September 9–11, 2013
Anaheim, California
0513 - Make It Look Like Your Own: Customizing SAP BI 4.1
Derrick Wan, BusinessObjects BI Platform, SAP
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Learning Points
 Learn what you can do with
BI launch pad In-Product
Customization
 Learn what you can do with
the Install Customization Tool
3
Agenda
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4
Features Overview
BI launch pad In-Product Customization
Installer and Crystal Report 2011 Customization
Demo
Q&A
Features Overview
 BI launch pad / Open Document Customization
 Business Intelligence Platform Installer Customization
 SAP Crystal Reports 2011 Customization
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Key Concepts – Web Application Customization
 Installation package
 Customization template
 Template.zip file in the Collaterals\CustomizationTemplate
 BOE WAR file
 Branding bundles
 com.businessobjects.webpath.InfoViewBranding.jar
 com.businessobjects.webpath.OpenDocumentBranding.jar
 Web application deployment
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Customization Process for BI launch pad
Decide what
customizations
are required
Extract branding
bundles from
template.zip
Create
Customization
files
Result:
Customized BI
launch pad
Deploy
customization
files
NOTE: The process shown assumed you have SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform installed
already
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BI launch pad In-Product Customization
 What can you customize?
 Logo
 Branding (or “skinning”)
 Theming
 Easily customizable
 Ease of delivery to customers
 Changes persist throughout product lifecycle (maintenance)
 Documentation
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Best Practices
 Test the customization first on a test installation before performing
customizations on your production systems
 Never modify the properties file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP
BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI
4.0\warfiles\webapps\BOE\WEB-INF\config\default directory as only changes
in the custom directory will be maintained over patches.
 Never modify the properties files directly in the tomcat work directory as they
will be overridden during a patch or when re-deploying your web application.
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BI launch pad In-Product Customization
NOTE: not all components are customizable through
this process.
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BI launch pad Branding (SAP BI 4.0 FP3)
 Supported Branding
 Logos
 On BI launch pad and OpenDocument logon pages, top right
corner
 On BI launch pad application page, top-left corner
 Application title
 On BI launch pad and OpenDocument logon page
 URLs to access the application
 BI launch pad logon path (defaults to BI/)
 Not available for OpenDocument
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Example 1: How to change name of BI launch pad
1. Create BIlaunchpad.properties file in folder
 SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise
XI4.0\warfiles\webapps\BOE\WEB-INF\config\custom
2. Add the following properties
 app.name=My BI launch pad
 app.name.greeting=BusinessObjects
 app.name.short=My BI launch pad
 app.url.name=/myBI
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BI launch pad Theming (4.0 FP3)
 Supported Theming
 Colors
 Change colors defined in CSS
 Change colors defined by images
 Images and Icons
 All Images and icons used in the application
 Does not include document type/plugin icons
 Does not include menu and button
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BI launch pad Theming (4.0 FP3)
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BI launch pad Theming (4.0 FP3)
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Example 2: How to theme BI launch pad?
1. Create BI launch pad and OpenDocument branding bundle
 com.businessobjects.webpath.InfoViewBranding.jar
 com.businessobjects.webpath.OpenDocumentBranding.jar
2. Bundle contain
Custom css file which allows overriding of certain
background colors, patterns, css styles such as border,
paddling, and margins
Certain animated gifs
(e.g. progress indicator)
The icon displayed
in the browser
URL bar
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An image directory with all
images supported for customization
Example 2: How to theme BI launch pad?
3. Drop bundle in folder
 SAP BusinessObjects\SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI
4.0\warfiles\webapps\BOE\WEB-INF\eclipse\plugins
4. Run Wdeploy
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What is in the customize.css?
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Customized BI launch pad Logon Page
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Documentation and Samples
 The collaterals in template.zip contain a sample customization of
BI launch pad and OpenDocument containing a custom.css file as
well as all images that can be customized
 SAP BusinessObjects BI Customization Guide contains detailed
documentation
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Example 3: Customize BI launch pad Preferences
 Customize BI launch
pad starting page
 Home Tab
 Default or
custom BI workspace
 Document Tab
 My Documents
 Folders
 Categories
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Example 3: Customize BI launch pad Preferences
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Installer and Crystal Reports 2011 Customization
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How does it work?
SAP Release
SA
Customizations
P
Cu
s to
mi
za
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tio
nf
old
er
Planning Your Customization Process
Base BI Platform
setup.exe
Decide what
customizations
are required
Write the
configuration file
(oem.xml)
Customized BI
Platform
setup.exe
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Run the
customization
tool
(OEMtool.exe)
XML input file and OEMTool
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Best Practices for Creating Customized Install
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Validate the configuration file
Reduce Product Size
Apply customized names consistently
Consider name change in all languages
Modify patch installation programs to be consistent with the main
installation program
 Test rollback, modify, and repair installations for Support Packages
and patches
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Decide What Customizations are Required
 What can you customize?
 Installer branding/graphics (e.g. change product name, change
billboard, graphics, start menu, directory, etc.)
 Create custom installation and maintenance packages by
removing undesired features
 Embed key code
 Removal of language packs
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Graphic Rebranding
 Swapping installer graphics using the customization tool
Base BOE
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Product Names Customization
 The product name and version appears on the top window banner
and in text throughout the setup UI
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Creating Customized Installation Packages
 The feature tree can be customized to include only the necessary
features
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Crystal Reports 2011 In Product Customization
 What can you customize?
 Splash screen
 Product name and menu
 Start page
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Demo
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Questions?
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Derrick Wan, Product Owner, BusinessObjects BI Platform, SAP
derrick.wan@sap.com
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Appendix
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SAP BusinessObjects BI Customization Guide
Tutorial: Branding and Theming of BI launch pad
Tutorial: How to customize BI launch pad home page
Tutorial: Customizing BI launch pad name
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SESSION CODE: 0513
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