SAP ANALYTICS CLOUD

Author: Deepak Kumar Gupta

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 Overview

SAP Analytics Cloud is a cloud-based application that helps to explore data, visualize,
and analyze it. It can be used for planning and predictive forecasting. It can connect with
SAP Sources like SAP HANA, SAP BW, S/4 HANA and with files like csv or excel etc.

This document will provide more information about SAC, Uses of trial version,
connection type, different objects and story creation with SAC.

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Contents
1. Introduction to SAP Analytics cloud………………………………………………………………………………………4

2. Create Connection…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5

3. Model Creation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8

4. Create Hierarchy in a Model………………………………………………………………………………………………….11

5. Story Creation.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14

6. Story Development and styling………………………………………………………………………………………………20

7. References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22

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1. Introduction to SAP Analytics Cloud:
SAP Analytics Cloud is a cloud-based application that helps to explore data, visualize and analyze
it. It can be used for planning and predictive forecasting. It can connect with SAP Sources like
SAP HANA, SAP BW, S/4 HANA and with files like csv or excel etc.

SAP Analytics tool converts the raw data from transactional system into meaningful insight to
take better decisions.

SAP also provides 30 days’ free trial version for this tool. To start with 30 days’ trial, you need to
provide your official email ID. For registration, click on Free 30-day trial button. You can visit SAP
Product page as below − www.sapanalytics.cloud/product/ . Sometimes it extends trial version
for 90 days also.

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 Once you login to SAP Analytics cloud, following home page will open.

2. Create Connection:
Connecting with the data is the first step to create visualization. There are two types of
connections possible in SAP Analytics Cloud.

a) Live Connection:
Live Data Connections are available for cloud and on-premise data sources
With live data connections, data visualizations and stories can be updated with new data in
real-time
Live data connections are possible with SAP BW, SAP HANA, S/4 HANA, SAP BPC

Below is the process of creating HANA Live Data Connection:

 From SAC menu, select Connection
 Click on Add Connection and select SAP HANA as shown in picture
 Fill the required details in New HANA Live Connection popup and click ok
 Name: Provide a connection name
 Description: Add description as required
 Connection Type: There are 3 types of connection – Path, Direct, SAP Cloud Platform
Direct: You do not have a setup for Reverse proxy, and are not connected to SAP
cloud platform
Path: you must set up a reverse proxy server. Supported servers are Apache HTTP
Server and SAP Web Dispatcher
SAP Cloud Platform Connection: use this connection if you need to connect to SAP
Cloud platform
 Credentials: Input credentials to access the HANA database.

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 Step 1: Click on ‘Connection’

Step 2: Click on ‘+’ to create new connection

Step 3: Select the required Live Connection

Step 4: Enter the required details and create the connection.

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b) Import Connection:
Import Data Connections are available for cloud and on-premise data sources
With import data connection, your data visualizations and stories will be updated when
refreshed
Import data connections are possible with SAP BPC, SAP SuccessFactors, Google Drive, SQL,
SAP Universe, SAP BW etc
Below is the process of creating Import Data Connection.
Step 1: Click on ‘Connection’

Step 2: Click on ‘+’ to create new connection

Step 3: Select the required connection

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 Step 4: Enter the required details and create the connection.

3. Model Creation:
Second step for visualization is to create a Model.
Models can be created in 3 ways – 1) Start with a blank model 2) Import a File from your
computer 3) Use a data source

a) Please follow below steps to create Model using data source:

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 To create a Model, click on Home, then click Create and select Model as shown below

b) Please follow below steps to create model using file from computer:

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 To create a Model, click on Home, then click Create and select Model as shown below.

Click on the
option –
Import a file
from your
computer

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 Select Source
File, select
appropriate
sheet from the
drop down
and click on
Import button

It will open the Data integration page where you can manipulate and validate the data.

4. Creating a Hierarchy in a Model:

The hierarchy and drilldown functionality in SAP Analytics Cloud allows you to set level-based
hierarchy and parent-child relationships and within your data so that you can dive.
When the data is displayed in a story, hierarchies can be expanded or collapsed.

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a) Below is the sample process of Level-based hierarchy creation:
Step 1: Start creating a model and click on

Step 2: Name the Hierarchy and select the columns to build hierarchy.

b) Below is the sample process of Parent-child hierarchy creation:

Step 1: Start creating a model

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Step 2: Select the column that you want to be the child in the parent-child hierarchy

Step 3: In the Details panel, select Add Dimension Attributes

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 Step 4: Select Parent-Child Hierarchy (Parent). In the Select parent list, choose the column
that you want to be the parent in the hierarchy.
The column's icon changes to show that it's now the parent in the hierarchy.

Note: Below is the screenshot of the hierarchy view in story mode

5. Story Creation:
A story is the one in which the visualizations are built and organized in the such way that it
meets the purpose.
Story is one of the easier ways to deliver the insights of data to the end audience through
the different forms of charts or graphs.
A story consists of more than one pages. There are 3 types of pages available - Canvas page,
Grid page, Responsive page.
A new page to the story board can be inserted by clicking the "+” as shown in the image
beside.

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  Canvas page:
In canvas page different types of charts, R visualization, geo maps tables etc. can
be created. A typical canvas page will be as shown in the image below.

 Responsive page:
In this type of pages, the contents can be arranged up to six lanes unlike single
lane canvas or grid which will be an advantage when the story is view in the screen with
different resolutions.
When a responsive page is viewed on a different screen size, the lanes will re-
flow from left to right, and the content tiles will resize to fit the screen

 Grid page:
Grid page is the one in which the whole story page is covered with grid, just like
a spreadsheet. In the grid page the model data can be analyzed through
creation of formulas. A typical grid page is as shown in the image below.

Grid pages are used normally to represent data in tabular format.

Below are the steps to create story:

Step 1: click on create --> story.

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 Step 2: After Clicking on story the above screen will appear, click on "Add a canvas page"
which will redirect to the canvas page where we can connect to models and create
visualizations.

Step 3: in the above screen on clicking on "Data" tab in the top left corner.

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 Step 4: In this step we can select the data from either model which is already existing,
from file or from data source

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 Step 5: Once after connecting to model, data from data source or from file data can be
explored with various types of charts and tables in "Data" tab.

Step 6: On selecting "Story" tab beside "Data" one can select type of chart, dimensions,
measures, filters, colors etc.., for the individual visualization in "Builder" tab at right.

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 Step 7: On selecting respective dimensions and measures the visualization will appear
on the canvas page.

Step 8: One can handle the formatting properties in the "Styling" tab.

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 Step 9: One can add different types of charts or visualizations into the canvas page by
clicking on "+" at the top as shown in the above image.

Step 10: The new pages for the story board can be added by clicking on "+" beside the
"page1" as shown in the above image.

A story may consist of one or more pages.

6. Story Development and styling:

a) Story development:
Create calculated Dimension or Measure: If the existing dimensions or
measures in the model doesn't satisfy the requirement then there comes the
requirement for creating of calculated filed. These calculated dimensions or
measures are specific for the story.

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 Below are the steps to create calculated fields for dimensions and measures
respectively:

b) Styling: Below are few samples of Styling

Alternating Row color in a table:

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 Color fill for Expand Icon:

Background Color/ Image:

7. References:
https://www.sapanalytics.cloud/
https://help.sap.com/

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