Sap and microsoft excel

Data from SAP to MS Office Applications

Using the connection SAP with MS Office, users spreads data from SAP application to right within Microsoft Office desktop applications, including Excel, Outlook, Word and Power point.

With the SAP-MS Office connectivity, end-users can interact with SAP transactions directly within their Excel spreadsheet, their Outlook e-mail screen, and their Word documents and on their Power point presentations.

Here we have a simple application to connect SAP with MS-office tool’s Excel.
But before that……Why? How? And Use!

Why Data from SAP to MS Office Applications

In spite of large moneys in SAP, most business users continue to be unsatisfied with it because data from SAP is not easily accessible in their favorite desktop productivity tools — Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word. Since Microsoft Office Applications are not connected to SAP, users are forced to

• Use error-prone cut-copy-paste to populate their Excel spreadsheets.
• Switch screens from Outlook to gather data and take decisions as they respond to e-mails.
• Manually update data from Excel Spreadsheets to enterprise applications.

  Benefits of Data from SAP to Microsoft Office Applications
SAP-MS Office Connectivity extends data from SAP to Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word using a SOA based    Information Delivery Server and Microsoft Office Add-ins, and provides the following benefits

• Eliminates cut-and-paste based data collecting mechanism from SAP to Microsoft Excel.
• Enables users to get real-time data from SAP within Excel with a single-click Refresh.
• Enables users to query and update SAP transactions from within Outlook screens.
• Allows the users to update SAP from within Excel, Outlook and Word.
• Avoids any data-integrity issues with copying and reduces compliance issues.

  Who Benefits

• Production and Logistics Managers who want to create Excel reports from latest SAP data.
• Managers who want to track projects and status automatically as they receive status e-mails.
• Analysts who want to combine data from SAP and other enterprise data stores for budgeting purposes.

Example:

Here is the main part comes up. We shall take simple scenario for SAP with MS Excel connectivity.  So let’s begin!!

Just before start, I would like to give little overview on what we are actually going to do. So, here are the scenarios!!

Excel File Scenarios

• Create a MS excel file for user input.
• Create user interface in excel sheet to input data for the customer master and output cells.
• Apply VB code to make connection with SAP.
• Read the input data for customer master from the excel file sheet.
• Fetch data from SAP using connection code from SAP.
• Display output within excel sheet itself.

SAP Scenarios

• Create a function module in ABAP that is “Remote Enabled”.
• Create IMPORT, EXPORT and TABLES parameters as per requirement from MS excel.
• Write logic to display customer master details based on input from Excel file.
• Activate the function module.

Well……………“A picture says thousand words”. So, let’s begin!

MS Excel – User Interface

  First of all, lets create MS excel file with customer master input. We shall create simple selection screen for user input.

Well……filling cell values are simple here but how to add buttons (Get Address and Reset Output) here? This was also new in my case since new version of MS office.

Just follow following steps for this:

Click MS office button and select “Excel Options” button from the menu.

You will see here a new tab named “Developer”

Click on “Insert” and then select “Button” from the form control. Later on you can double click on the button and set its properties (Caption, Color, etc.)

Congratulations! Our input screen is finished here. Let’s design our output screen now.

I have created my output screen just after the input screen. You can create anywhere in the excel file. Here terms ‘anywhere’ descries to other worksheet also.

The output screen is simple as you see. Nothing much to do here. I just simple colored the cells for better look.

Great! Looks like we finished user interface here. (Did we miss something…’Naah’ for now!)

SAP – Select Data

Since we are taking simple example to fetch detail from customer master, let’s create a function module for it.

Create a function module.

Enter function group and Short text.

Make sure your function module is “Remote Enabled”.

Now let’s create “Tables” parameters:

Here we have two “Tables” parameters

• ET_KUNNR (Input) : Customer numbers pass in to the function module
• ET_CUST_LIST (Output): Data will be fetched in function module and display on the excel sheet.
  • Note: We have created a Z structure (ZNM_CUST_LIST) for the output list. Here are the fields for the structure:

We are all set with input and output structures.

Now, let’s fetch the data. Here is the only coding part came up in SAP. Look at below screen.

Here, we are selecting all the customer details from the KNA1 (customer master) table from the input table (ET_KUNNR) from excel file and return to the table (ET_CUST_LIST).

Now we have all the records in the table ET_CUST_LIST.

So, again congratulation friends! You have completed most of the things. The remaining step now is to display the list in the excel file.

Let’s now connect the SAP and MS Excel.

