Extending SAP Insights: Pyramid is the Best Analytics Solution
Your business relies on SAP. And you want to leverage all available enterprise data together with your SAP data. There are a lot of options for your organization to choose from, but Pyramid Analytics takes a unique and valuable approach.
Pyramid’s PYRANA engine was built to directly query SAP and your other data sources, without extracting or copying data. With Pyramid, you can securely visualize and explore all directly queried data in a single, interactive dashboard, regardless of data volumes or query complexity.
| Critical Feature | Pyramid with BW, BW4/HANA, or HANA | Power BI | Tableau |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct query of SAP data | Yes, without data ingestion | Limited, prefers data ingestion | Limited, prefers data ingestion |
| Non-SAP and hybrid data access | Yes: Any SQL data and popular MDX sources | Yes, with limitations on MDX query | Yes, with limitations |
| Query performance / speed | Market-leading | Ingestion preferred, which slows query speed | Ingestion preferred, which slows query speed |
| Deployment | Anywhere: On-premises, any cloud, or hybrid | Requires Microsoft's cloud | Deployable anywhere, but relies on legacy client-server architecture |
| Embedding | Yes: Any HTML5 web page or app interface | Yes, but may require DAX coding | Yes, but single sign-on requires significant custom work |
| Data model structures | Yes, including regular, ragged, parent-child hierarchies | Limited | Limited |
| Server-defined logic | Yes | Yes (if direct) | Yes (if direct) |
| “Key Dates” | BW and BW4/HANA: YES HANA: Not applicable |
BW and BW4/HANA: NO HANA: Not applicable |
BW and BW4/HANA: NO HANA: Not applicable |
| Result structures | Yes, including numeric formats, masking, cell security | Limited | Limited |
| Localized data and models | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Create models back into HANA | BW and BW4/HANA: Not applicable HANA: Yes |
No | No |
| SSO security | BW and BW4/HANA: Direct, SNC+AD, or Logon Tickets HANA: Direct or SAML |
Yes: Direct, SNC+AD, or Logon Tickets | Yes: Direct, SNC+AD, or Logon Tickets |
| Robust data prep tools | Yes | May require Power Query | May require add-on or third-party tool such as Alteryx |
| No-code/low-code data science and machine learning | Yes: Built-in, autoML, Python, R | May require Power Query, Power BI Desktop, and/or Azure | May require separately licensed, partially integrated Einstein Discovery from Salesforce |
| Data visualization | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Augmented Analytics | Yes: Data narratives, natural language query, related metrics—Ranked #1 by Gartner * | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced total and subtotal formulation options | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Storyboarding | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Publishing | Yes: Pixel-perfect, scheduling, distribution | Lacks report scheduling and bursting | Yes |
| User-designed dynamic infographics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extensibility | Yes: APIs, embedding, BPI, workflows | Yes | Yes |
| Content governance | Yes: Lineage, structure analysis, versioning | Yes, but unsecured desktop client | Yes |
| Technical support | Market-leading, according to Analyst survey results | Potentially insufficient, according to Analyst survey results | Yes, but unsecured desktop client |
* Gartner, Inc., “Critical Capabilities for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms,” May 2022; Gartner scored Pyramid Analytics above all other vendors evaluated for the Augmented Analytics Use Case
