As SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) continues to evolve, each quarterly release brings improvements that make planning, reporting, and analytics more intuitive and connected. In recent quarters, we have seen expanded live connectivity through Snowflake, enhanced simulation capabilities in Compass, and new collaboration features such as Story Versioning and the Comment Management Dashboard.
The Q2 2026 release builds on that momentum by focusing on a common theme: giving users greater control. Whether it is controlling how data is presented, validated, connected, or monitored, these updates help organizations create cleaner reports, improve planning governance, and simplify day-to-day work in SAC.
Business Planning & Forecasting
Asymmetric Reporting for Table Widgets
One of the standout features of this release is the introduction of Asymmetric Reporting through Visibility Filters for table widgets.
Until now, creating reports that displayed different hierarchy levels for different measures or calculations often required complex workarounds. With visibility filters, report designers can now control exactly which hierarchy levels and members appear in each column or row without impacting the underlying calculations.
For example, a “Current Quarter” column can display only quarter-level information, while a “Full Year” column can show annual totals within the same table. The result is a cleaner, more focused reporting experience that helps decision-makers concentrate on the information that matters most.
Plan Entry Validation with onBeforeDataEntryProcess()
Planning processes also become more controlled with the new onBeforeDataEntryProcess() table event.
This event executes before user-entered values are sent to the backend, enabling validation checks directly at the point of entry. Organizations can enforce business rules such as preventing negative values, restricting certain changes, or validating entries against predefined thresholds.
By identifying issues before data is committed, planning teams can improve data quality and reduce the need for downstream corrections.
Dashboard Design
A New Decoupled Data Panel
Story designers receive significant usability enhancement with the introduction of the Decoupled Data Panel.
Previously, data objects were closely tied to the Builder Panel. Now, data can be accessed independently through a dedicated panel, making it easier to view accounts, measures, calculations, and data sources while designing stories.
Combined with drag-and-drop capabilities and direct navigation to modeling tools, this enhancement streamlines report creation and provides a more intuitive experience, especially for complex planning and analytics scenarios.
Data Connectivity & Administration
Live Connectivity to Microsoft Azure SQL Database
SAP continues expanding its live connectivity strategy. Following support for Google BigQuery and Snowflake, SAC now introduces live connectivity to Microsoft Azure SQL Database for planning-capable models.
Organizations can choose to consume data directly from Azure SQL Database at runtime instead of relying on replication processes. This reduces model complexity, lowers data movement, and gives customers greater flexibility in how they manage their analytics architecture.
For those who prefer replication-based approaches, acquisition remains available as an alternative.
Enhanced Job Monitoring
The Job Monitor also receives an important enhancement with support for Data Export API jobs.
Administrators can now track export jobs and monitor their status alongside other integration processes from a centralized location. This improves visibility into automated data pipelines, simplifies troubleshooting, and strengthens operational governance across SAC environments.
Conclusion
The Q2 2026 updates continue SAP’s focus on making analytics and planning more flexible, connected, and user-friendly. From the long-awaited arrival of asymmetric reporting to expanded live connectivity and stronger planning controls, these enhancements address real-world challenges faced by both business users and administrators.
As SAC continues to mature, the focus is no longer just on adding new capabilities, it is about giving organizations more control over how they access, manage, and act on their data. The question is: which of these enhancements will have the biggest impact on the way your teams plan and report?
