Evolution of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Model Consumption in SAP Analytics Cloud - Q1.2023 & Outlook

[Tobias_Mueller]

This is the second blog of a series. You can find the first blog here:
Evolution of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Model Consumption in SAP Analytics Cloud – Review 2022
Last time, we looked at the 2022 release highlights for using both SAP Data Warehouse Cloud and SAP Analytics Cloud together. This time, we will focus on our QRC Q1.2023 delivery and the outlook for 2023.

Consuming SAP Data Warehouse Cloud models in SAP Analytics Cloud should be as simple as possible. While both are independent products for good reasons, it is key to enable a seamless & integrated experience using both products together & maximizing the value for your use cases. That is, why we will start 2023 right off by improving the user's workflow on how to work with SAP Data Warehouse Cloud models.

Enhanced SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Model Integration

The goal is to make SAP Data Warehouse Cloud Models feel like native, integrated model types within SAP Analytics Cloud. They should support all relevant SAP Analytics Cloud capabilities for their purpose - serving analytic use cases. It all starts with the perception of the dashboard's creator on how to use SAP Data Warehouse Cloud assets.

With QRC Q1.2023 (wave 2023.01 for fast-track tenants), we will make it as easy as possible to consume SAP Data Warehouse Cloud models in SAP Analytics Cloud stories. SAP Data Warehouse Cloud tenants will appear like "network drives" in the model selection dialog, making it seamless to browse & use them in your stories.

Here is a short demo:



Try it out - you will recognize that this really makes a difference on the end-user's perception of how SAP Data Warehouse Cloud models are integrated into the existing SAP Analytics Cloud user workflows.

Outlook 2023

For us, this is just another, important milestone on our Evolution path. What we can already talk about for 2023, we want to extend this workflow improvement by supporting search & navigating folders in spaces. In addition to that, we plan to extend the support of SAP Data Warehouse Cloud with features like Data Analyzer, Scheduling, External Hierarchies and many more.
Also, stay tuned for more information around our journey towards a deeper integration for planning in the course of this year.

I am curious to hear about your biggest wish for 2023, when it comes to the integration between SAP Analytics Cloud & SAP Data Warehouse Cloud - leave a comment!

Stay Safe!

Tobias

[mfoeken]

Hi tobias_mueller_sap,

May I suggest that a search option is added in the dialog when selecting a dataset or model? When browsing 'My Files' it's there but once you switch to a DWC connections you get a flat list. Nice in a demo environment but not when you have a great number of objects in a certain DWC space.

Kind regards,

Martijn van Foeken | Interdobs

[Tobias_Mueller]

Hi Martijn,

 

thank you for that! As mentioned in the Outlook part, we plan to provide Search support as well as folder support (planned on DWC side for Q2 2023) with our next QRC release. That will for sure help with having a bigger number of objects.

 

BR,

Tobias

[mfoeken]

Sorry...missed that one...

[GerritPosthumus]

My wish list:

1. Smart (x) features on DWC data models


2. Data point commenting on DWC data models


3. Planning on DWC models


4. Multi action step for DWC task chains, data flows, data persistency etc


5. All features of SAC models also supported within DWC Analytical Models


6. True integration of DWC models in SAC via the One Data Catalog

[Tobias_Mueller]

Hi Gerrit,

thank you very much! I would like to get some more details on the following points you mentioned:

#1 Which of the smart features would you like to use on top of DWC models?

#4 I really like this idea. Do you have concrete usecases in mind you would like to establish with that? Would you mind creating an Influence Request item for that one? Link to Influence Portal

#6 What do you mean with true integration of dwc models in SAC via One Data Catalog? Can you give some more details?

Really appreciate your feedback.

BR,

Tobias

[JefB]

Would love to hear more on replication-free planning & more advanced modelling & calculation capabilities (SQL, Python, PAL) for planning scenarios.

[former_member533170]

Great information!

My main wish will be have Smart Insigths available for DWC live connections. Smart Insights is a functionality love by Business and have it available with full DWC model wihtout importing into SAC will be amazing specially for big datasets.

 

Regards,

Dani

[hector_andres_garcia]

Thanks Tobias, our wish list for SAC on DWC (although you already know it):

1. Support for semantics/value help on input input parameters.


2. Ability to define complex logic to populate default values on input parameters (similar to HANA, where you can use a table function to populate a default value).


3. Ability to use hierarchy nodes as input parameter values.


4. Data point commentary.


5. Smart Insights.


6. Bursting/publishing/scheduling with full integration of DWC Data access controls based on the report receiver.


7. Bursting/publishing/scheduling for external users with the ability to by pass data access controls.


8. A way to migrate explorer views to data analyzer views (since Explorer will be deprecated).

[GerritPosthumus]

#1 The below:

• Smart insight
• Search via natural language query (NLQ)
• Time serie forecasting
• Smart predict (Auto ML) on top of ADS, AM or tables / views
• Smart grouping

#4 as requested I have created the below influence request:

https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/idea/295159

#6 that all artifact from DWC and SAC will have one repository so it feels like one product

I think it would also be great if both menus of SAC and DWC would be integrated in one menu and that you can switch between different persona profiles as Data Bricks has.

In addition it would be great to have dedicated screen for data science and data exploration activities with a Jupyter Notebook style interaction interface with support for various languages like SQL, Python, R

https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/idea/295160

[GerritPosthumus]

Hi Hector,

I really like the below one:

1. Ability to define complex logic to populate default values on input parameters (similar to HANA, where you can use a table function to populate a default value).

Did you already create a Influence Portal request for this that I can vote one ?

[arnoldtob]

Hi,

It would be great if the dwc could connect live/remote (like sac) to BW Query and analytic CDS views. And that 3rd party tools could then consume them. 😉

Best regards

Tobias

[ebajema1]

Hi tobias_mueller_sap ,

There is one area that many people are very interested in... it was already mentioned earlier in Gerrit's comment but I noticed it didn't get addressed in your response.

So what can you tell us about Planning?

SAC for Planning is currently perceived to be at a disadvantage for scenarios requiring more complex calculation logic or very high volume processing of plan data. DWC seems perfectly positioned to help with these use cases, and the prospect of tighter integration / deployment of SAC planning models and logic in DWC is the key to this.
Today we require replication and additional manual steps to take advantage of this, and planning logic has to be implemented separately (APIs can be used but parameter passing is a pain, etc.).

What expectations can be set for partners and end customers who may be relying on such functionality to support their future planning use cases?

Thanks for this Outlook post and thanks in advance for your response.

Kind Regards

[Max_Gander]

Hi ebajema1 ,

Thanks for your interest. We are making good progress to closely integrate SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Data Warehouse Cloud for planning scenarios.

Last year, we released the bi-directional data transfer. But we want to enable live planning on DWC to enable live plan vs. actual reporting, re-use of DWC master data dimensions, virtual access to DWC actuals and more useful features. Timeline is HY1 2024.

You can follow me here in the community to always get latest updates once we announce the delivery.

BR
Max

[ebajema1]

Thanks for your prompt reply, Max!

It's great to have a rough date to work towards, and we're quite excited about what new approaches this will unlock. In the meantime, we'll be looking forward to any updates.

Godspeed