Go to the ‘Developer’ tab and click on “Visual Basic” icon.

The VB editor will be opened and we are going to write the code for connection of excel and SAP with sending and receiving data.

Here is the variable declaration list.  These are the global variables. Let’s understand each of them.

Variable	Description
objBAPIControl	For creating object to access SAP functions.
objgetaddress	To make BAPI function call via objBAPIControl.
vLastRow	Last row of output list
vRows	Total number of records returned from the SAP
vcount_add	Variable for increment records
Index_add	Variable for next record (Index)
objaddress	Object for SAP table (for customer master output)
objkunnr	Object for SAP table (for customer master input)

Variable	Description
LogonControl	Logon control is to make login in SAP.
R3Connection	Ro make connection to SAP R/3 using logon control.
retcd	Return Code
SilentLogon	If ‘True’ no popup will ask to enter SAP login details

Here are the properties for the “Get Address” button.

Let’s code when “Get Address” button is clicked.

Setup the local variables

Private Sub GetAddress_Click()

Now let’s setup the connection with SAP R/3 using following code.

Let’s do SAP Login here.

Perfect!! We have made the connection with SAP R/3. Now we are able to send and receive the data from MS Excel to SAP R/3 and vice versa.

But how to send my customer details and receive? Hmmm…..we need to use internal tables those are created in SAP function module. (Do you remember?….NO?… checkout Tables parameters in  function ZNM_GET_CUSTOMER_DETAILS). So, let’s do this.

Here, ZNM_GET_CUSTOMER_DETAILS is our function module created in SAP.

ET_KUNNR: Customer details input details

ET_CUST_LIST: Customer output details.

We are reading here each cell from excel worksheet for input.

Here we have called the FM and passed the input details to process.

Result:

vcount_add returns total number of records from the SAP. And we have already set the loop to display records in the cells.

Here, R3Connection.Logoff is to sign off from your SAP account.

Here is the output screen:

Wow!! We have output result. Good job!! But what is the use of another button “Reset Output” here? Yes…good question.

The “Reset Output” button will clear all the data and messages from the screen. Look at below code:

———————————————————————————————————————–

Now we have completed the entire example here. N’ joy.

Here is the entire code:

SHEET1:

Option Explicit

Private LogonControl As SAPLogonCtrl.SAPLogonControl

Private R3Connection As SAPLogonCtrl.Connection

Private TableFactory As SAPTableFactory

Public Functions As SAPFunctionsOCX.SAPFunctions

Dim objBAPIControl, objgetaddress As Object

Dim vLastRow, vRows As Integer

Dim vcount_add, index_add As Integer

Dim rng As Range

Public objaddress, objkunnr As SAPTableFactoryCtrl.Table

MODULE:

Sub GetAddress_click()

Dim retcd        As Boolean

Dim SilentLogon  As Boolean

‘ Set Connection

Set LogonControl = CreateObject(“SAP.LogonControl.1”)

Set objBAPIControl = CreateObject(“SAP.Functions”)

Set R3Connection = LogonControl.NewConnection

R3Connection.Client = “700”

R3Connection.ApplicationServer = “”

R3Connection.Language = “EN”

R3Connection.User = “”

R3Connection.Password = “”

R3Connection.System = “”

R3Connection.SystemNumber = “”

R3Connection.UseSAPLogonIni = False

SilentLogon = False

retcd = R3Connection.Logon(0, SilentLogon)

If retcd <> True Then MsgBox “Logon failed”: Exit Sub

objBAPIControl.Connection = R3Connection

Set objgetaddress = objBAPIControl.Add(“ZNM_GET_EMPLOYEE_DETAILS”)

Set objkunnr = objgetaddress.Tables(“ET_KUNNR”)

Set objaddress = objgetaddress.Tables(“ET_CUST_LIST”)

Dim sht As Worksheet

Set sht = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet

‘ Changes for the Loop

‘Dim int1 As Integer

‘Do While sht.Cells(int1, 2).Value <> ” “

‘ Changes for the Loop End

If sht.Cells(6, 2).Value <> ” ” Then

‘If ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(6, “B”).Value <> ” ” Then

