A short presentation developed for the ACL London User Group covering some top user queries: 1) Calculate number of months between dates 2) Identify duplicates over multiple fields 3) Automating SAP Direct Link background query retrieval

1. Alex Psarras
Question Box

2. Alex Psarras, ACDA
Senior Data Insight Analyst
3 Appleton Court, Calder Park, Wakefield WF2 7AR
T +44 (0)1924 254101 F +44 (0)1924 253358 M +44 (0)75 8596 7438
E: alex.psarras@dataconsulting.co.uk W: www.dataconsulting.co.uk

3. Top Queries
1.Calculate number of months between dates
2.Identify duplicates over multiple fields
3.Automating SAP Direct Link background
query retrieval

4. Calculating months between dates
Quick and dirty way
• Months = (End Date – Start Date) / 30.00 (2 d.p.)
• Months = (End Date – Start Date) / 30 (0 d.p.)
= (08/11/2014 – 28/08/2014) / 30.00
= 72 / 30.00
= 2.40 (2 d.p.)
= 2 (0 d.p.)

5. Calculating months between dates
Quick and dirty way
• Months = (End Date – Start Date) / 30.00 (2 d.p.)
• Months = (End Date – Start Date) / 30 (0 d.p.)
= (08/11/2014 – 28/08/2014) / 30.00
= 72 / 30.00
= 2.40 (2 d.p.)
= 2 (0 d.p.)

6. Calculating months between dates
A better approach*
Months = MONTH(End Date) – MONTH(Start Date)
= MONTH(08/11/2014) – MONTH(28/08/2014)
= 11 - 8
= 3
* version 10 onwards

7. Calculating months between dates
A better approach*
Months = MONTH(End Date) – MONTH(Start Date)
* version 10 onwards

8. Calculating months between dates
A better approach*
Months = (YEAR(End Date) – YEAR(Start Date)) * 12 +
MONTH(End Date) – MONTH(Start Date)
= (YEAR(15/01/2015) – YEAR(08/11/2014)) *
12 + MONTH(15/01/2015) – MONTH(08/11/2014)
= (2015 – 2014) * 12 + 1 - 11
= 1 * 12 + 1 - 11
= 12 + 1 - 11
= 2
* version 10 onwards

9. Calculating months between dates
Pre-version 10
• MONTH() = VALUE(SPLIT(DATE(Date), “/”, 2), 0)
• YEAR() = VALUE(SPLIT(DATE(Date), “/”, 3), 0)
Day / Month / Year
Segment 1 Separator Segment 2 Separator Segment 3
05 / 01 / 2015

10. Duplicates in different fields
Vendor
ID
Name 1 Name 2 Address
#
1st Line
Address
Post Code
45463 Clownfish
Telecom
Finance
Department
3 North
Forest St
TT8 9UX
48923 Clownfish
Ltd (DON’T
USE)
Clownfish
Telecom
3 North
Forest
Street
TT8 9UX
48782 Death Star
Enterprise
Mos Eisley
Cantina
8 SW1 3PO
49969 A.Skywalker aka Darth
Vader
8 Mos Eisley
Cantina
SW1 3PO

11. Duplicates in different fields
Combine all key fields into one field:
• Name 2 + Post Code
• Address # + Post Code
• 1st Line Address + Post Code
• “Clean” versions of the above

12. 45463 – TT8 9UX Digits 1st
Line
45463 NorthForestSt – TT8 9UX Chars 1st
Line
45463 North Forest St – TT8 9UX 1st
Line
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Digits Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Chars Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Digits Name 2
45463 FinanceDepartment - TT8 9UX Chars Name 2
45463 Finance Department - TT8 9UX Name 2
Duplicates in different fields
Vendor ID Address Address Type
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Address #

13. 45463 – TT8 9UX Digits 1st
Line
45463 NorthForestSt – TT8 9UX Chars 1st
Line
45463 North Forest St – TT8 9UX 1st
Line
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Digits Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Chars Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Digits Name 2
45463 FinanceDepartment - TT8 9UX Chars Name 2
45463 Finance Department - TT8 9UX Name 2
Duplicates in different fields
Vendor ID Address Address Type
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Address #

