SAC Planning Feature Deep Dive

SAP Analytics Cloud
Planning Feature Deep Dive

William Yu, SAP
April, 2021
PUBLIC
Agenda
▪ Generic Principles & Calculation consideration
▪ New Model
▪ Currency Conversion
▪ Planning table
▪ Data Actions
▪ New Value Driver Tree
© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 2

Generic Principles &
Calculation Consideration
Generic Principles
▪ Like any other planning solution, define planning model dimensionality(plan granularity) wisely. Only put
absolute necessary perspective as dimension. Attribute can also used for reporting building.
▪ Start with simple and straight forward input template.
▪ Always try to limit number of records per grid, huge template shared by all users are not recommended at
anytime unless it can’t be avoid.
▪ Set as much as filter as possible for all dimensions.
▪ Use input control(s) or story filter(s) to toggle rather than put everything in one table.

Calculation Overview
For planning calculation, try out following options before decide the direction
▪ Member formula(on account dimension)
▪ Calculated/Restricted Measure
▪ In-Grid calculation
▪ Data action
▪ Advanced Formula
▪ Value driver tree

New Model
Extended Planning and Analysis (xP&A)
Finalize
Prepare
▪ Submit Data
▪ Planning Model
▪ Data Locks
▪ Drivers & Parameters
▪ Forward Data
▪ Master & Actual Data
Success S/4 Group
HR Strategy
Factors Reporting
Collaborate
Visualize Supply &

Schedule Sales & S/4
▪ Review Data Demand Finance Invest
▪ Planning Calendar COGS Finance
▪ Dashboards ▪ Share Stories (IBP)
▪ Processes & Tasks
▪ ACT vs. BUD ▪ Run Discussions
▪ Planners & Reviewers
▪ Enter Comments
C/4 Marketing Expense Concur

CRM
Plan Predict
▪ Input / Adjustment ▪ Time series forecast
▪ Distribution & Allocations ▪ Planning proposition
▪ Advanced Formulas
Crowdsource plans and budgets Link operational and Embed within enterprise
1 across the organization to increase 2 financial planning 3 applications
engagement and accuracy to improve alignment and performance for one source of the truth
© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC This is the current state of planning and may be changed by SAP at any time. 7
Planning
Planning for everyone
Eliminate the artificial barriers between Planning & Analysis

Integrated BI, Planning, and Predictive capabilities augmented with rich
collaboration & commenting services promote an agile and seamless
Planning & Analysis experience
Access powerful planning capabilities with a few clicks

Customized data spreading, workflow & process management, unique
versioning & simulation tools, and robust scenario analysis facilitate a
more considered planning process
Deliver planning for an Intelligent Enterprise

Consolidate all planning on a single platform by leveraging best-in-class
connectivity to SAP solutions, and pre-delivered Best Practice content to
realize accelerated time-to-value
This is the current state of planning and may be changed by SAP at any time.
Multi-Measures Support: Why Did We Start This Initiative?
System Account Multi-Measure

Business Warehouse
BPC – Standard
BPC - Embedded
Cloud for Customer
Concur
Data Warehouse Cloud
Integrated Business Planning
SuccessFactors
S/4

Introducing the New Model
Extended Planning & Analysis turbo-charged
Success HR Strategy S/4 Group
• The New Model provides unmatched flexibility to Factors Reporting
connect to external data sources Supply &

Demand
Sales Finance Invest S/4
Finance
• Mapping of applications with different structures is (IBP)
complex and time-consuming, both in terms of C/4 COGS Expense Concur

CRM
definition and data acquisition processing time
• The New Model enables direct and easy mapping with
like for like table structures
• Calculated and Conversion Measures provide

next level calculation capabilities: S/4 Finance
• cross column calculations GL Account Profit

Center
Fiscal Year Global
Currency
Transactional
Currency
• advanced currency conversions Sales West 2021 $10000 € 12000
Discount West 2021 $600 €720

SAP Analytics Cloud New Model
…
GL Account Profit Fiscal Year Global Transactional
Center Currency Currency
Sales West 2021 $10000 € 12000
Discount West 2021 $600 €720

Path To The New Model
Safeguarding existing customers’ implementations
• Current Models (‘Account-based’ models) continue to work as before
• Customers can choose to opt-in to the New Model at their own pace
• Converted Models can continue to using the account-based model structure if appropriate
• Limited conversion tool with initial release (QRC2)

• Only data and master-data are converted
• Artifacts (data wrangling, Data Actions, Stories, etc…) need manual conversion

