Why the SAC Excel Add-in Matters

Introduction

In today’s finance world, despite the rise of cloud platforms and AI-driven analytics, Excel remains deeply embedded in how finance teams work. Research suggests this isn’t changing soon. Many organisations still rely on Excel alongside FP&A solutions and spreadsheets remain critical for flexibility, scenario building, and rapid adjustments.

From a consultant perspective, I see this reflected in SAP’s product evolution as well. With cloud first strategy, the early years of SAC focused on strengthening core web features. Looking at the roadmap holistically, the last few years there seems a clear acceleration in the excel integration via SAC Excel Add-in as well. In the early years of SAC’s Excel Add-in, I was a bit cautious about recommending it to the clients because even the core features especially for planning were limited. Over the past 2–3 years, the add-in has matured significantly (with still some limitations in place).

Today, it is becoming a strong enabler for adoption in projects where finance teams depend heavily on Excel. Even in some areas, it provides greater flexibility. As an SAP Planning consultant, I personally love being able to use the SAP’s excel library along with excel formulas while designing flexible input templates.  In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the SAC Excel Add-in’s core features, how to position it in projects, and where it fits into SAP’s roadmap for analytics.

The Evolution of Excel Integration in SAP Analytics

Excel integration is not new for SAP but it has been in the agenda for decades:

On-premise era: Excel based analytics tools like BEX Analyzer, BPC (EPM add-in) and Analysis for Office (AfO) run on premise.Cloud-first shift: SAC was launched as a cloud-first product in 2015Excel Integration for SAC accelerates: the first SAC Excel add-in appeared in 2020 with beta version with rapid investment in the upcoming years.

SAP makes it clear that its current strategy is cloud-first. In practice what we see in the FP&A project is a cloud first with Excel flexibility. The web interface remains the primary platform offering the full breadth of features including advanced visualisations, AI/ML capabilities, mobile access, collaboration features, workflows. However, I observed many clients still ask for excel integration especially for cases captured in below parts of the blog. SAP appears to have responded to this situation with the SAC Excel Add-in improving significantly. The add-in positioned as the strategic Excel interface for SAC going forward. 2025 July BI statement of direction confirms that AfO remains supported, (and the main excel interface for BW and BPC customers ), but no new features will be delivered. However, SAC Excel Add-in represents SAP’s primary excel interface for cloud-based analytics and planning. More details are available along with comparison with AfO here

This positioning reflects a pragmatic approach: rather than forcing finance teams to abandon Excel entirely, SAC excel add in becomes a bridge that combines cloud platform benefits with the Excel interface that finance professionals know and trust.

Key Features, Benefits & Limitations

I’ve grouped the features into 3 comparing Excel Add-in capabilities with the web interface where relevant. Note that all features/limitations reflect the state as of September 2025. The Add-in evolves rapidly, so this focuses on core capabilities rather than an exhaustive list.

Planning & Data Entry

This is where the Excel Add-in has improved most significantly over the past two years with many core planning features now integrated making it a strong complement to the web interface.

Bulk data entry with excel formula support.

SAP excel add in supports mass data entry mode but single and fluid entry mode are available on web interface only. These entry modes provide some flexibility for different cases but I personally find “bulk data entry” in SAC excel add in quite smooth. It is not super easy to bring your offline excel data into SAC web templates although now you can copy-paste multiple cells with recent improvements. But real life scenarios require deeper excel integration with offline excel files. Let’s say an opex planner inputting budget data for 100 cost centers might maintain detailed driver calculations offline (regional KPIs, granular assumptions not in the central SAC model). In these type of cases, I have seen that the clients download web template to excel, blend it with their offline data and paste the output back to web. With the Excel Add-in, planners can use native Excel functions (VLOOKUP, FILTER etc.) directly within SAC-connected template to prepare and validate data before submission. This helps bridging the gap between centralized SAC planning models and the localized dataset that remain in Excel during implementations.

Top-down or bottom-up planning.

Disaggregation function is available on excel add in and works the same way with web. If the cells are empty, the system will disaggregate equally else proportionally.

