SAP Embedded Analytics - What your ERP knows but isn't telling you

The question you can't answer fast enough

A metric that matters to you suddenly looks wrong. Is the error in revenue? In warehouse stock? In a new calculation nobody has validated yet?

Your ERP already knows. Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people enter data into it every day. The hard part is getting that data in front of you when you need it.

Once someone finds and fixes the error, the waiting starts. The corrected data has to be loaded into the data warehouse. That might happen tomorrow. It might happen next week, or next quarter. Most of the time it ends with a call to IT and a request for an urgent extra data load. It costs time, money and patience.

The value of analytics is measured in time. An answer that arrives next quarter has lost most of its worth.

Analytics where the data already lives

With SAP embedded analytics, corrected data is ready for analysis the moment it's saved. There's no data warehouse, no data loads and no transformations. The analytics run on the same database as your daily transactions and use capabilities already built into your SAP system.

In practice, this means:

• It's already included. No extra cost, no extra licenses.
• It's part of your daily work. Users find the analytics in the screens they already know, with the same look and feel.
• Changes show up immediately. Every data change appears in charts and figures right away, so you can act on the spot.
• It runs in real time. SAP HANA handles operations and analytics in one database, with no split between the two.
• Each user sees their own data. What people see matches their role and authorizations. No more, no less.

Five ways to use it

Embedded analytics comes in several forms. Some give you a quick overview. Others let you dig into individual line items.

1. KPI tiles on the home screen. Your most important metrics, visible as soon as you log in. Add the ones you need for a quick daily check.

2. Overview pages. KPIs and insight cards for one business area on a single page. Jump straight to the related apps to act on what you see.

3. Analytical apps. Charts with aggregated data for the big picture and transaction line items for the details, in the same view. Work in the app directly or open another one.

4. Multidimensional reporting. SAP's answer to Excel pivot tables. Build the exact view you need from any analytical query, with the layout, scope and format you want. Save your filters as bookmarks for next time.

5. Embedded SAP Analytics Cloud. Full dashboards, available in the cloud and private cloud editions. It has limits compared to the full version of SAP Analytics Cloud. You work with existing data models and calculations, and live connections have restrictions. It's still enough to build a modern report tailored to your business. If you later move to full SAP Analytics Cloud, the report is easy to rebuild there.

Where to start

SAP has already built hundreds, even thousands, of Fiori apps. You'll find them all in the SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library (fal.cloud.sap). Filter on what you need and read what each app does. You can see screenshots, setup requirements and which roles to assign before you activate anything.

Mark the apps you want and export the list to Excel. That gives whoever handles activation a clear starting point. If you haven't looked at the library yet, it's worth your time. It's high-quality content from the vendor, and it's free.

How much work activation takes depends on your setup:

• SAP Cloud ERP Public: Analytical apps are activated together with their scope item. Assign roles and you're ready. Low effort.
• SAP Cloud ERP Private or on-premise: Find the apps in the library and send the list to your technical team. Activation usually takes a few hours. Then assign roles. Medium effort.

Is embedded analytics right for your report?

Embedded analytics is a good fit when:

• the report only needs data from your SAP ERP
• you need immediate insight, and historical data or versioning isn't a requirement
• standard data models (CDS views) cover what you need, without complex modeling

If you need historical data, large data volumes, data from several systems or complex calculations, a data warehouse is the better choice. SAP Datasphere combined with SAP Analytics Cloud is one example.

Key takeaways

• Your SAP ERP already includes analytics, at no extra cost and with no extra licenses.
• Five formats cover both the quick overview and the line-item detail.
• Check how much of it you use today. Go through the Fiori apps library and list the analytical apps you need.
• Want help getting started? Contact us at Pearl.