A New Modeling Paradigm
The New Model blends concepts of Account based model and Key Figure based model (i.e.
discrete accounts and measures), allowing greater flexibility and power in solution design
Flexible Scenario Enriched Calculation Improved Data

Modeling Experience Wrangling
Account is optional
Extend standard model
Mix accounts and measures

Creating a New Model
•Current Models (‘Account-based’ models) continue to work as before

•Customers can choose to opt-in to the New Model at their own pace
User Experience Mindset Shift
New Model
Account
Model

Flexible Modeling: No Account Dimension
Account Model
Entity Sales_Org Customer Product Date Account SignedData
ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Discounts 700000
ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Gross Sales 6000000
ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Quantity 1200000

Sales
ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Avg Price (Calc) 5
New Model (with multiple measures, without account dimension)

Entity Sales_Org Customer Product Date Discounts Gross Sales Quantity Avg Price (Calc)
ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 700000 6000000 1200000 5

Flexible Modeling: Single Primary Key Figure
Account Model
Entity Entity Period Account SignedData
Currency
Germany EUR 202103 Gross Profit 1000000
Germany EUR 202103 Operating Expense 750000
United States USD 202103 Gross Profit 850000 Finance
United States USD 202103 Operating Expense 600000
New Model (with single key figure) New Model (with currency measure)
Entity Entity Period Account Value Entity Entity Period Account Value_LC Value_USD
Currency Currency
Germany EUR 202103 Gross Profit 1000000 Germany EUR 202103 Gross Profit 1000000 800000
Germany EUR 202103 Operating Expense 750000 Germany EUR 202103 Operating Expense 750000 600000
United States USD 202103 Gross Profit 850000 United States USD 202103 Gross Profit 850000 850000
United States USD 202103 Operating Expense 600000 United States USD 202103 Operating Expense 600000 600000

Flexible Modeling: Multiple Accounts and Measures
Account Model
Entity Job Family Date Account Flow SignedData
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Opening 70

Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Transfers 5
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Closing 75
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Salary # 7000000 HR
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Benefits # 3150000
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Opening 60
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Transfers -5
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Closing 55
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Salary # 6000000
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Benefits # 2700000
New Model (with accounts and measures)

Entity Job Family Date Account Expenses Opening Transfers Closing
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount - 70 5 75

Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Salary 7000000 - - -
Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Benefits 3150000 - - -
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount - 60 -5 55
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Salary 6000000 - - -
United States JF-1 Mar-21 Benefits 2700000 - - -

A New Modeling
Planning Paradigm
– Q2/2020

Account is optional Calculate measures using formulas

Extend standard model Assign properties to measures
Mix accounts and measures Persist currencies

Calculation Experience: Calculation Management Workspace
Updated modeling experience including a calculation management area for measure/account formulas

Calculation Experience: Measure Properties
Configure measure properties

▪ Name
▪ Aggregations
▪ Unit
▪ Currency
▪ Formatting

Calculation Experience: Persisted Currency Measures
Persist currencies using data actions

Calculation Experience: Dynamic Currency Measures
Use conversion measures to calculate currency dynamically in the model

Calculation Experience: Calculation Prioritization and Groups
Prioritize Calculations (Measure or Accounts)

Prioritize Calculations in Groups

A New Modeling Paradigm

Account is optional Calculate measures using formulas Enhanced wrangling language

Extend standard model Assign properties to measures Intuitive mapping
Mix accounts and measures Persist currencies Improved process management

Data Wrangling: Enhanced Wrangling Expression Language
Updated formulas authoring experience and language

Data Wrangling: Intuitive Workflow and Mapping
Simplified drag and drop mapping between source and target

Data Wrangling: Flexible Management of Wrangling Processes
Visual status indicator for data loads

Currency Conversion
SAP Analytics Cloud Multi-Currency Planning
Filter specific plan values by input currency across any

number of dimensions
On-the-fly conversion of local or transaction currency

plan values to multiple reporting currencies
Enter plan values in group/reporting currencies and

automatically derive local currency
Report plan numbers based on different Fx rate versions

to facilitate common currency reporting

Setting on Organization Dimension
Organization dimension has currency enabled by default
Each ‘Entity’ can has its own ‘Local Currency’
Generic dimension can also enable currency as custom

property

Setting on Account dimension
Only ‘Currency’ Accounts will be picked for Currency

conversion.
Rate type should match currency table to pickup

desired rates, supported types:
• Blank
• Average
• Closing

Currency table
Different categories can have different rates
Rate can also be specified on version, map to version through ‘Rate Version’ property
Source currency is the ‘Local Currency’ (defined in currency bearing dimension)
Each source/target currency pair needs to be define explicitly

