New in SAC: Funnel, Gauge and Sankey Charts
SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is SAP’s cloud-based Business Intelligence platform that provides a range of analytics and reporting tools. It’s a fast-evolving product that gets updated frequently, and the QRC3 2026 release (August 15 & 16, 2026) added three new chart types: Funnel, Gauge and Sankey.
This isn’t a full release recap; we’ve already covered the rest of QRC3 2026 here: SAP Analytics Cloud QRC3 2026 – AI Integration & New Chart Types.
In this blog, Kris van Brouwershaven zooms in on just these three chart types: when each one earns its place in your dashboard, and when it doesn’t.
Want to show how data moves through a process? Use a Funnel.
Need to check performance against a target? Use a Gauge.
Looking to visualize movement between categories? Use a Sankey.
Why the Funnel, Gauge and Sankey matter
Not every business question fits a traditional bar-, line-, or Numeric Point-chart.
Sometimes you want to show drop-off in a process.
Sometimes you need one KPI at one glance.
Sometimes the real story is in the flow from A to B (to C, to D, to …).
Funnel Chart: make every stage visible
A Funnel Chart is built for process-related data.
It shows how volume moves through (a sequence of) stages and where the biggest drop-off happens.
When is the funnel a good choice?
Leads → Opportunities → Quotation → Orders
Applicants → Interviews → Job Offers → Hired Candidates
Website Visits → Sign-ups → Free Trials → Customers
Received Invoices → Validated Invoices → Approved Invoices → Paid Invoices
Open Items → Reviewed Items → Approved Entries → Processed Entries
Good to know when building a Funnel Chart
A good Funnel Chart is simple, but the key is to keep it structured.
Best practices:
Keep the stages in a logical order.
Use short labels → The chart can quickly become cluttered if you add too much text.
Limit the number of stages → Aim for a maximum of 6 stages.
Is your data not sequential? → Consider using a different chart type.
Gauge Chart: show the status of your KPI
A Gauge Chart is designed to visualize KPI-related data.
It shows how a single KPI is performing against a target.
But doesn't SAC already have a Numeric Point? What's the added value of a Gauge Chart? The comparison against a target. A Gauge Chart shows whether you're on track to achieve your goal.
When is a Gauge Chart a good choice?
When you want to show the status of a single KPI at a glance.
It makes performance easy to understand, monitor, and explain.
In other words: if the story is about current performance versus a target, a Gauge Chart is a great fit.
What are some possible use cases?
Actual Revenue vs. Revenue Target
Actual Margin vs. Planned Margin
Actual Spending vs. Budget
Used Capacity vs. Available Capacity
Actual Service Level vs. SLA Target
Current Progress vs. Planned Completion
Good to know when building a Gauge Chart
A good Gauge Chart is clear, focused, and easy to interpret.
Best practices:
Use one KPI per Gauge Chart.
Set realistic targets and thresholds → Make sure your targets are clearly structured.
Avoid placing too many Gauge Charts next to each other.
Do users need to understand trends over time? → Consider using a different chart type.
Keep the chart clean → The legend can make the chart look cluttered. If you can hide it, do so.
Sankey Chart: Visualize Flows and Relationships
A Sankey Chart is designed to visualize flow-related data.
It shows how values move from one category, stage, or node to another.
When is a Sankey Chart a good choice?
When your data is about movement, allocation, or transitions.
It shows where values come from, where they go, and which flows have the greatest impact.
In other words: if the story is about relationships and movement between different points, a Sankey Chart is a great fit.
What are some possible use cases?
Marketingchannel → Leadtype → Opportunity-fase
Department → Cost Category
Current Segment → New Segment
Warehouse → Region → Customer Group
Supplier → Material Group → Business Unit
Cost Center → Account Category
Goed om te weten bij het bouwen van een Sankey Chart
A good Sankey Chart is visually powerful, but only if it remains easy to read.
Best practices:
Limit the number of nodes and flows.
Focus on the most important movements.
Use clear source and target labels.
Avoid visual clutter.
Does your data lack a clear flow or transition? → Consider using a different chart type.
Good-to-knows when building a Sankey Chart
A good Sankey Chart is visually strong, but only if it stays readable.
Best Practices are:
Limit the number of nodes and flows
Focus on the most relevant movements
Use clear source and target labels
Avoid visual clutter
If there is no real flow or transition in the data, use another chart type
Final thoughts
With Funnel, Gauge, and Sankey Charts, SAP Analytics Cloud introduces three new chart types, each serving a different purpose.
Funnel helps you understand progress through different stages.
Gauge helps you monitor performance against a target.
Sankey helps you visualize flows and relationships.
So, are you working with SAC? Now is a great time to start experimenting!
Try these chart types with your own data, discover where they add value, and see how they can take your dashboards to the next level.
These three chart types were just part of the QRC3 2026 release. Curious about what else is new? Read our full release blog:
SAP Analytics Cloud QRC3 2026 – AI Integration & New Chart Types
Want to learn more about the SAP Analytics Cloud release cycle?
The Release Cycle of SAP Analytics Cloud in 2026: When Does SAC Update?
Or would you like to learn more about SAP Analytics Cloud or reporting in general? Feel free to reach out to Kris van Brouwershaven.
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