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SAP BW: from the journal entry to the report

Business Warehouse explained for users and for consultants from other modules, from 1998 to BW/4HANA and Business Data Cloud.

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Overview

What BW is, if you have never worked with it

SAP BW, Business Warehouse, is SAP’s data warehouse. It is not a module of the ERP: it is a separate system that copies data from SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC and other sources, keeps it with its history, harmonizes it and serves it to reports, dashboards and planning. When a controller opens a P&L in Excel that spans several companies and many years, a BW query may well be behind it.

This page is for the people around BW who are not BW consultants: finance and controlling key users, and FI, CO, MM or SD consultants who are asked why “BW doesn’t match SAP”. It follows one posting from S/4HANA to the report, shows how BW receives changes, lists the transactions worth knowing and explains where BW is going after 2027.

Runs as
  • SAP BW 7.5
  • SAP BW/4HANA
  • SAP Business Data Cloud, private cloud
Main transactionsRSA1RSPCRSRT

Use the User | Consultant switch at the top of the page to show or hide the technical layer: the tables, programs and settings behind each step.

  • A warehouse, not a module

    SAP positions BW/4HANA as its enterprise data warehouse: it consolidates data across the company, keeps current and historical data in its own persisted copy, accepts non-SAP sources and harmonizes everything into one version of the truth.

    Source: SAP blog, S/4HANA and BW/4HANA

  • A copy, refreshed by loads

    BW reports show the data as of the last load. Loads run in process chains, and BW support teams start the day by checking how the overnight chains went. That is why a posting made today may only reach BW tomorrow.

    Source: daily BW systems checklist

  • Born in 1998, still everywhere

    SAP shipped the Business Information Warehouse in 1998; more than 3,000 customers had adopted it by 2002–03. At Sapphire 2025, SAP estimated that 20,000 to 30,000 customers run BW 7.5.

    Sources: SAPinsider (2014 and 2025)

Who BW talks to

BW sits between the systems where data is born and the tools where people read it. Most BW questions are really questions about one of these connections.

  • ODP_SAP · ODP_CDSS/4HANA and ECCJournal entries, open items, cost center and logistics data, through SAP extractors or CDS views.
  • ODP_SLT · SAP HANATables and databasesTables replicated by SAP LT Replication Server, SAP HANA views and external tables.
  • FRONT ENDSAnalysis for Office, SACWhere users run BW queries: Excel through SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office, or SAP Analytics Cloud.
  • PLANNINGSAP BPCEach BW/4HANA release comes with a matching SAP BPC add-on for planning.
  • CLOUDDatasphere and BDCBW data shared as data products in SAP Business Data Cloud, or BW models reused through the BW bridge in SAP Datasphere.
  • ODP_BWOther BW systemsA BW system can extract the InfoProviders of another BW system through ODP.

Architecture

The layers your numbers pass through

SAP’s reference architecture for BW on HANA and BW/4HANA is called LSA++, the enhanced Layered Scalable Architecture. Unlike the older LSA, its layers are no longer mandatory: data can be read from any layer, and a persistent layer is added only when the business logic needs it. Pick a layer to see what it holds and why finance should care.

Data flow

Beside the flow

In the old LSA, data marched through every layer in sequence. In LSA++, a query can read a DataStore object in the EDW core directly, which is why many BW/4HANA models have fewer copies of the same data.

Outside BW

Source systems

Where the data is born: SAP S/4HANA or ECC, other SAP systems and databases. BW reads from them, mostly through Operational Data Provisioning (ODP), and never changes the source.

You meetDataSourceCDS viewDelta queue

Why FICO cares

Journal entries, open items and cost center postings start here, in ACDOCA or the classic FI and CO tables. If a number is wrong in the source, BW will copy it faithfully.

TransactionsRSA3RSA6ODQMON

The transactions behind each layer are in the Consultant view.

Open ODS layer

Open ODS layer

The entry point. Data arrives virtually or physically, still in the structure and quality of the source, ready either to be staged into the warehouse or to be read at once. With ODP, BW/4HANA no longer needs the old Persistent Staging Area (PSA).

You meetDataSourceStaging ADSOOpen ODS view

Why FICO cares

The place to check that BW received the same lines the source sent, before any rule has changed them.

TransactionsODQMONRSA1

The transactions behind each layer are in the Consultant view.

EDW Transformation and Propagation

EDW core

Data is harmonized and standardized once for every report that needs it, then stored in DataStore objects (advanced) for fast reuse. SAP calls it the heart of the system.

You meetTransformationDTPStandard ADSO

Why FICO cares

Company codes from different systems, currencies and charts of accounts are brought to one language here. A rule written in this layer changes every finance report that reads from it.

TransactionsRSPCRSA1

The transactions behind each layer are in the Consultant view.

Business transformation

Architected data marts

Results of business logic that cannot live in a lower layer or in the query. Classic BW kept InfoCubes here; in LSA++ the layer is optional and has become much less important.

You meetData mart ADSOInfoCube (BW 7.x)

Why FICO cares

A data mart ADSO can only add up key figures, never overwrite them. That is why after-image deltas, such as FI line items, must pass through a standard ADSO first.

Virtualization

Virtual data marts

Views that separate reporting from storage, mainly CompositeProviders, plus Open ODS views and BAdI providers for special cases. They can read almost every other layer, and queries can run on DataStore objects (advanced) directly.

You meetCompositeProviderOpen ODS view

Why FICO cares

One CompositeProvider can put journal entry actuals, plan data and the profit center hierarchy side by side without copying anything.

Report definition

BW Query

Rows, columns, filters, variables and calculated key figures. In BW 7.x it was the BEx query; in BW/4HANA it is called the BW query and is built with the Query Designer of the BW Modeling Tools.

You meetBW QueryVariablesKey figures

Why FICO cares

Many “BW is wrong” calls end here: a filter, a variable default or an authorization that hides part of the data.

TransactionsRSRTRSUDORSECADMIN

The transactions behind each layer are in the Consultant view.

Front ends

Front ends

Where users see the numbers: SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office, SAP Analytics Cloud and, in BW 7.x, the BEx Analyzer. BW/4HANA does not support BEx reporting.

You meetAnalysis for OfficeSAP Analytics CloudBEx Analyzer (7.x)

Why FICO cares

If your team used the BEx Analyzer in Excel, SAP names Analysis for Office and SAP Analytics Cloud as its successors.

TransactionsRRMX

The transactions behind each layer are in the Consultant view.

Beside the flow

Corporate memory

A complete, granular history of everything loaded, filled independently of the other layers. In BW/4HANA it is built with DataStore objects (advanced).

You meetStandard ADSO

Why FICO cares

It lets BW rebuild finance data after an error without asking the source system to send years of postings again.

