Extending the reach of SAP Analytics Cloud data with Microsoft Office front ends
Finance people love Microsoft Excel – it’s a big part of their working day. With SAP Analysis for Office and SAP Analytics Cloud add-in for Microsoft Office, we provide to our customers two different solutions to explore an extended playground in the familiar Microsoft interface.
Let’s review the current available options, road map and positioning.
SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office
Analysis Office 2.8 has been delivered more than one year ago.
With this version, we mainly target to stabilize existing features and improve quality for our traditional installed base. In addition, we also aimed to better support our BW or HANA customers in their SAP Analytics Cloud journey, so we have introduced the capability to connect Hana live views or BW live queries from SAP Analytics Cloud.
It’s the latest version of the product on the market and it is available with 2 different editions/installers, depending on the licensing and systems in use and customer’s scenario:
The two editions of the product get similar feature set but they are difference:
Road map
Our plan for H1 2021 is to get equivalent capabilities within the two editions. Our goal is to continue to support our customers in their Cloud journey, adding new platform access capabilities.
*Planned H1 2021 – Please consider this is the current state of the plan and subject to change.
As consequence Bex migration to Analysis office workbooks, BW and BI platform direct access will be fully supported in both SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office editions.
SAP Analytics Cloud add-in for Microsoft Office
This new Add-in brings an integration of Microsoft Excel Office web-based and desktop versions in SAP Analytics Cloud. It is providing the flexibility of further Analysis and Planning on native SAP Analytics Cloud models with Microsoft Office Excel 365. The Add in is provided via Microsoft store. Updates, fixes and new features are then delivered automatically to customers.
It is a great match for large-scale deployment of SAC where MS Office (Excel) remains an essential component for simple visualizations or data-entry. You can select a model, create a report, retrieve versions and write- back/revert data.
See SAP Analytics Cloud add- in for MS office – See it in action!
Road Map
How do we position the two Add- ins?
SAP Analysis for Office was released more than 10 years ago, designed for financial analysts who require advanced capabilities in Excel. It is a mature solution providing large Analytics capabilities on Office environment. It continues to be a key add-in for multiple data sources like BW, BPC, S/4 and Group Reporting. Depending of customer’s context, it is positioned to replace traditional BEX Analyzer scenarios. It can also be used with SAP Analytics Cloud for customers willing to benefit from Office strengths. However, we do not plan to enhance planning capabilities on SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office connected to SAP Analytics Cloud data source.
SAP Analytics Cloud add-in for Microsoft Office gives to users the ability to plan and analyze data through SAP Analytics Cloud on an Excel interface . Then using SAP Analytics Cloud data, the end user will leverage his experience in Excel Desktop & Cloud versions on Windows or MAC IOS environment. The Add in is not the successor of Analysis for Office but a brand new offer with a strong road map for 2021 with strong focus on planning scenarios.
Note, for Excel planning scenarios connected to SAP Analytics Cloud data, we do position SAP Analytics Cloud add in for Microsoft Office.
Hi Jeanne, thanks for the information!
As Analysis for Office, Standard Edition allows connection to BW/4HANA via direct connection (standard way) or via SAC models, are there any benefits/ disadvantages of using one over the other?
1) Is performance better via a direct connection?
2) In terms of support for BEx query elements - does direct connect provide better support?
3) If we want to store the Analysis for Office document to SAC (manually upload) - is better to use query connection via SAC model?
Many thanks!
Regards,
Cindy.
Hi,
thank you for the great blog! I have one question around the Analysis for Office SAC edition.
We have built an application on Hana cloud where we have established a live Hana-connection to SAC. We have used the new "SAP HANA CLOUD" connection method(which is the suggested one). However as I understand it Analysis for Office will not recognize the live connection if not the old connection type "Direct" is used between Hana and SAC.
Is there anything in the roadmap to support the new connection type in analysis for Office?
Best regards
Marcus