Introduction
As part of this blog, I will be concentrating on offering of S/4HANA Embedded Analytics (on-premise) for business user and try to provide details in business language (skipping technical Jargons). SAP S/4HANA embedded analytical couple with the simplified data model provides business option of embedding analytics in the daily work with transactional data. We will first go through two main user types (business users and analytics specialists) addressed in S/4HANA Embedded Analytics followed with the embedded offering for business user.
Main user types
Business users
Business users are also refereed as the end system users who might not have IT background. Imagine user in the role of General Ledger Accountant (SAP_BR_GL_ACCOUNTANT), his/her daily task could include managing GL accounts, journal entry posting/approving, etc., in addition to the daily task this user also needs to perform analytical tasks which will require them to look on GL balance level and further drill-down to transactional data for taking/seeking corrective actions. In other words, they require a tool to get insight of data and take necessary action (i.e., insight to action).
Analytics specialists
Analytics specialists are users who help to build/extend Analytics in S/4HANA for consumption of business users. Their skill profile is business focused and typical task are identification of data sources, create custom VDM views, custom analytical query, KPI report, publish reports, etc. For this blog, we will concentrate on business user’s role and offering for business role.
Current key offering for business users
SAP S/4HANA by standard has provided multiple analytical tools/reports for business user to analyze the data and act according to insights from the same. Below are current SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics key offerings:
Multidimensional reports
This type of report offers grouping of data in multiple dimensions. This report has interactive functions (e.g., filtering and drilling) to allow different types of data representation. User can perform multidimensional analysis for efficiently working on cube-like data sets organized by multiple dimensions. Below are some of the functions:
- Slicing: Filtering on a single dimension
- Dicing: Filtering on multiple dimensions
- Pivoting: Replacing a dimension by another
- Drilling down, drilling up, and drilling through: Adding and removing dimensions
Below is a sample screen shot of multidimensional report:
Smart Business KPIs, analysis path apps
Usage of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for evaluation is believed to be used since 3rd century by emperors of the Chinese Wei Dynasty for rating the performance of members of their family. In corporate world, KPIs are used to measure and monitor performance on a strategic (monitoring progress or trends toward a set target) and operational (quantifiable value expressing the business performance in a shorter time-frame level) level.
SAP S/4HANA smart business KPIs provide user details on SAP Fiori launchpad and possibility to drill-down into further analytics or transactional apps. This analytical tool helps users gain insight into the business data behind the KPI and offers actions in the context of drilled down data (insight-to-action paradigm).
Below is a sample screen shot of KPI report from test system (kindly ignore data):
Analytical List Page (ALP)
This is a powerful report for the business users who need to work on transactional content. Analytical list page supports these users by providing ability to investigate a root cause through drilldown, and then take necessary actions. Users can benefit from chart visualization and then spot on parameter to drill-down on specific further analyze of take necessary actions, in short access to analytical views and transactional functions without having to switch between systems.
Overview page (OVP)
The overview page provides all the information in a single page based on the user domain or role. Multiple cards (information) are divided in single page for user to focus on the important task and take immediate actions on the same. Multiple cards on single page help user to visualize information in an attractive and efficient way. Below is summary of overview page:
- Visualization: Entry level visualized content on cards in form of texts, chart, lists, tables from multiple sources
- Context: It is built to concentrate on specific context and/or task area for single role
- React: Micro actions link to a specific object let users react on the spot
Each card on the overview page is consist of two components: a header area and a content area. Following card type are supported by overview page:
- Analytical card
- List card
- Bar chart list card
- Link list card
- Table card
- Stack card
Link to important information/source
Below are some useful links for further reading:
Conclusion
This blog is for business user who want to understand more on type of out-of-the box key offerings for S/4HANA embedded analytics.
Disclaimer
This blog post is my opinion and not linked to any organization. All screen shots are from test systems and any similarity is coincidence.
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