Feature update for SAP Business Data Cloud, Analytics Cloud, and Datasphere
- SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), SAP Datasphere
- 4 min reading time
Christoph Hänsel
This wiki article summarizes the key points from the webinar on feature updates in SAP Business Data Cloud, SAP Datasphere, and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) for quarters 3 and 4 of 2025. The article is based on the transcript of the presentation given by our analytics consultants Joelle Strubel and Christoph Hänsel.
Table of contents
1. Updates to the Business Data Cloud (BDC)
A key new concept is BDC Connect, which enables what is known as "zero copy data sharing." This technology allows companies to share metadata securely and in real time with external partners without having to physically copy the underlying data. This not only reduces data redundancy, but also ensures that all parties are always working with the same, up-to-date information.
Technology: The function is based on the open and cross-vendor Delta Sharing Protocol, which ensures broad compatibility.
Partner integrations:
- Databricks: Already in rollout.
- Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, AWS: Integration is planned for 2026.
- Snowflake & Fabric: Recently announced as future partners.
2. Updates to SAP Datasphere
The latest updates for SAP Datasphere aim to simplify data exchange and significantly accelerate modeling processes.
2.1 New features in SAP Datasphere (live demo)
A live demo showcased three key improvements for everyday work with SAP Datasphere that deliver significant efficiency gains for developers and modelers.
2.2.1 Analytic Model: Replace Fact Source Without Losing Measures
- Status Quo: When replacing a fact table (fact source) in an analytic model, all calculated measures based on it were lost. They had to be recreated manually, which was a laborious and error-prone process.
- New feature: Calculated key figures are now fully preserved when replacing the fact source. The system warns the user if fields or dimensions are missing in the new data source, but the existing definitions and business logic are no longer lost. This saves considerable time in maintaining and further developing data models.
2.2.2 Analytic Model: Structure Members
- New feature: It is now possible to define a second structure within an analytic model. Similar to SAP BW or SAP Analytics Cloud, this allows key figures to be grouped and arranged hierarchically. Users in reporting can flexibly drag and drop these structures into rows or columns to create more complex and meaningful reports.
2.2.3 Exporting and importing replication flows
- Status Quo: Replication flows responsible for data replication from source systems could not be transferred between different tenants (e.g., development, test, production). They had to be manually recreated in each system environment.
- New feature: Replication flows can now be exported and imported as CSN/JSON files. The links to the source and target objects are retained. Only the connection to the data source needs to be reestablished after import. This ensures a consistent, faster, and less error-prone development process across system landscapes.
3. Updates to SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC)
SAP Analytics Cloud is also getting new features that improve the user experience, promote personalization, and take integration with SAP Datasphere to a new level.
3.1.1 New user interface (Horizon Theme)
SAC is getting a completely revamped design called "Horizon Theme, " which is visually based on SAP Fiori and SAP Datasphere.
- Advantages: This is more than just a visual adjustment. The new interface offers a significantly improved user experience thanks to more intuitive operating concepts and a reduction in the number of clicks required for many actions.
- Features: One long-awaited feature is the integrated Dark Mode.
- Activation: The new theme can be activated flexibly for each user in the profile settings or switched globally for the entire tenant by the administrator.
3.1.2 "My Metrics" - Personalized KPI watchlist
My Metrics is a new feature that allows every user to compile a personal watchlist with KPIs that are relevant to them.
- How it works: KPIs can be added directly from a story to your personal "My Metrics" list by right-clicking. This list is available on the home page.
- Customization: For each metric, the chart type and time filter can be customized individually to personalize the display.
- Analysis: In combination with the "Smart Insights" function, this feature enables quick and in-depth analysis of deviations directly from the overview page without having to jump to the underlying story.
3.1.3 Story scheduling with live data (tunnel connection)
One of the most requested features is now available: automatic sending of stories as PDF files via email, even if they are based on live data.
- Technical basis: This is made possible by using a tunnel connection to the data source (e.g., SAP Datasphere). In contrast to a "direct live connection," where processing takes place in the end user's browser, the tunnel connection can render calculations and visualizations on the server side. This allows the story to be created automatically and sent as a PDF.
- Use case: Weekly management reports or daily operational dashboards can now be distributed fully automatically to a wide range of recipients, regardless of whether they are SAC users or not.
3.1.4 Seamless Planning: Direct connection of facts
The "Seamless Planning" concept marks a milestone for the integration of planning and reporting between SAC and Datasphere. The goal is to completely eliminate data replication and manual interfaces in the planning process.
- New feature (Q4 update): It is now possible to consume fact views from the Datasphere directly in an SAC planning model.
- Procedure:
- When creating a new planning model in SAC, "Datasphere" is selected as the storage location.
- This automatically creates a "local table" in the linked Datasphere tenant, which represents the structure of the planning model and stores the planning data.
- External live data sources (e.g., fact views for actual and forecast data) can be connected directly in this model.
- Advantages:
- Live comparison: Planned versions can be compared in real time with the current actual data from the Datasphere.
- No data copies: Current actual data can serve as a direct basis for creating new forecasts without having to replicate or copy data.
- Lean models: Central data storage remains in the Datasphere, which keeps SAC models lean and high-performing and simplifies governance.
Note on migrating stories in Classic Design Mod to Q2 2026: Access to existing Classic assets (stories/applications) will be completely disabled. This means that all existing Classic stories must be migrated by then if you want to continue using them.
4. Recording of the webinar
Click here for the records from May 28 and November 27, 2025.
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