Predictive Modeling in SAP Analytics Cloud #ASUG @ASUG_BI Webcast Recap and Q&A
This was an ASUG webcast today. As usual, the SAP legal disclaimer applies – anything in the future is subject to change. Slides are posted here. Register for the replay here
Note: SAC abbreviations mean “SAP Analytics Cloud”
Abstract:
See how predictive in SAP Analytics Cloud delivers an integrated solution capable of solving real world use cases, which brings the best of BI, Planning and Predictive in a single platform. In this webinar we will show how SAP Analytics Cloud customers can build predictive models, consume the results of those models in BI and Planning scenarios and put the models into production in Business Applications. We will also cover our vision for predictive within Analytics Cloud.
Source: SAP
“SAP Predictive Analytics enables customers to create and manage large scale Machine Learning models against SAP application data and to embed the predictive outputs and insights where they drive the most business value: directly in the applications where business decision makers are working.” – Source: SAP
The above shows the current state with on premise Predictive Analytics solutions.
Source: SAP
From Q1 2018 all net new Predictive Analytics development is being redirected into SAP Analytics Cloud. SAP is building a simple and compelling user experience for predictive workflows in SAP Analytics Cloud that will compliment and enhance existing Business Intelligence and Planning capabilities. The focus is to provide simple self service Data Science capabilities including support for data ingestion, model creation and model management.
The target user of this development will be the SAP Analytics Cloud user. SAP’s goal is to provide professional data scientist quality predictive models to Data Analysts and BI user through a simple interface that enables them to augment their planning and BI workflows. It will be targeted at the citizen data scientist, business analyst – not the data scientist. It will be provided in a consumer level experience (source: SAP)
Automated data science is the way going forward, by 2019 citizen data scientist will surpass data scientist in output, as projected per Gartner
It will support large scale machine learning and support embedding models in business applications
Source: SAP
Move to Analytics Cloud is to provide a single application. Typically predictive solutions require a lot of set-up; Analytics Cloud provides multiple sources; Predictive will support those sources. There is no need for IT setup.
SAP’s long term vision is to provide a tool with all of the functionality of SAP Predictive Analytics with 100% in the cloud. The plan is to “Enable a Data Scientist or data analyst to work 100% in a SaaS solution.” (source: SAP)
Part of SAP Analytics Cloud includes the following:
- Data connectivity
- Data ingestion
- Model authoring
- Model management (source: SAP)
Source: SAP
Future plans are subject to change.
Initial release is planned for June around SAPPHIRENOW
They will provide predictive modeling, classifications (answer which customers will buy a product or churn), will support regression (when deal is complete), time series forecasting – segmented forecasting (sales over time, build by segments)
Support CSV/XLX formats, S/4HANA
Consume predictive scores in Analytics Cloud
Q3 – the plan (subject to change) Extend support for predictive modeling, more complex models, more than 1 technique, ability to export predictive results
Extend application integration – planned around August around S/4HANA release
Q4 – plan to introduce hybrid support – live connection to data – on premise data supported so data is not transferred to cloud and score data in source system
Next year the plan is to include data preparation. The rest of the session included demo which you can watch in the replay here
Question and Answer
| Question | Response |
| Can we use CDS Views (Consumption Views) as sources to the SAP Analytical cloud and do predictive modeling?. | We will support connections to HANA (not in inital release) – probably Q3. S4 connection will support CDS views |
| Do you have a demo on Predictive Modelling? | happening soon here, live! |
| Is there any plan to add feature generation to SAC? | Yes, plan to add the ability to build analytical record used to train a model |
| ABAP CDS voews | S4HANA connectivity will support CDS views |
| Can we connect external ML tools like R | Initally not support extensibility |
| what does this mean for Predictive Factory | Predictive Factory continues to be available/ supported – future development is focused on cloud |
| Does it have everything that is available in PAL but in cloud? | focusing on answer business questions; rather than provide a catalog of technique – focus on business question rather than a data scientist |
| What data sources are planned for Predictive analytics? | plan to support all SAC and data sources introduced for SAC; for live – support HANA, Hadoop |
| What about unstructured data from platforms like hadoop? will it be possible to consume models from SAP Vora? | planned support for hadoop |
| Does it support Unstructured data? | Typically algorithms are suited for structured data |
| maybe already asked, but showed up late. Is functionality you are showing in SAC, or planned to be there | Planned functionality for around the June/SAPPHIRENOW timeframe – thank you for joining us today |
| In future, do you have plans to include the social media( like Twitter, Facebook), to do any predictive analytics?. Fetching these data to Predictive models is the key though but want to understand the view from SAP on using these social media as sources?. |
no answer to; depends on how SAC integrates with those data sources |
| What are the optimization techniques in SAC? seems your screen choking when processing excel file data | Predictive today builds multiple techniques – build iterations of model for optimization |
| Will it be possible in future to consume unstructured data from hadoop via SAP Vora? | On roadmap to connect Hadoop – no details on that |
| Is your data for this demo coming from C4C? | He said it is an Excel file |
| Where is excel populated from? | this is a sample data set |
| can you have demo on the abap cds connection to choose the table | not in this system, not available yet; target for SAPPHIRENOW |
| Is there any plan to add automated feature generation? | yes, plan to do this |
| and how do you put the entry back into the same table | not possible to do this directly |
| Can I say this is HANA PAL in Cloud? | no, not provide full PAL coverage but to answer business questions |
| Will you support live unv data as a data source for Predictive analytics | Yes, planned for early next year with a live connection |
| Can you use TensorFlow iwth this? | use algorithm for business question rather than data scientist techniques |
| Is CPI/HCI used for SAP Predictive Analytics Integration? | not really – use same connectivity as SAC |
| If you are focussing on business questions, are you planing industry specific release ? Like specific scenarios for Resources industry ? | looking at industry content in SAC and plan to incorporate predictive into that |
| So this is aimed to Business Audience? | aimed at citizen data scientist |
| how is this integrated with SAC planning functionality | planning integration not demoed here but something to be introduced quickly |
SAPPHIRENOW / ASUG Annual Conference
I am hoping to learn more at this session at the conference: Road Map: SAP Predictive Analytics and Analytics Capabilities Offered in SAP Analytics Cloud
Upcoming Webcasts
Learn more at these upcoming webcasts:
- Apr 26 BI: Overview of SAP Mobile Analytics and Roadmap
- May 3 BI: Best Practices for Making Gorgeous Stories with SAP Analytics Cloud
- May 7 ASUG Analysis Influence Council Relaunch
- May 14 BI: Discover the Latest Features of SAP Analytics Hub, Your Single Entry Point for all Analytics
- June 13 What’s new in Analysis Office 2.7
- June 14 SAP Hybrid Analytics
What do you think of Predictive in SAP Analytics Cloud?
Hi Tammy Powlas,
First of all thanks for providing us this useful information, I have 3 questions related to article ..
1-Is SAP Analytics Cloud is part of SAP Leonardo ?
2-Is SAP Analytics Cloud is kind of alternate of SAP BPC ? , I am asking this as if SAP Analytics Cloud is future then need to learn.
3-Is SAP Predictive Analytics and BPC kind of Product will only supported and sale till 2022 ?
I am asking here as i searched this question but not able to find correct answer till now ...Thanks in advance.
Thanks,
Ravi
Hello Ravi - thank you for reading
Analytics is part of Leonardo
SAP Analytics Cloud has planning that is complementary to BPC
#3 - I don't know; I recommend asking this as a question at answers.sap.com