Beside the flow

BW Workspace

Local data sets and local CompositeProviders for experienced users, who can extend central models without IT for needs too small or too urgent for the core warehouse. The layer is new in LSA++.

You meetLocal providerLocal CompositeProvider

Why FICO cares

A controller can join a local file, such as a budget version, with central actuals without waiting for a project.

Layers as SAP describes them for SAP BW/4HANA. Sources: SAP Learning, the enhanced Layered Scalable Architecture (LSA++); SAP Learning, ODP and DataStore objects (advanced).

The BW process

Follow one posting from S/4HANA to the report

Eight steps take a journal entry from the Universal Journal to a P&L in Excel. The band under each step answers the question every key user asks: can I already see it in my report? Pick a step to see what happens, where you see it and, in the Consultant view, what sits under the hood.

Step 1 of 8 · What happens

A posting in S/4HANA

Someone posts a supplier invoice, a journal entry or a goods movement. The accounting line lands in the Universal Journal, table ACDOCA. BW knows nothing about it yet.

Who: Accountants, buyers, warehouse staff

Where you see it

In S/4HANA itself: the journal entry and the line item reports.

  • FB03
  • ACDOCA

Under the hood

DataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10 reads ACDOCA, covering general ledger, asset accounting, margin analysis and Material Ledger lines, customer fields included. It is delta-capable, with after images and a deletion indicator (AIMD), and exists since Simple Finance 1503.

  • 0FI_ACDOCA_10
  • FINS_ACDOCA_BW

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

Not in BW yetIn your report: The posting exists only in S/4HANA. Every BW report still shows the state of the last load.

Source: SAP Help, DataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10.

Step 2 of 8 · What happens

The DataSource extracts it

A DataSource is the source system’s export definition: which fields leave and how changes are found. Classic SAP extractors did this for decades; since S/4HANA 1809, SAP also ships CDS views built for extraction.

Who: Source system and BW teams

Where you see it

RSA3 shows what a classic extractor would send, without BW. It does not work for CDS-based extraction; program RODPS_REPL_TEST tests the replication instead.

  • RSA3
  • RSA6
  • RODPS_REPL_TEST

Under the hood

A CDS view becomes extractable with @Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled; its delta comes from a timestamp field or, from S/4HANA 1909 FP01, from change data capture. ODP names end in $F for facts, $P attributes, $T texts and $H hierarchies.

  • RSRTS_ODP_DIS
  • RSODPABAPCDSVIEW
  • DHCDCMON

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

Not in BW yetIn your report: Still nothing in BW. The extractor only defines what will leave the source.

Sources: SAP Learning, CDS view-based extraction; saplearners transaction list.

Step 3 of 8 · What happens

The change waits in the delta queue

Changes wait in the operational delta queue until a subscriber collects them. One queue can serve several subscribers, keeps data for a configurable retention period and can compress it by up to 90%.

Who: BW support

Where you see it

ODQMON lists the queues, their subscribers and requests, and the data inside them.

  • ODQMON

Under the hood

Before ODP, logistics changes went from update records (SM13) to the extraction queue (LBWQ) and the BW delta queue (RSA7), and InfoPackages loaded them into the PSA. With ODP, BW/4HANA loads straight from the queue with a DTP.

  • RSA7
  • LBWQ
  • SM13

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

Not in BW yetIn your report: The change is ready to be collected, but BW has not asked for it yet.

Sources: SAP Learning, introducing ODP; SAP blog, LO cockpit data extraction.

Step 4 of 8 · What happens

The process chain loads it

A data transfer process (DTP) collects the delta and moves it into BW. Nobody runs it by hand: a process chain, often at night, runs the loads, activations and follow-on steps in a fixed order.

Who: BW support, automated

Where you see it

RSPC shows each chain and the log of a failed step; RSPCM monitors the daily chains. A red chain is the first thing to check when yesterday’s numbers are missing.

  • RSPC
  • RSPCM

Under the hood

In BW 7.x, InfoPackages loaded the PSA and RSMO monitored them before DTPs moved the data on. In BW/4HANA, the DTP reads ODP directly and DTP run time from the queue drops by more than 40%.

  • RSMO
  • SM37
  • ST22

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

On its wayIn your report: The data is moving into BW, but no report shows it until it is activated.

Sources: SAPSTACK; daily BW systems checklist; SAP Learning, introducing ODP.

Step 5 of 8 · What happens

The transformation maps and cleans it

On the way in, fields are mapped, derived and converted: a source code becomes a BW characteristic, a missing value is looked up, a date becomes a fiscal period. Business rules live here.

Who: BW consultants

Where you see it

Errors show in the DTP and process chain logs. A classic: a load stopped by “invalid characters”, one stray symbol in a text field.

  • RSKC

Under the hood

RSKC lists the extra characters allowed in characteristic values. One documented approach sets it to ALL_CAPITAL and replaces anything else in the transformation, checking each character with RSKC_CHAVL_OF_IOBJ_CHECK.

  • RSKC
  • RSKC_CHAVL_OF_IOBJ_CHECK

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

On its wayIn your report: Still on its way. If the transformation fails, the whole request stops here.

Source: SAP blog, invalid characters in BW.

Step 6 of 8 · What happens

Activation in the DataStore object

Data lands in the inbound table of a DataStore object (advanced) and is activated into its active data table. In a standard ADSO with change log, activation also records the before and after images that feed other targets.

Who: BW support, automated

Where you see it

Depending on the ADSO type, a query reads only the active table, so new data appears after activation, or, in a data mart ADSO, reads the inbound and active tables together.

  • RSPC

Under the hood

Every ADSO has the tables /BIC/A<name>1 (inbound), /BIC/A<name>2 (active data) and /BIC/A<name>3 (change log). Requests can be rolled back from a standard ADSO with change log.

  • /BIC/A<name>1
  • /BIC/A<name>2
  • /BIC/A<name>3

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

Visible, with a catchIn your report: Visible once activated, which a process chain normally does right after the load.

Source: SAP Learning, types of DataStore objects (advanced).

Step 7 of 8 · What happens

The model puts it in context

A CompositeProvider joins or unions the ADSOs with master data: profit center attributes, texts and hierarchies. New attributes and hierarchies only count once activated: during the change run, queries still show the old ones.

Who: BW team, master data owners

Where you see it

The change run is a process chain step after the master data loads, with its own log.

  • RSD1
  • RSA1

Under the hood

In BW 7.x, program RSDDS_AGGREGATES_MAINTAIN runs the change run and adjusts aggregates to the new attributes and hierarchies, either by delta or by rebuilding them.

  • RSDDS_AGGREGATES_MAINTAIN

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

Visible, with a catchIn your report: Amounts are visible, but grouped by the old hierarchy until the change run has finished.

Sources: SAP Help, change run; SAP Learning, LSA++.

