By Elton Lima, SAP EPM Consultant, Jump Analytics
With the Q3/2021 release, SAP is adjusting the navigation in SAC to simplify the access to features and streamline the flow of work within the solution.
The main menu on the left side of the SAC interface is changing, both in colour and functionalities. The idea is to present users with the relevant items as icons (that can be expanded to display the full description), and make these available at all times, allowing users to quickly move from place to place in SAC.
For each individual item, some changes were also implemented. For instance, for Stories, the Browse and Create options were integrated into one place. This allows users to use a single point to navigate to specific Stories and create new elements when needed.
The top bar on the navigation now also allows for easier manipulation of breadcrumb navigation elements. As an example, when navigating into multiple folders, it is possible to navigate back to specific places on the folder structure instead of returning to the previous item only.
Another feature of this version is the simplification of URLs to be saved as favourites. Certain points on the solution can be saved as URL favourites on the browser, so it is easier to return to specific points when starting a new browser section. For instance, the File navigation can be saved as a favourite, so when a user wants to start using SAC, they can go to file navigation directly, without having to start on the Home page.
These new changes are presented in more detail in the reference documentation found at the end of this article.
The option will be available to SAC clients to disable this change if it proves too disruptive to users. This could allow companies to choose a more appropriate time to present the changes to users. The only requirement is to have an incident ticket raised to SAP (under the Ops category) with the requirement to toggle the interface to its previous layout.
This upgrade is one of several that SAP is planning for SAC. Other updates related to Story creation, data manipulation, model capabilities, and performance are also some of the topics that will be implemented for SAC in the future.
One recommendation from SAP is to have your voice heard. Using the Influence portal, users can suggest, vote, and follow future updates to SAC, be it changes on existing elements of the addition of new features. This helps SAC to evolve in a way that is meaningful and impactful to users.
At Jump Analytics, as SAP Gold Certified partners, we can help you understand these changes, be it in a brand-new environment or in an existing one. Our expertise with SAC can provide multiple ways to present this feature (and others) in greater detail.
References and additional content regarding this topic can be found on the following:
- SAP has made available a short video that demonstrates the functionalities at a high level. The video can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb1VL3Q1Uyk
- Also, in video form, a webinar session from SAP is available as VOD, with a demonstration of the new navigation, as well as a QA session. The webinar can be found at: http://sap.to/6059yBANV
- For a more detailed view of the changes, SAP has a handbook that lists items in greater detail. It can be found here: http://sap.to/6057yBANT
Future webinars and blog posts are also planned to present this feature as the release date gets closer. One good place to find updates is the SAP Blogs space, dedicated to SAP Analytics Cloud items, which can be found at: https://saphanajourney.com/sap-analytics-cloud/resources/
