SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics for real-time operational reporting

Natalia Stępniak, Business Intelligence Consultant

27th January 2023
Trends in SAP
3 min

What is the concept behind embedded analytics?

Embedded analytics is a concept involving keeping the data in the operating system – in the case of SAP S/4HANA system it’s SAP HANA database – and then, using a mechanism called a virtual data model, transforming on-the-fly data optimized for transactional purposes into an analytics-ready structure. The entire process occurs using the SAP Fiori user interface or SAP Analytics Cloud.

Who is this solution addressed to?

This solution is particularly advised for:

Users who are directly involved in business processes and therefore need valuable and relevant insights to help them make the right data-driven decisions,
Analysts preparing data sources, queries, KPI reports or recommendations for other users.

What business benefits does SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics bring?

A great convenience for users comes from the fact that SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics provides a lot of predefined Business Content in the form of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), analytical reports, predictive and planning scenarios, dashboards or multidimensional reports resembling extended pivot tables. These resources make it much easier to use embedded analytics by providing off-the-shelf solutions to meet specific business needs.

Smart Business KPIs

Provides information aggregated to a selected KPI level to illustrate the company’s performance
Delivers the necessary input to initiate further business decisions
Offers the feature to create private versions
Reports examples:
- - Expense variances
  - Overdue receivables

Analytical List Pages

Provides direct insight into transactional data with the ability to create, update or delete it
A simple visual layer including tables, charts and non-complex filters
Offers the feature to create private versions
Report example:
- - Event-based revenue recognition

Overview Pages

Provides a comprehensive and consolidated overview of processes from a selected area, e.g., sales, suppliers, purchasing
Information is presented in analytical tables and charts
Combines analytical and transactional data
Offers the feature to create private versions
Report example:
- - General overview of sales items – sales report

Multidimensional Reports

A report designed for flexible analysis and exploration of large amounts of transactional data
Form of an expanded, multidimensional pivot table
Offers the feature to create private versions
Report example:
- - Cost centers – actual values

Embedded SAP Analytics Cloud Dashboards

Enables a comprehensive overview of the process or status of a business unit based on complex data
Allows simultaneous data scrubbing (moving through hierarchy levels) or filtering in all selected objects (Linked Analysis)
The report can contain several pages
Offers the feature to create private versions and advanced visualizations, such as geographic maps
Report example:
- - Overview of customer returns

In-App Analytics in ML

Combines analytics and transactional data review within a single dashboard
Allows prioritization to execute business operations based on occurring events

Source: openSAP

Analysts will benefit from similar features, as they can choose whether to prepare the data from scratch or use pre-built VDMs – virtual data models that can be accessed using the built-in View Browser application.

Below I present a list of other applications designed for data analysts.

Simplified feature summary of Embedded Analytics and SAP Analytics Cloud (Enterprise Version)

	Embedded Analytics	SAP Analytics Cloud (Enterprise Version*)
Scope of application	Analysis	Analysis, planning, forecasting
Connection	Live	Live, hybrid, on-premise
Data source	SAP S/4HANA	SAP, non-SAP
License	No additional licenses	Standalone license
R-visualizations	Unavailable	Available
SAP Analytics Cloud, add-in for MS Office	Unavailable	Available
Business Content	Available	Available
Collaboration environment	Unavailable	Available – comments, online chat