Step 8 of 8 · What happens

The query shows it

The BW query defines what the user sees: rows, columns, filters, variables and key figures. Analysis for Office or SAP Analytics Cloud runs it, and analysis authorizations decide which company codes or cost centers each user may see.

Who: Business users

Where you see it

RSRT runs a query without a front end, which tells support whether a problem sits in the query or in the tool on top.

  • RSRT
  • RRMX

Under the hood

Analysis authorizations are maintained in RSECADMIN. RSUDO runs RSRT as another user, with a log of every authorization check; without S_RSEC you need that user’s password.

  • RSECADMIN
  • RSUDO

Tables, programs and the settings behind this step are in the Consultant view.

In the reportIn your report: The posting is in the report, for every user allowed to see it.

Sources: SAP Learning, analysis authorizations; SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW.

Full, init, delta: the three ways data arrives

Every load in BW is one of these. Knowing which one ran explains most surprises in a report, from missing history to doubled amounts.

  • Everything, every timeFull loadBrings every record that matches the selection, such as a fiscal year or a company code. Simple and safe to repeat into a target that overwrites; into a target that adds up, a second full load doubles the figures unless the first is deleted.
  • The starting pointInitThe first load that also opens the delta, such as a DTP in “delta init with data” mode. Logistics DataSources need their setup tables filled first (OLI7BW for sales orders, OLI3BW for purchasing).
  • Only what changedDeltaOnly the changes since the last load: new documents, and changed ones as before and after images. Which images a DataSource sends decides which BW targets can take it, as the lab below shows.

Try it: the delta lab

Why does BW still show a paid invoice as open?

A customer invoice of 1,000 is open on day 1 and paid on day 2. Choose how the source sends the change and what kind of DataStore object receives it, then compare BW’s open items with FBL5N. One of the combinations is exactly what SAP warns about in the documentation of the customer line items DataSource.

Example: day 2, the invoice paid, sent as after images only into a data mart ADSO that adds up.

Day 2 · what the source sends

Record modeStatusAmount
blank · after imageCleared1,000.00

Only the new state of the line arrives: same document, same item, now cleared.

Data mart ADSO · what it holds

LineStatusAmount
Invoice, item 1Open1,000.00
Invoice, item 1Cleared1,000.00

Nothing cancels the open line: the cleared after image is simply added next to it.

BW report vs FBL5N

Open items in BW1,000.00

Open items in FBL5N0.00

Total of all lines in BW2,000.00

ResultDoes not match

Wrong. The paid invoice is still open in BW and the total has doubled. This is why SAP says the after-image delta of 0FI_AR_4 is not suited to InfoCubes and needs a DataStore object first.

Simplified: one line item, amounts in company code currency, keys reduced to the line. Sources: SAP Help, DataSource 0FI_AR_4 (after-image delta, not suited for InfoCubes, a DataStore object as target); SAP Learning, delta process properties (overwriting is only consistent with after images; before and after images work with every type of DataStore object; a data mart DataStore object only adds up); SAP Help, delta process (record mode blank is an after image, X a before image); SAP Community, delta handling in SAP BW (before images carry negative values).

Quick test

“BW doesn’t match SAP”: eight usual suspects

The sentence every FI and CO consultant hears sooner or later. Guess the cause first, then open the card to see it, the fix and who acts.

  • Timing
  • Delta
  • Double load
  • Selection
  • Master data
  • Authorizations
  • Conversion
  • Yesterday’s postings are in S/4HANA but not in BWShow the answer
    Timing

    BW shows the data as of the last successful load. If the overnight process chain failed or has not run yet, the report is a day behind, and nothing is wrong with the figures themselves.

    Who acts: BW support: check RSPCM and the chain log in RSPC, fix and repeat the step.

  • A paid invoice still shows as open in the BW reportShow the answer
    Delta

    The customer line items DataSource sends after images only. Loaded straight into a target that adds up, the cleared line is added next to the open one instead of replacing it. Try it in the delta lab above.

    Who acts: BW consultant: route the data through a standard ADSO, then reload.

  • Cost center actuals are exactly twice the FI figureShow the answer
    Double load

    Actuals were loaded twice: with 0CO_OM_CCA_9 and again with 0CO_OM_CCA_1 for value type 10. SAP says both can supply actual data and warns against creating value type 10 loads for 0CO_OM_CCA_1.

    Who acts: BW consultant: delete the duplicate requests and correct the loads.

  • The total matches FS10N in one view but not in anotherShow the answer
    Selection

    The comparison mixes currency types, value types or ledgers. For the general ledger, compare with currency type 10, value type 10 and the leading ledger 0L, on the same company code, accounts and periods.

    Who acts: FI key user with BW: align the selections on both sides.

  • The report still groups profit centers the old wayShow the answer
    Master data

    The new hierarchy or attribute was loaded but not yet activated. Until the change run finishes, queries keep showing the old hierarchies and attributes.

    Who acts: BW support: check the change run step in the process chain.

  • A line called “# Not assigned” carries an amountShow the answer
    Master data

    # is BW’s initial value: those records have no value for the characteristic, or come from a provider that does not have it at all. Constant selection can filter out rows from providers without the characteristic.

    Who acts: BW consultant and FI: decide whether it is a data problem or a modeling one.

  • You see the full total, your colleague sees lessShow the answer
    Authorizations

    Analysis authorizations restrict which values each user may see, such as company codes or cost centers. The query is the same; the data is filtered per user.

    Who acts: Security team: RSUDO runs the query as that user, with a log of the checks.

  • Every finance load failed right after the S/4HANA conversionShow the answer
    Conversion

    After a conversion, all DataSources in the source system are deactivated. They must be activated again and their metadata replicated to BW before loads can run.

    Who acts: Source system and BW teams: RSA6 in S/4HANA, then replicate from BW.

Sources: SAP Help, DataSources 0FI_AR_4 and 0FI_GL_14 and the cost center InfoSources; SAP Help, change run and constant selection; SAP blog, new G/L to BW reconciliation; SAP Learning, analysis authorizations; SAP blog, data extraction in SAP S/4HANA 1511; SAPSTACK, process chain transactions.

Integration with SAP FICO

Which DataSource brings which finance data

Finance is one of BW’s oldest customers, and its DataSources are SAP Business Content: they start with 0 and are delivered ready to activate. In SAP S/4HANA, the Universal Journal brought one DataSource for almost everything; in ECC, each area has its own. The delta column matters: it says whether the data needs an overwriting DataStore object before anything else.

