Planning Using SAP Analytics Cloud

With SAP Analytics Cloud, you can perform a range of planning operations such as scheduling tasks, using predictive features to kick off forecasts, carrying out data entry and version management, and writing powerful scripted calculations. You can collaborate with your team to ensure that everyone’s aligned and get more value out of your plan.

In this course, we focus on the manual planning functionality in SAP Analytics Cloud for planning.

SAP Analytics Cloud stories that are based on planning-enabled models are used to execute planning activities.

If you add a table widget in a story that will be used for planning, then extra planning tools are available for you to use.

Note

Remember, your screen resolution and zoom affects where items are located in the SAP Analytics Cloud toolbar. In the previous example, the Tools options can be seen in the toolbar, however, with a lower resolution, they can be found in the option in the toolbar.

In planning stories, you can use comments and discussions to collaborate with teammates.

There are advanced planning features such as data actions, simulation tools, and process control that are covered in the Leveraging Advanced Features in SAP Analytics Cloud for Planning course.

Tables can be used to view and analyze data and are added to either responsive or canvas pages in stories.

For tables that are based on models, the set of features and options available depends on the model type (planning, analytics, or a model based on a remote SAP HANA system). Only the features and options that are supported by the model type are visible. For example, tables based on planning models allow users to make changes to the model data using version management, data entry, and allocations; but tables based on analytic models are read-only.

When you add a table to a story, a data grid is created with the basic dimensions and categories of the model aligned along the axes of the grid. You can change this basic layout using the following designer tools:

• Use the Builder panel to select the measures and dimensions to include in the rows and columns of your table.

• Use the Styling tools to format the presentation.

You can add multiple measures and multiple dimensions to your table. When measures or dimensions are part of a hierarchy, you can expand them and select their level. If a dimension has properties associated with it, you can display those in the table, even without the dimension being present in the table. You can also apply filters to your measures and dimensions. The table is updated as you make your choices in the builder.

The following example notes some of the options available to you when configuring the table.

The Auto-size and Page Table Vertically setting can be used to scroll through the rows of a long table in View mode.

Available Objects provides you with drag and drop functionality to build your tables and charts.

You can display a bar chart in your table cells so that you have both a visual and a numeric view of your data. In the table, right-click a column or row header containing a measure or member of an account dimension, and then select In-Cell Chart.

You can also use stories created for you. In the following example, you can see the Rapid Financial Planning and Analysis for SAP S/4HANA story landing page. This is an example of the prebuilt content available in the SAP Analytics Cloud Content Network that administrators can access. These stories can be customized, depending on business requirements.

This topic is covered in more details in the optional lesson Using SAP Content Network Business Packages.

Extended stories are created by story developers using advanced mode in SAP Analytics Cloud. These stories use scripting to add customized behavior to standard story widgets.

When you interact with the story widget, then the associated scripts are executed. In the following example, when you select a value in a dropdown, then a script filters the data by the value you select.

Extended planning stories can range from dashboards to highly dynamic and customized planning stories. They can be tailored for specific use cases where there are complex user interface requirements and can be useful for guided planning and approval workflows.

SAP Analytics Cloud extended planning stories are covered in more detail in the Designing Extended Planning Stories in SAP Analytics Cloud course.

With SAP Analytics Cloud, add-in for Microsoft Excel, SAP Analytics Cloud data can be imported into Microsoft Excel, where you can then continue your analysis. In this example, you can see the additional SAP Analytics Cloud tab displayed in the Microsoft Excel ribbon as well as sample formula functions available.

SAP Analytics Cloud, add-In for Microsoft Excel is covered in more detail in the Creating Workbooks Using the SAP Analytics Cloud, Add-in for Microsoft Office course.

SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office, commonly referred to as Analysis for Office, is a Microsoft Office add-in that allows multidimensional analysis of SAP data sources, including SAP Analytics Cloud. It consists of plug-ins for Analysis and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). These Microsoft Excel files are maintained by the business users.

The SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office add-in is covered in more detail in the Discovering SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office course.