SAP Analytics Cloud is a key component of SAP Business Data Cloud.
In this lesson, you'll discover its basic features and how it is used in SAP Business Data Cloud.
Exploring the Role of SAP Analytics Cloud in SAP Business Data Cloud
Objective
After completing this lesson, you will be able to illustrate the role of SAP Analytics Cloud in SAP Business Data Cloud.
Introduction
SAP Analytics Cloud
SAP Analytics Cloud is SAP's flagship data analysis tool that supports BI, planning, and predictive analytics.
The Role of SAP Analytics Cloud
As a business user, you need an interactive, easy-to-use reporting and planning tool that displays your data. For this purpose, SAP provides SAP Analytics Cloud as a public cloud solution. It can now be used as part of SAP Business Data Cloud.
Use SAP Analytics Cloud for the following tasks:
- Visualize data in tables, maps, or charts and arrange them in a responsive window.
- Prepare data and add calculations before they are used in charts and tables.
- Select data based on attributes or measures.
- Provide values for variables such as target currency and date for conversion.
- Add interaction and execute script code for an adaptive user experience.
- Drill down from aggregated to detailed data.
- Apply AI to find the most relevant information.
- Use SAP machine learning algorithms to explore relationships in your dataset.
- Enter plan data.
- Apply planning functions.
To understand the terminology, we have the following major elements:
- A Connection is a predefined interface to access a specific modeling system.
- A Model is a data structure based on a model of SAP Datasphere or SAP BW or SAP BW/4HANA or SAP HANA, based on a connection.
- A Story presents tables, charts based on such models on one or multiple pages with interactive elements. A page typically displays an interactive dashboard.
You'll find more information on this topic in the SAP Analytics Cloud learning journey.
Moreover, there is a feature called Just Ask which is an AI-based assistant for finding the data you need. Simply ask a question about your data in natural language.
Refer to the following learning journey lesson to find more details about using AI functionality for SAP Analytics Cloud.
You'll now take a look at the major integration scenario.
The Role of SAP Analytics Cloud in SAP Business Data Cloud
SAP Analytics Cloud is the key front-end solution in SAP Business Data Cloud to visualize data. It is the user interface for most SAP Business Data Cloud Intelligent Applications.
Note
If you want to use a predelivered Intelligent Application in SAP Business Data Cloud, you'll need SAP Analytics Cloud in your formation.
Including SAP Analytics Cloud in your SAP Business Data Cloud formation means you can reuse the standard content that is shipped with Intelligent Applications to create customized dashboards.
This means you can develop a broader scale of models, such as models that are based on data products generated from SAP Databricks, or your own models built in SAP Datasphere.
Formation Setup
A formation is a collection of tenants that trust each other. Currently, the easiest way to set up a formation is to enable SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Business Data Cloud cockpit, and SAP Datasphere on the same tenant and use slightly different URLs for the different components. More flexible ways to set up a formation are planned.
The SAP Business Data Cloud cockpit and the tenants for SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Datasphere are directly linked and ready for single-sign-on. You can easily jump between the corresponding tenants.
Connections in SAP Analytics Cloud
New content from SAP-managed Intelligent Applications uses an SAP-managed extra live data connection that links the SAP Datasphere component and SAP Analytics Cloud. Live data connection means that the data for SAP Business Data Cloud-based scenarios is not stored inside SAP Analytics Cloud.
You can create more connections to access custom models in SAP Datasphere, and create new models, stories, and planning scenarios in SAP Analytics Cloud.
Note
The SAP managed connection should be used for the integration of SAP Datasphere objects that are generated in the process of installing Intelligent Applications. If you define your own models in SAP Datasphere and SAP Analytics Cloud, use your own space in SAP Datasphere and your own connection in SAP Analytics Cloud.
A Customization Scenario: Integrating Data Products
Suppose you have installed an Intelligent Application. Now, you want to combine data from other data products that were not part of the SAP-delivered Intelligent Application. Such data products might be data products from SAP Databricks, data products generated from SAP BW InfoProviders, or data products delivered by SAP in separate Data Packages.
You can integrate the different data products in new models.
For this purpose, you must:
- Activate the required Data Packages.
- Install the data products that you need into your custom space in SAP Datasphere.
- Create new adjusted models based on both data products.
- Create a new SAP Analytics Cloud story to visualize the data.
Caution
Unless you copy SAP-managed artifacts, you have to install the SAP-delivered Data Product again, even though it has been installed with the SAP Business Data Cloud Intelligent Application, because you need full access to it through your own custom space. For this purpose, you will have to activate the corresponding Data Package(s) in the SAP Business Data Cloud cockpit.
Note
If you are following this course as part of the Learning Journey Exploring SAP Business Data Cloud, you will have a chance to go deeper with SAP Analytics Cloud. Lookout for the final course in the Learning Journey. Remember, SAP Analytics Cloud is an important component in SAP Business Data Cloud so developing skills in SAP Analytics Cloud is essential.
Let's Summarize What You've Learned
In this lesson, you’ve learned about the role of SAP Analytics Cloud in SAP Business Data Cloud.
SAP Analytics Cloud is the primary front-end tool for data visualization and planning in SAP Business Data Cloud.
Integrate data products from various sources using SAP Datasphere, then create stories in SAP Analytics Cloud on top.