Triggering SAC calculations

Triggering data actions are supported including selection parameters. Multi actions are not supported at the moment which makes some cross model copy / calculation steps less flexible but it is in roadmap for Q2-26

SAC Formula library for Excel

The SAC Excel Add-in provides SAC-specific formulas (functions with the SAP. prefix) that enable advanced template capabilities. For example, SAP.GETDATA fetches a specific dataset, which helps build reports at cell level. SAP.MEMBERPROPERTY returns the property value of a specific dimension in the frontend to consume these values further (such as version start and end date). There are many other formulas for specific scenarios.

Combining these SAC formulas with Excel’s native formula library (IFs, VLOOKUPs, etc.) provides great flexibility. A powerful application of this flexibility is asymmetric filtering. For instance a finance planner starts the budget process with September closed actuals and needs an input template with 9 months actuals + 3 months forecast + 12 months budget (very typical), here the web’s “forecast layout” functionality is quite helpful. However, asymmetric filtering in the SAC Excel Add-in takes this further allowing developers to manage different template sections independently, each with its own time horizon and formula logic. See this great blog for detailed guidance on asymmetric filter function in the SAC Excel Add-in.

Value Driver Tree: VDT is a web feature so it is not accessible in excel interface.Comments : Data point comments are supported, but don’t work on tables where asymmetric filter functionality is usedCalendar: Excel workbooks integrate with web-based calendars, but accessing the calendar requires the web interface

Analytics

The Excel Add-in focuses on tabular data analysis, giving finance users a familiar environment to explore SAC data with Excel’s formatting and analytical capabilities. For dashboards and advanced visualizations, use the web interface—Excel is not a replacement for SAC’s visualization layer

Core analytical operations : filters, drill-downs, sorting, and ranking available on SAC excel add in.Formatting: Applying conditional formatting and thresholds are supported. Custom formatting is also possible supported by pre-built styling rules similar with AfO. You can select a master data in the table and apply specific format such as displaying actuals as grey (to highlight it is locked )while keeping other versions white.High-volume mode will support more than 1 million cells soon (a planned Q4-25 only for analytics but not for planning).Restricted measures are supported but calculated measures not yet. Although not the same thing, you can still use add rows / columns functionality and write formulas insteadAI / ML Features: Just ask, predictive planning, smart insights etc are accessed only via web add inAdvanced visualizations: Dashboards, charts, geo maps etc available on web only.

Collaboration Features

Excel add in is not supported on mobile devices. Works on desktop or web version of Office 365Data point comments: Supported in Excel Add-in (with limitation: doesn’t work with asymmetric table functionality)Calendar: Excel workbooks integrate with web-based calendars; accessing calendar requires web interfaceDiscussion Panel: Chat is possible via chat only, not available on excel

When to Recommend the Excel Add-in

The Excel Add-in is not designed to replace the SAC web interface. Instead, it complements it by providing a familiar interface for Excel-dependent users. It can serve as an adoption enabler and a functional extension of SAC’s capabilities.

Recommend the Excel Add-in for:

Bulk data preparation – Where finance teams need to manipulate large datasets, combine offline calculations with SAC data, use Excel functions to prepare data before submission.Finance teams heavily reliant on excel – Finance teams who work primarily in Excel and would face significant change management challenges with a web-only interface.Specific cases where excel add in provides more flexibility such as combining SAC’s formula library with Excel’s native capabilities enabling dynamic time horizons via asymmetric filtering described above.

Project guidance:

To maximize the value of the Excel Add-in:

Prototype early, ideally during the Explore phase. This allows you to position the Excel Add-in more accurately, identify which processes truly benefit, and set appropriate expectations with stakeholders.Assess processes criticality. Not all planning processes require deep Excel integration—some may be better served by the web interface alone.Frame it as ‘SAC with Excel flexibility’ rather than an either/or choice, emphasizing the web as the primary platform with Excel as a strategic complement for specific scenarios

Conclusion

Excel is not disappearing from finance. The SAC Excel Add-in addresses this reality by providing a bridge between modern FP&A platforms and the tool that finance teams trust. The add-in has evolved significantly over the past 2-3 years, with robust planning and core analytics capabilities that make it a genuine complement to the web interface, not a workaround.

In practice, its value goes beyond Excel-dependent teams or bulk data preparation. It also helps organisations manage change, easing the transition to cloud planning & analytics by letting users work in a familiar environment. Framing it as “SAC with Excel flexibility” where the web interface remains the primary platform creates the right balance between innovation and familiarity. This approach helps organisations modernise their planning and analytics while keeping the comfort and agility of Excel.

