Modeling & SAP System Integration

A model represents a table of data. Example: Sales, Expense, and HR etc.

SAP Analytics Cloud recognizes the following styles of models:

Planning Model

Planning models are preconfigured with dimensions for time and version. They offer support for multi-currency and security features at the level of both model and dimension. When working with a planning model in a story, users with planning privileges can create their own versions of model data. These users can also write data to the model by typing new values, copying and pasting data, and using data actions.

Analytics Model

Unlike the planning model, the analytics model does not support versions and does not require a time dimension. It is used for stories and analytic applications that are read-only, for data presentation and analysis purposes.

The figure below shows the comparison between datasets, planning models, and analytic models.

Note

Both datasets and models can be used as data sources in stories.

A shareable live dataset can be created for SAP HANA. Live datasets can also be created from a story based on SAP Data Warehouse Cloud.

The features of SAC models are as follows:

• Transparency of data

• Re-usable

• Data can be enhanced

• Required for planning

• Flexible: Can be used in various data integration scenarios

Watch this video to learn about the data source options for creating a simple SAP Analytics Cloud model.

Click each highlighted option to navigate between the Structure view and the Data Foundation view.

Let's go into the details of each viewing option.

SAP Data Warehouse Cloud (DWC) is SAP's software as a service (SaaS) offering that unifies data and analytics in a multi-cloud solution that includes data integration, database, data warehouse, and analytics capabilities. There are several ways to visualize data from DWC in SAC. As part of the embedded strategy of the SAP Analytics Cloud, each SAP Data Warehouse Cloud contains an SAP Analytics Cloud, embedded version. With this you can directly access the data that is available in the warehouse. If you already have an SAC system you can access DWC data via a live connection.

It is important to know that unlike integrating with other SAP systems, it is not required to create a data model in SAC. SAP Analytics Cloud can directly access analytical datasets within SAP Data Warehouse Cloud and use them as data sources for stories and analytic applications.

The SACMS1 course contains much more detailed information on creating models from SAP systems.

A common example of integrating SAC with data from an SAP System is using SAC as the front-end for planning activities but retrieving the data from and storing the data in SAP S/4HANA. The figure Modeling Scenario outlines the overall process.

Note

S/4HANA is an SAP ERP system.

Dimensions refer to master data and are the basis for analysis and planning activities. Sample dimensions in a planning scenario include account, time, version, product, customer, cost center, and company.

Why use SAC as the front-end for calculating and entering planning numbers? As a cloud-based product, anyone can access their SAC tenant from anywhere using only a web browser. This flexibility gives planners the freedom to work on their planning tasks any time from anywhere.