This blog covers some of the latest new features and enhancements in SAP Analytics Cloud* and SAP Digital Boardroom release 2017.20. Please note that the Analytics Cloud Help documentation is updated at the same time as the upgrade to this release, so the links here may not yet reflect what is described below until after the upgrade is complete.
SAP Analytics Cloud agent version required for data acquisition with this release:
For more information, see System Requirements and Technical Prerequisites.
Highlights of this release:
Learn with our latest video tutorials
In this release, we’ve made several improvements to help you to integrate with SAP BW when working with BEx queries:
Two structures support: You can now easily visualize the line of business data when leveraging BW queries with two structures. Moreover, you can define individual cells with the cell editor in the BEx Query Designer. The cell definitions override in rows and columns (formula or selections) while the filters still apply.
Variants and personalization: You can now save time by using variants to specify the values for several BW prompts simultaneously. You can also use existing variants stored in SAP BW, either private or public.
Enhanced hierarchy handling: We now support time-dependent hierarchies based on a key date variable or query key date. It will not only help you to visualize different data views of a hierarchy, but it also shows data model relationships that change time-dependently. Based on the key date, the value list changes due to the validity of existing hierarchies.
Dynamic Variables: For SAP Exit, Customer Exit and authorizations variables, the variable values are not saved in stories in SAP Analytics Cloud (depends on the settings in the BEx Query Designer).
Parallel processing: Parallel processing of BEx queries within a story.
In release 2017.20, the event timeline panel has been deprecated. The event cockpit is now the central location for managing events and tasks.
Previously, when working with R visualizations, you were only able to create static lists and manually provide new input values as parameters. In this release, you can save time and effort by using existing dimension values to generate input parameters for your R scripts!
We are pleased to announce that SAP Analytics Cloud now has support for Slovakian.
Users with the SAP Analytics Cloud Business Intelligence license can now access predictive analysis, standard edition features like Automated Discoveries.
As we mentioned in release 16, we added the content library to make it easier for you to add sample content and prebuilt business content to your system. With this release, all the available business content has been fully migrated to the content library. You can now get started quickly with content packages for SAP Analytics Cloud and Digital Boardroom.
Now when you import data from OData sources (or SuccessFactors, Google BigQuery, Google Drive) into a new or existing model, the data acquisition will happen in the background while you work on something else.
When the data import is complete, you will be notified that the data was imported successfully. You can build your model then, or leave it for later. Please note that the imported data expires seven days after the import.
To help you to efficiently manage your data for a given model, we’ve centralized all actions on the data sources tab of the modeler. From this one tab, you can now refresh jobs, delete, and schedule data refreshes for specific data sources. Also, you can directly import data into a model without leaving the modeler page.
Starting with this release, stories are launched in view mode by default, which means that editing capabilities are disabled for a better visual experience. However, you can quickly switch to edit mode by clicking the edit button.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could visualize the relationship between measures? You can now add measures into the color field which shows the correlation between them. We also take this one step further by showing colors as a gradient based on measure values.
In this release, as you work with cross calculations, you now have the ability to create thresholds and filter each threshold on different account types (e.g. restricted measures and member functions).
You can now choose to repeat dimension member names for every row in the table, and repeated members will be included when copying cells. Moreover, you have the option to show or hide repetitive member names.
Value sorting just got simpler. You can now directly use column or row headers to sort table values via the quick action menu. This function is also available for dimension sorting in tables.
Two new calculations are now available with this release:
If you apply the %GrandTotal measure to a hierarchy and drill down into items in the product, it will continue to display the percentage of the overall grand total. These two new measures are supported in the modeler as well.
The quick action menu for tables has been reorganized to better distinguish object-specific actions from common actions.
