In the context of creating an allocation step to distribute expenses from the HR cost center to operating cost centers in SAP Analytics Cloud, the "Driver" dimension setting is crucial. This setting determines the basis or criteria on which the distribution is calculated and applied to each operating cost center. For instance, the driver could be the number of employees, square footage, or any other relevant metric that justifies the distribution of costs. By defining a driver, you ensure that the allocation of expenses is proportional and fair based on the selected criteria.

References:

• SAP Analytics Cloud Help Documentation: Allocation Steps in Planning
• SAP Analytics Cloud User Guide: Using Drivers for Allocation

In a Value Driver Tree (VDT) within SAP Analytics Cloud, node relationships can be determined using a dimension hierarchy and story calculated measures. A dimension hierarchy helps to visually represent and navigate the relationships between various nodes in a structured manner, reflecting the logical and hierarchical relationships inherent in the data. Story calculated measures allow for the creation of custom calculations that can define the relationships between nodes in terms of mathematical or logical operations, providing a dynamic way to analyze how changes in one node might affect others.

References:

• SAP Analytics Cloud Help Documentation: Value Driver Trees
• SAP Analytics Cloud User Guide: Working with Dimension Hierarchies and Calculated Measures in VDT

To combine two dimensions, Firstname and Lastname, into a single dimension displaying as Lastname, Firstname in a live data model, you should create a calculated dimension in the data model. This calculated dimension will concatenate the two fields into one, according to the specified format. This approach allows for the creation of a new dimension that can be used across various reports and analyses within the model, maintaining the integrity of the original dimensions.

References:

• SAP Analytics Cloud Help Documentation: Creating Calculated Dimensions
• SAP Analytics Cloud User Guide: Data Modeling Best Practices