Personalized Data Analysis with PBS

SE16/SA38_PERSONAL

Introduction ................................................................................................. 3

Data Analysis Requirements from the User’s or Auditor’s Perspective .... 3

Table Analysis with SAP® SE16 ................................................................... 4

Personalized Table Analysis with PBS SE16_PERSONAL ........................... 4

PBS SE16_PERSONAL and Nearline Analytic Infrastructure (PBS NAI) ...... 7

Program Execution with SAP® SA38 ........................................................... 8

Personalized Program Execution with PBS SA38_PERSONAL ................... 8

Features and Advantages of PBS SE16/SA38_PERSONAL ....................... 11 compared to the SAP Standard

Supported SAP Systems, PBS Licensing ................................................... 11

Contents

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Introduction

Data Analysis Requirementsfrom the user’s or auditor’s perspective

Legal requirements and in particular accounting compliance are of extreme importance for the operating of pro-ductive SAP systems. Compliance is ensured with the help of internal and external checks with which business transactions are analyzed and eval-uated. Elements that are subject to such data analyses include, for exam-ple, customizing settings, table con-tents, customer-specific enhancements (Z tables), and customer-specific pro-grams (Z reports). Tables are looked at and their contents accessed within the scope of data analysis. As the SAP standard transactions used for this are not indented to be transactions for the end user or the internal/external audi-tor, PBS Software provides SE16_PER-SONAL, a proven tool for performing

personalized, table-related data anal-ysis. Since real-life business transac-tions are executed in an SAP system via transactions that have a direct refer-ence to ABAP programs, a detailed data analysis must also include knowledge of ABAP programs and their execution. Because SAP standard transaction SA38 that is used for this should not be ac-cessed by every end user and internal or external auditor, PBS provides SA38_PERSONAL as a new tool for perform-ing personalized, program-related data analyses. The PBS SE16/SA38_PERSON-AL product that integrates the SE16_PERSONAL and SA38_PERSONAL tools enables the end user and/or the auditor to perform a comprehensive, personal-ized data analysis that includes both ta-bles as well as programs.

• Auserorauditorgetsaccesstoex-actly the information that is neces-sary for his/her work.

• Accesstotablecontentsshouldbe defined clearly via authorization checks.

• Thetablecontentsviewcanbeadapted to the auditor’s or user’s tasks.

• Accesstotablecontentsisonlysup-ported in read mode.

• AccesstoABAPprogramscanbedefined specifically per task and per user.

• Reportingcanbesetupforauditorsor users in such a way that the ex-ecution of ABAP programs can be restricted both to individual variants as well as to a type of processing (for example, only in the background).

Data analyses take place as an essential component of operative daily business or during finishing works, internal, and external audits. Special end user transactions are required for executing data analyses that should have the following features:

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Table Analysis with SAP SE16

Personalized Table Analysiswith PBS SE16_PERSONAL

The use of the SAP standard transac-tions SE16 (SE16N, SE17) that enable a flexible and generic representation of table contents is handled in a very restricted manner in the majority of SAP systems. These transactions are no classic end user transactions and do not perform sufficient authoriza-tion checks during access to config-uration and application data. A pre-configuration of selection fields or views for the end user or auditor is

not possible in the SAP standard. Fur-thermore, if these transactions were made available in a productive envi-ronment, they would enable uncon-trollable changes to be made to ta-bles such as T004 (Chart of Accounts), T007A (Control Keys), or T030 (Stand-ard Account Table). As a result, the SAP standard transactions do not ful-fill the requirements for table-related data analysis as specified by users and auditors.

You can assign a user to a user group according to the organization to which he/she belongs with the tool PBS SE16_PERSONAL. Members of a user group automatically receive access to the transaction data of their respec-tive organizational unit. Authorizations that they have based on the tasks they perform ensure that only relevant data is displayed. By controlling the output fields it is possible to assign the infor-mation that is individually required to a user-specific view. The PBS SE16_PER-SONAL menu is different as regards its administration and application, see fig-ure 1. Pre-configuration of the restric-tions and the user view during table evaluation is reserved for the admin-istrator. After pre-configuration has been completed, users can perform table evaluations specifically accord-ing to their tasks.

Figure 1 User Menu of PBS SE16_ PERSONAL

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Before a user can evaluate a table using SE16_PERSONAL, the administrator must have pre-configured the table. When doing this, he defines one or more views. The end user can then evaluate the tables that are available to him in a user-specific manner via their work list, the Customizing Pool, see figure 2.

