Creating an Analytic Model

Create an analytic model as a basis for consumption in SAP Analytics Cloud.

Prerequisites

To create analytic models, you must have a scoped role that grants you access to a space with the following privileges:

  • Data Warehouse General (-R------) - To access SAP Datasphere.

  • Data Warehouse Data Builder (CRUD----) - To create, edit, and delete Data Builder objects.

  • Space Files (CRUD----) - To create, read, update, and delete objects in your spaces.

The DW Modeler role template, for example, grants these privileges. For more information, see Privileges and Permissions and Standard Roles Delivered with SAP Datasphere.

Context

Analytic models are the analytical foundation for making data ready for consumption in SAP Analytics Cloud. They allow you to create and define multi-dimensional models to provide data for analytical purposes to answer different business questions. Pre-defined measures, hierarchies, filters, parameters, and associations provide flexible and simple navigation through the underlying data.

The sources for analytic models are facts or analytic models, which can contain dimensions, texts, and hierarchies.

This graphic shows the role of the analytic model within SAP Datasphere:

The graphic has an explanatory text.
In addition to working with analytic models in the editor, you can also:

Procedure

  1. From the side navigation, choose Data Builder, select a space if necessary, and choose New Analytic Model to open the editor.
  2. Drag your source from the Repository and drop it onto the canvas. For more information, see Add a Fact to an Analytic Model.
  3. The side panel shows the properties of your analytic model. Complete the missing information as appropriate:

    Property

    Description

    Name

    Enter a descriptive name to help users identify the object. This name can be changed at any time.

    Technical Name

    Displays the name used in scripts and code, synchronized by default with the Business Name.

    To override the default technical name, enter a new one in the field. Technical names can contain only alphanumeric characters and underscores.

    Package

    Select the package to which the object belongs.

    Status

    [read-only] Displays the deployment and error status of the object.

    For more information, see Saving and Deploying Objects.
  4. Select your fact source on the canvas to select or deselect any measures, associated dimensions, or attributes in the properties panel on the right. For more information, see Add a Dimension to an Analytic Model.
    You can then
  5. When you click on a dimension or the fact source on the canvas, you make several changes:

    Property

    Description

    Business Name

    You can change the business name of this item. This is the name that is shown in the story in SAP Analytics Cloud.

    Attributes

    You can add or deselect attributes. Attributes used in associations cannot be unselected.

    Associated Dimensions

    You can display associated dimensions.
  6. You can choose Preview to check if the data looks like expected. Here you have two options: there is the simple preview which is available via the context menu in the editor at the analytic model. For more information, see Viewing Object Data. And then there is the analytical preview in which you can drill down by rows and columns. For more information, see Preview Data in an Analytic Model.
  7. The tools in the editor toolbar help you work with your object throughout its lifecycle:

    Tool

    Description

    (Save)

    Save your changes to the design-time repository. You can use Save As to create a copy of the object.

    See Saving and Deploying Objects.

    (Deploy)

    Deploy your changes to make them available in the run-time environment.

    See Saving and Deploying Objects.

    (Source Browser)

    Show the Source Browser panel to drag sources into the editor.

    See Using the Source Browser.

    (Preview Data)

    Open the Data Preview panel to preview data in the selected diagram node.

    See Viewing Object Data.

    (Undo) / (Redo)

    Revert the last change to the object or redo a change you have previously undone.

    (Export)
    Export:

    (Impact and Lineage Analysis)

    Open the Impact and Lineage Analysis graph for the object.

    See Impact and Lineage Analysis.

    (Generate OData Request)

    Open the Generate OData Request dialog to prepare access to the OData API.

    See Consuming Data via the OData API.

    Versions

    Open the Version History dialog for the object.

    See Reviewing and Restoring Object Versions.

    Details

    Toggles the display of the Properties panel.

    (Open Data Pipeline Analyzer)

    The Data Pipeline Analyzer helps you view and analyze errors, warnings, or data discrepancies for a selected object, so that you can understand the point of data transfer failure. This tool is useful for identifying and resolving data transfer failures, ensuring efficient data flow management and troubleshooting within complex data models. See Data Pipeline Analyzer