‘objkunnr.Rows.Add objkunnr.Value(1, “SIGN”) = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(6, 2).Value

objkunnr.Rows.Add

objkunnr.Value(1, “SIGN”) = sht.Cells(6, 2).Value

‘objkunnr.Value(1, “OPTION”) = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(6, 3).Value

objkunnr.Value(1, “OPTION”) = sht.Cells(6, 3).Value

‘objkunnr.Value(1, “LOW”) = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(6, 4).Value

objkunnr.Value(1, “LOW”) = sht.Cells(6, 4).Value

‘objkunnr.Value(1, “HIGH”) = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(6, 5).Value

objkunnr.Value(1, “HIGH”) = sht.Cells(6, 5).Value

‘End If

End If

returnfunc = objgetaddress.call

If returnfunc = True Then

vcount_add = objaddress.Rows.Count

For index_add = 1 To vcount_add

    vRows = 11 + index_add

    sht.Cells(vRows, 2) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “KUNNR”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 3) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “LAND1”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 4) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “NAME1”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 5) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “ORT01”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 6) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “PSTLZ”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 7) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “REGIO”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, = objaddress.Value(index_add, “KTOKD”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 9) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “TELF1”)

    sht.Cells(vRows, 10) = objaddress.Value(index_add, “TELFX”)

    Next index_add

End If

‘ If address not exist then Show error

If vcount_add = “” Then

    sht.Cells(10, 11) = “Invalid Input”

Else

‘    ActiveSheet.Cells(10, 12) = “BAPI Call is Successfull”

‘    ActiveSheet.Cells(11, 12) = vcount_add & “rows are entered”

    sht.Cells(10, 12) = “BAPI Call is Successfull”

    sht.Cells(11, 12) = vcount_add & ” rows are entered”

End If

R3Connection.Logoff

End Sub

COMMON ERROR: User defined Type not defined

So…let’s try to remove the one. As our friends have posted solutions, here are the steps to avoid the error.

1. Go to your VBA Project and Select Tool –> References.

2. “References” window will be opened as below.

3. Select “Browse…” and select .OCX files for Active X control from below path. (SAP GUI 7.3 already installed on my machine)

4. Select wdtaocxU.ocx, wdtfuncU.ocx, wdtlogU.ocx files from the       

    location.Add wdobapiU.ocx if you are needed.

5. Make your references are selected. Press OK. And save.

6. That’s it.

SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office, версия 2.3 не только унаследовала большинство функций BEx Analyzer, но и значительно расширила область их применения, упрощая работу конечных пользователей. В этой статье рассматриваются библиотека формул и библиотека интерфейсов прикладного программирования (Application Programming Interface; API) SAP — два инструмента, которые расширяют функциональность макросов языка программирования Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) и позволяют эффективнее использовать данные.

Ключевые понятия

SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office, версия 2.3 содержит библиотеку формул SAP и библиотеку API [интерфейсов прикладного программирования] SAP, с помощью которых аналитики могут проводить более подробный анализ данных и метаданных и получать более значимые результаты. Библиотека API существует уже несколько десятилетий.

Профессиональные пользователи Excel, например, аналитики, зачастую имеют богатый опыт работы с библиотекой формул Microsoft Excel. Библиотека формул SAP расширяет возможности пользователей. Зачем она нужна? Ответ прост: формулы Microsoft Excel выполняют общие функции, тогда как формулы SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office используются для получения максимума информации из функций, данных и метаданных SAP. Кроме того, комбинируя формулы SAP с исходными формулами Microsoft Excel, вы можете усилить возможности SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office.

Примечание. 

Полный список формул, API и макросов содержится в руководстве пользователя SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office: http://help.sap.com/businessobject/product_guides/AMicrosoft23/en/23SP2_analysisplugin_user_en.pdf.

Интегрируйте формулы и API в ракурс анализа и преобразовывайте запросы в самостоятельные приложения, настраиваемые в соответствии с информационными, аналитическими потребностями и требованиями к формату. Мы рассмотрим сценарии использования библиотек формул и API SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office. После этого вы сможете полностью раскрыть потенциал библиотек.

Введение

Запустите приложение SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office и в знакомом интерфейсе электронных таблиц Excel перейдите на вкладку «Формулы» (Formulas) (рисунок 1). Поместите курсор в пустую ячейку электронной таблицы и нажмите кнопку «Вставить функцию» (Insert Function).

Рис. 1. Кнопка «Вставить функцию» (Insert Function)

Откроется окно с полным списком функций (рис. 2).

Рис. 2. Выбор функции для вставки на лист

Возникает вопрос: как узнать, какие функции относятся к SAP? В раскрывающемся списке «Категория» (Or select a category) выберите вариант « Analysis « (рис. 3). В поле «Выберите функцию» (Select a function) ниже откроется список всех функций SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office.

Рис. 3. Список формул SAP

Выберите нужную формулу и нажмите кнопку «OK».

