In SAP BW, how are Application Component Hierarchies from an SAP ERP source system typically made available in the BW system?

Introduction / Context:
Application Component Hierarchies in SAP BW define a logical grouping of DataSources and BW objects according to application areas such as Sales, Materials Management, or Finance. These hierarchies originate in the SAP ERP or other source systems and can be made visible in BW so that administrators and developers can easily find and manage DataSources. Understanding that this is done through replication rather than manual recreation is important for BW configuration and is a common topic in certification exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The SAP ERP source system already has an Application Component Hierarchy for its extractors and DataSources.
• The BW system is connected to this source system as a data source.
• Administrators want to see the same hierarchy structure in the BW Source Systems tree.
• Standard SAP BW functions are available for metadata replication.

Concept / Approach:
Rather than building hierarchies from scratch, BW leverages metadata replication. When you replicate metadata for a source system, BW copies the Application Component Hierarchies and DataSource definitions from the source into its own metadata tables. This replication process ensures that BW stays synchronised with the source system structure and that any updates in the source can be reflected in BW by running replication again. It is both more efficient and less error prone than manual recreation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Application Component Hierarchies are maintained in the source system as part of the DataSource organisation. Step 2: Understand that BW connects to the source system and can replicate metadata, including hierarchies and DataSources. Step 3: Recognise that replicating the hierarchy means copying its definition into BW so that it appears in the BW Source Systems tree. Step 4: Review the answer options and look for the one that explicitly mentions replicating the hierarchies from the source system. Step 5: Select option b as the correct description of how Application Component Hierarchies are made available in BW.

Verification / Alternative check:
In practice, BW administrators use source system maintenance transactions to choose a connected SAP ERP system and run metadata replication. After replication, the BW Administrator Workbench shows the same Application Component Hierarchy as in the source, with DataSources listed under each component. If new DataSources or application components are added in the source, running replication again updates the BW view. This workflow confirms that replication, not manual recreation or file import, is the standard and recommended method.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a is incorrect because manually recreating the entire hierarchy would be time consuming and error prone, and it would not automatically reflect changes in the source. Option c describes a flat file approach that does not create an Application Component Hierarchy in the proper sense. Option d misunderstands the role of MultiProviders, which combine InfoProviders for reporting but do not build application hierarchies. Option e is wrong because InfoSets are used for joins between InfoProviders, not for constructing application component structures.

Common Pitfalls:
Some beginners think that because BW is a separate system, all structures must be built manually. Another pitfall is to confuse metadata replication with data loading; replication only brings definitions, not transactional records. Remember that for Application Component Hierarchies and DataSource definitions, BW relies on replication from the source system to stay aligned with the source metadata and to reduce maintenance effort.

Final Answer:
Application Component Hierarchies from an SAP ERP source system are made available in BW by replicating the hierarchies from the source system into BW using the standard metadata replication functions.