The new feature “Video Data Story” will be introduced for SAP Analytics Cloud customers, since QRC1 2025. This feature will allow business users to design and create a short-form video directly inside SAP Analytics Cloud without any video editing expertise. It provides an alternative way to present the business insights using a brand-new format which could be more attractive and intuitive compared with the static content in story.

For how a Video Data Story looks like, please check the example video via:

https://video.sap.com/media/t/1_bu06re47

This blog will provide a preview of how Video Data Story looks like and how to create a Video Data Story.

– Enable “Video Data Story” for the related story

A new toggle is introduced in the story detail to enable the feature for related story. Please notice that Video Data Story is only supported for story designed with Optimized Story Experience.

– Create a Video Data Story 

In the story opened with view mode, a new option can be found via the context menu of each chart, which allows the user to add the selected chart into a new Video Data Story.

In the first release, the following chart types are supported to be added into Video Data Story:

Bar/Column chart, Line chart, Pie chart, Numeric Point chart.

Besides the above 4 chart types, the Text widget is also supported.

Once a chart is added, a Video Data Story design panel will be displayed in the bottom of the screen for the overview of the current Video Data Story with further configurations. 

In the design panel, the selected chart will be displayed as a tile with a preview of the animation effect so user will have the impression how this chart will be shown in the final video.

Repeat the above step to add more widgets into Video Data Story, and user can use drag and drop to change the sequence of selected widgets.

– Additional configuration for a Video Data Story

Besides adding a chart and changing the sequence, user can make some further configuration to make the final video more informative and attractive with personalized style.

• Update the title and description to a chart

The updated title and description will also be shown in the preview of related tile.

• Orientation

Portrait and Landscape are supported for the orientation of Video Data Story to fit with different scenarios when the Video Data Story is consumed.

• Opening Title

User can add a title to the Video Data Story as the starting section.

• Background Image

User can add a background image with light/dark theme from a pre-delivered lists of pictures.

If needed, users can also use a custom image by uploading the picture from local device.

• Background Music

Similar with background image, user can also add music to the Video Data Story by selecting one music clip from a pre-delivered list.

• Transition effect between charts

For two adjacent charts, if the data is related to each other, a special transition effect can be added to highlight the relationship in the final video. For example, user can first add a bar chart into the Video Data Story, and in the same chart, user can drill down or rank the chart, and add the same chart with updated status into Video Data Story again. In this case, user can decide if a Smart Transition effect need to be added for these two charts.

– Save and manage the Video Data Story

Once user is satisfied with the designed Video Data Story, he/she can save the Video Data Story.

The Video Data Story will be saved as a new file in SAP Analytics Cloud, which can be found and managed via the File Repository. This means, the saved Video Data Story can also be shared with other users or teams in SAP Analytics Cloud.

– View and Download the Video Data Story

The Video Data Story can be opened with View mode once it’s saved. The video will be displayed in the browser directly.

User can further download the video to local device if needed. Once trigger the download, user will get a notification once the download file is ready, and the video will be downloaded as a WEBM file.