HANA

With the release of Version 8 in September 14, XLCubed can connect to SAP HANA databases using MDX. This feature is licence dependant and requires the HANA connector.

Connecting

Firstly, you will need to install the SAP HANA MDX provider. Please consult with your IT department to obtain this. This will have to be installed on the Excel clients and the XLCubedWeb server.

From XLCubed, select the SAP HANA connection type in the new connection form. You must then fill in the server name or IP address and instance number. Usually you will need to enter a name and password, if so tick the "Requires Logon" box.

Additional functionality

Set functions

When using Grids connected to HANA the "Apply" member menu is altered offering specific options for filtering the grid. These are:

• Sort - Order the children alphabetically
• Label Filters - Filter the members based on their name
• Value Filters - Filter the members based on the value of a chosen measure

These are similar to the options found when using pivot tables, see the section on Excel Style Advanced Selections for more details.

Variables

If you have Variables defined in your HANA model the values for these can be set using XLCubed.

Variables can be set at two levels:

• Connection - These are the default Variable values for Grids/Slicers etc.
  • You can right click a connection to edit the parameter values
• Object - Grid/Slicer/SmallMultiple value for the Variable, overrides the connection setting.

Connection level values are set when creating or editing a connection in the Connections screen.

Object level settings are set in the designer for the the report item, e.g. for Grids there is a toolbar button to edit the Variable values.

SQL

To pass a parameter from SQL to a HANA variable you need to use the following syntax:

… FROM "schema"."view" (
        PLACEHOLDER."$$PARAMETER_1$$" => @parameterName1, 
        PLACEHOLDER."$$PARAMETER_2$$" => @parameterName2
) …

Limitations

Due to limitations in the MDX support of the HANA database engine some XLCubed features are not currently available.

Advanced Ranking, Filtering and Sorting

'Advanced' Ranking Filtering and Sorting within a hierarchy are not currently supported for HANA connections.

Instead XLCubed supports a number of pivot table like operations, accessed by right-clicking a grid member and choosing the "Apply" menu option.

Features disabled by this limitation are:

• Advanced member selections
• Standard grid "Apply" menu
• Breakout - grid and formula
• Insert formula - Ranking
• Small multiples - Bump chart

Exclude from Display

This is not currently supported for HANA connections.

MDX In-Cell Charts

These are not currently supported for HANA connections due to restrictions in the supported MDX.

Grids connecting to HANA cannot have in-cell charts defined as an interactive part of the grid. Standard formula based incell charts can still be used on data retrieved from HANA through a grid or XLCubed formulae.

Session Calculations

These are not currently supported for HANA connections.

Features disabled by this limitation are:

• Custom Calculations (defined on the XLCubed ribbon)
• Member Selector options to "Group members", "Create Set" and "Calculated value"
• Grid options to "Keep and Group members" and "Keep and Create Set"

- Note that standard Grid calculations are not affected and ARE supported for HANA connections.

MDX Tables

The option to create a table based on HANA connections is currently disabled as HANA does not support the MDX generated.

Flex Reports

These are not currently supported for HANA connections as HANA does not support the Mdx generated.

Drillthrough

This is not currently supported for HANA connections.

Writeback

This is not currently supported for HANA connections.