Примечание. Руководство по использованию конкретных формул см. в справке: выберите нужную формулу и нажмите ссылку «Справка по этой функции» (Help on this function) в правой нижней части окна (рис. 3). Ссылка открывает справку по параметрам ввода и ожидаемым результатам. Обычно приводится пример. Если вы впервые используете формулы или SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office в целом, справка по функциям поможет изучить их.

Расширение запросов с помощью SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoft Office

Рассмотрим, как использовать некоторые из функций для расширения запросов.

Примечание. 

Пример запроса для данной статьи создан на основе стандартного инфокуба SAP BW Business Content 0FIAR_C05. Он находится в инфообласти бухгалтерии дебиторов (Accounts Receivable) модуля Финансов и содержит историю платежей модуля Финансов.

Формула SAPGetInfoSource

В формулу необходимо ввести два параметра: псевдоним/имя источника данных и свойство, значение которого необходимо узнать. В результате вы получите значение свойства. Однако можно получить лишь одно значение за один вызов формулы. В примере сценария в таблице создана пользовательская область, названная «Общие данные запроса» (Query General Information) (рис. 4). Также приводится описание каждого из четырех свойств или полей, значения которых нужно определить с помощью этой формулы.

Рис. 4. Таблица SAP BusinessObjects Analysis for Microsoſt Offi ce с областью общих данных запроса

Следующий шаг: заполните ячейку рядом с ячейкой «Источник запроса» (Query Source), используя формулу SAPGetInfoSource. Поместите курсор в ячейку рядом с полем «Источник запроса» (Query Source). (рис. 4). Вернитесь к списку функций SAP, показанному на рис. 3, и выберите функцию для ячейки. В этом примере мы выбираем SAPGetInfoSource. После выбора функции откроется окно с запросом на ввод входных данных (рис. 5). Введите значение источника данных (по умолчанию, «DS_1») и имя свойства, затем нажмите кнопку «OK». Отобразится значение технического имени инфопровайдера (рис. 6).

Рис. 5. Ввод значений «Источник данных» (Data Source) и «Имя свойства» (Property Name) с помощью формулы

Unfortunately, at the end of every IT project there is little budget left for training. After a new tool has been introduced, the users are left alone to figure out how to work with it.

These 18 helpful SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office tricks will make your work easier:

1. Free characteristics
2. Filtering
3. Unhide columns
4. Repeat members
5. Display keys
6. Hide or show totals
7. Sort
8. Change prompt values
9. Use value help
10. Add line in prompt
11. Add lines using filter by member
12. Explicit selection
13. Copy prompt selections from Excel
14. Show master data in the value help
15. Save variant
16. To previous saved state
17. To previous consistent client state
18. Disable reset

Some are basic, others more sophisticated—but they all are meant to kickstart your SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office usage. With them, you can make the most of your reports and get the insights required to succeed in your job.

1 Free Characteristics

To this day, I am surprised most users are not taught this basic feature. Free characteristics enable you to enhance your analysis, go into more detail, and get new insights from your data.

Let’s consider the following example. The initial drilldown of the report displays company codes and product categories.

In order to see the values on a more granular level (for example, product group), you can use free characteristics. Go to the Analysis ribbon (1 on the figure below), select Display (2), and the Design Panel will appear. Now you can choose the required characteristic and drag and drop it into rows or columns. Another option is to drag them straight into the crosstab (3).

The report will also show data on the product group level and you can analyze the individual product groups. For example, revenue on Smartphone Mini vs. Smartphone Plus.

You can also remove characteristics from the drilldown in order to show the data on a more aggregated level. To do so, just drag and drop the characteristic from rows or columns to the list of free characteristics.

One more tip: if you want to add several characteristics to the drilldown, one after the other, or remove some characteristics from the drilldown at the same time, it is recommended to pause the refresh. This is because every time you change the drilldown of your crosstab, the display is updated and the values are recalculated. This can take some time if there are a lot of values.

The Pause Refresh option allows you to disable the automatic update and create a new view of your data without interruptions. You can insert new characteristics in rows or columns, adjust key figures, or set up background filters. If you select the Pause Refresh option again, the update will be reactivated. All previously defined navigation steps are executed at once.

2 Filtering

There are multiple ways to filter on desired values. In the Design Panel, you can right-click on the characteristic to be filtered and select Add to Filter (By Member).

Afterwards, the values to be filtered can be selected.

You can also achieve the same result by right clicking on the characteristic in the report and selecting Filter by Member from the context menu.

