Forecast visualization in SAP BO vs SAP BPC
SAP BusinessObjects (BO) and SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) both provide visualization capabilities for forecasts, but they have different strengths and weaknesses:
Forecast visualization in SAP BusinessObjects (BO):
BO provides a wide range of visualization capabilities, including charts, graphs, tables, and dashboards. BO allows you to visualize and analyze forecast data in a variety of ways, including time series plots, scatter plots, and more. BO also provides advanced visualization capabilities, such as geographic mapping and heat maps, which allow you to view and analyze your forecasts in new and creative ways.
Example:
You might use BO to create a time series plot of your sales forecast. You would start by connecting to your forecast data source, such as a database or spreadsheet, and then use BO's visualization capabilities to create a time series plot that shows the forecasted sales for each month. Once you have created the time series plot, you could use BO's advanced visualization capabilities to create additional visualizations, such as a scatter plot that shows the relationship between your sales forecast and other factors, such as advertising spend or market trends.
Forecast visualization in SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC):
BPC provides limited visualization capabilities specifically designed for financial forecasting. BPC provides a centralized platform for financial forecasting, including visualization capabilities, and supports various forecasting methods, including bottom-up and top-down approaches. BPC allows you to create and manage multiple scenarios, compare and analyze different forecast scenarios, and provide an audit trail of the forecasting process.
Example:
You might use BPC to create a bar chart of your budget vs. actual performance. You would start by defining your budget and actual data in BPC, including selecting the financial data you want to use for the analysis. BPC would then create the bar chart, showing the budget and actual results for each department or cost center. You could use BPC's reporting capabilities to create a report that summarizes the results of your analysis, such as a chart that shows the budget vs. actual performance for the entire company or for individual departments.
In conclusion, both BO and BPC provide visualization capabilities for forecasts, but BO provides a more comprehensive solution for visualization, while BPC provides a limited solution specifically designed for financial forecasting. If you are looking for a more comprehensive solution for forecast visualization, BO may be the better choice, while BPC may be the better choice if you are specifically focused on financial forecasting.