Overview of Latest BI Features in SAP Analytics Cloud Webcast Recap

SAP’s Jacob Stark gave this webcast yesterday.  Below are my brief notes.

Source: SAP

Product updates every 2 weeks

* Does not include Smart Predict Features

Source: SAP

Ability to link prompts – supported for HANA to HANA, BW to BW and only prompted once

Source: SAP

Expand hierarchies and charts; keep context of what top level node is while looking at dimensions below; see it all at once

Source: SAP

Ability to show time by the second; time series charts in past could see month/week/day and now down to the second – helpful for IoT data

Source: SAP

Calculation between dates (order date, ship date), based on aggregation types – limited to just SAC models now

Source: SAP

Calculate new dimensions  – a popular request – create own logical grouping, such as a region of states

Return length of a string, matches a pattern

Source: SAP

As interacting tables/grids, make it easier.  Ability to add a column, and in-cell charts, transform

Source: SAP

Linked analysis improvements

1 chart is driving actions for different charts on a page

Source: SAP

More control, more granularity over input controls to tables

Source:SAP

Popular requested feature – Page input controls for certain charts are available

Select which charts are impacted by that input control

Source: SAP

Logic AND/OR has been added – see on the right side

Responsive and mobile

Source:SAP

Pay attention to responsive layouts, better reflow

Responsive templates improvements – copy and paste lanes, drag and drop, additional layouts, additional breakpoint logic

Source: SAP

Support for hyperlinks, more parity between desktop and mobile on the mobile app

Mark favorites

Choose out pages refresh in mobile app

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Landscape mode is available.

Can hide options

Dynamic text for lane headers

Geospatial

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Fine leveled geospatial

Change bubble shapes and sizes

See a + sign next to locations, show those locations sharing lat/long

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Change Chloropleth layer

Drill down, zoom in on map focused on

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Create own custom region Chloropleth layers with Live HANA

Other Features

Source: SAP

Variance is now dynamic; variance adapts and is contextual

Source: SAP

Histogram charts – this is now a native chart type – underneath distribution

Intentionally keep slim chart types

Source: SAP

R widget provides access to more chart types

R scripting used to work only for acquired data

R scripting – now works for live data models – need to activate from the Sys admin console

Source: SAP

Pass ID / Description or both, for charts and tables, makes it easier

Source: SAP

Set axis breaks in charts in Bubble and Scatterplot charts; you can do multiple breaks

Source: SAP

Keyboard Shortcuts – some are familiar such as CTRL-S

Can see hints throughout the application

Will make things faster, potentially more in the future

Source: SAP

Snap objects to grid or nearby object; pink highlighted lines; turn on in styling panel

Source: SAP

Lazy Loading; prioritize and load (love the term, lazy loading); makes it feel faster

Source: SAP

Build auto-refresh into the application – set to 30 seconds, by minute or hour

Only refreshes charts, not the entire application

Source: SAP

Improved story edit notifications; notify if someone is editing the story same time as you

Source: SAP

Customize homescreen – pushed to Sys Admin, do once for all users

So many features to check out.  Join us in person October 1 for Going to SAP TechEd 2018 Las Vegas, and looking for SAP Analytics Cloud & App Design Enablement?

Link to webcast slides is here

Link to recording (includes demo) is here

What is your take on the new features?