Blog updated: March 13, 2024
The audience for this blog: Partners, Consultants, and Customers interested in implementing SAP Analytics Cloud on top of SAP S/4HANA for Corporate FP&A scenarios
- To download the free suite from SAP Analytics Cloud, follow this generic Business Content download guide HERE (search the word “Rapid” in Business Content Network)
- SAP internal staff can use demo 18508 in SAP Demostore
- Join our LinkedIn Rapid FP&A group, where we share additional insights
- For a full schedule of Demos and Training, please see the new Demo & Training Blog
- See all historical webinars and presentation decks on the Rapid FP&A WorkZone
- Email Rapid_FPA@sap.com if you have any questions or if you want a custom demo and/or advisory session or access the the training site: Rapid FP&A WorkZone
See the quick VIDEO for this introduction to an exciting FREE business content offering from SAP.
Did you know?
- The Rapid Financial Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA suite of three models...
- Positioned for Corporate FP&A role under the CFO Office - a focused Finance solution for the top of your organization
- Best Practices in SAC's New Model Type
- Built by SAP Services in North America
- Endorsed by both S/4HANA and SAC Product Management
- Featured with SAC's original classic account model at Sapphire 2018 and re-released in August 2022 leveraging SAC's New Model Type - per Demand from Customers, Partners, and SAP Services
SAC New Model Checklist:
| Functionality | Result | Note |
| Model Structure Priority? | Account | Calculation + Label Flexibility |
| G/L Account dimension? | Standard Account dimension | Standard SAC |
| Sign Treatment? | Account Type | Standard SAC |
| Calculations available? | Account Formulas + Measure Formulas + Advanced Formulas | Maximizes Calculation Flexibility in SAC |
| Currency? | Local & Global | Measures via Standard SAC |
| Unit of Measure (UOM) for Sales Volume? | Base & Standard UOM | Per S/4 Option |
| Reports? | Variance: Actual v Plan Variance: Year-over-year Summary & Trend | Standard in each of the 3 models |
| Quantity (Sales Volume)? | Planned as an Account | Simplifies Sales Planning |
| Cost of Goods Sold? | Standard COGS | Simplifies Sales Planning |
| Flow for Balance Sheet? | Opening, Change, Total | Measures via Standard SAC |
| Integration? | S/4 HANA, S/4HANA Cloud, SuccessFactors | Standard x 3 sources |
| Retraction? | S/4 HANA, S/4HANA Cloud | Standard x 2 sources |
The Rapid FP&A suite is made up of:
- Rapid Financial Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA (2EB)
- Rapid Sales Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA (4DP)
- Rapid Workforce Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA (3DJ)
Note: Click on the hyperlinks above to tap into "Process "Navigator," where you will find a Test Script ("user guide") and implementation-friendly guides, including integration guides.
Business content is FREE to customers of SAP Analytics Cloud.
How do you import (Download) the Rapid FP&A Content for your SAC tenant?
When in SAP Analytics Cloud:
Here is the user interface for the Business Content Network in SAP Analytics Cloud:
What is new as of November 2022?
The #1 ask we have had in the Best Practice team is a conversion to the New Model Type, with regular quarterly releases through the end of 2023, and a rebuild into new XP&A dimensions planned for 2024
- Rapid FP&A deploys a Model Structure Priority of "Accounts over Measures", which allows important flexibility with calculations and labeling values in stories
- On the currency front, stored values for Actuals in both local and global currency provide 100% tie out to your SAP S/4HANA sources across all three models
- Leveraging the New Model Type capabilities, the Flow concept has been migrated from a generic "Dimension" to three "Measures", which provides more accurate quarter-end and year-end aggregation of balance sheet figures. SAC documentation recommends Measures for flows.
- Read about the New Model HERE
What about this video series?
You can watch these videos when you want and in any order you want
- Each video is accompanied by a PDF attachment with the slides
- We have updated videos for the New Model Type on the Rapid FP&A WorkZone
What is the message to YOU from this blog?
Best Practice Rapid Financial Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA Content is FREE.
The Suite is Rapid. Simple. Standard.
The video series is FREE!
Follow-up questions to the the author are also FREE!
You now have the FREE-dom to implement Best Practices for Rapid Financial Planning & Analysis for SAP S/4HANA at your customer.
Review the SAP Analytics Cloud roadmap HERE
Request a feature in SAP Analytics Cloud HERE
To participate in the training -
(Note: The content referenced above is now on SAC's New Model Type, but the videos below are still on SAC's Classic Account Model as we await new videos!)
Step 1: Watch this Video - which is an introduction to The Suite:
Financial Planning & Analysis Suite for SAP S/4HANA using SAP Analytics Cloud (Best Practices - Jan ...
Step 2: Watch the Videos below in any order and at any time
| Financial Planning & Analysis | Sales Planning | Workforce Planning | |
| Documentation & External Links | Video Latest New Model Documentation (2EB) | Video Latest New Model Documentation (4DP) | Video Latest New Model Documentation (3DJ) |
| Planning Process | Video | Video | Video |
| Design | Video | Video Memo - S/4 Std Costing Videos: Std Cost 1 Std Cost 2 Std Cost 3 Std Cost Calculation (BEG) | Video |
| Dashboards | Video | Video | Video |
| Reports (Summary, KPI, Trend, Variance) | Video | Video | Video |
Planning Input Forms Blog - Rolling Plan Process Blog2 - Master Data on-the-fly Blog 3 - Distribution of Values in Input Form | Video | Video Blog - Seasonality | Video |
Calculations (Advanced Formulas / Account Formulas) Blog - flexible currency conversion | Video | Video | Video |
Integration Blog - S4 source availability Blog2 - Import currency rates Blog3 - Data Warehouse Cloud + SAC | Video Blog - Overview | Video | Video Blog - S4 & SFSF integration |
If you want to train on the entire suite, we suggest you watch FP&A videos top to bottom and then complete Sales and then Workforce top to bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can Best Practice financial planning solutions for SAP S/4HANA Cloud be implemented with SAP S/4HANA On-Premise?
- Yes! The planning models would be the same, and implementing the cloud connector will allow SAP Analytics Cloud to integrate with SAP S/4HANA on-premise.
- Do the Rapid FP&A solutions come with sample data, so I can explore the solutions before any integration to my own data?
- Yes! Rapid FP&A, Sales, and Workforce planning all come with sample data. Actuals from January 2022 to September 2023, and a Planning horizon from October 2023 to December 2024.
- How do I learn more about support options for SAP S4HANA in the public cloud?
- See HERE
Enjoy the video series!
Thank you,
Mark P. Burke
SAP S/4HANA Cloud – Product Manager
Financial Planning & Analysis
Palo Alto, CA
Thank you to our referenced Blog contributors: @dirkpelz @Max_Gander @Alecsandra @linda_peruzzi @thomas hausel
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