Let us take, for example, an internal auditor who is assigned to a particu-lar company code, and whose task it is to check the tax on sales. As his job is limited to a business area, his authori-zation simply relates to this business area. In order to accomplish his task, only the key figures Sales Revenue and Tax Amount in Local Currency are of importance to him.Figure 3 shows the configuration of the variant PBSDEMO by the admin-istrator ADMIN. The following settings were made when doing this for the

display and selection of the fields: the company code is defaulted and can-not be selected. The general ledger ac-count, the fiscal year, and the period can be selected, whereby a value is defaulted for the general ledger ac-count. Display is only intended for the following fields: Currency, Document Type, Business Area, Tax Code, Local Currency Amount and Tax Amount. An authorization check is provided for the business area, in which the authoriza-tion object F_BKPF_GSB with the au-thorization field GSBER is checked.

Administrator End user

SAP Database

User Master

Layout Definition:

• Table Range

• Values set

• Authorizations

• Selection Fields

• Output Fields

Assignment Layout User

User-specific

Customizing Pool

Master Data

Transaction Data

Customizing Data

Customer Tables / Table Views

SE16

_PER

SON

AL

Figure 2 Evaluation of Tables using Layouts

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First, the administrator selects the se-lection and display fields. When do-ing this, the selection fields can be assigned default values. The adminis-trator defines for each default value whether the user may change the de-fault values during table evaluation (dynamic selection) or whether they may not be changed (fixed selection). In this way, particularly in audit situa-tions, it is possible to restrict the avail-able data to the area that is being audited. In a similar way, it is also pos-sible to configure the output layout of the tables that are used. For example, fields with sensitive information can be locked for the user.

Different views can be configured and saved as separate variants for each ta-ble. In this way it is possible, for exam-ple, to split table contents by business area and then assign them to individ-ual users or user groups. In addition, it is possible to pre-configure whether the selected data can be downloaded.

Figure 4 shows the view of user John Doe on table BSIS. The company code is a fixed value for him; he can only make entries for General Ledger Ac-count, Fiscal Year and Period. These fields were defined as selection fields.

Figure 3 Configuration of Variant PBSDEMO for the Table BSIS by the Administrator ADMIN

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Executing with F8 provides a list that displays the revenue and sales revenue in Local Currency, see figure 5. The user only sees the fields that are intended for him. Evalu-ation of database views is equally possible.

PBS SE16_PERSONAL can also be used for the data analysis of tables and database views that are saved with the help of PBS NAI on a nearline database. You can find more detailed information on this in our Nearline Analytic Infrastructure White Paper.

Figure 4 Start of SE16_ PERSONAL with Variant PBSDEMO for the User John Doe

Figure 5 Output of SE16_PERSONAL

Ten fields are available to him in total as output fields, as provided by the admin-istrator.

PBS SE16_PERSONALand Nearline Analytic Infrastructure (PBS NAI)

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Program Execution with SAP SA38

Personalized Program Executionwith PBS SA38_PERSONAL

Figure 6 Assignment of Reports and Users with SA38_PERSONAL

The execution of ABAP programs can be extremely helpful within the con-text of data analysis because ABAP programs are linked directly via their processing logic with the transactions for executing business processes. This means that, for example, custom-er-specific programs can contribute towards making tax-related matters transparent.

Authorization to use the SAP stand-ard transaction SA38 that enables a search for and the execution of ABAP

programs is only reluctantly given to users and auditors in the majority of SAP systems because it does not pro-vide sufficient protection when ac-cessing and executing programs. For example, it is not possible to restrict the execution of programs to individu-al variants or to execution in the back-ground.

The SAP standard transaction does not therefore fulfill the requirements of program-related data analysis, as specified by users and auditors.

PBS provides the possibility to restrict access to and the execution of programs with their new tool, SA38_PERSONAL. A user can only access and execute a re-port once it has been assigned to him, see figure 6.

With the PBS SA38_PERSONAL tool, users can be assigned to a user group according to where they belong or-ganizationally. In this way, each user is automatically only given access to the

programs that they require in order to do their tasks. When executing pro-grams, a user may only be authorized to execute specific variants.