​ IntroductionIn today’s finance world, despite the rise of cloud platforms and AI-driven analytics, Excel remains deeply embedded in how finance teams work. Research suggests this isn’t changing soon. Many organisations still rely on Excel alongside FP&A solutions and spreadsheets remain critical for flexibility, scenario building, and rapid adjustments.From a consultant perspective, I see this reflected in SAP’s product evolution as well. With cloud first strategy, the early years of SAC focused on strengthening core web features. Looking at the roadmap holistically, the last few years there seems a clear acceleration in the excel integration via SAC Excel Add-in as well. In the early years of SAC’s Excel Add-in, I was a bit cautious about recommending it to the clients because even the core features especially for planning were limited. Over the past 2–3 years, the add-in has matured significantly (with still some limitations in place).Today, it is becoming a strong enabler for adoption in projects where finance teams depend heavily on Excel. Even in some areas, it provides greater flexibility. As an SAP Planning consultant, I personally love being able to use the SAP’s excel library along with excel formulas while designing flexible input templates.  In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the SAC Excel Add-in’s core features, how to position it in projects, and where it fits into SAP’s roadmap for analytics.The Evolution of Excel Integration in SAP Analytics Excel integration is not new for SAP but it has been in the agenda for decades:On-premise era: Excel based analytics tools like BEX Analyzer, BPC (EPM add-in) and Analysis for Office (AfO) run on premise.Cloud-first shift: SAC was launched as a cloud-first product in 2015Excel Integration for SAC accelerates: the first SAC Excel add-in appeared in 2020 with beta version with rapid investment in the upcoming years.SAP makes it clear that its current strategy is cloud-first. In practice what we see in the FP&A project is a cloud first with Excel flexibility. The web interface remains the primary platform offering the full breadth of features including advanced visualisations, AI/ML capabilities, mobile access, collaboration features, workflows. However, I observed many clients still ask for excel integration especially for cases captured in below parts of the blog. SAP appears to have responded to this situation with the SAC Excel Add-in improving significantly. The add-in positioned as the strategic Excel interface for SAC going forward. 2025 July BI statement of direction confirms that AfO remains supported, (and the main excel interface for BW and BPC customers ), but no new features will be delivered. However, SAC Excel Add-in represents SAP’s primary excel interface for cloud-based analytics and planning. More details are available along with comparison with AfO hereThis positioning reflects a pragmatic approach: rather than forcing finance teams to abandon Excel entirely, SAC excel add in becomes a bridge that combines cloud platform benefits with the Excel interface that finance professionals know and trust. Key Features, Benefits & LimitationsI’ve grouped the features into 3 comparing Excel Add-in capabilities with the web interface where relevant. Note that all features/limitations reflect the state as of September 2025. The Add-in evolves rapidly, so this focuses on core capabilities rather than an exhaustive list.Planning & Data EntryThis is where the Excel Add-in has improved most significantly over the past two years with many core planning features now integrated making it a strong complement to the web interface.Bulk data entry with excel formula support.SAP excel add in supports mass data entry mode but single and fluid entry mode are available on web interface only. These entry modes provide some flexibility for different cases but I personally find “bulk data entry” in SAC excel add in quite smooth. It is not super easy to bring your offline excel data into SAC web templates although now you can copy-paste multiple cells with recent improvements. But real life scenarios require deeper excel integration with offline excel files. Let’s say an opex planner inputting budget data for 100 cost centers might maintain detailed driver calculations offline (regional KPIs, granular assumptions not in the central SAC model). In these type of cases, I have seen that the clients download web template to excel, blend it with their offline data and paste the output back to web. With the Excel Add-in, planners can use native Excel functions (VLOOKUP, FILTER etc.) directly within SAC-connected template to prepare and validate data before submission. This helps bridging the gap between centralized SAC planning models and the localized dataset that remain in Excel during implementations.Top-down or bottom-up planning.Disaggregation function is available on excel add in and works the same way with web. If the cells are empty, the system will disaggregate equally else proportionally.Triggering SAC calculationsTriggering data actions are supported including selection parameters. Multi actions are not supported at the moment which makes some cross model copy / calculation steps less flexible but it is in roadmap for Q2-26SAC Formula library for ExcelThe SAC Excel Add-in provides SAC-specific formulas (functions with the SAP. prefix) that enable