Sneak Peek in to SAP Analytics Cloud release for Q4 2024

[Orla_C]

Hard to believe we are already entering Q4 2024 and with that we give you a glimpse of some of the new features in SAP Analytics Cloud. We have over 50 features for you this quarter but we will first take a sneak peek in to our Top 5 features in QRC4 2024. A full list of what is coming can be found on our Roadmap Explorer.

Bulk migration from classic stories to the optimized experience

The optimized story experience improves performance within SAP Analytics Cloud stories. We have enabled numerous features over the past couple of years and in this quarter we are excited to introduce support for the migration of multiple classic stories for SAP Analytics Cloud to the optimized experience. Some of the features include the ability to:

• Overwrite the classic stories or save them as copies
• Choose the location to save for converted stories
• Get a log for the migration status

This new feature will help Customers save time and effort in migrating multiple stories and reduce migration downtime.

Grouping of analytics catalog assets

Another exciting new feature in our SAP Analytics Cloud catalog is the Quick filters in catalog to allow for faster and easier content discovery. End users can select a quick filter and search results get refreshed based on pre-defined filter sets. The quick filters are set by the admins for grouping content in a meaningful way and making the lives of end users easier. Feature is also available for catalog publishers and allows for consistent metadata tagging of content.

Plan Process Management - template support

An exciting new addition for our planning users is the introduction of a file repository template object for calendar processes. This enables planners to:

• Save an existing process as a template (including subtasks and subprocesses)
• Create a new process based on a template
• Use templates in the event wizard to instantiate processes for multiple elements within the driving dimension
• Support the transport of templates across tenants

 

Data Actions – dynamic planning area support

Staying with planning, in this release, we have taken further steps in our multi-phase refactoring of how user planning areas are created and managed. This is important as keeps the data size manageable for planning activities, which in turn improves performance and streamlines resource management.

This functionality has been building over the past few quarters in 2024, but specifically with the Q4 release, we are now supporting dynamic extension of existing planning area within a data action, while respecting boundaries defined when either DAC and/or data locking are enabled.

This new behavior applies to wherever the data action is triggered, and an existing planning area has been established, whether via stories, or the Excel Add-In

SAP Analytics Cloud System Overview Performance One Pager

Last but by no means least we bring you a Centralized Performance Dashboard. It provides a comprehensive, centralised solution for all relevant performance data, presented in a clear and organised visual format. This Performance One Pager consolidates key statistics from disparate tools into a unified view, eliminating the need for manual data gathering for administrators.

Learn more in this great blog by @thomas_fery 

There are plenty more exciting deliverables coming your way this quarter and we will be taking a deeper dive into these items in our What’s New video and blog series so stay tuned. For a full list of all features coming in QRC4 2024 for SAP Analytics Cloud check out the Roadmap Explorer

Want to experience new and existing features for yourself? Take the leap and start your journey towards making data-driven decisions with confidence by signing up for a free trial, today.

#sap #sapanalytics

[fabianrunge1]

Hi @Orla_C !

since the last Q3.2024 release I couldn’t find any posts announcing new features released every fortnight. Have you stopped publishing this?

Best

Fabian

[kcupersmith]

Hello @Orla_C , I have the same question as Fabian. Do we have a place besides the Road Map to review the new features? They were very helpful. Thank you!

[alexmolotilov]

Hi @Orla_C , same for me, can we bring back the waves update?

Alex

[fabianrunge1]

FYI: Ora replied on LinkedIn to a post a couple of weeks ago that they are not intending to post the fortnightly updates anymore.

[Lothar_Köder]

Hello @fabianrunge1,

Thanks for the information! That's really a pity.

Hello @Orla_C,

Could you maybe release the full blog for quarterly release with deeper descriptions and screenshot at least when latest QRC is available in preview tenants, please? E.g. today for QRC 4.2024. 😉 (and four weeks before QRC will be available in productive tenants in the future)

Many thanks in advance!

Best regards

Lothar

[Orla_C]

Hi Lothar.

We will no longer be doing the fortnightly blogs, however customers on Fast Track can find these updates in help center within their tenant. Full release updates can be found in the What's New Viewer

However I will continue to do the Top 5 and What's New Videos. You can expect them on youtube in early November.

