Get key instead of text from SAP BW Cube

[C_Bricker]

Hi All.

I'm using PBI to get data from SAP BW InfoCubes.  In my cubes, most characteristics have both a key value and a text value.  When I bring the data into PBI, only the text value is imported.  I would like the option to retrieve the key value instead.  For example, for fiscal year/period, I would like to retrieve "2016001" instead of "Period 01, 2016".  Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this?

Thanks in advance.

[Pascal_KTeam]

Hello all

This is how I do it:

I add property "KEY" in the load and then delete the column with the description in Power Query Editor

[DavidMoss]

I was working with a client on a similar issue where most SAP data members have both a key & a text attributes.

In thier scenario they had been using SAP analyser in excel to connect to the BEx query (that was formatted to display both key & text) but when loaded in excel the field name at the top row of the column of the text attribute was blank, but the data was there.

When you connect from Power BI desktop (pbi) to the BEx becasue the field name is blank teh whole column isn't imported into PBI....frustrating...

We resolved this by using a SAP application called Analysis Process Designer (APD) which is basically a ETL data trasformation tool. Your SAP BI team should be able to do this quite quickly (ours took 2 hours and it was the 1st time he had used APD).

We used it with this architecture.

1: took the BEx as a data source

2. and the relevant attributes SAP Master Data Tables

3. Created a link between the BEx attribute key and the Master data table effectively doing a lookup of the key in the MDM for the text value

4. Outputed this new table now with both key & text to a location. (eg a.csv file)

5 (Optional) With  fiuther PBI architecture enhancement we outputted the APD table to OneDrive where it is now the datasource for a pubished .pbix in the PBI service and been consumed by business users.

Its an extra step in the whole process this APD but a solid work around.

https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/EN/49/7e960481916448b20134d471d36a6b/content.htm

[nmtinx]

Please vote for the new idea to add the KEY value as part of return from SAP BW connector.

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/16376959-sap-bw-display-key-and-t...

I talked to their Microsoft support, they said this issue is on their backlog right now.  However, the more you vote, the quicker they will respond.  

[nmtinx]

Yes, I need the KEY. Without the KEY, the BW connector is uselsss to me. Thanks.

[nmtinx]

I need the KEY value as well; otherwise, SAP BW connector will be useless to me. Currently I am using odata link as workaround but it will be nice if BW connector working since it will save me a few steps and time.

[nmtinx]

I need the KEY value too; otherwise, the SAP BW connector will be useless to me.  Currently I am using ODATA link as workaround since ODATA link can show the key and/or TEXT value.  However, if SAP BW connector works, that will be nice since it will save a few steps and I don't need to create service, odatalink and transport the changes in BW anymore.

[GuyInACube]

I'm not overly familiar with SAP BW, but this sounds similar to a limitation we have on the SSAS side with member properties.

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/12443955-member-properties-ssas

Doesn't really answer the question though 😞

[jansb000]

This means that we can not combine SAP BW data with data from other sources. Relations between tables are always made with ID fields. This is really a big problem for us.

[Blombak]

Also stuck with this problem. Anyone know of a work around ?

[vrossouw]

Power BI developers, we need the SAP BW Key to be available please.  Is it possible to include the fix in the next Upgrade?

We can't use SAP BW at all at this point, because we need the Key to be available.

[nmtinx]

Please vote for the new idea to add the KEY value as part of return from SAP BW connector.

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/16376959-sap-bw-display-key-and-t...

I talked to their Microsoft support, they said this issue is on their backlog right now.  However, the more you vote, the quicker they will respond. 

[Maring]

Hi,

Is there any news? I cannot use PowerBI only cause of this... cannot get the key from SAPBW report.

Is it possible it does not exist?? 

Please help!

Thanks

Marina

[vrossouw]

I also need this to work - need to work with Key

[fmazzoleni]

I'm having the same issue, any luck with this?

[Maring]

I cannot use PowerBI only for this reason... Can't get the key value instead of text from SAPBW report to PBI.

Is this possible they did not make an option for that? 

Please help!

Thanks

Marina

[jonsnowboard]

I have the same issue. I have even tried modifying the item in Query Designer under "Display" to just show "Key". This works okay when I view via the SAP web (as shown via the Query --> Execute menu item) but in Power BI still shows up as text.