In SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence, when working with multiple queries in one document, which types of objects can be merged using the Merge dimension feature?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Dimensions with other dimensions that represent the same business concept, such as Customer in two different queries.

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Web Intelligence allows users to combine data from multiple queries within a single document. To create a unified report, common business concepts such as Customer or Product from different queries can be aligned using the Merge dimension feature. Understanding which object types can be merged is important for building consistent multi query reports and is a typical certification topic.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • A Web Intelligence document contains at least two queries, possibly based on different universes or data sources.
  • Each query includes dimension objects such as Customer, along with measures and possibly details.
  • The user wants to combine results in one report and avoid duplicated dimension values.
  • Web Intelligence offers a Merge dimension feature for this purpose.


Concept / Approach:
The Merge dimension feature is designed specifically to align dimensions that represent the same business entity across queries. For example, if one query has a dimension Customer from Universe A and another has Customer Name from Universe B, and both represent the same concept with compatible values, you can merge them. Once merged, the document treats them as a single logical dimension, allowing consistent analysis. Measures and details are not merged directly; they are associated with the merged dimensions when building tables and charts.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that dimensions are the descriptive objects used to group and categorise measures in Web Intelligence reports. Step 2: Understand that merging aligns dimensions from different queries that describe the same business concept. Step 3: Note that measures represent numeric values and are aggregated based on dimensions, so merging them would not make conceptual sense. Step 4: Review the answer options and select the one that describes merging dimensions with other dimensions that represent the same business concept. Step 5: Choose option a as the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
In practice, if you create one query that retrieves Customer and Sales from a sales universe and another query that retrieves Customer and Budget from a planning universe, you may want to analyse Sales and Budget together by Customer. To do this, you merge the Customer dimension from both queries. After merging, you can build a single table showing each Customer with its Sales and Budget values. You do not merge the Sales and Budget measures; instead, you display them side by side, aggregated by the merged Customer dimension. This real world usage confirms that merging is done between dimensions only.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b is incorrect because merging dimensions directly with measures would mix descriptive and numeric roles and is not supported by the tool. Option c is wrong because measures from different queries are not merged; they remain separate and are aggregated according to merged dimensions. Option d misrepresents details, which are subordinate to dimensions and are not merged with measures. Option e is wrong because Web Intelligence does respect object classes and only allows merging between compatible dimensions.


Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is expecting merge behaviour to automatically reconcile different measures or to fix inconsistent data quality between data sources. Another mistake is attempting to merge objects that are not truly equivalent business concepts, leading to confusing results. For exams and practical work, remember that Merge dimension is strictly for merging compatible dimension objects from different queries, not for merging measures or arbitrary object types.


Final Answer:
When using multiple queries in a Web Intelligence document, you can merge dimensions with other dimensions that represent the same business concept, such as Customer in two different queries.

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