Q: What are your plans for the Webi extension?
A: Our ultimate goal is a Webi extension that embraces the same powerful plug and play configuration that made CMaps Plugin a smashing success. Additionally, we only use SAP supported APIs, so we chose to use Webi ExtensionPoints because it grants complete control over the experience within the bounds of the Javascript functions SAP exposes to us.
Q: What is the current version status?
A: We are currently on a version that is powered by SAP Dashboards for design. V3 is all HTML5 powered with our latest nd greatest Google Maps visualizations. We are pumped about this new approach to extend lots of power to professional report designers, with basic mapping capabilities for Webi power users.
Q: Why did you first use Xcelsius?
A: Xcelsius for us is a bridge to get customers up and running quickly and an option for customers who are still running old, non HTML5 compatible browsers (IE8 and earlier). However the ultimate go forward technology is HTML5 which we have been perfecting now for 2 years in perpetual R&D first with CMaps Mobile, then with Xcelsius mobile views, and now with CMaps Designer.
Q: What is the planned release date?
A: Originally the release date was slated for Dec 2014, which was pushed back to February 2015. As of now we are on track to get CMaps Designer into customer’s hands on time with demand at an all time high.
Q: How will the new extension work?
A: Similar to Xcelsius, we use an external map designer with CMaps Analytics Designer to provide 1 consistent experience for your developers and business users. The workflow is that you get a basic map right out of the box and an updated property sheet inside of Webi. Simply click “Bind” and then click on the column within a Webi report part to feed that column of data into the map. Its that simple!
Then for more sophisticated maps, you launch CMaps Analytics Designer, create the map experience and copy /paste the map configuration code right into Webi.
