Designing Stories in SAP Analytics Cloud (SACS 21): Choosing Between Optimized and Classic Design Modes

🎯 Objective

After this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Explain the differences between Classic and Optimized Design Modes

  • Know when and why to use Optimized Design Experience

🆚 Classic vs. Optimized Design Experience

Optimized Design Experience (Recommended)

  • SAP’s preferred design mode for new stories

  • Prerequisite for:

    • Digital Boardroom features

    • Future enhancements

    • Analytics Designer capabilities

🔧 Key Benefits:

  • Ghost loading indicators

  • Improved performance with large data sets & hierarchies

  • Better tooltips and navigation

  • Quarterly feature updates

  • Advanced Mode available for scripting and customization

🔄 Advanced Mode Features

When Advanced Mode is ON, you can:

  • Add interactive widgets:

    • Button, Slider, Dropdown, Checkbox, List Box, Tab Strip, etc.

  • Use JavaScript scripting:

    • Script variables, objects, APIs, CSS editor

  • Customize global settings:

    • Widget visibility, auto-refresh, loading indicators, mobile settings

When Advanced Mode is OFF:

  • You are limited to basic elements (charts, tables, input controls)

Classic Design Experience

  • Still available but:

    • No new enhancements

    • Only supports features developed before Q2 2022

  • Some components are not supported in Optimized Mode, including:

    • Explorer → Replaced by Data Analyzer

    • Grid Pages → Use Optimized Presentation Tables in Canvas/Responsive pages

🔄 Converting to Optimized Design Mode

🔧 How to Convert a Story:

  1. In View Mode:

    • Go to File → Convert to Optimized Design Experience

  2. In Edit Mode:

    • Use Save → Convert to Optimized Design Experience

Note: “Enable Optimized View Mode” only enhances viewing—not editing or design.

⚠️ Important Notes on Conversion:

  • If unsupported elements exist, SAC will warn you with details.

  • Options:

    • Convert (overwrite)

    • Convert & Save As (keep original)

    • Cancel

  • Some elements require manual changes (e.g., removing Grid Pages or replacing deprecated widgets).

📝 Summary: When to Use Each Mode

Design ModeUse When...
Optimized ModeYou want performance, flexibility, future-proof design
Classic ModeYou're maintaining legacy stories or using deprecated features

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