“Knowledge is power,'' as the saying goes, and this is particularly true in an industry where change is not the exception, but the norm. When new updates to mission critical software are on the horizon, you should be aware of new features and improvements ahead of time to plan your migration.
We’ve been involved in testing the upcoming release of SAP BI 4.3, expected to roll out to all users from January 2020, and we’ve identified 8 main reasons you should be looking to upgrade as soon as the stable release is available.
SAP BI 4.3 is a major release
Generally speaking, major releases involve a lot more enhancements, features and functionality, often accompanying a substantial change in software architecture. While this release has not been given a new major version number (i.e. BI 5.0), in our opinion there are enough improvements to consider this a major version upgrade.
(The inside story by the way is that SAP didn’t name this version 5.0 to avoid confusion with legacy systems running v5 of the original 1990s software).
SAP BI 4.3 introduces hybrid architecture, increasingly focused on cloud computing - so whether you’re an existing user or new to the product, this version is an ideal jumping off point for companies embracing cloud tech.
SAP BI 4.3 enhancements
The improvements can be grouped into three main areas:
Enterprise: additions in terms of foundation, sources management, and platform.
User Interface: visual harmony between cloud and mobile environments.
Hybrid: new features involving the inter-relation of on-premise and cloud.
So, here’s our rundown of the 8 key reasons for upgrading to SAP BI 4.3
Spoiler: The new licensing model, simplified authentication configuration, new source types and the removal of some old legacy tools (Xcelsius, Explorer, Widgets) didn’t make the cut. They’re all welcome changes, but not disruptive enough to make our top list!
The changes that we do think are revolutionary - and make the upgrade a necessity - are:
1. Introduction of WebI data models
This is a new data-modelling concept conceived to source the cloud from on-premise data, but the on-premise front-end apps will also be able to leverage it.
This new WebI data model concept re-uses components from already existing documents, where several queries from several data sources can be used, can be merged and can be enriched with variables.
This creates a new set of data that can be used as a source in the cloud by SAC (SAP Analytics Cloud) or by on-premise, feeding new WebI documents, or even in Dashboards or Live Office using Web Services.
2. Fiorified WebI appearance for browsers and clients
WebI viewer has been enhanced to achieve feature parity with the DHTML viewer, which is already the most compatible with the most common browsers (and doesn’t use Java). This new WebI viewer has a Fiori style look & feel for end users.
In addition, WebI Rich Client has been modified so developers that prefer to use the client tool will get a unified and familiar HTML5 experience, very similar to SAC.
3. Fiorified BI LaunchPad is now mandatory
The already alternative BI LaunchPad in 4.2 becomes mandatory in 4.3. End-users will discover a rejuvenated appearance with a new colour scheme, as well as clearly navigable buttons and tiles.
Some extra features have also been added, including scheduling to multiple destinations.
4. Analytics Hub integration
The new version includes a new button in the Central Management Console (CMC) called Analytics Hub, where the on-premise platform will be configured to communicate with this meta-layer cloud-based device to provide content with hyperlinks and user information.
Corporate content across on-premise and cloud modules can be managed and secured directly from this hub - a must for any hybrid environment.
5. WebI enhancements
BI 4.3 incorporates certain functionality from other modules like Lumira Discovery or Lumira Designer:
Micro charts in cells: For example, trends per line on a table.
Trellis: Multiplied charts based on a dimension, allowing the inclusion of all components in a single rectangle chart.
Trend lines in charts: New option to add a linear regression for time series.
Zoom and pan: Another great interactivity addition, allowing highlighting of a selection using the mouse and subsequent filtering.
6. Universe improvements
A full list of enhancements hasn’t been published yet, but in general universes have been made faster and have better compatibility and security options with SAC.
7. Mobility, responsiveness and touchscreen readiness
The all new front-end, written in HTML5, brings with it a host of new features which improve the user experience, including “Analytics on-the-go” through Web Intelligence; true cross-device functionality; fully responsive interfaces across the platform; and touch-readiness - vital for mobile users.
8. Enhanced credential mapping for BI Platform
Currently, column and row-level security of corporate data are pushed down to the database due to certain limitations on user and profile management at the platform level.
With SAP BI 4.3, users will be able to sign on to multiple DB sources with different passwords, bypassing the current limitations of the platform and the cycle of repository creation, thus making back-end maintenance simpler and more agile.
Final thoughts
The overall direction that the BI 4.3 update is taking is positive. The move away from Flash and JS in favour of HTML5 is impressive, and while older modules like the CMC will for now maintain a legacy format, this bodes well for future interface development.
(We’d like to see more of this on the admin side though please!)
Working in an environment where innovation is directly tied to the success of our business, we can’t recommend strongly enough that you evaluate and, ideally, implement this release when it is made generally available.
You’ll reap the benefits of a product which is not only highly integrated with the traditional back-end BW and ERP, but integrated with and ready for futuristic SAC and SCP cloud platforms.
To conclude, early adopters of SAP BI 4.3 might find themselves hitting first, and as they say, who hits first hits twice.