*SAP Analytics Cloud was previously known as SAP BusinessObjects Cloud
**Legal disclaimer
SAP has no obligation to pursue any course of business outlined in this blog or any related presentation, or to develop or release any functionality mentioned therein. This blog, or any related presentation and SAP’s possible future developments, products and or platforms directions and functionality are all subject to change and may be changed by SAP at any time for any reason without notice. The information in this blog is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. This blog is provided without a warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This blog is for informational purposes and may not be incorporated into a contract. SAP assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document, except if such damages were caused by SAP’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.
All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.
SAP Analytics Cloud agent version required for data acquisition with this release:
- Version 1.0.75 for SAP BusinessObjects Universes (UNX)
- Version 1.0.75 for the “export models to a file-server location” feature
- Version 1.0.79 for SAP Business Warehouse (BW)
- Version 1.0.75for SAP ERP / SQL databases
- Version 1.0.75 for all other data source types
- Note: Although it is not required, you can upgrade to the new agent version 1.0.79, no matter what data acquisition type you use. Do this to take advantage of updates made to SAP Analytics Cloud agent.
For more information, see System Requirements and Technical Prerequisites.
Highlights of this release:
- Live Connectivity to SAP BW: BEx queries improvements
- Remove the event timeline panel from the home-screen
- R visualizations: Create input parameters using members of an existing dimension
- New language support for Slovakian
- BI license can now access predictive analysis, standard edition features
- Business content fully migrated to the content library
- Asynchronous data acquisition for OData sources
- Import data and view refresh jobs for data sources in the moderler
- Launch stories in view mode with option to switch to edit mode
- Color by measure in bubble and bar charts
- Thresholds on cross calculations
- Repeat dimension members in table
- Value sorting in tables from column/row headers
- GrandTotal and % GrandTotal calculations
- Organized quick action menu
Learn with our latest video tutorials
- Copy stories, pages, and objects
- Organize pages in a story
- Apply styling to tables using patterns and formatting rules
- Full tutorial playlist >
Integration
Live Connectivity to SAP BW: BEx queries improvements
In this release, we’ve made several improvements to help you to integrate with SAP BW when working with BEx queries:
Two structures support: You can now easily visualize the line of business data when leveraging BW queries with two structures. Moreover, you can define individual cells with the cell editor in the BEx Query Designer. The cell definitions override in rows and columns (formula or selections) while the filters still apply.
Variants and personalization: You can now save time by using variants to specify the values for several BW prompts simultaneously. You can also use existing variants stored in SAP BW, either private or public.
- Please note that the variants are not editable.
Read mode settings: BEx query read mode settings are reflected in the variable value help; for example, only booked values are shown if it is set to read mode.
Enhanced hierarchy handling: We now support time-dependent hierarchies based on a key date variable or query key date. It will not only help you to visualize different data views of a hierarchy, but it also shows data model relationships that change time-dependently. Based on the key date, the value list changes due to the validity of existing hierarchies.
Dynamic Variables: For SAP Exit, Customer Exit and authorizations variables, the variable values are not saved in stories in SAP Analytics Cloud (depends on the settings in the BEx Query Designer).
Parallel processing: Parallel processing of BEx queries within a story.
Planning
Remove the event timeline panel from the home-screen
In release 2017.20, the event timeline panel has been deprecated. The event cockpit is now the central location for managing events and tasks.
Predictive
R visualizations: Create input parameters using members of an existing dimension
Previously, when working with R visualizations, you were only able to create static lists and manually provide new input values as parameters. In this release, you can save time and effort by using existing dimension values to generate input parameters for your R scripts!
- Learn how to use R in SAP Analytics Cloud
- Learn how to add R visualizations to stories
- Learn how to add an R visualization to a story (video tutorial)
Infrastructure
New language support for Slovakian
We are pleased to announce that SAP Analytics Cloud now has support for Slovakian.
- You can change your language settings in your Profile under User Preferences.
BI license can now access predictive analysis, standard edition features
Users with the SAP Analytics Cloud Business Intelligence license can now access predictive analysis, standard edition features like Automated Discoveries.