Thanks,

Orla

[alexmolotilov]

Hi @Orla_C ,

in the fast track tenant it is basically a plain text that cannot be exported/used in a good way.

It means for the regression testing in the preview tenant there is no way to see new available functionality for almost two weeks. 

These blogs were used also to show the momentum in the internal community, to boost the adoption and keep people engaged.

As you can see, there is a demand in the community, I hope you can consider to come up with something more flexible/beneficial for us.

Alex

[Lothar_Köder]

Hi @Orla_C,

Thanks for the fast reply! I think it's okay to not have the detailed blog for every release on a fast track tenant (at least for me). But the whole blog / video should be available earlier. As @alexmolotilov mentions we use this for internal communication and advertisement for new features in SAC. To see the enhancements in detail the information in road map explorer isn't enough.

BTW: Whats New Viewer doesn't contain QRC 4.2024 at the moment:

Best regards

Lothar

[richard_codron]

Hello @Orla_C

We are very disappointed that the item has been discontinued.
Like many other customers reported , we have far too little information on the new features delivered in QRC until the  QRC really release, and this blog allowed us, via the fastrack deliveries, to have a precise idea of what we can test in the QRC preview version.
The roadmap is still available, but it's much more uncertain, and we've already had features that have been shifted to the next QRC releases.
We'd also like to know what technical modifications you make to certain components (either to fix bugs or to add new features) between each release, as we've already encountered many disastrous functional regressions as a result of these modifications.
Big companies like Google or Microsoft deliver ultra-complete keynotes for KB deliveries or Google Chrome version upgrades. We don't really understand why a big company like yours isn't able to do the same.

Hopping you can take our request .

Best regards 

[Orla_C]

Hi Richard,

Appreciate your feedback, it was felt that there was duplication between the blogs and What's new content.

However we have continued with the What's New Video which is now available on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atNQxqkf0Z8&list=PL3ZRUb1AKkpTv44lv8pQvdlwT_MzAi3Qq

Here we demo all the feature in the Roadmap to compliment the written what's new material.

Thanks,

Orla

[fabianrunge1]

Hi @Orla_C,

unfortunately the what's new content is not visible to anyone who is on the QRC release schedule so from this point of view it's a huge step back to prepare for the release. In the old form we could always see detailed posts of upcoming features and prepare for them.

Best

Fabian

[arnoldtob]

I can only agree with the other customers. The bi-weekly blogs about updates were always the basis for our test in the preview tenant and also the basis for the information sent to our key users. The Whats-New Viewer is not suitable for this.

[JefB]

I can only agree with above. This is unprecedented. The QRC4 release is basically coming in 2 days (Nov 15-17) and there is still no QRC4 full-release blog/content available (only this top 5 sneak peek) like it was in the past (min. 3 weeks in advance).
The only option for SAC customers to prepare for what is hitting them is to watch the full +1h video (only released 1week ago and without much announcement).

And as usual: What's new viewer lists nothing new, bugfix release notes simply don't exist, and I'm pretty sure there will be regression surprises (such as KBA 3533963 that was raised after we logged a case).

As reply to alternative suggestions:
- Customers can see the listed features on the roadmap explorer ?
Actually, not really a good option, it is in constant fluctuation & full of uncertainty which cannot be tracked, forces all readers you want to share it with to use s-user login, requires readers to scroll down and click each +45 cards to read through the details (which are also not detailed enough) and these so called details are not even included if you try to download the info.
- Customers can access the 'what's new viewer' ?
Actually no, this still doesn't list any information on QRC4 2024 (waves 2014.16 up to 2024.21). I guess that's why the hyperlink to this is correctly named 'Open past versions' in the SAC tenants...
- Customer who have (additionally purchased) fast-track tenant can see the what's new release notes ?
Actually no, these have already hidden release notes of wave 2024.16, 2024.17 and 2024.18 part of QRC4 as only the most recent 5 waves are listed.

[BalaGade]

Hi Orla_C,

Thanks for the information in this blog, it is very helpful.

While migrating classic stories to the optimized experience we are having challenge with Table presentation with “Linked Dimensions”

• When do you think “Link Dimensions”(precenting dimensions/measures from different data models in same table) will be supported in table presentations in SAC