By: Craig A. Cleary, Senior Principal - Architecture - SAP

If someone had told me twenty-five years ago that I’d one day be running real-time planning with SAP Analytics Cloud straight off transactional systems, I would’ve laughed. Back then, even a simple data refresh was an event worth scheduling overnight. Yet here we are, living in a world where instant insights are not just possible but expected.

For the better part of the last quarter century, SAP Enterprise Performance Management (or similar ecosystems) followed a familiar rhythm. Business transactions were recorded in the online transaction processing (OLTP) system of choice, then periodically extracted and loaded into a separate data warehouse or standalone enterprise planning system. This process was time-consuming, fragmented, and often led to a loss of operational detail due to technological constraints. In today’s age of AI and real-time analytics, that might sound intolerable, but truth be told, many organizations still operate this way.

We’ve come a long way from those days of manual extractions, siloed planning systems, and long waits for reports that were outdated the moment they arrived. The world of enterprise performance management (EPM) has transformed beyond recognition, driven by cloud innovation, AI, and the relentless demand for agility.

This paper explores the evolution of EPM within the SAP ecosystem over the past quarter-century. It traces the shift from traditional OLTP-based planning and consolidation systems to the modern, cloud-enabled, real-time solutions powered by SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) and Datasphere. Along the way, I’ll touch on the challenges posed by legacy systems, the opportunities unleashed by HANA technology, and the transformative potential of SAP’s business data cloud offering.

The Legacy Maze of SAP Planning and Consolidation

Historically, SAP landscapes relied heavily on extracting data daily from ECC into business warehouse (BW) for tools such as  Business Planning and Simulation (BPS), Integrated Planning (IP), or Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC)—both standard and embedded versions.

These systems shared common pain points: delayed data availability, limited granularity, and overdependence on IT to make even small changes. Statutory consolidation processes were similarly constrained, where group reporting functions also suffered. Teams often had to wait for periodic OLTP closures before they could even start consolidations. The result? Analysts spent more time preparing data, leaving little room for value-added activities like analysis and strategic planning. Not long ago, while working with a client on a legacy SAP consolidation system, we saw just how taxing this could be. On a good day, loading period-end adjustments took an hour. If any master data issues cropped up, the process could stretch to three hours. It was a clear example of how these legacy systems consumed resources and slowed decision-making.

When HANA Changed the Rules

The advent of HANA technology introduced new possibilities for near real-time data processing and flexible planning. But as with any powerful tool, it came with its own complexities.

Implementations quickly grew highly technical, increasing the dependence on IT. While performance improved, scalability and adaptability sometimes suffered. The key was learning how to balance this new speed with simplicity.

Enter Business Data Cloud: Where Planning Finally Caught Up

The integration of SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) with Datasphere under the business data cloud (BDC) offering marks a significant shift. Data replication or federation within datasphere now makes it instantly available in SAC, enabling operational, tactical, and strategic planning in one place.

What excites me most is SAC’s native planning toolkit. Version management, allocations, embedded AI (with Joule and predictive capabilities), and compass for what-if modeling, features that once required months of development are now built in. Datasphere’s openness to non-SAP data makes it even more powerful, bridging operational systems with external insights.

Together SAC and Datasphere redefine what connected planning really means, making real-time planning with SAP Analytics Cloud a reality for organizations striving for agility.

Today, we are seeing this in action with clients, using BDC to enable true operational planning scenarios. For instance, near real-time Sales Order lifecycle planning or daily liquidity forecasting leveraging AP and AR data is now possible, turning what used to be slow, cumbersome processes into agile, data-driven decision-making.

Rethinking Consolidation in the New Era

With S/4HANA group reporting taking center stage, it addresses many legacy shortcomings. Real-time consolidation is now possible, allowing group reporting functions to operate continuously throughout the reporting period. Further, audit processes are improved with concurrent drill-back from reports to source transactions, giving finance teams visibility they’ve long craved.

Even better, the integration of S/4HANA group reporting with Business Data Cloud means planning in SAC can now connect seamlessly back into statutory and management reporting. It’s faster, cleaner, and requires far less development overhead.

Transitioning Smartly: Modernization Without Disruption

Shifting new EPM tools is a significant undertaking, especially for organizations heavily invested in existing BW landscapes. Here, BW Modernization within  Business Data Cloud offers a gradual, less disruptive path to transformation. This approach allows businesses to avoid a big-bang migration while planning their more effectively. Of course, every client is different, but in my experience, a gradual migration is often the most reliable recipe for success.

Looking Ahead

Through the years, I’ve witnessed SAP Enterprise Performance Management evolve, sometimes forward, sometimes in loops, but always teaching valuable lessons. From the early Bluefin Solutions era through Mindtree and now within the broader LTIMindtree ecosystem, the journey has been one of constant reinvention.

The past five years, however, have felt different, a true leap forward. SAP’s introduction of intelligent applications within Business Data Cloud signals a shift toward more connected, real-time, and adaptive performance management. Organizations like LTIMindtree are leveraging these innovations to build resilience, boost agility, and deliver measurable business impact at speed.

As we move forward, we are entering a space where systems and AI take on the heavy lifting, enabling business SMEs to focus on what truly matters: insights, strategy, and value creation. The possibilities are exhilarating, smarter planning, continuous insight, and seamless collaboration are no longer distant visions, but real opportunities unfolding faster than ever.