Planning with SAP - increasing success with cross-departmental planning

Strategic planning deals with long-term goals and the direction of the company, while operational planning involves the short-term implementation of strategies into concrete actions.

• Business intelligence (BI): SAC combines data from a wide variety of sources (internal, external, on-premise, SAP and non-SAP) to create the basis for solid (real-time) analyses, even for complex questions or problems. The results and findings can be visualised via ad-hoc reports.
• Planning: SAC removes the separation between reporting and planning, with separate planning environments no longer necessary. Data can now be entered directly (i.e. without moving it back and forth), and actual data integrated into different planning versions. Integrated, interactive functions for live collaboration (e.g. comments, chats and calendars) make planning processes significantly faster and more efficient.
• Forecasting: With the functions already integrated into the standard system, various forecast models can be generated for end-users based on time series analyses. There is also the opportunity to use "smart insights" to identify certain correlations of effects based on various factors of influence (e.g. turnover, sales area or product groups). In addition, value factor trees can be determined and alternative courses of action simulated.

The SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is not just a tool for visual presentation - it represents a unified concept with a strategic element. The SAP product combines all the relevant BI/analysis, planning, data connection, dashboarding, reporting, simulation and advanced analytics functions on a single platform that can be extended with options for forecasts via predictive analytics. The individual functionalities complement each other and thus increase overall performance, with the possibility of seamlessly integrating a wide variety of data sources (including on-premise and non-SAP) at the same time.

Central access via self-service BI enables end-users in the business units to retrieve and visualise data directly and in a very user-friendly way, and also create their own reports and stories. IT provides the governance and qualitative data centrally for this purpose, with users networked via one single platform and able to benefit from simplified cooperation through modern, interactive collaboration functions.

Individual analyses using SAC are based on what is known as storytelling, with each story consisting of various elements (e.g. diagrams, tables and geo-analyses). The SAC system generates suggestions for visualisations and the structure of storyboards, with reports and dashboards created intuitively. SAC is currently the only SAP product that has already fully implemented the standardised (and highly beneficial) visualisation based on the IBCS® notation concept, which removes the need for add-ons from external manufacturers.

Thanks to the high-performance in-memory technology of SAP HANA, detailed data analyses can be carried out in real time using SAC, with a dedicated app also available for use. A responsive design component enables the displays to adapt to the end device. SAC can be used very easily and cost-efficiently as an SaaS (software-as-a-service) solution, with the software therefore always up-to-date and providing maximum performance. The SAC can also be implemented quickly, enabling a productive start at short notice.

Cooperative corporate planning involves various stakeholders and departments in the planning process in order to ensure a comprehensive view of the company and create synergies.

Corporate planning covers various areas, including sales (including sales and marketing planning), personnel planning, investment planning and financial planning, which includes aspects such as liquidity, cash flow, balance sheet and income statement.

Cross-departmental planning with SAP enables departments to work together more effectively, consolidates data and creates a uniform understanding of the company's goals.

SAP offers tools (e.g. SAP Analytics Cloud) for data visualization and analysis that enable companies to understand their results and make informed decisions.

• Seamless combination of business intelligence, planning and generative AI on a single platform
• Highly user-friendy courtesy of self-service BI
• Ability to use the IBCS® notation concept for maximum efficiency in decision-making
• Interactive functions for collaboration and planning

• Finance: Push for collaborative business planning that harmonises operational plans with financial targets.

• Marketing: Create more effective marketing plans and align them with your business goals. Forecast the impact of campaigns on sales and optimise campaign effectiveness, combined with accurate tracking of results.
• Distribution: Develop new sales plans and strategies. Track results in each channel and set targets along the way. Use advanced data visualisation tools to view and measure results in real time.
• Human resources: Align HR planning with business objectives. Ensure the availability of the right skills at the right time by forecasting risks and skills gaps. Continuously optimise overall HR planning.
• Logistics: Combine all the functions of planning (sales, production, demand and procurement) with inventory management. Meet demand profitably with real-time planning of your logistics chains.
• IT: Support your company's strategic goals in a targeted way. Coordinate your IT measures and budgets using a single solution that enables you to break down planning into projects, hardware, software and other expenses.