- Accelerate decision-making: Get fast, accurate answers without requiring advanced data analysis skills.
- Simplified data access: Ask questions in natural language, without having to master the underlying data models.
- Improved efficiency: Reduce time spent searching for answers in complex reports or waiting for the expertise of data specialists.
Prerequisites for using Just Ask with SAP Analytics Cloud
To make effective use of the Just Ask functionality in SAP Analytics Cloud, it is important to meet certain prerequisites concerning the datasets you wish to query. These conditions enable the tool to interpret the data correctly and provide relevant, reliable answers. Here are the main prerequisites to consider:
1. Data availability in calculation or visualization models
It's important that the datasets you want to query are properly integrated into the calculation or visualization models within SAP Analytics Cloud. Just Ask works in direct interaction with visualizations and data models, so these must be available and correctly configured.
2. Well-structured data model
The dataset used must be correctly structured, with dimensions (e.g. products, regions, dates) and measures (e.g. sales, profits, quantities) clearly defined (names filled in, attributes specified in SAP Analytics Cloud, etc.).
It is essential that dimensions and measures have explicit and consistent names. Clear names make queries easier to understand in natural language, and enable the tool to suggest relevant filter axes and values when formulating questions.
3. Data hierarchies (optional but recommended)
If hierarchies exist in your data, such as temporal hierarchies (day, month, quarter) or geographical hierarchies (country, region, city), they must be correctly defined when the model is created or imported into SAP Analytics Cloud. This enables Just Ask to better understand the relationships between the different dimensions, and to generate visualizations that are better suited to queries.
4. Data quality
Make sure your data is clean, consistent and error-free. Poor quality data, such as missing or incorrect values, can lead to incorrect or incomplete responses when using Just Ask. Maintaining a high level of data quality is therefore essential for optimal interaction with the tool.
5. Data type support
Data types must be correctly defined in the model (e.g. numeric, text, date). Just Ask relies on the recognition of these types to provide appropriate and relevant answers to the questions asked.
6. Data access permissions
Users wishing to use Just Ask must have the necessary authorizations to access datasets. If restrictions are in place, access to data may be limited, affecting Just Ask's ability to generate insights or visualizations from the data concerned.
In short, for optimal use of Just Ask, well-structured, clean and correctly configured datasets are crucial. By respecting these prerequisites, you guarantee a fluid experience and efficient interaction with the tool, enabling you to take full advantage of its natural language analysis capabilities.
Use
Once activated, Just Ask enables users to formulate queries in natural language. SAP Analytics Cloud will interpret these questions to provide relevant insights or visualizations based on the available data.
Features of SAP's Just Ask tool
The Just Ask tool offers several features that simplify and enrich data analysis. Here's an overview of the main ones:
- Create graphs on demand: Ask a question, and Just Ask automatically generates an analytical query, returning an answer in the form of a visualization.
- Input assistance and intelligent suggestions: Just Ask supports users by suggesting axis names and filter values during data entry, making it easier to create queries.
- Reading the data model : The tool reads the data model to enable rapid selection of relevant dimensions and measures.
- Convert graphs into tables: Just Ask lets you convert graphs into tables, giving you greater flexibility in data analysis.
- Temporal queries: request graphs showing the evolution of data over time.
- Integration with Data Analyzer: visualizations created can be opened directly in Data Analyzer for further exploration.
- Copy/paste into optimized stories: Just Ask makes it easy to transfer visualizations into optimized stories, although classic stories are not yet supported.
- Temporal and dimensional comparisons: make comparisons between different periods or dimensions to refine your analyses.
- History-based suggestions: Just Ask suggests relevant questions and graphics based on the user's past requests.
Setting up Just Ask
Here are the steps for activating Just Ask in SAP Analytics Cloud :
- Access system parameters
- Open the SAP Analytics Cloud main menu.
- Select System > Administration.
- Activate Just Ask
- In the Administration section, locate Features.
- Find option Just Ask and activate it.
- Access Just Ask via the toolbar
- Once activated, a Just Ask icon (often represented by a magnifying glass or search icon) will appear in the top toolbar.
- Click on this icon to ask natural language questions about your data.
Demo
1. Model selection
Users with the requisite authorizations can now select one or more data models indexed by the administrator. Since the Q2 2024 update, users can add and index models in Just Ask, a feature previously reserved for administrators. They can also load non-indexed models and generate insights autonomously.
2. Using Suggestions
Suggestions help you to complete your queries as you type. Suggestions are displayed to facilitate autocompletion. You can press the right arrow to validate a suggestion. You can also use the drop-down menu to navigate through the available options using the up and down arrows.
3. Access to Measurements and Dimensions
Measures and dimensions are accessed by clicking on the "+" icon to the left of the search bar. This allows users to select measures and dimensions directly from the data models to refine their queries, making the search process more intuitive for all.
4. Sample questions
Administrators can define sample questions to help users get started. This ensures that users can use Just Ask quickly and efficiently for their analyses.
5. Advanced comparisons
Since the T3 2024 update, Just Ask offers more flexible comparison options, further enhancing its capabilities. Users can now perform complex comparisons, such as :
- Comparison of Total Sales by Brand
- Compare metrics such as sales versus spend per store.
- Add time comparisons, such as this year's sales versus last year's for specific brands.
6. Aggregation calculations
With the Q2 2024 update, SAC has introduced the ability to request aggregations such as mean, median, count, minimum and maximum.
7. Customizable visualization
Once the results have been generated, Just Ask presents the analytical query as a visualization. You also have the option of:
- Switch to table view for detailed analysis.
- Open the visualization in Data Analyzer for further analysis.
- Copy to clipboard to paste into optimized stories (note: classic stories are not supported), where we can extract in various formats (PDF, PPT, etc.).
- Additional customization options are available via the three-dot menu. These options allow users to filter, drill down, add forecasts, sort, classify and export data in CSV format.
Comparative analysis: Just Ask and its alternatives
SAP is not alone in offering an AI-assisted BI solution. Here are a few examples comparing Just Ask to its competitors.
| Actor | Benefits | Disadvantages | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAC (Just Ask) | -Ease of use -Responsive customer support -Good value for money | - Fewer advanced features | - Limited integration with other tools |
| Power BI (Q&A) | - Intuitive, user-friendly interface - Integration with Microsoft 365 - Advanced visualization capabilities | - High cost for some features | - Excellent integration with Microsoft 365 products |
| Qlik Sense (Insight Advisor) | - Associative data analysis capabilities - Flexible user interface - Good performance with large datasets | - High cost of ownership - Requires training for optimal use | - Good integration with various data sources |
| Table (Ask Data) | - Interactive and dynamic visualizations - Extensive community and support | - High cost of ownership - Can be complex for new users | - Excellent integration with numerous data sources and tools |
Conclusion
SAP Analytics Cloud's Just Ask functionality marks a significant advance in the accessibility and efficiency of data analysis. Thanks to the ability to ask questions in natural language, it simplifies interaction with data and accelerates decision-making. Just Ask continues to evolve and adapt to user needs, thanks to an ambitious roadmap. Further enhancements will be added in the near future. SAP aims to enhance product experiences with generative AI by 2026. Bilink can play an essential role in the implementation of this solution, particularly with regard to data quality. This ensures optimal and accurate use of information.
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Aymeric Alos
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