Story Defined Thresholds (Optimized)

Learn how to create and customize visual thresholds in SAP Analytics Cloud Optimized Stories to highlight data trends using value ranges, comparison measures, filters, and personalized symbols.
Beginner
August 5, 2025

Introduction

In SAP Analytics Cloud, thresholds can be used to compare measures to a fixed range or to other measures. Thresholds provide visual cues in the data so that you can quickly see what areas are doing well, and what areas may need improvements.

Note

  • When comparing negative values, pay close attention as the results may not be what you assumed they should be.
  • Threshold is defined on a specific hierarchy in the account dimension. If there are multiple hierarchies, you will need to create different thresholds for each hierarchy.

Context:

There are five default ranges in the Optimized Story:

  • OK
  • Warning
  • Critical
  • Neutral
  • Information

When you open the Threshold panel, you may only see one range (green square followed by the word OK). You can click Add Range to add more Ranges. You can add more ranges or just one and change the label names and colors. Upper and a lower bound values are not mandatory if you have only one range and values cannot overlap.

Note

  • When you enter the value for your range, the value appears on the line at the bottom of the panel. The value includes a letter to designate whether it is thousands, millions, and so on. You do not need to set both an upper and a lower bound if you have only one range. When you add more ranges, you can leave either the upper or lower bound empty.

Procedure:

1

From the menu bar, click on Tools (or click on the ellipses icon (3 dots)) -> Conditional Formatting.

2

Expand the Story Defined section and click on Add Threshold.

3

In the Thresholdpanel that appears on the right, choose a model, measure and a comparison option. You can choose between Number Range or a Measure to compare to.

4

In the Ranges section, enter a lower bound and an upper bound value for the range. To add another range, select Add Range. You can add as many Ranges as you want or leave it at a single Range.

Note

  • When you add new ranges, the displayed icons and labels will display the default options of OK, Warning, Critical, Neutral or Informative.

You can change the Text, Color and shape for the new Ranges as shown below.

5

You can also add filters to the Threshold. To do this, select Add Filtersand choose a dimension from the list. In the popup that opens, select one or more members and click on OK.

6

To add another threshold, select Add Threshold and follow steps 2-5.

7

To add another range, select Add Range. You can add as many Ranges as you want or leave it at a single Range.

8

Once you have finished adding thresholds, click Apply.

9

Click on Done.

Result:

The threshold you created will appear in the Conditional Formatting panel. It can be added to charts or tables within the story.

Customizing Symbols:

You can use many or few ranges and you can change the label names, colors and symbols. To change the color or symbol, select the current symbol and then select Customize Symbol.

There are five more symbols that you can choose from as noted below:

  • Alert (A triangle with an exclamation mark)
  • A circle around one of the following characters:
    • Checkmark
    • Error (X)
    • Outline (Donut)
    • Information (lowercase “i”)

Note

  • When you customize the threshold symbols within a story, they will no longer be connected to the story’s default theme preferences. To make your new symbol part of the default theme, you can configure it in the theme preferences.

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