2481435 - How to use variants in Analysis for Office

• How to use variants with Analysis for Office
• How to change to global
• How to manage variants 

• Analysis for Office
• BW
• Netweaver

1. Creating a Variant

On Analysis for Office, all variants are created and maintained in the prompting dialog as showed on the below image:

You can save defined prompt values as a variant for a query or for a document (workbook or presentation). The variants of a document can contain prompt values for different data sources.

You can create multiple variants, which allows you to choose different prompt values. Only one variant can be active at any one time however.

There are two different modes when working with variants. These are document mode for working with document variants and data source mode for working with query variants. An icon shows which mode is active as below:

The currently active mode depends on the selection you made for workbook property Merge Variables on the Components tab in the design panel and on how you open the prompting dialog.

To create the variant you will follow the steps below:

• Open a query with a prompt dialog and select the variable that you want:

• Write on “Use Variant” field the name of the new Variant and click to save:

• A pop up will appear on the bottom left corner confirming the saved variant:

2.  Editing Variant

After create the variant, it will appear as user-specific variant. You can create a variant for your user (user-specific variant) or for all users (global variant). To change the variant type, you will open the saved workbook or query and will click to edit the variant as showed on the below screen.

You can apply your user-specific variants and all global variants. You can also change a variant by selecting different prompt values and saving the variant again. Variants can also be deleted.

In case the the drop down list is not available and you are not able to change the Type, please check KBA 3359210 - Not able to create global variants in Analysis for Office workbook

3. Variant does not appear

In many cases of workbook conversions, users are experienced missing variables after the conversion. For those cases, you need to check the merge variables setting, located on the design panel of Analysis for Office:

Remember that you have two variables modes (Data Source and Document modes).

The variant mode will be defined by this configuration and need to follow the following requisites:

DATA SOURCE MODE:

• Authorization object S_RS_PARAM must be maintained for the user in the SAP NetWeaver server so that the user can create a variant.
• You open the prompting dialog with the context menu on the crosstab. The context menu for prompts is only available if workbook property Merge Variables is not selected.
• Workbook property Merge Variables is not selected when a new query is inserted.

DOCUMENT MODE:

Prerequisites for document variants using the SAP NetWeaver platform:

• Authorization object S_RS_PARAM must be maintained for the user in the SAP NetWeaver server so that the user can create a variant.
• The workbook is already saved on the SAP NetWeaver server.
• You open the prompting dialog with the icon in the ribbon.
• Workbook property Merge Variables is selected when a new query is inserted.

Prerequisites for document variants using the SAP BusinessObjects BI platform:

• You use at least version 4.2 SP 4 of SAP BusinessObjects BI platform.
• The workbook is already saved on the SAP BusinessObjects BI platform.
• In the Central Management Console, properties of the Analysis runtime, the Variants Support is set to User or User and Global.
• You open the prompting dialog with the icon in the ribbon.
• The workbook property Merge Variables is selected when a new query is inserted

 4. Authorization

Analysis for Office User Guide

3359210 - Not able to create global variants in Analysis for Office workbook

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