Many SAP BusinessObjects customers make extensive use of scheduling and publishing, and this often involves sending the same report (as a PDF or Excel file) as an attachment to various email addresses. A good alternative is to schedule the report to be saved to OneDrive or SharePoint so that the file is physically stored in only one location. An additional benefit is that permissions are easy to set up and version history is available.
How does scheduling to Microsoft OneDrive work?
First of all, it is important that SAP BusinessObjects runs under a (Windows) service account. This is usually already the case if Windows AD and SSO have been set up. In addition, the service account must be linked to an Office 365 (now called Microsoft 365) account. The next step is to log in to the BO server using the service account and install OneDrive. Select a local drive and folder to be synchronized with OneDrive. Repeat this on each BO application server if the BO environment consists of a cluster. Of course, the BO server must have internet access.
When the report is scheduled in SAP BusinessObjects, you can specify the directory that syncs to OneDrive as the “Destination” under “File System.” In this example, that would be the local directory “E:\OneDrive\OneDrive – Alistar B.V\Finance” on the BO server. If desired, you can also choose to have BO send an email (without an attachment) notifying recipients that the report has been updated. However, a better solution is for the people who have access to the shared folder to set up their own notifications when an update is available.
Scheduling to SharePoint Online?
Scheduling to SharePoint Online works essentially the same way as scheduling to Microsoft OneDrive because the underlying Microsoft technology is the same. If there is a Microsoft 365 account for the SAP BO service account and the appropriate permissions have been granted to a folder in SharePoint Online, the service account can be used to log in to the BO server and access the relevant SharePoint folder. This folder can then be synchronized with a local folder on the BO server.
When scheduling in SAP BO, this local folder can be used as a “Destination” for the schedule, just as with OneDrive. The files will then be automatically synchronized with SharePoint.
Still using SharePoint on-premises?
If your organization still uses on-premises SharePoint, you can also schedule from BO to a SharePoint location. In that case, follow these steps exactly to set this up.
Step 1:
Make sure SAP BusinessObjects is running under a Windows service account, and then grant that service account Contribute Rights on the desired SharePoint site.
Step 2:
Install the Windows feature “Desktop experience” and restart the server after installation.
Step 3:
Open the Registry Editor on the BO server.
Go to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters
And add the following lines:
DWord (32-bit): EnableAutoCertSelection with a value of 1
DWord (32-bit): EnableCTLFiltering with a value of 1
Multi-string value: AuthForwardServerList with value https://*.<SharePoint domain>.com
Restart the Web Client service and check the box next to "Automatically restart.".
Step 4:
Go to Internet Explorer Options on the SAP BO server and set the SharePoint site as a “trusted site.”.
Step 5:
Also open “Custom level” in Internet Explorer Options and enable the “automatic login with current username and password” option.
Step 6
Open the SharePoint site in Internet Explorer on the BO server after logging in with the BO service account. Click “Open with Explorer” as shown below (if necessary, you’ll need to switch SharePoint to classic view). Windows File Explorer should now open without prompting for credentials. If you are prompted for credentials, you’ll need to repeat the previous steps; otherwise, scheduling to SharePoint will not work.
Step 7
Find the UNC path that can be used for scheduling. In Windows File Explorer, select “Map Network” and then click the link “connect to a website that you…….”.
In the screen above, enter your SharePoint address to which the BO service account has access. For example: https://sharepoint.ensior.com/BI_Governance/ReportRepository/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Now retrieve the “properties” of the network connection you just created and copy the UNC path listed under “Comment.” For example: \\scharepoint.ensior.com@SSL\DavWWWRoot\BI_Governance\ReportRepository
Use this address now to schedule a transfer from BO to SharePoint.
Conclusion:
Instead of selecting the email option during scheduling and sending the same file to multiple mailboxes, Microsoft OneDrive and/or SharePoint are good alternatives. Additional benefits include easy user authorization, reduced storage requirements, and automatic version control.