advanced template capabilities. For example, SAP.GETDATA fetches a specific dataset, which helps build reports at cell level. SAP.MEMBERPROPERTY returns the property value of a specific dimension in the frontend to consume these values further (such as version start and end date). There are many other formulas for specific scenarios.Combining these SAC formulas with Excel’s native formula library (IFs, VLOOKUPs, etc.) provides great flexibility. A powerful application of this flexibility is asymmetric filtering. For instance a finance planner starts the budget process with September closed actuals and needs an input template with 9 months actuals + 3 months forecast + 12 months budget (very typical), here the web’s “forecast layout” functionality is quite helpful. However, asymmetric filtering in the SAC Excel Add-in takes this further allowing developers to manage different template sections independently, each with its own time horizon and formula logic. See this great blog for detailed guidance on asymmetric filter function in the SAC Excel Add-in.Value Driver Tree: VDT is a web feature so it is not accessible in excel interface.Comments : Data point comments are supported, but don’t work on tables where asymmetric filter functionality is usedCalendar: Excel workbooks integrate with web-based calendars, but accessing the calendar requires the web interfaceAnalyticsThe Excel Add-in focuses on tabular data analysis, giving finance users a familiar environment to explore SAC data with Excel’s formatting and analytical capabilities. For dashboards and advanced visualizations, use the web interface—Excel is not a replacement for SAC’s visualization layerCore analytical operations : filters, drill-downs, sorting, and ranking available on SAC excel add in.Formatting: Applying conditional formatting and thresholds are supported. Custom formatting is also possible supported by pre-built styling rules similar with AfO. You can select a master data in the table and apply specific format such as displaying actuals as grey (to highlight it is locked )while keeping other versions white.High-volume mode will support more than 1 million cells soon (a planned Q4-25 only for analytics but not for planning).Restricted measures are supported but calculated measures not yet. Although not the same thing, you can still use add rows / columns functionality and write formulas insteadAI / ML Features: Just ask, predictive planning, smart insights etc are accessed only via web add inAdvanced visualizations: Dashboards, charts, geo maps etc available on web only.Collaboration FeaturesExcel add in is not supported on mobile devices. Works on desktop or web version of Office 365Data point comments: Supported in Excel Add-in (with limitation: doesn’t work with asymmetric table functionality)Calendar: Excel workbooks integrate with web-based calendars; accessing calendar requires web interfaceDiscussion Panel: Chat is possible via chat only, not available on excel When to Recommend the Excel Add-inThe Excel Add-in is not designed to replace the SAC web interface. Instead, it complements it by providing a familiar interface for Excel-dependent users. It can serve as an adoption enabler and a functional extension of SAC’s capabilities.Recommend the Excel Add-in for:Bulk data preparation – Where finance teams need to manipulate large datasets, combine offline calculations with SAC data, use Excel functions to prepare data before submission.Finance teams heavily reliant on excel – Finance teams who work primarily in Excel and would face significant change management challenges with a web-only interface.Specific cases where excel add in provides more flexibility such as combining SAC’s formula library with Excel’s native capabilities enabling dynamic time horizons via asymmetric filtering described above.Project guidance:To maximize the value of the Excel Add-in:Prototype early, ideally during the Explore phase. This allows you to position the Excel Add-in more accurately, identify which processes truly benefit, and set appropriate expectations with stakeholders.Assess processes criticality. Not all planning processes require deep Excel integration—some may be better served by the web interface alone.Frame it as ‘SAC with Excel flexibility’ rather than an either/or choice, emphasizing the web as the primary platform with Excel as a strategic complement for specific scenariosConclusionExcel is not disappearing from finance. The SAC Excel Add-in addresses this reality by providing a bridge between modern FP&A platforms and the tool that finance teams trust. The add-in has evolved significantly over the past 2-3 years, with robust planning and core analytics capabilities that make it a genuine complement to the web interface, not a workaround.In practice, its value goes beyond Excel-dependent teams or bulk data preparation. It also helps organisations manage change, easing the transition to cloud planning & analytics by letting users work in a familiar environment. Framing it as “SAC with Excel flexibility” where the web interface remains the primary platform creates the right balance between innovation and familiarity. This approach helps organisations modernise their planning and analytics while keeping the comfort and agility of Excel.   Read More Technology Blog Posts by Members articles 

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