Model Setting
With currency conversion off, data input can only be on

either default currency or local currency
Currency table can’t changed after model is saved
Multiple models can share same currency table
Date/Time dimension is needed to derive time dependent

rate from currency table

Typical Multi-Currency Model
Model default currency for group/reporting currency
Set local currency on organization dimension(e.g. Entity , Cost Center, Profit Center)
Plan(data Input and calculation) with local currency (by Entity)
Report on default currency or another currency (cross calculation)

Planning & Reporting on different currencies

Copy version
Choose copy currency based on currency used in the grid

Pre-converted Actuals
Currency conversion of Actuals happens out side of SAC
Load both default currency value and local currency value

Pre-converted Actuals
Data entry on Actuals is NO longer possible

Multiple Currency in Charts
Default Currency Selection
Cross Calculation

Multi Currencies in other features
Data Action
 Not possible to specify currency in copy action or advanced formula
 Not possible to run currency conversion via data action ( for model with currency dimension)
 Copy action copy value in local currency
Input task
 Input task only allow enter data on one currency

Planning Table
Create a Forecast or Rolling Forecast from the Builder Panel
▪ You can now create a Forecast or Rolling Forecast layout from the Builder panel;
you don't need to use restricted measures anymore. The new format lets you do
the following: use time as a normal dimension; choose the version to use for look
back; and add additional look back and look ahead periods.
▪ Note: The old forecast layout process can still be used but will be deprecated at
some point.

Periodic vs YTD
▪ Account type in general decide how data is stored in SAC

▪ INT & EXP (P&L Accounts)
– Always stored as periodic
– Default aggregation ‘SUM’
▪ AST & LEQ (B/S Accounts)
– Always stored as YTD
– By default use ‘Last’ aggregation by Time
▪ B/S accounts are always displayed as YTD

▪ Restricted Measure can be used to show YTD value for P&L Accounts.
▪ Restricted Measure(cross calculation) can be created on a specific
account or no account.

Inverse Formula

Find or create new members in-plan
Generate new members on-the-fly to expediate the planning process
Search and include existing members not

currently displayed on the input template
Create new members, where no existing member

exists in the model
▪ Insert newly added elements into appropriate

hierarchies
▪ Add required attribute information for newly

created members
▪ Automatically infer data access rights based on

surrounding elements

Unbooked data
▪ It’s only relevant for planning

▪ Sometime having this option off
can have performance impact
1.9 min -> 1.1 sec
▪ Make “Show unbooked

members” on the default for
expensive models

Data Actions
Data Action – Variables and prompting support
▪ Parameters can now be

configured within the Data Action
Designer
▪ These can then be used in any
Data Action Entity, Copy, Cross-
Model Copy and Advanced
Formula
▪ This does consequently allow
parameterization, scoping and
slicing of Data Actions
▪ Parameters set to fixed will be
consumed silently, prompted
parameters will be requested
during runtime

Asynchronous Execution of Data Actions
Execution is happening in an asynchronous fashion allowing end users to continue with their
workflow without being blocked.

Allocation Steps in Data Actions
▪ You can now add allocation steps as steps

in a data action.
▪ Instead of point of view, which is used with
allocation processes, a source context can
be defined for allocation steps in data
actions.
▪ You can combine allocation steps with other
allocation steps and other step types in one
data action and execute them with one click
using the data action trigger.

Data actions with automatic publishing of target version
▪ You can now set a follow-up action for the execution of a

data action so that the target version is automatically
published upon successful execution.
▪ The option is available for

▪ Data Action Triggers: Saving additional user interactions for
publishing after a manually triggered execution finishes
▪ Data Action Tasks in the Calendar: Supporting the automated
planning process by publishing results
▪ Successful publishing as well as any errors that may

occur are indicated to the user via notifications.
▪ Limitation: The option can only be applied for public

target versions. For private target versions or versions of
BPC Writeback models the user needs to manually
publish.
Embedded Data Action Steps
▪ Introduced new Data Action step type

"Embedded Data Action"
▪ Allows to re-use existing Data Actions on
same default / target model
▪ Parameters of outer Data Action can be
linked against required parameters of inner
Data Action
▪ Parameters of inner Data Action are not
prompted on execution; each must be
assigned a value in the designer
▪ Deep nesting of Data Actions is possible
▪ Cyclical references of Data Actions are
disallowed

Set Completion Options to Ignore
Data Actions - Cross-Model Copy: new completion

strategy "ignore"
• On mapping dimension members in a cross model
copy action
• The “Completion Options to Ignore” setting
can be used
• Any source members that were not
automatically mapped to a target member are
filtered out

Data Action Monitor
• All data action execution histories & real-time

execution status
• Execution result ( Successful/Failure )
• Time duration for completed task
• Elapsed time for in process task
• Triggered time, triggered user name
• Direct link to data action designer, triggered
sources ( Calendar task, Story, Analytic app )
• Execution details (Target version, parameters )
• Snapshot of master data name / current name

New Advanced formula keywords
▪ ATTRIBUTE, Reads an attribute value as number and conduct the calculation.