However, the fastest and the easiest way is to double-click on the specific value. This way, the filter will be automatically set to this value.

3 Unhide Columns

Reports may contain additional information, like growth between periods in absolute values and percentage. These columns might be initially hidden so the report is not overloaded. In order to display this information, right-click on any column and select Filter by Member from the context menu.

Afterwards, you can select the columns to be displayed. For example, Growth % 2022.

After you click on OK, the additional column is shown in the report.

In order to display all available columns, click on Select All Members in the context menu.

4 Repeat Members

By default, the description of characteristics is shown only in the first line. For instance, the description of the company code is displayed in the first line, followed by blank cells.

If you want to display the description in every cell, go to the Analysis Design tab. Open the Crosstab menu in the Format group and select the Repeat Members setting.

After that, the descriptions are shown in every cell.

If you want to save this setting with the workbook, you have to display the Design Panel and select the Components tab. Select your query (Data Source), unfold, and select the correct crosstab. Under properties, tick the box Repeat Members.

5 Display Keys

Some reports may show members as text only per default. There might be two entries with the same description, which is misleading, whereas the technical keys are always unique. In order to display the technical key, you can right click on a characteristic and change the display by going to Members and choosing Key and text or Text and key setting.

6 Hide or Show Totals

You can hide or show totals by right-clicking on a characteristic and choosing the Totals menu entry.

You can hide the totals row completely (Hide Totals) or always display it (Show Totals). You can also display totals only if there is more than one value to be calculated (Hide Totals if Only One Member is Available). Results that consist of only one element are then hidden.

7 Sort

You can easily change the sort order in the query. To do so, right click on the characteristic and select Sort Ascending or Sort Descending from the context menu.

8 Change Prompt Values

Sometimes the report you use may come with predefined values and won’t show prompts by default. By clicking on Prompts you can change your variable selection.

9 Use Value Help

You have to enter the key of the characteristic’s value in the prompt. If you don’t know the key for your selection, you can use the value help to find out.

10 Add Line in Prompt

It is possible to select multiple values in the prompts. In order to add a new line, click on the green plus icon. You can add as many lines as necessary.

11 Add Lines Using Filter By Member

Another, easier, way to select multiple values is to use the filter feature in the prompts. Click on the drop down menu next to the green plus icon. Afterwards, select Add Lines Using Filter by Member entry. Select the desired members and confirm your selection by pressing OK.

12 Explicit Selection

If you select all values in the filter or use the Select All checkbox, nothing will happen at first because this dialog box functions like a filter. If the selection is restricted to all values, no restriction exists for any of the values. If you want to select all values at once, you can use the Explicit Selection setting.

When the Explicit Selection setting is active, values are selected individually. If you click on Select All, the two company codes are selected one by one. You can now click the OK button to add them to the prompt.

13 Copy Prompt Selections from Excel

Another easy way to select prompt values is to copy them from clipboard. You can copy your selections from Excel, select the drop down menu in the prompt, and click on Add Lines Using Filter by Member. Then, click on the Paste From Clipboard icon at the bottom.

14 Show Master Data in the Value Help

In planning scenarios, you might need to select values for which no transactional data is available yet. To do so, go to value help and select Display. Afterwards, select Values in Master Data as an Access Mode.

The Access Mode option is only available if you activate the Show Access Mode for Member Display setting in the Advanced options. It is deactivated by default.

15 Save Variant

You can save your selections as a variant to save time in the future. After you have entered your selections, enter a name for the variant. Then save the variant.

Next time you open the workbook the variant can be selected from the dropdown menu.

16 To Previous Saved State

When using SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office in a planning context, you might want to reset your changes. Go to Analysis tab and select Back > To Previous Saved State. Changed values will return to the previous saved state.

17 To Previous Consistent Client State

There is also the possibility to return to the previous consistent client state by selecting To Previous Consistent Client State option. This option reverses all changes to your data since the last successful recalculation. This feature is useful to return to an original plan when you entered values on an empty cell and disaggregation is not possible.

18 Disable Reset

SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office workbooks are usually set up to reset to query settings on opening. This way, your IT department can guarantee you see the latest version of the query. The downside of this approach is that you cannot save your navigation state with the workbook.

If you want to save your favorite drilldown locally, display the Design Panel and choose the Components tab. Select the query (Data Source) and change the Behavior on Opening Workbook setting to Default Refresh Behavior.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed this little collection of useful hints and learned something new. You can learn more useful tips to facilitate your work with SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office in my book SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office — Practical Guide.