DataSourceWhat it bringsDeltaWhereSource
0FI_ACDOCA_10Universal Journal line items from ACDOCA: general ledger, asset accounting, margin analysis and Material Ledger, with customer fields. Available from Simple Finance 1503.AIMD: after images with a deletion indicatorS/4HANADataSource 0FI_ACDOCA_10
0FI_GL_14New G/L line items of the leading ledger, from FAGLFLEXA, BKPF and BSEG. Other ledgers need their own DataSources.After images: through a DataStore object (MOVE), never straight into a cube; one-hour safety intervalECCDataSource 0FI_GL_14
0FI_GL_10New G/L totals from FAGLFLEXT, the usual level for reconciling BW with FS10N.Totals level, compared with FS10NECCnew G/L to BW reconciliation (2014)
0FI_GL_4Classic general ledger line items.AIE: after images, pulled by time stampECCdelta process properties
0FI_AR_4Customer line items, open (BSID) and cleared (BSAD). Replaced 0FI_AR_3, reading the tables directly.After images: not suited to InfoCubes, a DataStore object firstECCInfoSource 0FI_AR_4
0FI_AP_4Vendor line items. Changes are registered in BWFI_AEDAT and the last extraction time in BWOM2_TIMEST.After images (AIM), as used in FI-AR and FI-APECC0FI_AP_4 line item extraction (2011)
0CO_OM_CCA_9Cost centers: actual costs with delta extraction. SAP recommends the delta process for actuals.Delta: actuals can be loaded at any timeECCcost center InfoSources (0CCA_C11)
0CO_OM_CCA_1Cost centers: costs and allocations for plan, target and period-end data, loaded by value type and period.Never value type 10 next to 0CO_OM_CCA_9ECCcost center InfoSources (0CCA_C11)
CO-PACosting-based profitability: one DataSource per operating concern, with all or some characteristics and value fields, created in the source system.Generated per operating concernECC + S/4HANAsapdatasheet, IMG activity BWCOPA_KEB0
2LIS_02_ITMPurchasing items from the LO cockpit, the family of logistics DataSources that also covers sales orders and inventory.ABR: before, after and reverse images, pushed to the queueECC + S/4HANAdelta process properties

Reconcile the G/L in four steps

  1. Take the balance in FS10N for the company code, account and fiscal year.
  2. Read the totals table FAGLFLEXT in SE16N for the same period.
  3. Add up the periods to get the cumulative balance.
  4. In BW, select the same data with currency type 10, value type 10 and the leading ledger 0L, and compare.

Totals first; line items from 0FI_GL_14 only when an account will not reconcile. Source: SAP blog

After an S/4HANA conversion

Classic extractors keep working for basic scenarios because their reads are redirected to compatibility views over ACDOCA and MATDOC, but some extractors are no longer available. After the conversion, every DataSource in the source system is deactivated and its metadata must be replicated to BW again.

The new standard is CDS-based extraction, shipped from S/4HANA 1809. Source: SAP blog

Ledgers and planning

0FI_GL_14 extracts only the leading ledger. For the others, generate an extract structure with FAGLBW01 and assign a DataSource to the ledger with FAGLBW03. And when finance plans on BW, it is usually with SAP BPC: each BW/4HANA release has a matching BPC add-on, and the embedded BW in S/4HANA supports integrated financial planning.

Sources: SAP Help, 0FI_GL_14; SAPSTACK; SAP blogs on BPC 2021 and on S/4HANA and BW/4HANA.

Speak BW

The words and codes BW people use

“The AIE DataSource goes into a standard ADSO, the change log feeds the data mart, and the CompositeProvider reads both”: BW meetings sound like this. These are the terms behind that sentence, grouped the way you meet them.

Who sets it: each DataSource, with its definition in table RODELTAM. It says which images the source sends and therefore which targets can take them.

What it is: the field 0RECORDMODE tells the target what kind of change a record carries. If a transformation does not pass it on, a DataStore object treats the record as an after image.

Where you meet them: in the BW Modeling Tools in Eclipse (BW/4HANA) or in RSA1 (BW 7.x). The badge shows what each one does; 7.x marks objects BW/4HANA no longer supports.

What it is: the type of ODP source system, which says what kind of object BW extracts from it.

Why it matters: SAP and customers have separate namespaces, so Business Content and your own objects never collide.

  • ABRAfter, before, reverseA complete delta, serialized, for DataStore objects and InfoCubes alike. Example: 2LIS_02_ITM.
  • AIEAfter images, pulledThe extractor finds the changes at load time, by time stamp. Example: 0FI_GL_4.
  • AIMAfter images, queuedAfter images written to the delta queue; no direct InfoCube update. Used in FI-AR and FI-AP.
  • AIMDAfter images + deletionAfter images with a deletion indicator. Example: 0FI_ACDOCA_10.
  • ADDAdditiveAdditive deltas serialized by request, used by LIS DataSources; supports only addition.
  • blankAfter imageThe record as it is after the change.
  • XBefore imageThe record as it was before the change, with negative values.
  • RReverse imageReverses a record. New and reverse images can be processed by every type of target.
  • DDeleteDeletes the record. Only DataStore objects can process it, and only during activation.
  • ModelInfoObjectThe smallest building block: a characteristic such as customer, or a key figure such as revenue. Reused by every other object.
  • StoreDataStore object (advanced)Inbound table, active data and change log. In BW/4HANA it replaces both the InfoCube and the classic DSO.
  • ViewCompositeProviderJoins or unions providers for reporting without copying data. Replaces MultiProviders and InfoSets.
  • ViewOpen ODS viewReads a source table, view or DataSource directly, without loading it first.
  • LoadTransformationMaps, derives and cleans fields between a source and a target.
  • LoadDTPData transfer process: moves the data through a transformation into the target, full or delta.
  • RunProcess chainRuns loads, activations, change runs and other steps in order, on a schedule.
  • ReportBW QueryThe report definition used by Analysis for Office and SAP Analytics Cloud; the old BEx query.
  • 7.xInfoCubeThe classic star-schema cube. Not supported in BW/4HANA; conversions turn it into an ADSO.
  • 7.xMultiProvider, InfoSetClassic virtual providers, replaced by the CompositeProvider in BW/4HANA.
  • SAPODP_SAPClassic SAP extractors exposed through ODP. Replaces the old S-API source system; not available for S/4HANA Cloud.
  • CDSODP_CDSABAP CDS views with extraction annotations; SAP’s strategic interface for S/4HANA Cloud.
  • BWODP_BWInfoProviders of another BW system.
  • SLTODP_SLTSource tables offered as delta queues by SAP LT Replication Server.
  • HANAODP_HANASAP HANA information views; needs SAP HANA as BW’s database.
  • 0SAP Business ContentInfoObjects and other content delivered by SAP start with 0.
  • A–ZYour own objectsCustomer InfoObjects start with a letter and have three to nine characters; a Z is not needed.
  • /BI0/SAP generated tablesTables BW generates for Business Content objects.
  • /BIC/Your generated tablesTables BW generates for your objects, such as the three tables of each ADSO.
  • 2LISSpecial application DataSourcesPrefixes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 belong to DataSources of special SAP applications; the LO cockpit’s start with 2LIS.
  • $FCDS extraction suffixODP names of CDS views end in $F for facts, $P attributes, $T texts and $H hierarchies.
/BI0/ ≠ /BIC/

One letter tells you whose object it is. BW generates tables starting with /BI0/ for SAP’s Business Content and /BIC/ for yours: /BI0/FSALES belongs to SAP’s InfoCube 0SALES, /BIC/FSALES to a customer InfoCube called SALES. Same name, two owners. Source: SAP Help

Reference

The BW transactions people actually use

BW transactions mostly start with RS, and those starting with RSA live on both sides: RSA1 in BW, RSA3 to RSA7 in the source system. Start here shows the ones worth bookmarking; FI/CO and source collects what a non-BW consultant meets in S/4HANA or ECC; the last column says where each one applies. Type a code or a word to search all of them.

