SAP Analytics Cloud – Predictive 2019 Roadmap and generic Predictive Release Content

In this blog a short summary will be given on the SAP Analytics Cloud Predictive Roadmap for 2019, and, the most interesting Predictive features that have already been released so far (until release 2019.09). Please note that this is only the ‘current state of planning’, which can of course change at any time!

SAP Analytics Cloud Roadmap

At the ‘SAP Analytics Cloud Focused on Predictive’ Partner Session last March in Paris, an outlook on the SAP Analytics Cloud Predictive roadmap of Q1 2019 and onwards was given. The roadmap mainly seems to focus on enabling the ‘Predictive’ pillar across SAP Applications within the SaaS Platform (e.g. SAP S/4HANA):

Looking at the above overview, more specifically this means a future focus on:

• ·Smart Assist, covering the six features:

  • Smart Discovery;

  • Smart Insights;

  • Search to Insight;

  • Time Series Forecasting;

  • R-Visualizations; (see our previous blog - Using R Visualizations in SAP Analytics Cloud)

  • Smart Grouping.

• ·Build Predictive Models:

  • Automated Predictive Modelling, such as Classification, Regression, and Segmented Time Series Analysis models.

• Integrate / Deploy across the SaaS Platform: 

  • Integration: e.g. Adjust or create new ‘Predictive Scenarios’ in SAP Analytics Cloud Smart Predict and use the SAP Predictive Analytics Integrator (PAi) to publish the model to SAP S/4 HANA.

For the above functionalities, the following high-level roadmap was discussed,

• Smart Assist:

  • Q1.2019:

    • Focus on improving the phrase-handling for Search to Insight;

    • Additional Time Series Forecasting methods, also for Predictive Planning;

    • SAP hosted R-Server support.

  • Future Direction:

    • Global Search across models and additional live data connection support for Search to Insight;

    • Live SAP HANA data connection, and, Calculated Measure support for Smart Insights;

    • Live SAP HANA data connection support for Smart Discovery.

• SAP Predictive Analytics integrator (SAP PAi):

  • Q1.2019:

    • Creating Models with S/4HANA data and being able to publish the model back for use within S/4HANA (note: part of release 2019.02);

    • Edit existing Predictive Scenario’s by publishing Predictive Models (note: part of release 2019.07).

  • Future Direction

    • Extensibility of models;

    • Live connectivity for models.

SAP Analytics Cloud releases – focus on Predictive functionality

The main additions in the 2019 product update releases (01 – 09) so far, not yet mentioned in the above section, are:

• Enhanced Parameter search for Smart Assist. This means being able to execute more specific queries with ‘Search to Insight’, such as taking into consideration the Fiscal calendar or against a measure’s range (e.g. ‘Greater Than’-statements in your query);

• Ability to use any Planning Input Value when running the Predictive Forecast;

• Ability to import data from several sources directly in to a dataset, to be able to consume it in a Predictive Workflow (e.g. SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP));

• Changes to the Predictive Model’s debrief output, such as hiding variables with no influence, ability to debrief reports for segment-based time-series models, and, selecting output variables.

Concluding

For the near future, enhancements to the ‘Predictive’ domain within SAP Analytics Cloud seem to be (unfortunately) quite limited. There are some small additions in Q1.2019, but the interesting remainder -focus on connectivity and extensibility of models- is only a ‘Future Direction’ so far.

If you would like to know more about the Predictive functionalities within SAP Analytics cloud, McCoy’s consultants are more than willing to help you on the road of Predictive Analytics. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

Think SAP Analytics Cloud – Think McCoy.