SAP User

Mapping

SAP Reporting

LibraryMapping

Mapping

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Before a user can access a program using SA38_PERSONAL, the admin-istrator must first create a reporting group and assign the required pro-

grams to it. When doing this, he can define how the program may be exe-cuted, see figure 8.

In the example mentioned, the pro-grams RFKEPL00, RFDEPL00 and RFSOPO00 are assigned, not the pro-gram SAPF070. The assignment of the programs differs as follows: Whilst no restriction is intended when executing program RFSOPO00, program RFDEPL00 can only be executed via a variant (flag under Variant is set). Pro-

gram RFKEPL00 may only be started in the background (flag under Batch is set). In the case where program RFDEPL00 should only be executed via a special variant PBS_DEMO, exclu-sively the variant PBS_DEMO can be assigned to the authorization object ZPBS_REPVA.

Figure 7 User Menu of PBS SA38_PERSONAL

Figure 8 Assignment of Programs to a Reporting Group

The PBS SA38_PERSONAL menu is split from a functional perspective into Admin-istration and Application, see figure 7.

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Figure 9 Reporting Pool from User’s Perspective

Figure 10 Personalized Execution of Programs: Execution only possible in the Back-ground.

Figure 11 Execution of a Program with a pro-tected Selection Variant that does not allow any entries

If the user selects program RFKEPL00, execution via variant and free data selection is deactivated as shown in figure 10.

If program RFDEPL00 is selected, execution is only possible via a selection variant. By protecting the selection variants, the execu-tion of programs can be restricted in such a way that no entries can be made in the selection screen, see figure 11.

The user cannot make any entries during execution of the program.

Figure 9 shows the work list – called the reporting pool – with the three assigned programs from a user’s perspective.

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• Designedforusebytheenduser.

• Usedforinternalandexternalauditsasauditingtool.

• Effectiveprotectionagainstunauthorizeddataaccess and against unauthorized execution of application programs.

• EnablesageneralevaluationofalltransparentSAP tables, customer tables, and database views and regulates access to and execution of SAP programs and customer-specific ABAPs.

• Enablesexclusivelyreadaccesstotablecon-tents and provides personalized access to appli-cation programs up to the level of individual pro-grams.

• Enablescontrolledaccesstotablecontentsin-corporating standard SAP authorizations and regulates access to customer-specific programs (Z reports) without the creation of transactions and transaction authorizations.

• Provideseachuserwiththetablesdesignatedfor evaluation via a configured table pool and enables personalized access to SAP application reporting and to customer-specific programs.

• Presentsanimprovedtabledisplayforendusersenabling an individual table view with the possi-bility to freely define selection and display fields.

• Enablestheexecutionofapplicationprogramsto be restricted to the level of a selection variant and the execution of application programs to be restricted to background execution.

• IntegratedincentralCustomizingviatheSAPTransport System.

• CanbeimplementedinSAPsystemssuchasERP, BI, IS, CRM and others.

Features and Advantagesof PBS SE16/SA38_PERSONAL compared to the SAP Standard

• Inprinciple,theproductSE16/SA38_PERSONALcan be used in all SAP systems from Release 4.6C.

• ThepricemodelforPBSsoftwareisbasedonthenumber of users of the operative SAP application systems (ERP, CRM etc.), the so-called “named us-ers” and/or on the number of contracts or con-tract accounts for SAP IS solutions.

• WeprovideHotlineSupporttoPBScustomerswith a maintenance contract.

• PBSfocusesonsoftwaredevelopment.Our many consulting partners provide consultancy and project implementation support.

• PBSsolutionscanbepurchaseddirectlyfrom PBS or via a correspondingly authorized partner.

• Youcanfindmoredetailedinformationandacomprehensive list of partners on our website under “Buy”.

Supported SAP Systems, PBS Licensing

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PBSSoftwareGmbH

PBS Software is a leading provider of add-on software for SAP solutions in the areas data archiving, extraction and storage as well as system closings and has been considered as an expert for complex, integrated data accesses to archived or nearline data in SAP applications for many years. In addition to the classical SAP data archiving the extensive PBS solutions also support the SAP BW-specific nearline storage concept that enables completely new ILM application scenarios together with the column-based analytics server Sybase IQ.

PBS develops pragmatic ILM tools in close collaboration with SAP and supports the new SAP ILM solution as SAP SOFTWARE SOLUTION PARTNER.

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