Code or toolForWhat it doesWho opens itWhere
RSRTUserQuery monitor: runs a BW query without a front end; support uses it to see in which area a problem happens.Key users, BW supportBW 7.x + BW/4HANA
RSPCMUserMonitor the daily process chains: did last night’s loads finish?Key users, BW supportBW
RRMXUserBEx Analyzer: BW queries in Excel. BW/4HANA does not support BEx; Analysis for Office or SAP Analytics Cloud replace it.Business usersBW 7.x
Analysis for OfficeToolSAP Analysis for Microsoft Office: live BW queries in Excel, a successor to the BEx Analyzer.Finance and business usersBW 7.x + BW/4HANA
SAP Analytics CloudToolStories, dashboards and planning on BW data; the successor to BEx Web reporting.Business usersBW 7.x + BW/4HANA
BW Modeling ToolsToolEclipse-based modeling of ADSOs, CompositeProviders, transformations and BW queries.BW consultantsBW/4HANA
BW/4HANA CockpitToolWeb-based administration that replaces SAP GUI for most BW/4HANA administrator tasks.BW supportBW/4HANA
Transfer CockpitToolSAP BW/4HANA Transfer Cockpit: runs the scope transfer of in-place, shell and remote conversions.BW teamConversion
RSA3FI/CO and sourceExtractor checker: shows what a classic DataSource would send to BW, without BW. Not available for CDS-based extraction.FI/CO and BW consultantsSource system
RSA5FI/CO and sourceInstall DataSources from Business Content in the source system.BW consultantsSource system
RSA6FI/CO and sourceMaintain the active DataSources and hierarchies; after RSA5, activated DataSources appear here.BW consultantsSource system
RSA2FI/CO and sourceSAPI DataSource repository: the definition of a DataSource.BW consultantsSource system
RSA7FI/CO and sourceBW delta queue monitor, the classic delta queue. With ODP, the queue is in ODQMON.BW supportSource system
ODQMONFI/CO and sourceMonitor of the operational delta queues: queues, subscribers, requests and the data inside.BW supportSource + BW
RSO2FI/CO and sourceGeneric DataSources (OLTP metadata repository): extract your own table, view or function module.BW consultantsSource system
SBIWFI/CO and sourceThe source system’s Customizing for BW extraction; also fills and deletes setup tables.BW consultantsSource system
LBWEFI/CO and sourceLO cockpit: activate and maintain logistics DataSources and choose their update mode.BW and logistics consultantsSource system
LBWGFI/CO and sourceDelete setup tables by application, such as 11 for sales or 02 for purchasing.BW consultantsSource system
OLI7BWFI/CO and sourceFill the setup table for sales orders before an init load. OLI3BW does purchasing.BW consultantsSource system
LBWQFI/CO and sourceExtraction queue of the queued delta: logistics changes wait here before the delta queue.BW supportSource system
SM13FI/CO and sourceUpdate records: where logistics changes are first captured.Basis, BW supportSource system
FAGLBW01FI/CO and sourceGenerate a general ledger extract structure for new G/L extraction.FI and BW consultantsSource system
FAGLBW03FI/CO and sourceAssign a general ledger DataSource to a ledger, for ledgers other than the leading one.FI and BW consultantsSource system
KEB0FI/CO and sourceCreate the CO-PA DataSource for an operating concern (IMG activity BWCOPA_KEB0).CO and BW consultantsSource system
RODPS_REPL_TESTFI/CO and sourceProgram (SE38) that tests ODP replication, including CDS extractors where RSA3 does not work.BW consultantsS/4HANA
DHCDCMONFI/CO and sourceMonitor change data capture for CDS-based extraction.BW consultantsS/4HANA
RSA1BW teamData Warehousing Workbench: modeling, source systems and monitors in BW 7.x. In BW/4HANA, modeling moves to Eclipse and the web cockpit.BW consultantsBW/4HANA: Eclipse
RSPCBW teamProcess chain maintenance: build and schedule chains, and read the log of a failed step.BW teamBW
RSD1BW teamCharacteristic (InfoObject) maintenance.BW consultantsBW/4HANA: Eclipse
RSRVBW teamAnalysis and repair of BW objects.BW supportBW
RSMOBW teamMonitor of InfoPackage loads.BW supportBW 7.x
LISTCUBEBW teamList viewer for InfoCubes: display a cube’s content, as in G/L reconciliation.BW and FI consultantsBW 7.x (InfoCubes)
RSECADMINBW teamAnalysis authorizations: who may see which company codes, cost centers or other values.Security teamBW 7.x + BW/4HANA
RSUDOBW teamRun RSRT or another transaction as a different user, with a log of the authorization checks.Security team, BW supportBW 7.x + BW/4HANA
RSKCBW teamPermitted extra characters in characteristic values; the fix for “invalid characters” load errors.BW consultantsBW
RSRCACHEBW teamOLAP cache monitor, part of the usual BW performance checks.BW supportBW
ST03NBW teamWorkload analysis; its BW expert mode shows query and load performance.Basis, BW supportBW
SM37BW teamBackground jobs, including the ones behind process chains.BW supportBW
RSRTS_ODP_DISBW teamPreview the TransientProvider generated from a CDS view.BW consultantsBW/4HANA
RSDDS_AGGREGATES_MAINTAINBW teamProgram that runs the change run: activates changed attributes and hierarchies and adjusts aggregates.BW teamBW 7.x
RS_B4HANA_WHITELIST_MAINTAINBW teamReport that keeps the allowlist of objects that can still be exported in compatibility mode, during an in-place conversion.BW teamBW 7.5 on HANA
ACDOCATableUniversal Journal line items, read by 0FI_ACDOCA_10.FI and BWS/4HANA
FAGLFLEXATableNew G/L line items, read by 0FI_GL_14.FI and BWECC
FAGLFLEXTTableNew G/L totals; the reconciliation level against FS10N.FI and BWECC
BSID, BSADTableOpen and cleared customer items, read by 0FI_AR_4.FI and BWECC
BWFI_AEDATTableChange data registered for the 0FI_*_4 extractors.BW consultantsSource system
BWOM2_TIMESTTableDate and time stamps where the next FI delta extraction begins.BW consultantsSource system
RODELTAMTableDefinitions of the delta processes, such as ABR or AIE.BW consultantsSource system
RSODPABAPCDSVIEWTableMaps CDS SQL view names to DDIC view names for ODP.BW consultantsS/4HANA
/BIC/A<name>2TableActive data of one of your ADSOs; …1 is the inbound table and …3 the change log.BW consultantsBW/4HANA

