BEx Query Fetchers (BICS) allow you to use BEx query as a data source using BI Consumer Services. They provide the BEx query name for the data read. They also support filtering on query variables.

Prerequisites

SAP BW release 740 SP19 or higher.
Ensure that the additional transport with BEx Query Fetcher based on the BICS function is installed on the system.
Before creating the BEx Query Fetcher, ensure you have at least created an active and consistent variable variant in the Query Monitor (transaction RSRT). This is required for the initialization of the BEx query structure due to certain limitations of the BICS function.

Creating BEx Query Fetchers (BICS)

Perform the steps provided under Creating Fetcher Objects and select BEx Query Fetcher (BICS) from the Component implementation drop-down menu in step 7.

Activating BEx Query Fetcher (BICS)

After creation, the object is in the saved state.

The following information is mandatory before the activation:

BEx query
- Name of the BEx query for the data read
KYF in External Display
- If selected, key figures will be in an external format, i.e. currency conversion will be applied
Use customer-exit
- If selected, the query is executed with the values for variables provided by customer-exit (CMOD)
- Can be changed before each extraction

After the BEx query parameter is filled, the variables will be loaded into the variable filter definition. In the current version, all the variables will be enabled for the selection.

The following information is optional before the activation:

Navigational State (button)

Clicking this button displays a pop-up window with the navigational state of a query.

BEx Query Fetcher allows you to change the navigational state of a query with which it will be executed. The function is similar to the drill-down of free characteristics in the Query Monitor (transaction RSRT). If you want to change the default navigational state of a query, you can drag and drop query elements between the three screens: Rows, Columns, and Free characteristics.

This might be useful if the structure of your BEx query is not supported or if you want to include additional characteristics in the data output. For more information see BEx Query Structure Requirements below.

BEx Query Structure Requirements:

The row axis must not have a key figure structure. However, other types of structures can be in the rows, for example, structures with characteristics or formulas.
The column axis can contain only the key figure structure. Any additional characteristic or structure in this axis will lead to an error.
All active hierarchies in characteristics in the row axis are disabled automatically right before the extraction.
If a characteristic in the row axis uses a key figure as an attribute, the data for that key figure is stored in one field, e.g. EUR 1.23. As a result, the value and currency are not separated into two fields.
Characteristic in the row axis cannot have the setting Display Value set to No Display.
Due to the complexity of some calculated key figures and formulas, it is sometimes impossible to determine whether these types of query elements have any unit or currency.
Calculated key figures or formulas with a currency and a unit in one cell are not supported, e.g. EUR/KM.

Other Restrictions:

Customer exits (CMOD) in query variables. For variables of this type, you must fill in the selection values manually. They are not prefilled as in the Query Monitor (transaction RSRT).

Using Bex Query Fetchers (BICS) with SNP Glue Consumers

To use BEx Query Fetchers along with SNP Glue Consumers, the corresponding SNP Glue table must contain fields imported by using the option Bex Query (BICS).

After you confirm the selection, an additional popup with the navigational state of the query appears.

You can either manually drag and drop query elements the same way as in BEx Query Fetchers (BICS) or if you have already created a Fetcher, specify its name into the corresponding parameter above the ALV screen and press Enter to import the already saved navigational structure from the Fetcher.

After confirming the selection, the query elements are transformed into table fields and imported into the SNP Glue table.

You can also use the F4 help for the field Import nav. state from BEx Query (BICS) Fetcher to display all Fetchers that use the same query as the source and select the desired one.

BEx Query Fetcher and SNP Glue Consumer must have the same structure. Therefore, we highly recommend creating a Fetcher first and only then importing fields into the SNP Glue Table using the option Import nav. state from BEx Query (BICS) Fetcher. This will ensure that the structures of the Fetcher and Consumer match.

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