For any business analytics solution, Custom Extensions can add an entirely new perspective to analyze your data. For SAP Analytics Cloud, Custom Widget SDK for Analytics Designer was released in version 2019.20. This blog gives an overview for developers to get started in developing Custom extensions for Analytics Designer in SAP Analytics Cloud.

SAP has also released a development guide with detailed information for developers that could come in handy.

1. Basics

If you think you are not a developer or do not possess the required skills, note that any novice with basic knowledge on HTML, CSS and JavaScript would be able to build Custom Extensions.

Like other native widgets in SAP Analytics Cloud, the Custom widgets can be added from Insert Menu and configured within the Builder and Styling panel. Users will be able to move and resize Custom Widgets anywhere in the canvas. You can also provide script functions that can be leveraged within Analytics Designer. Apart from the default properties, you can also include customized options within the designer panel.

2. Requirements

For developing a Custom Widget, you don’t need any specific tool or IDE. A simple text editor is enough to do the job. But tools like Visual Studio that has clean UI and extensions can be helpful.

To develop a simple component without any property sheet, you only need two files.

1. Metadata JSON – It contains the general information about the Custom Widget along with license information, icon location, new prefix name, version number, properties of the component, description of the component and the package name.
2. Component JavaScript – It defines the appearance and functionality of the Custom Extension. Custom Widgets can further be extended with the help of the following three files.
3. CSS – Takes care of the look and feel of the Custom Widget and the additional properties in Styling panel.
4. Styling Panel JavaScript – Includes the settings for styling properties of the Custom Widget within the Styling Panel.
5. Builder Panel JavaScript – Includes the settings for the main functionality of the Custom Widget within the Builder Panel.

3. Deployment

For deploying Custom Widgets in SAP Analytics Cloud, your role needs to have Read/Write/Delete access to Custom Widgets which can be granted by Administrator. Once you have access, you can navigate to the Main Menu and access the Custom Widgets option under Browse.

You will be able to upload the metadata JSON file after which your Custom Widget will automatically be listed within Analytics Designer. Other supporting files like the JavaScript of the component and CSS can be hosted in any https server and linked within the metadata JSON file.

Click here to evaluate if SAP Analytics Cloud is right for you. To know about the Analytic Applications of SAP Analytics Cloud, please check out our blog series here.