SAP S/4HANA
Embedded Analytics:
An Overview
SAP S/4HANA Embedded
Analytics brings analytics capabilities to
SAP S/4HANA platform using SAP ABAP
Core Data Services (referred to as CDS)
by way of Virtual Data Models (VDMs)
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Overview
The main characteristics of SAP S/4HANA include simplification of business processes,
significantly improved transaction efficiency (new simplified data model); faster analytics
(using a virtual data model based on Core Data Services); an intuitive, modern user
interface (SAP Fiori), and planning and simulation options in many conventional
transactions.
SAP S/4HANA allows both transactions and analytics exist together in a single platform
enabling business users to conduct business and perform real-time analytics on live
transactional data.
SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics is a collection of analytics features and a set of
predefined and prepackaged self-service data representations (i.e., virtual data models)
to derive real-time, actionable insights from the data without worrying about the
underlying data structure. SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics can be built directly into
transactional business processes or can be consumed by standalone analytics
applications.
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SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics
Architecture
The key architectural
components of SAP
S/4HANA embedded
analytics include the [1] SAP
HANA database, [2] virtual
data models, [3] analytical
engine (embedded SAP
BW), [4] OData service, and
interfaces as illustrated in the
figure
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[1] SAP HANA Database
It is essential for the computations to
be pushed to the database layer to
attain optimum performance.
Therefore, during the activation of
CDS views (in the ABAP layer), the
system generates SQL runtime views
in the SAP HANA database to
execute the data read and
transformation inside the SAP HANA
database layer as illustrated in
Figure.
The generated SQL runtime views in
SAP HANA database views can also
be used in native SAP HANA
information views (like calculation
views) for agile data mart reporting
in the SAP HANA database.
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[2] Virtual Data Model Based on CDS Views
Core Data Service (CDS) Views are used for defining and consuming semantically rich data models and
they also offers capabilities beyond the traditional data modeling tools, including support for
conceptual modeling and relationship definitions, built-in functions, and extensions.
SAP provides a set of CDS views to serve as the functional representation of the operational data
(includes both transactional and master data tables of SAP S/4HANA). These virtual data models are the
foundation of the SAP S/4HANA system and used by both business processes and analytics to access
data from the underlying physical tables.
These virtual data models are also used for extracting data from the SAP S/4HANA system to external
systems like SAP BW. SAP-delivered CDS views can be extended, and new CDS views can be built to
enhance the virtual data model. CDS views are developed, maintained, and extended in the ABAP
layer of the SAP S/4HANA system, so promotion of CDS views between systems can be managed by the
standard SAP transport process.
The key principle of the VDM is to build a semantic layer on top of the existing SAP S/4HANA database
model, hiding its technical details. Based on the provisioned content and reuse option, the CDS views of
the VDM are classified as interface or consumption views as illustrated in the following Figure.
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SAP S/4HANA
Virtual Data Model
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SAP S/4HANA Virtual Data Model (cont.)
[2.1] Private Views: These views are private in nature and not meant for end user consumption.
Private interface views are technically driven auxiliary views and are introduced to facilitate
transformation of the underlying data model towards the public view model. It is not
recommended to change or extend the private views.
[2.2] Interface Views: Interface views are the most important constituent of the VDM. They
consist of reusable entity views, which are defined with a focus on business semantics. Interface
views are public, stable, and reusable views for any consumer. The structure of public interface
views should not be affected due to corrections, patches, and upgrades.
[2.3] Consumption Views: These views are exposed for end user consumption and created using
one or more interface views. These are public domain-specific views for analytics, search, and
transactional applications. The guiding principle of the VDM model is that database tables must
not be accessed directly by consumer views of the VDM (bypassing the interface layer).
[2.4] Extension Include Views: These are used to expose custom new fields created as part of
customer project implementations. SAP-delivered extension includes views (for that matter, any
views) can be extended to add additional fields. The customer extension include view is
created and transported as a separate DDL source.
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3. Analytical Engine
The embedded SAP BW system which is included as a part of SAP
NetWeaver ABAP installation is responsible for OLAP functions and
services for other SAP BW functionalities (like planning and the SAP
HANA application process designer). It also compensates for
functionalities (pivoting, hierarchies, aggregations, and formula
execution).
Upon activating consumption CDS views, a transient provider or
transient SAP BEx query is created in the embedded SAP BW system.
SAP BusinessObjects BI tools (like SAP BusinessObjects Lumira, Design
Studio) use these transient providers to query data from the
consumption CDS views.
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4. OData Service & Interfaces
ODATA Service: SAP Gateway exposes consumption CDS views as an OData service,
allowing SAP Fiori, SAP BusinessObjects BI tools, and third-party UIs/clients to access the
consumption views directly or via the analytical engine.
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4. OData Service & Interfaces (cont.)
Interfaces: SAP S4/HANA analytics provides data access using OData, SAP
HANA inA, and Business Intelligence Consumer Services (BICS) interfaces,
depending on the client tools. The frontend applications use mostly OData
as the communication protocol inside the SAP Fiori interface. There are
some exceptions, such as SAP Lumira, SAP Design Studio, and enterprise
search, which uses SAP HANA InA protocols because they don’t yet have
OData implementations.
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Reporting & Visualizations
All SAP S/4HANA CDS views are automatically exposed as ODP transient Info
Providers (in the embedded BW system) and can be used to create custom SAP BEx
queries. It’s recommended to create SAP BEx queries only on SAP S/4HANA CDS
consumption/query views. SAP BEx queries created on the ODP transient providers
can be transported through the SAP S/4HANA landscape, because a transient
provider is generated with the same technical name in all systems.
SAP BEx queries on ODP transient providers support SAP BEx features like variables,
restricted key figures, exceptions and conditions, Currency conversion, report-to-
report interface and SAP S/4HANA analytics privileges. Also the generated SQL
runtime views (for CDS views) are accessible by BI tools from SAP and other
commercial vendors (e.g. Tableau, QlikView, IBM Cognos etc.) to create
sophisticated visualizations. These views can also be consumed in the native HANA
platform using the in-built XS Server and XS Advanced framework.
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Takeaway
SAP S/4HANA analytics content can be used for quick enablement of real-time
operational reporting in a given system without any custom development. These
contents can also be extended/enhanced to meet customer-specific requirements.
SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics empowers business users to carry out business
transactions and derive insights in a single application using a single source of truth.
These analytics features can also be integrated to core business processes (e.g.
customer segmentation, explore cross-sell & up-sale opportunity, make
recommendations, planning & forecasting etc.) to make better-informed decisions.
SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics can also take advantage of the underlying
advanced analytics capabilities in the SAP HANA platform to look beyond historic
facts and figures to forecasting the future.
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Thank You
Q&A
