Exploring the Future: Key Innovations in SAP BI 2025

As part of my ASUG membership, I have access to a wide array of sessions regarding topics in SAP. One series that I particularly value is the SAP Influence Council. I have written about the Influence Council sessions before regarding strategy and road mapping. This article is based on one that I attended back in March 2024. The session was about the innovations that will be delivered as part of the SAP BI 2025 release coming as early as this December. SAP's BI 2025 is set to redefine how organizations approach data analytics and reporting. Here are the key innovations that SAP BI 2025 brings to the table:

1. Enhanced User Reach and Experience SAP BI 2025 aims to make reports visually appealing and interactive, catering to both casual users and power users. The new dashboard feature allows for a seamless user experience without requiring a full platform deployment.

2. Boosting User Productivity The focus on user productivity is evident with the simplification of tasks for power users and enhanced mobile experiences. Existing tools like Crystal Reports continue to receive updates to ensure ease of use and functionality.

3. Simplified Migration Processes This is a big one! Migrating to SAP BI 2025 from previous versions has been streamlined to reduce time and cost. Efforts have been made to minimize system downtime and retain previous configurations, making the transition smooth and efficient.

4. Embracing Standard Authentication Protocols With an emphasis on SAML and OpenID, SAP BI 2025 improves integration with cloud databases. These standard authentication protocols enhance user positioning and simplify administration.

5. BI Launchpad Enhancements The new visualization options in the BI Launchpad allow users to access important information quickly without opening full reports. Performance improvements and new features like document duplication and simultaneous comparisons enhance the user experience.

6. Advanced Visualizations and Widgets in Webi Web Intelligence (Webi) 2025 introduces new design experiences for dashboards, enriched with advanced visualizations and widgets. These features utilize the SAP UI5 Library for a more interactive and dynamic user interface. These enhancements stand to make Web Intelligence the go to on premise dashboarding tool that we need!

7. Offline Document Access A significant innovation is the new offline artifact format, allowing users to access interactive documents without the need for platform deployment. This HTML5 file retains all data and interactions, making it a powerful tool for remote and offline use. I recall the days of distributing swf files in Xcelsius without the need for another SAP BusinessObjects license for the recipient. I look forward to working with this innovation!

8. Integration with SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) While SAP BI and SAC have overlapping features, they complement each other, providing both on-premise and cloud-based analytics solutions. This integration ensures that businesses can leverage the strengths of both tools to meet their unique needs.

Looking Forward SAP BI 2025 is set to support businesses well beyond 2031 with continuous enhancements and new functionalities. Community involvement plays a crucial role, with opportunities for early adopters to participate in testing and provide feedback.

Stay ahead of the curve with SAP BI 2025, where innovation meets functionality, ensuring your business intelligence needs are not just met but exceeded.

To find out more about these sessions, visit the ASUG website or go to the link for this particular session: ASUG Business Technology Platform (BTP) Community Alliance Presents: Unlock the Future of Analytics with SAP… - ASUG