Business content fully migrated to the content library
As we mentioned in release 16, we added the content library to make it easier for you to add sample content and prebuilt business content to your system. With this release, all the available business content has been fully migrated to the content library. You can now get started quickly with content packages for SAP Analytics Cloud and Digital Boardroom.
- Learn how to get sample content and business content for SAP Analytics Cloud (video tutorial)
- Learn more about the benefits of business content.
Data Integration
Asynchronous data acquisition for OData sources
Now when you import data from OData sources (or SuccessFactors, Google BigQuery, Google Drive) into a new or existing model, the data acquisition will happen in the background while you work on something else.
When the data import is complete, you will be notified that the data was imported successfully. You can build your model then, or leave it for later. Please note that the imported data expires seven days after the import.
Import data and view refresh jobs for data sources in the modeler
To help you to efficiently manage your data for a given model, we’ve centralized all actions on the data sources tab of the modeler. From this one tab, you can now refresh jobs, delete, and schedule data refreshes for specific data sources. Also, you can directly import data into a model without leaving the modeler page.
- Please note that files will not be displayed if they are not schedulable.
Data Analysis, Stories, and Tables
Launch stories in view mode with option to switch to edit mode
Starting with this release, stories are launched in view mode by default, which means that editing capabilities are disabled for a better visual experience. However, you can quickly switch to edit mode by clicking the edit button.
Color by measure in bubble and bar charts
Wouldn’t it be great if you could visualize the relationship between measures? You can now add measures into the color field which shows the correlation between them. We also take this one step further by showing colors as a gradient based on measure values.
- Learn how to apply smart grouping to a bubble or scatterplot chart (video tutorial)
- Learn how to display dimension labels on a bubble chart
Thresholds on cross calculations
In this release, as you work with cross calculations, you now have the ability to create thresholds and filter each threshold on different account types (e.g. restricted measures and member functions).
- Please note that you cannot have a measure and a cross calculation threshold in the same table.
Repeat dimension members in table
You can now choose to repeat dimension member names for every row in the table, and repeated members will be included when copying cells. Moreover, you have the option to show or hide repetitive member names.
Value sorting in tables from column/row headers
Value sorting just got simpler. You can now directly use column or row headers to sort table values via the quick action menu. This function is also available for dimension sorting in tables.
- Please note that the account dimension must be an innermost dimension to enable dimension sorting.
GrandTotal and % GrandTotal calculations
Two new calculations are now available with this release:
- %GrandTotal
- Returns what percentage of the grand total for all Account values the current Account value represents. The grand total is the aggregation of all the Account values in the result set. Filters are included in the calculation of the grand total.
- GrandTotal
- Returns the grand total of all the Account values in the result set. Filters are included in the calculation of the grand total.
If you apply the %GrandTotal measure to a hierarchy and drill down into items in the product, it will continue to display the percentage of the overall grand total. These two new measures are supported in the modeler as well.
Organized quick action menu
The quick action menu for tables has been reorganized to better distinguish object-specific actions from common actions.
Additional resources:
- Video tutorials
- Guided learning
- Events and recordings
- SAP Analytics Cloud help resources
- Official roadmap contains more info on future plans, subject to change.
Previous feature summary blogs:
- SAP Analytics Cloud release 2017.19
- SAP Analytics Cloud release 2017.18
- SAP Analytics Cloud release 2017.17
- More >
*SAP Analytics Cloud was previously known as SAP BusinessObjects Cloud
**Legal disclaimer
SAP has no obligation to pursue any course of business outlined in this blog or any related presentation, or to develop or release any functionality mentioned therein. This blog, or any related presentation and SAP’s possible future developments, products and or platforms directions and functionality are all subject to change and may be changed by SAP at any time for any reason without notice. The information in this blog is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. This blog is provided without a warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This blog is for informational purposes and may not be incorporated into a contract. SAP assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document, except if such damages were caused by SAP’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.
All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.
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