Cloud

SAP SAC Planning: Lessons learned

SAP Analytics Cloud is a tool which covers multiple areas such as Reporting, Planning and Predictive. In this article I summarized some 20 bullet points which could help you avoid problems when implementing applications in SAC.

Vahan Nersesyan , Analytics Consultant
19 November 2021

1. Think it through, which Dimensions you need

Subsequent changes could be costly when using Account Model. If you have complex Transformations and Import Jobs, all of them must be Rebuild

2. Don't rush into the new Measure based model, it is not always the best choice

Many Bugs, Limitations exist with Measure based model

i.e. Updating Dimension while loading is not supported, Limitations in Data Actions etc.

Updating Dimension with new Members is sometimes necessity:

New Model:

Account Model:

3. S4HANA Export Prerequisites

OData Service API_FINANCIALPLANDATA_SRV also needs other services activated to work properly:

Company Code
Cost Center
Plan Category
G/L Account

4. Be careful when using FOREACH in Advanced Formula, it can destroy your version

Use MEMBERSET to filter the right amount of data for which you are going to loop through
Don’t use unnecessary Dimension in FOREACH …. ENDFOR

5. Be careful when deleting objects

Be careful when deleting objects such as Data actions, you will not get a warning if the object is used in a Multi-Action or a Story

6. Place the calculations carefully, advantages vs disadvantages

In the model

o Can be used in Excel Add in

o Can be used for planning scenarios with Inverse Formula

o Can be used in Data Actions

In the Story

o Faster to do

o In Cell Calculations in a single Cell are possible

o More flexible

7. Planning Models – Performance Issues

Aggregate data not more than 100.000 rows
For complex scenarios use 2-layer architecture
Do not put Planning Date range too far in the past or in the future

8. Not all Dimensions have to be in the table

Use Data Validation to retrieve rest of Dimension

9. Use "Source" dimension to differentiate

For each Source use different Identifier Source

10. Planning Standard Planner Reporter Role Is not sufficient

11. Pay attention on which language you are logged in

When creating a Model, the users login language is taken as Original language for it. Some elements such as Date could appear in i.e. English and cannot be translated!

12. Content Network can mess your environment

When activating a package from Content Network, be careful which objects you want to add into your SAC environment. By selecting all, you can mess up your environment

13. Allocation cannot run on itself

Works: Allocate Energy Cost from CostCenter X to the rest of the CostCenters

Does not Work: Allocate Energy Cost from CostCenter X to ALL cost Centers

14. In Advanced Formula calculation does not work when using multiplication or division using two result lookups

Use Variables when looping with FOREACH if you Multiply 2 Values with different aggregation levels. More on it https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/3040945

15. Use cross calculation if you don’t want to see Version in your table

Measures require Version dimension. You can't remove the version dimension from Rows

16. User Management

Use technical user as system owner

17. Use Mapping Tables for Version or Cutover date

Use the FIND Function for that:

18. Sorting Ascending/Descending for Dimensions with Numeric Master data

Currently, sorting with Dimensions including Numeric Values does not properly work. As a workaround, create a Property type Integer and use that Property to sort