Codes cross-checked with SAPSTACK, saplearners, SAP Learning, SAP Help and SAP blogs on LO and FI extraction. “BW/4HANA: Eclipse” means the task moved to the BW Modeling Tools or the BW/4HANA cockpit; “BW” means the transaction runs in BW, without a release named in the sources. Projects can restrict transactions, so check your own system before you write them into a manual.

BW to BW/4HANA

What changed with SAP BW/4HANA

SAP released BW/4HANA in 2016 as the successor of BW, rewritten to run only on SAP HANA. It is a separate ABAP application, no longer part of SAP NetWeaver, and about 5 million lines of ABAP code lighter than BW 7.5. Fewer object types do more: these are the cards to read if your company is moving.

  • Where data is stored

    BW 7.xInfoCubes and classic DataStore objects (DSO).

    BW/4HANAOne object: the DataStore object (advanced), ADSO.

    BW/4HANA does not support InfoCubes; remote and shell conversions turn them into ADSOs.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Virtual providers

    BW 7.xMultiProviders, InfoSets and VirtualProviders.

    BW/4HANACompositeProvider, plus Open ODS views and BAdI providers.

    Semantically partitioned objects are replaced by semantic groups.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Data flow

    BW 7.x3.x data flow with transfer and update rules, next to the 7.x flow.

    BW/4HANAOnly the 7.x data flow: DataSource, transformation, DTP.

    The same three objects carry every load, whatever the source.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Staging

    BW 7.xInfoPackages load the Persistent Staging Area (PSA).

    BW/4HANADTPs read the ODP delta queue directly; the PSA is obsolete.

    SAP cites compression of up to 90% in the queue and more than 40% shorter DTP run time.

    Source: SAP Learning, introducing ODP

  • Source systems

    BW 7.xS-API, DB Connect, UD Connect, web services, Data Services.

    BW/4HANAODP source systems, the SAP HANA source system and write interfaces.

    ODP_SAP replaces S-API; DB and UD Connect give way to the SAP HANA source system.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Extraction from S/4HANA

    BW 7.xClassic SAP extractors (S-API).

    BW/4HANACDS views through ODP_CDS, shipped from S/4HANA 1809.

    For S/4HANA Cloud, ODP_SAP is not available, so CDS views are the way in.

    Source: SAP Learning, CDS view-based extraction

  • Modeling and administration

    BW 7.xSAP GUI transactions such as RSA1.

    BW/4HANAEclipse-based BW Modeling Tools and a web-based cockpit.

    Administrators work in the cockpit instead of SAP GUI.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Front ends

    BW 7.xBEx Analyzer, BEx Web and the BEx Query Designer.

    BW/4HANAAnalysis for Office and SAP Analytics Cloud; BW queries built in the BW Modeling Tools.

    BEx queries carry on as “BW queries”; BEx broadcasting moves to SAC publications or the BusinessObjects platform.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • Platform

    BW 7.xAny supported database, as part of SAP NetWeaver, with a Java stack option.

    BW/4HANASAP HANA only, as a separate ABAP application, no Java stack.

    About 5 million lines of ABAP were removed compared with BW 7.5 SP4.

    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW

  • On the way: the Starter Add-on

    BW 7.xBW 7.5 on SAP HANA, in normal BW mode.

    BW/4HANACompatibility mode, then B4H mode, then ready-for-conversion mode.

    In B4H mode the BEx tools can no longer be used; authorizations for the conversion come through object S_RS_B4H.

    Source: SAP Learning, choosing a migration approach

Three roads to BW/4HANA

Besides a new installation, SAP offers three conversion paths. The SAP BW/4HANA Transfer Cockpit runs the scope transfer for all of them.

  • Same system, same SIDIn-place conversionConverts the existing system. Needs at least BW 7.5 SP05 on SAP HANA and the BW/4HANA Starter Add-on; the system passes through compatibility mode, B4H mode and ready-for-conversion mode.
  • New system, with dataRemote conversionA new BW/4HANA system receives metadata and data, with no database migration of the old one. Senders from BW 7.3 SP10, 7.4 SP09 or 7.5 SP02.
  • New system, models onlyShell conversionMoves the data model, converted on import (InfoCube to ADSO, for example), but no master or transaction data. Works from BW 7.x on any database.

Source: SAP Learning, choosing a migration approach.

2027 and after

2027, 2030, 2040: the dates every BW owner should know

BW 7.5 has been in maintenance mode since 2016, with every new feature going to BW/4HANA. Its mainstream maintenance ends with 2027, and SAP now offers three ways forward: BW/4HANA on premise, a lift to SAP Business Data Cloud, or a gradual move to SAP Datasphere.

  1. 2026Today
  2. 2027BW 7.5 mainstream ends; BW/4HANA 2021 too
  3. 2030BW 7.5 extended or lifted to BDC; BW/4HANA 2023 mainstream
  4. 2040BW/4HANA, at least
  • SAP BW 7.5

    End of 2027, or 2030

    Mainstream maintenance to the end of 2027, with optional extended maintenance to 2030. Releases 7.4 and older already left maintenance at the end of 2020.

    Source: SAP Community, maintenance strategy
  • SAP BW/4HANA

    Until at least 2040

    Long-term commitment to 2040, with a mainstream end per release: 2.0 in 2024, 2021 in 2027, 2023 in 2030. In 2023, SAP listed BW/4HANA 2026 as the next planned release.

    Source: SAP blog, BW/4HANA 2023 update
  • Business Data Cloud

    Lift, shift, innovate

    Lift BW 7.5 or BW/4HANA to BDC’s private cloud and BW 7.5 mainstream maintenance runs to 2030 instead of 2027. Then the Data Product Generator shares BW data as data products, and BW is retired step by step.

    Source: SAP Learning, BW and BDC
  • SAP Datasphere

    The BW bridge

    Datasphere, the successor of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud since March 2023, keeps BW skills and models alive through the BW bridge. SAP says 70 to 80% of BW and BW/4HANA artifacts can be moved.

    Source: SAP News, March 2023

With S/4HANA, do I still need BW?

