Universe on SAP HANA

Choosing between creating HANA information models and universes

Client tool Requires a Universe Access HANA data via:

SBO Analysis Office            No                      an information model
SBO Explorer (*)
Microsoft Excel (PivotTable)


SBO Web Intelligence Yes                      a universe built on tables or information models
SBO Dashboards
SBO Crystal Reports for Enterprise


(*) Explorer could also be connected to universes

When you have to begin a new business intelligence project on HANA, the first question to ask yourself is whether you want to (or need to) create information models or universes.


At the moment  your choice mainly depends on the client tool that you want to use to access HANA.

When you create information models you benefit from:
-Availability to Analysis, Explorer, Excel, reusability in Universes
-SQL Script, L, R languages for programmatic calculation view
-Modeling in HANA Studio

When you create universes you benefit from:
-Higher customization of the output for business users
-Query time prompts and variables
-Embedded multisource technology to federate data from HANA with data from other sources
-Modeling in the information design tool

In the last case there are two main of database objects that you can query from a universe: tables and information models.


Information models are business or calculation models already defined into HANA and as such already contain a lot of intelligence which could be reused. Information models are more than simple relational tables, and come with additional functionality and constraints when queried with SQL.
Information models can be reused in a universe and take advantage of the business or calculation algorithms already defined into HANA Studio.
When building a universe on information models a particular attention should be given to the SQL constraints.



For SAP HANA information see also:

Create a Data Foundation (UNX) on a SAP HANA

SAP HANA variables and parameters

SAP HANA Architecture and terms