This blog covers some of the latest new features and enhancements in SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Digital Boardroom release 2018.05. 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:

• Version 1.0.85 for SAP Business Warehouse (BW)
• Version 1.0.91 for 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 1.0.95, 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:

• User Experience: SAP Analytics Cloud has a fresh new look!
• Planning: Abbreviate number conventions when editing table cells
• Planning: Improvements in mass data entry editing
• Planning: Dynamic time filter improvements
• Infrastructure: Changes to default story and boardroom browsing experience
• Data Integration: Data import enhancements for maintaining currency conversion rates
• Data Integration: Discovery Service connection for S/4HANA
• Data Integration: Import SuccessFactors data into public dimensions
• Data Integration: Create location dimension based on Longitude and Latitude
• Data Integration: Multi-select items and apply actions in the modeler
• Digital Boardroom: Share filter across all the stories in a topic
• Integration & OEM: Enhanced parallel query processing for live connections to SAP BW
• Modeling: Dimension list in modeler for remote models
• Modeling: Include dimension attributes in the point of view area for formulas
  

Learn with our latest video tutorials

• Create a model from SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics
• Apply filters to a chart in a story
• Apply filters to a geo map in a story
• Full tutorial playlist >

User Experience

SAP Analytics Cloud has a fresh new look!

In addition to many behind the scenes improvements, the most noticeable change is the interface. We modernized the styling to align with other SAP products and provide a more consistent look and feel. This updated facelift is intended to be subtle as to not impact your workflow. Check out the changes here.

Planning

Abbreviate number conventions when editing table cells

Tired of typing more than you have to? Now when you are inputting data in table cells, you can easily append “thousand”, “million” or “billion” to your numbers. For example, instead of typing out “13,000,000”, you can type “13 Million” or “13M.”

Learn more about tables

Improvements in mass data entry editing

We’ve made it even easier for you to do mass data entry! You can now choose to process your changes mid-way and then continue making changes to your data. Additionally, you can copy and paste data to multiple cells during your session.

Here are some things to keep note of:

• Only values can be copied
• The source cell used for the copy is disabled to avoid conflicting entries
• Facts cannot be copied from a cell that was originally “NULL”
  

Learn more about entering values in mass data entry mode

Dynamic time filters improvements

With this release, we’ve enhanced the way you can enter data in tables that use dynamic time filters. You can now enter data on table cells that use dynamic time filters, including restricted measures and member functions (YTD, for example). Inverse functions can also be added to calculated measures that use dynamic time filters, such as “Year Over Year Growth.”

Learn more about applying table filters

Infrastructure

Changes to the default story and boardroom browsing experience

Check out our new blog to see how we’ve revamped the files menu to place all your content in one place!

Data Integration

Data import enhancements for maintaining currency conversion rate

We’ve made some data import enhancements to maintain currency conversion rates. Now you can import currency conversion rates and maintain updates to the rates via scheduled update. This is supported for Google Drive.

Learn more about planning with currency conversions

Discovery Service connection for S/4HANA

You can now create a Discovery Service connection when importing data from S/4HANA. We’ve also made it easier— you now only need to create one connection to access any of the OData Services on the server.

Import SuccessFactors data into public dimensions

You can now import SuccessFactors data into public dimensions.

Learn more about Importing SuccessFactors Data into a new or existing model 

Create location dimension based on longitude and latitude

We’ve simplified geo dimensions for you. Gone are the days of entering “Location ID” and “Description.” Conveniently create geo dimensions in the modeler by only using longitude and latitude coordinates. This is currently only available within the modeler.

Learn more about creating a Geo Map

Multi-select items and apply actions in the modeler

You now can select multiple data sources and drafts at the same time. We’ve also added a new menu in data sources which allows you to:

• Edit query
• Schedule settings
• Import settings
• Export data
• Delete source

Additionally, you’ll be able to apply actions to all selected sources.

Digital Boardroom

Share filter across all the stories in a topic

Don’t worry about setting filters individually on each of your stories anymore. This update allows you to set a filter that applies across multiple stories in a topic. We know that many of you have been waiting for this feature for multi-screen digital boardrooms where you want to apply a filter once and have it applied to all the related stories based on the same data source.

Learn more about the Digital Boardroom

Integration & OEM

Enhanced parallel query processing for live connections to SAP BW

We’ve enhanced parallel query processing for live connections to SAP BW. This is a BI Administrator controlled feature where the number of sessions can be defined to allow for better management of parallel query execution.

Modeling

Dimension list in modeler for remote models

In this release, we’ve improved the usability for showing the dimensions of a remote model in the Modeler. Next to the account dimension, there is now a tab for the dimensions. In this page, you can choose to specify different settings like “Grouping” and “Description” on top of the remote dimensions.

Include dimension attributes in the point of view area for formulas

You can now include dimension attributes in the point of view for “Restrict,” “Lookup,” and “ResultLookup” formulas.

Learn more about formulas

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 2018.04
• SAP Analytics Cloud release 2018.03
• SAP Analytics Cloud release 2018.02
• SAP Analytics Cloud release 2018.01
• SAP Analytics Cloud release 2017.24
• SAP Analytics Cloud release 2017.23
• More >
  

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