SAP’s own answer splits the work by purpose, not by preference. Three options live side by side, and many companies use more than one.

  • Embedded analytics in S/4HANAOperational, real-time reporting in one S/4HANA system, on virtual CDS data models with almost nothing persisted. SAP points to it especially for S/4HANA Cloud.
  • Embedded BWA BW 7.5 inside S/4HANA for specific processes such as integrated financial planning. SAP does not recommend building an enterprise data warehouse on it and suggests keeping its persisted data under about 20% of the system.
  • SAP BW/4HANAThe enterprise data warehouse: several systems, SAP and non-SAP, history and snapshots, harmonized master data and one version of the truth.

Source: SAP blog by Jürgen Butsmann, SAP S/4HANA and SAP BW/4HANA: what to do where (2017).

Documented, but little known

16 tips for users and consultants

Each tip comes from SAP Learning, SAP Help, an SAP blog or a published source, linked under the tip.

  • 01Users

    Test the query before blaming Excel

    RSRT, the query monitor, runs a BW query without any front end. Support teams use it to find out whether a problem sits in the query, the data or the tool on top.

    • RSRT
    Source: Daily BW systems checklist
  • 02Users

    A report is only as fresh as the last load

    Before raising a ticket about missing figures, look at RSPCM: it shows whether the daily process chains ran. RSPC shows the log of the step that failed.

    • RSPCM
    • RSPC
    Source: SAPSTACK, SAP BI transaction codes
  • 03Users

    The BEx Analyzer has successors

    BW/4HANA does not support BEx. For Excel, SAP points to Analysis for Office; for web reports and dashboards, to SAP Analytics Cloud. Existing BEx queries carry on as BW queries.

    • RRMX
    Source: SAP Learning, comparing SAP BW/4HANA with SAP BW
  • 04Consultants

    RSA3 does not work for CDS extractors

    For CDS-based extraction, test with program RODPS_REPL_TEST, and preview the TransientProvider generated from the CDS view with RSRTS_ODP_DIS.

    • RODPS_REPL_TEST
    • RSRTS_ODP_DIS
    Source: SAP Learning, CDS view-based extraction
  • 05Consultants

    Test authorizations as the user, with a log

    RSUDO runs RSRT as another user and logs every authorization check. Start it from the Analysis tab of RSECADMIN; without S_RSEC you need the user’s password.

    • RSUDO
    • RSECADMIN
    Source: SAP Learning, analysis authorizations
  • 06Consultants

    CDS deletion detection is for small volumes

    Detecting deleted records in a timestamp-based CDS delta is only feasible below about one million records. SAP advises against it for high-volume data.

    • DHCDCMON
    Source: SAP Learning, CDS view-based extraction
  • 07Consultants

    In LSA++, every layer must earn its place

    Layers are no longer mandatory. Add a persistent layer only when the business logic needs one; queries can run on DataStore objects (advanced) without performance problems.

    Source: SAP Learning, LSA++
  • 08Consultants

    Allow characters with RSKC, clean the rest

    One documented approach: set RSKC to ALL_CAPITAL, convert values to upper case in the transformation and replace characters that fail RSKC_CHAVL_OF_IOBJ_CHECK with a blank.

    • RSKC
    Source: SAP blog, invalid characters in BW (2010)
  • 09Consultants

    One delta queue, many subscribers

    The operational delta queue can feed several subscribers, recover by time stamp and keep data for a configurable retention period.

    • ODQMON
    Source: SAP Learning, introducing ODP
  • 10FI/CO

    After images go through a standard ADSO first

    FI line item DataSources such as 0FI_AR_4 and 0FI_GL_14 send after images. Overwriting is only consistent with after images, so load them into a standard ADSO before any target that adds up.

    • 0FI_AR_4
    • 0FI_GL_14
    Source: SAP Learning, delta process properties
  • 11FI/CO

    Never load cost center actuals twice

    Load actuals with 0CO_OM_CCA_9, which SAP recommends with delta. SAP says not to create value type 10 loads for 0CO_OM_CCA_1, which serves plan, target and period-end data.

    • 0CO_OM_CCA_9
    • 0CO_OM_CCA_1
    Source: SAP Help, cost center InfoSources (0CCA_C11)
  • 12FI/CO

    0FI_GL_14 reads some records twice, on purpose

    Its delta works with a one-hour safety interval, so some records are extracted twice. The DataStore object overwrites the duplicates, which SAP says guarantees gap-free data.

    • 0FI_GL_14
    Source: SAP Help, DataSource 0FI_GL_14
  • 13FI/CO

    Non-leading ledgers need their own DataSource

    0FI_GL_14 extracts only the leading ledger. FAGLBW01 generates an extract structure and FAGLBW03 assigns a DataSource to each further ledger.

    • FAGLBW01
    • FAGLBW03
    Source: SAPSTACK, extractor transactions
  • 14FI/CO

    Reconcile totals before line items

    Compare FS10N and FAGLFLEXT with BW using currency type 10, value type 10 and ledger 0L. Line items from 0FI_GL_14 are worth comparing only for accounts that do not reconcile.

    • FS10N
    • FAGLFLEXT
    Source: SAP blog, new G/L to BW reconciliation (2014)
  • 15FI/CO

    CO-PA brings its own DataSource

    Costing-based CO-PA is extracted through a DataSource generated per operating concern, with all or some characteristics and value fields. In S/4HANA, margin analysis lines sit in ACDOCA and travel with 0FI_ACDOCA_10.

    • KEB0
    • 0FI_ACDOCA_10
    Source: sapdatasheet, IMG activity BWCOPA_KEB0
  • 16FI/CO

    After the S/4HANA conversion, replicate

    A conversion deactivates every DataSource in the source system. Activate them again and replicate their metadata to BW before the first load.

    • RSA6
    • RSA1
    Source: SAP blog, data extraction in S/4HANA 1511 (2016)

Myths

Things people get wrong about BW

  • MythWith S/4HANA, BW is dead.

    FactSAP splits the work: embedded analytics for operational reporting inside one S/4HANA, BW/4HANA as the enterprise data warehouse across systems, with maintenance until at least 2040.

  • MythBW shows the same data as S/4HANA, in real time.

    FactBW keeps its own persisted copy, refreshed by loads. A report shows the data as of the last load, which is why “BW is a day behind” is usually a schedule, not a bug.

  • MythBW 7.5 stops working in 2027.

    FactMainstream maintenance ends with 2027. Extended maintenance runs to 2030, and lifting the system to SAP Business Data Cloud also extends mainstream maintenance to 2030.

  • MythThe embedded BW in S/4HANA can be our data warehouse.

    FactSAP does not recommend building an enterprise data warehouse on the embedded BW and suggests keeping its persisted data under about 20% of the system.

  • MythInfoCubes are the heart of BW.

