Empowering Planning with the Enhanced Table Build Experience in SAP Analytics Cloud
Welcome back to our quarterly roundup of SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) updates! This release brings a powerful upgrade to the table build experience, designed to make your planning workflows more intuitive and flexible. With improved input enablement and data disaggregation based on validation rules and data access control (DAC), SAC now offers clearer visual cues and smarter controls to streamline your data entry. Let’s dive into what’s new and how it can transform your planning process!
Introduction / Overview of the Quarterly Update
The updated table build experience in SAC tackles common planning challenges head-on, giving you more control over how data is entered and distributed. Whether you’re managing budgets, forecasts, or complex financial models, the new enhancements ensure that input fields are clearly defined and disaggregation respects your access permissions. With settings now adjustable at both the model and table levels, you’ll find it easier than ever to tailor your planning tables to your team’s needs. Ready to see how it works? Let’s break it down.
Enhanced Table Build Experience (Feature Explained)
This update supercharges the planning table with two key improvements: smarter input enablement and more flexible data disaggregation, both tied to validation rules and DAC. Here’s what you need to know:
- Model-Level Control for Data Disaggregation: In the Planning section of Model Preferences, you can now toggle an option called Based on Data Access Control for Data Disaggregation. When enabled, this ensures that values in parent nodes are only disaggregated to child nodes you have write access to. Any values you can’t edit stay fixed, preventing unintended changes and keeping your data secure.
Example: If you’re entering a total budget at a regional level but only have write access to certain departments, the budget will distribute only to those departments, leaving others untouched.
- Table-Level Flexibility with Validation Rules and DAC: The new Data Security section in the Builder panel lets you fine-tune settings at the table level. Here’s how it works:
- Validation Rules: Enable this to activate validation rules-based input enablement and data disaggregation (if the model setting for validation rules-based disaggregation is also enabled). This means SAC will highlight editable cells based on your rules, making it crystal clear where you can input data. Disable it, and neither input enablement nor disaggregation based on validation rules will apply.
- Data Access Control: Similarly, toggle DAC to enforce access restrictions at the table level. This ensures only authorized users can edit specific cells, with visual cues showing what’s editable and what’s not.
Why It Matters
- Clearer Workflows: Visual cues highlight exactly where you can enter data, reducing confusion.
- Enhanced Security: DAC-driven disaggregation ensures data integrity by respecting access permissions.
- More Flexibility: Adjust settings at both model and table levels to suit different planning scenarios.
How to Get Started
Ready to explore the new table build experience? Here’s a quick guide:
- Open your SAC model and navigate to Model Preferences > Planning.
- Toggle Data Disaggregation based on Data Locking, Validation Rules, and/or Data Access Control to enable or disable as needed.
- In a story, create or edit a planning table and go to the Builder panel > Properties > Planning.
- Enable or disable Validation Rules and Data Access Control to customize input enablement and disaggregation for that table.
- Select your desired option for Display Data Based on Data Security
6. Test your table by entering data at a parent node and checking how it disaggregates to child nodes based on your settings. Ensure you can only see data at intersections you have access to and that you can only write data to desired intersections.
No Restrictions:
Hide Unplannable Unbooked Data
Best Practices
- Align Settings with Roles: Use DAC to restrict edits to specific teams or regions, especially for sensitive data like budgets or forecasts.
- Leverage Validation Rules: Set up clear validation rules to guide users on valid inputs, reducing errors during planning.
- Test Disaggregation: Before rolling out to users, try entering data in a test table to ensure disaggregation behaves as expected.
- Communicate Changes: If your team is used to the old setup, share a quick guide (or link to a template!) to explain the new visual cues and controls.
Why This Update Shines
The enhanced table build experience is all about giving you control and clarity. By integrating validation rules and DAC into input enablement and disaggregation, SAC makes planning more secure, intuitive, and tailored to your needs. It’s a perfect example of how SAC continues to evolve, empowering planners to work smarter, not harder.
What’s Next?
This is just one of the exciting updates in this quarter’s SAC release. Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll unpack more features to supercharge your analytics and planning workflows. In the meantime, dive into the new table build experience and let us know in the comments how it’s streamlining your planning process!
