Power BI on SAP data, without the shadow reporting
If your organization already runs on Microsoft, Power BI is a sensible front end for SAP data. What decides whether it works is the layer underneath it.
The honest case for Power BI
There is a version of this page that argues you should report on SAP data only with SAP tools. We do not think that is true. If your organization has standardised on Microsoft, your users already live in Excel and Teams, and your analysts already know how to build in Power BI, then insisting on a different front end means fighting the way people actually work.
Power BI is a capable tool and a reasonable choice. The question worth arguing about is not the tool. It is what sits between it and your SAP system.
The failure mode
The quickest way to get SAP data into Power BI is a direct extract, and it is also how estates end up unmanageable. One analyst builds a report against a table. Another builds a similar report with a slightly different filter. Neither extract is documented. Within a year there are forty of them, each its own private definition of a business measure, and the authorizations that carefully governed that data in SAP no longer apply, because the data left.
The symptom is a meeting where two people present different numbers and nobody can say which is right. The cause is that the governance was left behind in the source system.
Governed access instead
The arrangement that holds up is Power BI reading from a governed semantic layer, typically SAP Datasphere, rather than from tables directly. Measures are defined once, where the people who own them can see the definition. Row-level security is inherited rather than reimplemented, so a regional manager sees their region because the model says so, not because someone remembered to filter a report. New reports start from modelled data, which makes building them faster as well as safer.
The practical effect is that self-service stops being a governance problem. Analysts get freedom over presentation and analysis, and the definitions stay under control.
What we do
Review of what is currently extracted, by whom, and which of those extracts have become load-bearing. Connectivity design from SAP to Power BI through a governed layer. Security model, including row-level security mapped to your existing SAP authorizations. Report and dataset build, or migration of the extracts that already exist onto a governed source. Where reporting performance is the complaint, the work usually belongs further down the stack, in the data model and the database, and we would rather tell you that than rebuild a dashboard that was never the problem.
Recognized by SAP, NMSDC, CAMSC, WBENC and WOSB
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In their words
2isolutions went above and beyond to understand our requirements and delivered SAP Solutions exceeding our expectations. Most importantly, they were always responsive to us and were relentless in seeing the job being completed to our satisfaction. Good job!
We hired 2isolutions to provide in-house SAP training services to our team. They exceeded our expectations and were able to scale their team to provide additional training courses, but also to offer hands-on technical, functional, and design support for our core SAP development initiatives. 2iSolutions have demonstrated their SAP expertise to us and we are leveraging our relationship with them as a SAP solutions provider, resource augmenter and an SAP trainer. Job Well Done!
The training was "Valuable, well presented and practical scenario based "Very relevant and engaging. It thoroughly met the objectives and I would recommend them as a training provider to all " Thank you 2isolutions
2iSolutions team was hired initially for SAP Training services but soon we realised that 2iSolutions has very deep understanding and expertise in SAP and BI solutions. 2iSolutions team helped us by proposing SAP solutions for complex scenarios, validating the technical design proposed by our consulting partner and by proposing enhancements in the SAP solutions. 2iSolutions team worked as our internal SAP experts for the project. Wonderful support and return on investment….exceeded the expectations!
At Hansa-Flex, we were in need of a local Canadian Partner for SAP training and support. ….. ….We are very pleased with the work performed for us by 2iSolutions Inc. The complete SAP training project was delivered on time and within budget. I have no hesitation in recommending 2iSolutions Inc. for SAP Training and Projects Consulting
2iSolutions has shown a level of commitment to our SAP implementation that I rarely see from outside consultants - By IT Manager
2isolutions had done great job for us in terms of conceptualising and designing excellent solutions for us. They had excellent domain knowledge and keenness to solve business problems. We wish great success for them. Good job! Awnindra Tiwari Head Business Applications Lava International Ltd
2isolutions Team has been supporting us in va had done great job for us in terms of conceptualising and designing excellent solutions for us. They had excellent domain knowledge and keenness to solve business problems. We wish great success for them. Good job! Kuldeep Dange IT Head
Industries we lead in
Questions we get asked
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Business intelligence (BI) tools enable organizations to make informed business decisions. BA helps to identify risks early on by providing deep insights into data and making informed business actions faster rather than relying on mere guesswork. You can make quarter sales predictions, discover business expansion opportunities, conduct better risk assessments, and make the most out of consumer behaviour and patterns.How does Tableau & Microsoft Power BI play an important role in BA?
Tableau and Microsoft Power BI are two important Business Intelligence (BI) tools used widely by businesses to rest their business decisions faster. They empower all users to explore and drive immediate action. They help in data mining, drawing conclusions, performance metrics and benchmarking, descriptive analytics, statistical analysis, data visualization, visual analysis, and so much more. Both Tableau and Microsoft Power BI are designed to answer specific questions and provide at-a-glance analysis for decisions or planning.Related services
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