SAC Migration by Q2 2026: The Guide to Transitioning to the Optimized Story Experience
- SAP Analytics Cloud
- 5 min reading time
Eugen Gering
The time for migrating SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) Stories is running out: All Classic Stories must be migrated to the new Optimized Story Experience by the second quarter of 2026. This SAC migration is not only a technical necessity, as SAP is discontinuing support for Classic mode, but also offers significant advantages in terms of performance, user-friendliness, and access to future innovations.
In this guide, our SAC expert Heide Horrmeyer explains everything you need to know about the upcoming change—from the advantages of the Optimized Story Experience to the specific steps you should take now.
1. Ready for the future: Transfer Classic Stories to Optimized mode in good time
With the introduction of Optimized Story Experience, SAP is modernizing the user interface and technical foundation of story development in SAP Analytics Cloud. Classic stories will be phased out gradually and must be converted to Optimized mode in a timely manner to remain usable and compatible. Optimized mode offers improved performance, new layout functions, flexible data interactions, and consistent operation across stories and applications.
2. Important deadline: The end of Classic Stories in Q2 2026
SAP has set firm deadlines for the deactivation of Classic Stories. The creation of new Classic Stories has already been disabled, meaning that new Classic Stories can no longer be created. The complete shutdown is scheduled for Q3 2026. Classic Stories must be fully converted by then (Link).
Note: The exact dates are subject to change. SAP recommends starting the migration early to avoid risks and time pressure during the project.
3. Instructions: SAC migration in practice
The transition from Classic Stories to the Optimized Design Experience can present challenges. However, with the right methods, you can make the transition efficiently. There are two primary ways to convert: standard conversion for individual stories and bulk migration mode for a large number of stories.
Step 1: Convert a single story (standard conversion)
- To convert a classic story into the Optimized Design Experience, proceed as follows:
- Opening the classic story: Navigate to your classic story and open it in edit mode.
- Start conversion: Click on File in the menu bar and select Save. Then select Convert to Optimized Design Experience (see graphic below).
To convert a classic story into the Optimized Design Experience, proceed as follows:
- Start conversion: Click on File in the menu bar and select Save. Then select Convert to Optimized Design Experience (see graphic below).
Step 2: Convert multiple stories at once (bulk migration mode)
SAP offers a bulk migration tool for the efficient conversion of multiple classic stories. This tool is available in the Stories module under the "Story Conversion" tab and enables the simultaneous conversion of up to 50 stories.
In the Stories section, open the Story Conversion section and select the stories you want to convert.
After selecting the stories to be converted, the tool performs a conversion check and displays the status (see graphic below).
Ready to Convert: No restrictions; conversion can be performed immediately.
Feature Limitation: Unsupported features have been identified; adjustments are required.
Blocked: Conversion is not possible due to blockers; further measures are necessary.
This tool makes the migration process way easier and saves time.
After all necessary steps have been carried out, the story can be converted and a storage location can be specified. You can choose to either create a copy or overwrite the existing classic story.
Afterwards, you will receive an overview of the successfully converted stories:
4. Tips and tricks for smooth conversion
Even though Optimized Story Experience offers significant advantages in terms of performance, user-friendliness, and modern functionalities, there are some important points to consider when converting classic stories. Not all functions from the classic environment are fully supported, so existing stories may need to be adapted or, in some cases, partially redesigned.
Below you will find a structured overview of tips and tricks for successful conversion, as well as known limitations that should be taken into account during migration:
In the "Optimized Design Experience," tables must be updated manually. To do this, select the table, switch to the Designer/Builder, and activate the "Optimized Presentation" option. After this adjustment, conversion should be possible without any problems.
If your charts contain Smart Insights, these must be removed. To do this, double-click on the Smart Insight text in the chart and delete it. Then save the story to apply the changes. Please note that the Smart Insight text is not visible in some charts. In such cases, the chart must be recreated.
Since the point of Interest Layer is not supported, you should switch to another layer type such as the Bubble Layer. Alternatively, you can upload custom shapes for the layer, whereby the use of Custom choropleth Shape Hierarchies for SAP HANA and SAP BW is recommended.
Disable all time series with enabled forecasts before performing the conversion. To do this, click on the corresponding chart, select "Add" > "Forecast," and turn off the automatic forecast. After migration, you can re-enable the forecast function in the Optimized Design Experience, as it is now supported.
If there are groupings between charts, text, or icons, these may block the conversion. If you cannot identify the groupings, ignore the warning message and proceed with the conversion anyway. Then check whether all charts are displayed correctly.
Grid Pages are not supported in the Optimized Design Experience. Therefore, delete all grid pages before conversion and recreate the content on Canvas or Responsive Pages.
One key aspect of the restrictions on the optimized design experience concerns the deactivation of the SAC Explorer, which was often used for ad hoc analysis in Classic Stories. Explorer buttons or links in existing stories will no longer work after conversion. End users will need to adjust their analysis habits if they have been working intensively with the Explorer. SAP is replacing the Explorer with the Data Analyzer. The Data Analyzer can be used independently of the story layout, offers better performance, and can be accessed directly from stories or from the SAC main menu . Explorer workflows must be replaced by Data Analyzer links.
By following these tips and using the bulk migration tool, you can efficiently transition to the Optimized Design Experience and benefit from improved features and increased performance. (Source: Tips and Tricks for Converting your Classic Story … – SAP Community)
5. conclusion
The SAC migration to Optimized Story Experience is an essential step in future-proofing your SAP Analytics landscape. The deadline in Q2 2026 may seem far away, but early planning and implementation are crucial for a smooth transition. Take advantage of the improved performance and new features and ensure that your reporting and analysis processes are not interrupted.
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