SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3 brings the BusinessObjects community a fully Fiorified BI Launch Pad. Like previous versions, the appearance of the BI Launch Pad can be customized by editing properties files with a text editor like Notepad++.
The new launch pad is located at http://[webserver]:[port]/BOE/BILaunchpad and has its own properties file, FioriBI.properties. You’ll want to copy the original from the [Install Directory]\SAP BusinessObjects\tomcat\webapps\BOE\WEB-INF\config\default to the [Install Directory]\SAP BusinessObjects\tomcat\webapps\BOE\WEB-INF\config\custom folder.
The default file contains many of same properties as the old BI Launch Pad’s BIlaunchpad.properties file; however, not all properties are yet supported. At a minimum, you’ll probably want to customize these:
# You can specify the default Authentication types here. secEnterprise, secLDAP, secWinAD, secSAPR3
authentication.default=secWinAD
# Choose whether to let the user change the authentication type. If it isn't shown the default authentication type from above will be used
authentication.visible=true
# You can specify the authentications that are supported in this field.
# By default all the authentications listed below will appear. You can add or remove values from the field, based on the authentications which are supported.
# Authentications List --- secEnterprise,secLDAP,secWinAD,secSAPR3,secOraApps,secPSE1,secpsenterprise,secSiebel7
logon.authentication.visibleList=secWinAD,secEnterprise
# You can specify the default CMS machine name here
cms.default=@YOURCLUSTERNAMEHERE
# Choose whether to let the user change the CMS name
cms.visible=true
#You can specify the default administration email_ids in semicolon separated format here.
#The specified Email ids will be used when user will click on Contact Administrator on BILP Login screen
admin.user.email=YOURBITEAM@YOURORGANIZATION.COM
Unlike some versions of BI 4.2, the Fiori-based BI Admin Studio is integrated into the Central Management Console (CMC).
# You can specify the default Authentication types here. secEnterprise, secLDAP, secWinAD, secSAPR3
authentication.default=secWinAD
# Choose whether to let the user change the authentication type. If it isn't shown the default authentication type from above will be used
authentication.visible=true
# You can specify the authentications that are supported in this field.
# By default all the authentications listed below will appear. You can add or remove values from the field, based on the authentications which are supported.
# Authentications List --- secEnterprise,secLDAP,secWinAD,secSAPR3,secOraApps,secPSE1,secpsenterprise,secSiebel7
logon.authentication.visibleList=secWinAD,secEnterprise
# You can specify the default CMS machine name here
cms.default=@YOURCLUSTERNAMEHERE
# Choose whether to let the user change the CMS name
cms.visible=true
#You can specify the default administration email_ids in semicolon separated format here.
#The specified Email ids will be used when user will click on Contact Administrator on BILP Login screen
admin.user.email=YOURBITEAM@YOURORGANIZATION.COM
The new admin.user.email property allows users to send an email for help from the BI Launch Pad. Although the link is labeled “BI Administrator” it may make more sense to put the email address of your corporate help desk or whomever is your first line of support for logon issues.
Branding and theming is possible using a new Theme Designer web application that can be found in the Collaterals folder of the SAP BusinessObjects installation software for BI 4.3 and BI 2025. The Theme Designer is easy to install, but it offers limited functionality and its output must be carefully injected into one of the BOE WAR files. I’ve heard that a new customization experience will be a part of BI 2027, which I look forward to with great anticipation.
SAP has put together a comprehensive SAP BusinessObjects BI Customization Guide available on the SAP Help Portal. In addition to the properties covered in this article, it includes information on customizing the installation program, using the Fiori Theme Designer app, and customizing Crystal Reports.
