SAP Data Warehouse Cloud is an end-to-end cloud-based Data Warehousing solution which allows you to combine data from different sources and enables you to do advanced analytics using SAP Analytics Cloud.

SAP Data Warehouse Cloud allows you to create level-based Hierarchy which can be used to present a lot of information in a single chart or table. The hierarchy provides a drill-down option to dive deeper into the data to gain relevant business insights.

In the below example we will be creating a level-based Geographical Hierarchy for a retail-based company to track the sales performance across different geographical dimensions.

• Region
  • State
    • City
      • Store

There are two steps involved in creating a hierarchy in SAP Data Warehouse cloud.

Let us consider that you have a Graphical View Store Dimension of type Dimension. Before deploying the model, follow the below-mentioned steps.

Step 1 – Creating a Graphical View of Type ‘Dimension’

A graphical view can be of three types:

• Relational Data Set – A set of rows and columns (Raw Data) neither classified as Dimension nor as Fact.
• Dimension – Dimension based data object which cannot be directly consumed in a Story.
• Analytical Data Set – Fact-based data object which can be directly consumed in a Story.

Here, only “Dimension” type supports the creation of a hierarchy.

1. Change the type of output to “Dimension” in the properties tab of the Graphical View Store Dimension.

2. Select the Hierarchy icon to create a level-based Hierarchy.

Step 2 – Creating a level-based Hierarchy

1. Select Add Hierarchy icon “+” on the left-hand side of the screen to create a new hierarchy.
2. Provide a suitable name and a description of the hierarchy.
3. Select Add Level icon“+” on the right-hand side of the screen to add one or more levels to your hierarchy.

Note: Levels should be added starting from a dimension of the least granularity i.e. Region being the first level and the most granular dimension i.e. Store being the last level. You can still re-order the levels after adding them using the drag & drop option and you can select Remove icon “X” to remove any dimension from the hierarchy.

Note: Levels should be added starting from a dimension of the least granularity i.e. Region being the first level and the most granular dimension i.e. Store being the last level. You can still re-order the levels after adding them using the drag & drop option and you can select Remove icon “X” to remove any dimension from the hierarchy.

Now that a hierarchy is created, we can now see the two steps that explain how to associate a Fact-based Graphical view with the hierarchy created in the above steps and how to consume the same in a SAC Story.

Step 1 – Data Builder: Association View

Note: Association views are used to define associations between a fact-based Graphical View and its related Dimensions. In our example, the fact table contains sales information i.e. Invoice Date, Store ID & Product along with various measures. The additional information about the store like its location and access type are mapped using Association View. You can consume a hierarchy in SAC Story only by linking the related dimension in the Association view.

1. Create a Graphical view and drag & drop the fact-based object which needs to be consumed.

2. Set the output type to Analytical Data Set.

3. Switch to Association view option on the top right side of the Data Builder screen.

4. Drag & Drop the Dimension (In this case, it is the Store Dimension view that is already created) on the Output table

5. Define joins on the key fields in the Association Properties tab on the right side of the screen.

6. Save & Deploy the Graphical View Retail Sales Data Set.

Step 2 – Consuming level-based Hierarchy in a Story

After Deploying the Graphical view Retail Sales Data Set follow the below steps.

1. Create a new Story via Story Builder.
2. Select Add Data and choose Retail Sales Data Set created in the previous step as the Story’s source.
3. Add a Chart to the Story with a suitable measure and select the Hierarchy created as a dimension (the dimension with Hierarchy icon to the left of its name.

4. After selecting Store Dimension, you can see the changes getting reflected in the chart

Note: Irrespective of the Hierarchy Description given while creating the hierarchy, The Hierarchy name will always be the name of the Graphical view which contains the hierarchy. You can rename the dimension within the story to a suitable business name.

For more details on SAP Data Warehouse Cloud please visit our Page here.