    FactBW/4HANA does not support InfoCubes. The DataStore object (advanced) replaces both InfoCubes and classic DSOs.

  • MythAny delta can go into any target.

    FactAfter-image deltas, such as FI line items, need a DataStore object that overwrites; only before and after images load correctly into a target that adds up.

  • MythBW is only for SAP data.

    FactBW/4HANA is open to non-SAP sources, such as external tables and SAP HANA views, and SAP positions it as a hub for big data too.

  • MythMoving to the cloud means rebuilding BW from scratch.

    FactDatasphere’s BW bridge reuses BW skills and models, and SAP says 70 to 80% of BW and BW/4HANA artifacts can move; BDC can lift a BW system as it is.

Evolution

From Business Information Warehouse to Business Data Cloud

Twenty-eight years, four names and one constant: finance teams asking for one version of the numbers. Gold dots mark the SAP HANA era.

  1. 1998LaunchSAP releases the Business Information Warehouse (BIW), formally as version 1.2. SAPinsider later called it the first third-generation packaged data warehouse.
  2. 2000Release 2.0The old ODS is renamed persistent staging area (PSA), and a new ODS object is added.
  3. 2002Release 3.0Web services, a charting engine and a database link for non-SAP sources. By 2002–03, more than 3,000 customers use BW.
  4. 2004BW 3.5BW becomes part of SAP NetWeaver, with BPS planning, better scheduling and report broadcasting.
  5. 2006–09BW 7.0The years SAPinsider calls BW’s most mature: transformations and DTPs, the 7.x data flow, take over from the 3.x rules.
  6. ~2010BW AcceleratorWith volumes grown from a few gigabytes to many terabytes, the BW Accelerator (BWA) indexes data outside the database to speed up queries.
  7. 2012BW on HANABW powered by SAP HANA: classic BW on the in-memory database, with faster loads and reports.
  8. 2016SAP BW/4HANARewritten to run only on SAP HANA, as the successor of BW. Feature investment now goes only to BW/4HANA.
  9. 2020Maintenance datesSAP sets the dates: BW 7.5 maintained to the end of 2027 with extended maintenance to 2030, BW/4HANA until at least 2040.
  10. 2021BW/4HANA 2021Ships in the fourth quarter, with a matching SAP BPC 2021 add-on.
  11. 2023DatasphereIn March, SAP Datasphere succeeds SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, with an expanded BW bridge. SAP BW/4HANA 2023 follows, planned for the end of October.
  12. 2025Business Data CloudOn 13 February, SAP announces SAP Business Data Cloud with Databricks. BW systems can be lifted to its private cloud and shared as data products.

Why everything starts with 0

Zero is SAP’s mark. InfoObjects and other Business Content that SAP delivers have technical names starting with 0, such as 0RECORDMODE or 0INFOPROV; your own start with a letter and need no Z. That is also why finance DataSources read 0FI_… and 0CO_….

The names it has had

YearName
1998Business Information Warehouse (BIW)
2004BW 3.5, part of SAP NetWeaver
2012BW powered by SAP HANA
2016SAP BW/4HANA
2025BW in SAP Business Data Cloud

Sources: SAPinsider; SAP Learning; SAP Learning, BW and Business Data Cloud.

The questions people ask most

What does BW stand for?

Business Warehouse. SAP launched it in 1998 as the Business Information Warehouse (BIW); it has also been sold as SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse and BW powered by SAP HANA. Today’s products are SAP BW 7.5 and SAP BW/4HANA.

Is BW a module of S/4HANA?

No. BW is a separate system that receives data from S/4HANA and other sources. S/4HANA does contain an embedded BW 7.5 for specific processes, such as integrated financial planning, but SAP does not recommend using it as an enterprise data warehouse.

With S/4HANA, do we still need BW?

It depends on the question you need to answer. Operational, real-time reporting inside one S/4HANA system belongs in embedded analytics. Reporting across several systems, with history, non-SAP data and harmonized master data, is what SAP positions BW/4HANA for.

What is the difference between BW and BW/4HANA?

BW/4HANA, released in 2016, runs only on SAP HANA and has far fewer object types: the ADSO replaces InfoCubes and DSOs, the CompositeProvider replaces MultiProviders and InfoSets, modeling moves to Eclipse and BEx gives way to Analysis for Office and SAP Analytics Cloud.

What happens to BW 7.5 after 2027?

Its mainstream maintenance ends with 2027. Extended maintenance is available to 2030, and lifting the system to the private cloud of SAP Business Data Cloud also extends mainstream maintenance to 2030. BW/4HANA is maintained until at least 2040.

Why can’t I see today’s postings in BW?

Because BW reports on a copy refreshed by loads, usually through process chains that run on a schedule, often at night. If the chain ran and the data is still missing, ask BW support to check the delta queue and the chain log.

Why doesn’t my BW report match FBL3N or FS10N?

The usual causes are timing (the last load), a delta loaded into the wrong kind of target, a double load, different currency or value types, master data not yet activated, # Not assigned lines and authorizations. The quick test above shows each one and who fixes it.

What is a delta, and what is an init?

A delta load brings only the changes since the last load. The init is the first load that opens the delta; for logistics DataSources the setup tables must be filled first, for example with OLI7BW for sales orders, and can be deleted with LBWG.

What are ODP and ODQMON?

Operational Data Provisioning is the framework BW uses to extract from SAP systems. Changes wait in the operational delta queue, which one or more subscribers read; ODQMON is the transaction to monitor those queues.

What is an ADSO, and what is a CompositeProvider?

The DataStore object (advanced) stores data in an inbound table, an active data table and a change log. The CompositeProvider is a virtual object that joins or unions ADSOs and master data for reporting, without copying data.

What does “# Not assigned” mean in a report?

It is BW’s initial value for a characteristic: the records have no value for it, or come from a provider that does not contain it. Whether that is a data problem or a modeling one needs a look at the source and the model.

Who decides what each user can see in BW?

Analysis authorizations, maintained in RSECADMIN, restrict the values a user may see, such as company codes or cost centers. RSUDO lets an administrator run a query as that user, with a log of every check.

What is SAP Business Data Cloud, and what does it mean for BW?

Announced on 13 February 2025, it unifies SAP and third-party data with Databricks technology built in. For BW, SAP describes three steps: lift the system to BDC’s private cloud, shift its data into data products with the Data Product Generator, then innovate and retire BW gradually.

What is the BW bridge in SAP Datasphere?

Datasphere, announced in March 2023 as the next generation of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, includes a BW bridge that lets companies reuse their BW and BW/4HANA investments in the cloud. SAP says 70 to 80% of existing BW artifacts can be moved with existing skills.

References

Checked in November 2026. SAP knowledge base articles and SAP Notes need an SAP for Me login. Transaction lists from partner sites can lag behind your release; check names in your own system.