-PA report header.

Figure 1

A Simple CO-PA Graphical Interface Report

Step 1: Select an Image to Add to the Report Header

The requirement here is the image you select must be in a .JPG or .GIF file format. If you have access to a digital camera, then I expect you have lots of digitized images to select from — how about a picture of your boss … or one of your mom? Well okay, maybe a more conservative approach would be in order. So, let’s assume you simply want to display your company logo in your CO-PA report headers.

There are several ways to capture a useful image. Perhaps the easiest way is to find something within the company web site. For this example, I’ll just select an image from one of SAP’s web sites.

From the SAP web site shown in Figure 2, I think I’ll add the "SAP Americas Now" image to my CO-PA report header.

But first, I need to save that image to my hard drive, which I can do by placing my cursor on the image and depressing the right mouse button. This gives me the option of saving the image in a .GIF file format to my hard drive on my PC.

Figure 2

Select an Image

Step 2: Make Sure the Image Is on Your Hard Drive

Since I always believe in small steps, I’ll check my hard drive to ensure that I have a usable image there. Using Microsoft Explorer as the display tool, I can see that the image is indeed on my hard drive, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Confirm a Usable Image and Menupath

Step 3: Create an HTML File to Place the Image in the Report Header

The HTML file I’ll create will eventually be loaded into the R/3 system. You can create this file in several ways with different tools like Websphere, Frontpage, or even Notepad. You can even create it by simply typing it directly into an appropriate tool.

For this example, I’ll use Microsoft’s Notepad tool because it is part of my PC desktop configuration (/Accessories/Notebook).

The HTML file will not only position the SAP logo in the report header and provide a link to the image file on my hard drive, but it will finally be "checked in" to R/3 for use in the CO-PA graphical style reports. Figure 4 displays the newly created HTML file. Notice that I’ve underlined the text that must be changed in order to locate my image file in my PC’s file directory. I now modify the original file to include the required menupath and filename, which I’ve underlined in Figure 5.

In Figure 6, I save the HTML file using Notepad’s Save feature. Just for convenience, I’ve selected another directory on my C drive for the new HTML file. I’ve also changed the filename and saved the file with the .HTM file extension.

Figure 6

Save the HTML File

Step 4: Be Sure You Have a Usable HTML File

To ensure that the new HTML file is usable, I select a web browser and enter the new file’s address from my hard drive.

If the file is formatted correctly, the image I’ve selected will display in the browser page; and it does, as you see in Figure 7.

Figure 7

Display the Image

Step 5: Add the New HTML File to the Header File Library

I am now ready to move into CO-PA and add the spiffy new SAP logo to the report header. I follow the standard R/3 menupath to the CO-PA information system/define report/change report menu option (KE32). (Remember the CO-PA report I created back in Figure 1? I now need to change the original report format to include the "Americas Now" report header logo.)

I select my report from the standard CO-PA report tree. When the "Change Profitability Report Specify Profit. Segment" screen appears, I move to the (blue) menubar and select the "environment/maintain HTML templates" option. When the "Business Document Navigator" option screen appears, I move to the bottom box on the screen and select the "Create" tab. I then check the menu options until I reach the "HTML template" option. By double-clicking on this option, I bring up a file selection screen for my hard drive (Figure 8). I then find my HTML file and click on the Open button. Another pop window appears, and this will let me rename the report header file. (Note that it’s a good idea to give the file a descriptive name since it is about to be added to the header file library.)

Once I’ve renamed the report, I am returned to the screen shown in Figure 9 (page 22), which lists (in the upper box) the entire header library of saved header images that are now available for use within any of CO-PA graphical format reports. To check my work, I scroll down to find the new report header image file, "America_Now."

Figure 8

The HTML Template Option

Figure 9

Available Saved Header Images

Step 6: Assign the New Report Header Image to the Original Report

Since my new image file is now available in R/3 CO-PA reporting, I am now ready to assign the new report header image to the original report (displayed back in Figure 1). To do that, I move back to the first screen where I can change the report settings. I then select the "Output Type" tab. Here I ensure the "Graphical report-output" option is checked and move to the "HTML templ." selection box. Next I scroll to find my new header file, "America_Now."

Finally, after the new header file is in place, I save the new report format — this attaches the new header file to the report.

Step 7: Execute the Newly Formatted Report

The final step is to admire the new report with the new header in place. So, I execute the newly formatted report and the new header appears, as you see in Figure 10.

Figure 10

The Spiffy New Header

Conclusion

You’ve just seen how easy it is to add an HTML file as a header to a CO-PA report. Just think of all the kinds of variations and complexity you can add to your CO-PA reports headers with the new graphical reporting format! Instead of a logo or image, for example, why not try linking to a web page?!