Purpose
Greetings SAP Community colleagues!
This blog introduces the latest updates to our Modeling Extensions and Integration features within SAP Analytics Cloud, released as part of the QRC Q1 2024 release.
Overview
- Data Export API – Master Data Public Dimensions
The Data Export API has been extended to now support Public Dimensions. This compliments the Data Import Service API – Master Data Public Dimension, recently released in QRC Q3 2023.
- New model formulas - YTD, QTD and MTD
Modellers and Planners can access three new formula called YTD, QTD and MTD at model level, which computes a running total across time granularities for a given year, quarter, or month period, respectively.
- Object Dependency Graph
An innovative feature, known as the Object Dependency Graph, within the Calculation Workspace of the modeller, provides a graphical representation of object relationships.
- Important news regarding Details() formula.
Changes are being made to the Details () formula. See KBA 3235670 - Details () Formula in SAP Analytics Cloud Modeler is Deprecated
Let’s take a closer look at these features in greater detail.
- Data Export API– Master Data Public Dimensions
The Data Export API is an open API that allows customers to retrieve data from SAC, including Master Data for Private Dimensions, Fact, Audit & Currency Data.
In QRC Q1 2024, the API has been further extended to also support Master Data for Public Dimensions. This includes member descriptions, data locking, data access control and property type support.
Both 2 & 3-legged connections are supported, where 2 legged is machine to machine connectivity & 3-legged involves authorized user connections.
The feature also compliments our Data Import API, which already supports the import of Master Data for Public Dimensions.
With this release, our customers can enjoy a consistent user experience through feature parity between both the Data Export & Data Import API's.
Figure 1: Public Dimensions Namespace
Figure 1 illustrates the Data Export API Public Dimensions functionality exposed under the “sac_public_dimensions” namespace which is used as an endpoint for public dimensions.
Figure 2: Public Dimension Providers Endpoint
Figure 2 shows a list of provider endpoints within the Data Export API, Public Dimension namespace. The provider in this case is the Public Dimension.
Figure 3: Sample Extraction of Public Dimension Data
Figure 3 shows a sample extraction of Public Dimension data, including the dimension ID, description and language. Page-size and filters can be specified as part of the request, to help limit the response. This is especially suitable with larger volumes of data.
Note that support for Public Dimensions containing hierarchies is planned and is not supported in this current release.
- YTD, QTD and MTD Functions
In QRC 4 2023, the ToPeriod function was introduced at model level, that computes a running total across a given period, including flexible time, such as Week and Day. This function is used as part of a LOOKUP or RESTRICT.
With QRC1 2024, a shortcut to the ToPeriod function has been introduced, which applies to the three most used date granularities, which are YTD (Year to Date), QTD (Quarter to Date) AND MTD (Month to Date).
Figure 4: Year To Date Formula
YTD displays a sum of aggregated values over a given Year period.
Figure 5: Quarter To Date Formula
QTD displays a sum of aggregated values over a given Quarter period.
Figure 6: Month To Date Formula
MTD displays a sum of aggregated values over a given Month period.
These are quick and easy to type functions and are available for both Account models and models containing both measures and accounts.
- Object Dependency Graph
An innovative feature known as the Object Dependency Graph, is now available within the Calculation Workspace of the modeller.
This feature provides a visual representation of measures, calculated measures, conversion measures & account members, to give a better understanding of the relationship between these objects.
Figure 7: Select and object and switch to Graph View
Figure 8: Node Properties
In the modeler, switch to the Calculation Workspace, select an object such as a measure, calculated measure, conversion measure or account member.
Switch from List mode to Graph mode in the toolbar to see the new Object Dependency Graph.
On the graph, a group of connected nodes appear, according to the object configuration.
For objects with no dependencies, a single node is displayed.
Icons on the top left of each node indicate the type of object, such as, Base Measure, Account, Formula, Currency Conversion Measure.
Properties such as Account type, Rate type, Aggregation type are also listed within the node.
In the toolbar, a Search box allows users to locate specific objects by name.
The Show Properties icon provides options of what properties should be displayed on the nodes.
The zoom feature permits the resizing of the graph.
For performance and display reasons, a maximum of 250 nodes is permitted within the display at any one time.
Nodes containing warnings are highlighted in yellow.
This innovative feature helps to simplify the understanding of complex object dependencies.
- Important news regarding the Details () Formula.
The Details () formula is a deprecated feature.
This formula, along with the “Calculated On” column will be completely removed from SAP Analytics Cloud soon, so it is important that modellers and planners replace any formulas within their models containing a Details () formula with an Exception Aggregation using type SUM and Exception Aggregation Dimension using All Members to see the same results.
To further help with optimizing the performance of these formulas, modellers and planners can choose specific dimensions and dimension properties within the Exception Aggregation Dimension field.
As part of this phased approach to removing this formula, warning messages are now seen in the model against formulas containing Details () in the “Calculated On” column.
Figure 9: Deprecated Details Formula in Accounts
Figure 10: Deprecated Details formula in Calculation Properties Panel
From QRC2 2024, this warning will be replaced with an error message and modellers must update their formulas before being permitted to save.
See KBA 3235670 - Details () Formula in SAP Analytics Cloud Modeler is Deprecated for further information on how to correctly update these formulas.
Conclusion
In summary, the following new features and updates have been introduced to the Modeling Extensions and Integration are of SAP Analytics Cloud.
- Data Export API has been extended to support Master Data containing Public Dimensions.
- Modellers and Planners can access three new formulas called YTD, QTD, MTD, at model level, which computes a sum of aggregated values over a given year, quarter, or month period, respectively.
- An innovative feature, known as the Object Dependency Graph, within the Calculation Workspace of the modeller, provides a graphical representation of object relationships.
- Changes are being made to the Details () formula. See KBA 3235670 - Details () Formula in SAP Analytics Cloud Modeler is Deprecated
There are plenty more, new Modeling Extensions and Integration features to come in 2024, so watch this space!
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or post a question to our SAP Analytics Cloud Questions & Answers forum.
See this SAP Knowledge Base Article if you’d like to learn more about FastTrack and Quarterly Release Cycle releases.
For further information, visit our SAP Analytics Cloud Community pages to find more product information, best practices, and more.
To find out more about QRC release dates, see SAP Analytics Cloud tenants on Quarterly Release Cycle (QRC) updates in 2024.
Check out our SAP Road Map Explorer to see more upcoming features of SAP Analytics Cloud.
Thanks for reading!
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