DataViz Migration - migrating from SAP BO to Power BI
SAP BusinessObjects estates typically hold several years’ worth of modeling: universes, Web Intelligence reports, business objects, calculations, filters, prompts, and semantic layers.
{openAudit} analyzes universes, reports, and usage logs to reconstruct the dependencies between data sources, business objects, and visualizations.
Key point: the migration covers universes, business objects, and business rules just as much as reports.
SAP BusinessObjects analysis prerequisites
The analysis requires access to the SAP BusinessObjects services, technical repositories, and the audit database.
The extractors run within the Client’s environment. The collected metadata can be anonymized before processing.
Good to know: only technical metadata is used.
Estate analysis
The analysis covers Web Intelligence reports, UNV and UNX universes, Data Providers, business objects, variables, filters, prompts, and graphical components.
Technical dependencies and observed usage are consolidated into a repository.
Rationalization
Audit logs are cross-referenced with the platform’s metadata.
Unused reports, duplicates, unconsumed objects, and obsolete universes are identified before migration.
Result: a reduced volume to migrate.
Conversion to Power BI
Data Providers are converted into Power BI datasets.
Queries, calculations, and variables are converted into SQL or DAX. Business objects are reconstructed as dimensions and measures.
Dependencies between universes, reports, and data sources are preserved in the target model.
Tables, charts, filters, sections, and layout elements are analyzed and then reconstructed in Power BI.
Key point: the migration covers both the business layer and the reporting layer.
Validation
Migrations can be carried out with dual SAP BusinessObjects / Power BI execution.
The indicators produced by both platforms are compared during acceptance testing phases.
Tables, filters, and slicers
Conversion of SAP BusinessObjects tables, filters, and sections into Power BI components.
Pie charts
Conversion of SAP BusinessObjects pie charts into Power BI visuals.
Charts
Conversion of SAP BusinessObjects charts into Power BI visuals.
Dashboards
Conversion of SAP BusinessObjects dashboards into Power BI.
