SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC): one tool in a complete ecosystem
SAP Analytics Cloud is a ” Data Visualisation ” tool, i.e. a tool focused on the exploitation and display of organized data, in order to obtain contextualized, relevant indicators in a modern display.
It is part of SAP’s “Cloud First” strategy, and interacts with other solutions in the SAP ecosystem:
- ERP (ECC, S/4HANA, etc.)
- BW, Datasphere, etc.
- Interaction points with ” historical ” solutions such as Business Object (you can connect to BO universes).
The SAC suite is complemented, via a complementary license, by the SAC Planning tool. In addition to the full range of visualization functionalities, this add-on enables you to carry out budget planning in conjunction with ERP, thus opening up enormous possibilities for your budgeting, simulations and analytics.
SAP Analytics Cloud: the best tool on the market?
When it comes to choosing a Business Intelligence tool, there are a number of questions that come up time and time again:
- which one is most relevant to your context,
- which one offers the best features to performance ratio
- ratio to meet end-users’ needs.
The value proposition of SAP Analytics Cloud :
Here are some key elements to appreciate SAP Analytics Cloud in the business intelligence solution offering
- Functional/technological coverage: SAC’s functional coverage offers modern options for analyzing data in an ergonomic and simplified way. Connectivity with SAP tools/applications is a key competitive advantage. There are two distinct cases when it comes to using SAC, the first being the use of SAC as a visualization tool only, the second backed up by SAC Planning (a budget planning tool subject to additional licensing).
- Data visualization only: Visualizations are modern, data processing efficient. It’s worth noting that tools based on artificial intelligence as well as the automatic generation of indicators called ” smart insights “, bring real added value to users on a daily basis, are included in this ‘visualization’ part.
- With SAC Planning: once the use of this functionality is added, the tool very clearly stands out from the competition, becoming a suite unrivalled in terms of functionality coverage. The associated cost is significant, yet highly competitive, given the large number of tools required to cover the same scope of applications, sometimes less so than the competition.
Tariffs: SAC’s tariffs are still higher than those of some competitors, so it’s worth working with your partner to explore ways of optimizing them.
Connectivity : in terms of connectivity within an SAP ecosystem, SAC’s connectivity is unrivalled to date, enabling features such as ” live data ” access to your data on HANA databases. As a result, the tool offers real-time information from your ERP, providing your users with much wider possibilities/uses.
The Applium consultants’ opinion
SAC is a comprehensive tool, extremely relevant especially in an SAP context, with real-time access to your data or budget planning (SAC Planning). The functionalities required, the number of licenses, external publication of data, the presence of a data warehouse (etc.) are all criteria to be taken into account when determining the SAP BI tool best suited to your needs.
SAP invests heavily in its BI tools, a highly competitive sector, in order to regularly offer new functionalities, distinguish itself from its competitors and meet the expectations of different SAP customers.
SAP Analytics Cloud : the end of BW and/or data warehouse tools ?
It’s important to qualify these statements by looking at different contexts of use.
Let’s distinguish 3 concrete elements of your BI architecture, taking the example of an ERP S/4HANA. These elements can complement each other, or be added together to cover your analytical and indicator needs. Restitution tools such as SAC cover a wide range of indicators and use cases, by connecting them directly to your ERP without any intermediaries (data warehouses). An ERP such as S/4HANA, without any associated standalone tools, can cover certain BI restitutions, but with a limited scope and functionality. The addition of a data warehouse offers advantages/functionalities that are impossible to cover by adding your ERP + SAC alone. The notion of historization, for example, or the ” complex ” management of multi-sources are only accessible via the use of a data warehouse. A simple exchange with your SAP / BI integrator can enable you to determine your precise use cases, and thus the ” application bricks ” relevant in your case.
The SAP BI ” historical ” tools in all this ?
To date, the majority of the ” SAP installed base” of Business Intelligence applications is made up of the historical tools BW & Business Object. Tools such as Datasphere and SAC are in full expansion.
At the request of customers (and various organizations such as the USF, for example), SAP has made these historic tools an integral part of its long-term strategy:
- The BW suite, in particular through BW/4HANA. The BW 7.5 version is now maintained until 2027, the date for BW/4HANA being much later.
- Business Object: several months ago, SAP announced the introduction of BO 2024, an extensively revised version scheduled for 2024. At the same time, BO 4.3 versions will be maintained until at least 2025.
SAP is also developing ” Cloud ” data warehousing solutions such as DataSphere (formerly DWC) in line with its ” Cloud first ” strategy, and these solutions are destined to continue to develop and see their functionalities greatly expanded in the future.
The hybridization of solutions was also widely emphasized by SAP, in order to offer their customers connectors/bridges/possibilities to bring their historical BI tools and the latest tools to life in a complementary way.
Next steps in BI with Applium?
Applium can support ETIs and large groups via :
- Workshop on BI solution scoping and audit.
Objective: to highlight your BI solution in relation to market solutions and the various maintenance end dates in conjunction with the publisher. - Strategic framing: ” how best to exploit your BI solution with regard to your SAP ERP and my IS landscape?” Opportunity study on current market solutions VS your legacy solutions.
- Implementation of a BI solution from A to Z: from study to implementation, including change management support, Applium covers the entire lifecycle of an implementation project.
- Maintenance and upgrading of your BI information system: Applium de TMA’s expertise and tools at the service of Business Intelligence. The CSM (Centre de Support et Maintenance) team covers almost all existing BI solutions in the SAP ecosystem, and will provide day-to-day support.
