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SAP Analytics Cloud : What's this ?
SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC): a tool within a complete ecosystem
SAP Analytics Cloud is a Data Visualization tool, meaning it is centered around the exploitation and display of organized data to obtain contextualized and relevant indicators in a modern format.
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.
- Interactions with historical solutions like Business Object (it can connect to BO universes)
The SAC suite is complemented by the SAC Planning tool through an additional license. This add-on allows not only visualization functionalities, but also budget planning in connection with the ERP, offering enormous possibilities for budgeting, simulations, and analytics.
SAP Analytics Cloud: The Best Tool in the Market?
Questions often arise when selecting a Business Intelligence tool:
- Which one is most relevant in your context?
- Which one offers the best functionality-to-
- Does it meet the needs of end users?
Value Proposition of SAP Analytics Cloud:
Here are some key elements to appreciate SAP Analytics Cloud in the business intelligence solutions offering:
- Functional / Technological Coverage: The functional coverage of SAC offers modern options for data analysis in an ergonomic and simplified manner. Connectivity to SAP tools/applications is a significant advantage compared to the competition. When using SAC, two distinct cases arise: using SAC as a visualization tool only, and using SAC Planning (budget planning tool requiring an additional license).
- Data Visualization Only: The visualizations are modern, and data processing is efficient. It's worth noting that AI-based tools and automatic indicator generation called "smart insights" provide real added value to users on a daily basis, which is included in this "visualization" section.
- With SAC Planning: When utilizing this feature, the tool stands out distinctly from the competition, becoming an unparalleled suite in terms of feature coverage. The associated cost is significant but competitive, considering the number of tools required to cover a similar application scope, which might be smaller with competitors.
Pricing: SAC's pricing remains higher than some competitors. Therefore, it's important to study optimization possibilities with your partner.
Connectivity: In terms of connectivity within the SAP ecosystem, SAC's connectivity is unmatched to date, providing features such as "live data" access to your HANA database. The tool offers real-time information from your ERP, providing much broader possibilities and uses for your users.
Applium Consultants' Opinion
SAC is a comprehensive tool, especially relevant in a SAP context, with real-time access to your data or budget planning (SAC Planning). Desired functionalities, the number of licenses, external data publishing, the presence of a data warehouse, etc., are criteria to consider when determining the most suitable SAP BI tool for your needs.
SAP heavily invests in its BI tools, a highly competitive sector, to regularly offer new features, stand out from competitors, and meet the expectations of various SAP clients.
SAP Analytics Cloud: The End of BW Tools and/or Data Warehouses?
These statements need to be nuanced based on different usage contexts.
Let's differentiate three concrete elements of your BI architecture, using the example of an S/4HANA ERP. These elements can be complementary, added to cover your analytics and indicator needs. Visualization tools like SAC alone, when directly connected to your ERP (without intermediaries like data warehouses), cover a wide range of indicators and use cases. An ERP like standalone S/4HANA covers certain BI outputs, but with limited scope and functionalities. Adding a data warehouse provides advantages/functionality that cannot be achieved by solely combining your ERP + SAC. Concepts like historization or complex multi-source management are only accessible through the use of a data warehouse. A simple discussion with your SAP/BI integrator can help determine your precise use cases and the relevant application components.
What About the "Historical" SAP BI Tools in All of This?
The majority of the "SAP landscape" concerning Business Intelligence currently consists of historical tools such as BW and Business Object. Tools like Datasphere and SAC are on the rise.
SAP, especially in response to customer demand (and various organizations like USF, for example), has solidified the place of these historical tools in its strategy:
- The BW suite, particularly BW/4HANA. Version BW 7.5 is maintained until 2027, while the date for BW/4HANA is even further in the future.
- Business Object: SAP announced some months ago the introduction of BO 2024, a highly revised version planned for 2024. Alongside this, BO 4.3 versions are maintained at least until 2025.
SAP also develops "Cloud" data warehouse solutions like DataSphere (formerly DWC) in line with the "Cloud First" strategy. These solutions are expected to continue developing and expanding their features in the future.
The hybridization of solutions has also been highlighted by SAP to offer connectors/bridges/possibilities for clients to complement their historical BI tools with recent tools.
Next BI Steps with Applium?
Applium can support mid-sized and large companies through:
- BI Solution Framing and Audit Workshops.
Objective: Highlighting your BI solution in comparison to market solutions and different maintenance end dates
