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Video: SAP Analytics Cloud Data Analyzer Update [2021.22]
The SAC Data Analyzer is an ad-hoc analysis tool built-in the SAP Analytics Cloud platform, which works in a similar way as the classic BEx Web or the Analysis for Office plugin for Excel. For some unknown reason you could only access the Data Analyzer via a specific URL; not via the SAC menu (adding a content link in the SAC Catalog would be the most straightforward workaround). I always found this really a shame, as probably just a small part of the SAC community has ever seen and used it, while it is an easy tool to access your (live) data without having to go through all the steps to build a SAC model and a story.
Luckily this changes in QRC2021.4 and Data Analyzer will be much more featured within SAC. A good reason to have another look at it. Check out the video!
SAP Influence Portal for SAP Analytics Cloud
One of the lesser known areas in the world of SAP is the SAP Customer Influence Program. This is a portal where SAP customers and consultants can bring up new ideas and improvements for all SAP solutions. For SAP Analytics Cloud there is a pretty lively campaign with over 3000 improvement requests.
Apparently the team behind the Influence Program is doing some major evaluations this week, as I already received numerous updates on improvement requests. š Unfortunately, most of my requests are denied and set to the Not Planned status due to a lack of votes. š
So I thought it would be good to have another look at the Influence Portal here on the blog. Probably a lot of you have never even heard of this.
As mentioned, you can propose new features or basically any change to the tool via this Influence Program. The idea is that whenever an improvement request gets a substantial number of votes it will be reviewed by SAP and taken into consideration for a development release. Currently the threshold seems to be 15 votes from different SAP customers/partners (years ago this was only 5 votes, regardless of the customer/partner). Still, there are no guarantees that something will be included in the tool, even when there are a lot of votes.
Gartner Magic Quadrant 2021
Aaaah, winter is almost over which means that the whole BI world is waiting for Gartner to come up with a new Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms report: The holy scoreboard of the BI Vendor Wars! Behold!
I always like to skim through the report to see how SAP BI is seen from a somewhat outsider view and to learn about some highlights and challenges of comparable solutions in the market.
Looking at the quadrant itself not really that much has changed since last year. Microsoft is the clear industry leader and the PowerBI guerrilla strategy of the past years (give the tool away for free and promote it from within MS Windows/Office) has definitely paid off here.
Next we have Tableau. I alway keep thinking about what could have happened if SAP acquired Tableau (instead of Roambi) a couple of years ago?
And then there is the big blob of “traditional visionairs” like Oracle, SAS and SAP, where our beloved SAP is getting dangerously close to the edge…
Let’s have a look at some of the comments on SAP:
Video: SAP Analytics Cloud Predictive Scenarios & Planning
SAP Analytics Cloud covers a broad range of reporting, planning and predictive capabilities. In this example Iām combining all of that!
I use a predictive scenario to fill the forecast in a planning model, which again is reported in an SAC story.
Video: SAP Analytics Cloud Explorer & Data Analyzer Update [2021.1]
SAP Analytics Cloud is kicking 2021 off with some very useful updates regarding its self-service features! In release 2021.1 the Explorer gets a much more prominent position in the SAC stories. For the Data Analyzer it is now finally possible to store your analysis.
Check the video for a quick run-through and demo!