▪ DAY / MONTH / YEAR /PERIOD, ability to pick up the Day/Month/Year information from Time Period
▪ DAYSINMONTH / DAYSINYEAR, Ability to calculate the number of days in Time period
▪ DATERATIO, Ability to calculate the day ratio per Time period
▪ CARRYFORWARD, Support business function – CarryForward
▪ CONFIG.HIERARCHY, Support multi-hierarchies
▪ NEXT/PREVIOUS, Reference another time dimension for time functions
▪ TODAY, Return the current system date in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in the format YYYYMMDD
▪ DATEDIFF, Calculate the time difference between two dates
▪ LAST, New time keyword
▪ ATTRIBUTE, for IF condition, Calculation Expression and Number Variable
▪ ELSE, support ‘ELSE’ condition
▪ AND/OR, in IF condition (2021 QRC2 )
▪ EXIT, new key keyword to break FOREEACH loop (2021 QRC2 )
▪ AGGREGATE, load pre-aggregated value as calculation scope (2021 QRC2 )
New Value Driver Tree
Design Time SAC Story
Design Time for

VDT moved into
Stories
Full Story
Consumption (e.g.
Builder Panel)

New Builder Panel Experience
Builder Panel
Support
Date Range Filter

and support for
different Time
Granularities
Node Default
Configuration
(Template)

Context Menu Sup
Context Menu
Support
Auto-Creation
based on model

Link Node by Drag & Drop
Drag&Drop
Support for
linking

Collapsable node
Collapsable
Branches

Flexible node via Story calculation
Flexible node
configuration
(arbitrary no of
values per node )
Story calculation
support (cross- and
account calc)

Forecast Scenario Layouts
Forecast, Scenario
Layouts and Delta
Calculations

Simulate with BI license
Creation and
consumption with
BI License
Simulation on top
of planning models
(also BI License)

Thank you.
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SAP Analytics Cloud

Planning Feature Deep Dive

▪ Generic Principles & Calculation consideration

▪ New Value Driver Tree

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 2

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 4

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 5

Visualize Supply &

C/4 Marketing Expense Concur

Planning for everyone

Eliminate the artificial barriers between Planning & Analysis

Access powerful planning capabilities with a few clicks

Deliver planning for an Intelligent Enterprise

System Account Multi-Measure

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 9

connect to external data sources Supply &

complex and time-consuming, both in terms of C/4 COGS Expense Concur

• Calculated and Conversion Measures provide

• cross column calculations GL Account Profit

• advanced currency conversions Sales West 2021 $10000 € 12000

Discount West 2021 $600 €720

Sales West 2021 $10000 € 12000

Discount West 2021 $600 €720

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 10

• Current Models (‘Account-based’ models) continue to work as before

• Limited conversion tool with initial release (QRC2)

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 11

Flexible Scenario Enriched Calculation Improved Data

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 12

•Current Models (‘Account-based’ models) continue to work as before​

User Experience Mindset Shift

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 13

ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Discounts 700000

ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Gross Sales 6000000

ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 Quantity 1200000

New Model (with multiple measures, without account dimension)

ENT1001 S00001 1000151 PRODUCT_A 202001 700000 6000000 1200000 5

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 14

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 15

Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount Opening 70

New Model (with accounts and measures)

Germany JF-1 Mar-21 Headcount - 70 5 75

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 16

Flexible Scenario Enriched Calculation Improved Data

Account is optional Calculate measures using formulas

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 17

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 18

Configure measure properties

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 19

Persist currencies using data actions

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 20

Use conversion measures to calculate currency dynamically in the model

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 21

Prioritize Calculations (Measure or Accounts)

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 22

Flexible Scenario Enriched Calculation Improved Data

Account is optional Calculate measures using formulas Enhanced wrangling language

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 23

Updated formulas authoring experience and language

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 24

Simplified drag and drop mapping between source and target

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 25

Visual status indicator for data loads

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 26

•Current Models (‘Account-based’ models) continue to work as before