14. 48923 3 – TT8 9UX Digits 1st
Line
48923 3 North Forest Street – TT8 9UX 1st
Line
48923 Clownfish Telecom - TT8 9UX Name 2
45463 – TT8 9UX Digits 1st
Line
45463 NorthForestSt – TT8 9UX Chars 1st
Line
45463 North Forest St – TT8 9UX 1st
Line
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Digits Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Chars Address #
45463 - TT8 9UX Digits Name 2
45463 FinanceDepartment - TT8 9UX Chars Name 2
45463 Finance Department - TT8 9UX Name 2
Duplicates in different fields
Vendor ID Address Address Type
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Address #

15. Duplicates in different fields
• 45463 & 48923 (1 match)
– Address # vs Digits 1st Line
• 48782 & 49962 (2 matches)
– Name 2 vs 1st Line
– 1st Line vs Address #
Vendor ID Address Address Type
45463 3 - TT8 9UX Address #
48923 3 – TT8 9UX Digits 1st Line
48782 Mos Eisley Cantina - SW1 3PO Name 2
48782 8 - SW1 3PO 1st Line
49969 Mos Eisley Cantina - SW1 3PO 1st Line
49969 8 - SW1 3PO Address #

16. Duplicates in different fields
COMMENT ** Extract all fields to Combined_Addresses
EXTRACT FIELDS TO "Combined_Addresses"
Vendor_Number
SUBSTRING(Name_2 + "-" + Post_Code, 1, 50) AS "Address"
SUBSTRING("Name 2", 1, 20) AS "Type"
EXTRACT FIELDS TO "Combined_Addresses" APPEND
Vendor_Number
SUBSTRING(INCLUDE(UPPER(Name_2), "A…Z") + "-" + Post_Code, 1, 50)
SUBSTRING("Chars Name 2", 1, 20)
EXTRACT FIELDS TO "Combined_Addresses" APPEND
Vendor_Number
SUBSTRING(INCLUDE(Name_2, "0123456789") + "-" + Post_Code, 1, 50)
SUBSTRING("Digits Name 2", 1, 20)
COMMENT ** Repeat for next field

17. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
• ACL Direct Link has two modes:
1. Extract Now
• For small queries, 488 KB or less
• ACL retrieves data as soon as possible
2. Background
• For larger queries
• User has to manually retrieve data
• Background retrieval can be automated by
using SAP table TBTCO - Job Status Overview
Job Name Start Date Start Time User Status End Date End Time
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 APsarras F 13/01/2014 13:49:02
BKPF.DAT 13/01/2014 09:58:34 APsarras R

18. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
How to automate SAP retrievals
1. Submit all queries in background mode
2. Capture and log the SAP job names
3. For each un-retrieved table
a) Check TBTCO and see if the data is ready
b) If ready then retrieve data and log findings
c) Move on to next un-retrieved table
4. Wait X minutes and repeat step 3
5. Continue once we have all files

19. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
1. Submit all queries in background mode

20. EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
2. Capture and log the SAP job names
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records

21. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
TBTKO
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
Job Name Start Date Start Time User Status End Date End Time
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 APsarras R

22. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
TBTKO
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
Job Name Start Date Start Time User Status End Date End Time
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 APsarras F 13/01/2014 09:52:59
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485

23. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
TBTKO
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
Job Name Start Date Start Time User Status End Date End Time
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 APsarras R
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485

24. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
4. All tables retrieved?
No - so wait 10 minutes
EXECUTE "TIMEOUT /t 600“
Then go back to step 3

25. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485

26. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
Wait 10 minutes!
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485

27. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
Wait 10 minutes!
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 N
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 N
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485

28. Auto-retrieve SAP Direct Link jobs
3. For each un-retrieved table
EKKO.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:19 Y
LFA1.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
BSEG.DAT 13/01/2014 09:52:18 Y
Job Name Submit
Date
Submit
Time
Complete Complete
Date
Complete
Time
Records
13/01/2014 09:52:59 52,485
13/01/2014 11:38:12 11,848,179
13/01/2014 18:08:32 89,711,009

29. Questions?
Alex Psarras
075 8596 7438
alex.psarras@dataconsulting.co.uk