Hello SAP Community, 

As SAP Profitability and Performance Management Cloud – Universal Model (SAP PaPM Cloud UM) continues to evolve, we’re back with another round of exciting updates.

Today, I'll walk you through the highlights of our latest release and show you how to leverage these new capabilities to maximize your results. 

Model

Faster Environment Activation with Use Table Functions

In Manage Environments, we have introduced a new checkbox called Use Table Functions, which users can mark in every environment based on their preference. 

If the Use Table Functions option is set to No and the user initiates the environment activation, the system generates and deploys (via HDI) HANA views for model functions, which are stacked on top of each other to represent the calculation model. Depending on the complexity of the calculation model, several hundred HANA views can rely on each other, and HDI creates them one after another, which can lead to significant environment activation time. In production systems, this is usually not relevant, but in development systems this can impact the productivity of modeling users.   

If the Use Table Functions option is set to Yes and the user initiates the environment activation, the system generates and deploys (via HDI) mostly HANA table functions for model functions where the logic of reliant model functions is included, which decreases the environment activation time substantially. This is especially helpful in development systems.  

See images below for a significant difference in the activation duration using the same environment with Use Table Functions set to Yes and No.  

Image 1: Activation log of the same environment with Use Table Functions = Yes 

Image 2: Activation log of the same environment with Use Table Functions = No 

Through this enhancement, activation time of an environment is drastically reduced – what previously could take an hour or more can now be completed in just a fraction of the time, making the overall activation process more efficient.   

However, it is worth noting that while activation time is significantly improved, runtime performance may vary depending on the use case. For the majority of model functions, speed remains consistent; however, in certain scenarios and for specific stacks of model functions, significant speed advantages may arise in either direction – this is due to the differing ways in which HANA optimizes views and table functions at runtime. Therefore, for use cases involving large volumes of data, it is recommended to conduct a performance test to determine the optimal configuration. If partitioning is configured, the recommendation is to set Use Table Functions to No.   

All existing environment behavior and functionality remain unchanged. The enhancement only affects the activation process in the database.  

NOTE: By default, Use Table Functions is set to Yes when creating a new environment. If you set Use Table Functions to No after it was previously set to Yes, the table function artifacts will only be deleted from the database once the environment is activated again. Additionally, users can change the Use Table Functions setting at any time based on the environment's performance requirements. 

 

New Vector Data Type for Environment Field Characteristics

Environment Field Characteristics now supports a new data type: Vector (SAP HANA data type REAL_VECTOR). This addition brings AI-ready vector storage directly into your environment modeling, enabling powerful semantic search and similarity matching through vector embeddings without leaving SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model.

What is a Vector field? 

A vector is a numerical representation of content, such as text, that captures semantic meaning in a way that machines can process. When combined with SAP HANA Cloud's built-in vector engine, vector fields enable use cases like similarity search, AI-assisted data retrieval, and embedding-based workflows.

How to create a Vector field 

In Manage Fields, choose Create and select “Characteristic” as the field type. In the Data Type dropdown, select “Vector”. Once saved, the field is available for use in your Model Entities and related functions. 

Note: Vector fields are not available for input via API or Show Screen, as OData does not support the REAL_VECTOR type. Vector values can be provided through file import or Model HANA and determined via Model Calculation or Calculation using HANA's native vector functions.

Three ways to populate a Vector field

You have three options for filling a Vector field with data: 

Note: Before using the vector field and to generate embedding values, ensure that Natural Language Processing (NLP) is enabled. For more details, see Natural Language Processing in the Administration Guide for Universal Model.

1. Auto Vector Embedding  

In Model Entities, enable the Auto Vector Embedding option on the Vector field. The system automatically generates a vector embedding from all other entity fields (excluding other vector fields) using SAP HANA's built-in vector_embedding() function. No custom calculations are needed.

For more information, see Application Help for Universal Model – Configure Simple Model Entity.

 

2. Custom Calculation 

Use a Model Calculation or Calculation function with the native vector_embedding() HANA function to generate and store vector values automatically. When passing the vector through a Calculation function (which uses service interface views), use TO_NCLOB (vector_embedding()) to convert the vector to a large string format for compatibility.  

For more information, see Application Help for Universal Model – Model Calculation and Calculation.

Model Calculation

Calculation

3. Import Data as Text

In Manage Model Entities, enable the Import as Text feature and assign a Text Field, File Name Field, and Sequence Field. This allows activity users to import documents directly as chunked text, with the embedding automatically stored in the Vector field. 

Supported file formats for import: PDF, Word (.docx), and CSV.

Note: Import as Text feature can be used even without selecting the Auto Vector Embedding option on Vector field settings. 

When a file is imported, the system splits the content into chunks: 

• The Text Field stores each chunk of text. 
• The File Name Field stores the name of the source file. 
• The Sequence Field preserves the correct order of chunks across a multi-chunk file. 
• The Vector Field stores the resulting embedding for each chunk. 

Enabling Import Data as Text in an Activity 

Once Import as Text is configured in the Model Entity, activity managers can enable this capability in Manage Activities by choosing Enable Import Data as Text in the activity settings. Activity users can then upload documents directly from the activity screen. 

Note: The Enable Import Data as Text option is only shown in Manage Activities when the selected Model Entity has the Import as Text feature enabled. 

For more information, see Application Help for Universal Model – Import Data as Text   

Reader Function 

Reader function supports the Vector data type natively, including SAP HANA models that use vector_embedding as an input function.

Writer Function  

Writer function supports the Vector data type — either natively or as a large string (for external connections). 

Note: If a result field is a characteristic field with Vector data type, the Auto Vector Embedding option in the relevant result model function must be turned off.

Note: When using OData or SOAP connections, Reader and Writer support for Vector data is available in large string format only. Aggregation-type Views, Model Views, and Aggregation-type Reader Functions are not in scope for Vector data type support. 

For more details, see the Application Help for Universal Model. 

 

Introducing the Copy To Confirmation Dialog

The Copy To feature lets you copy reports, functions, and processes from one environment to another – a workflow many teams rely on when promoting work from development or test environments into production. It's fast and convenient, and now gives you additional control. If an artifact with the same name already exists in the target environment, you'll always be prompted before anything is replaced.

For Fields, an error message is displayed when a field with the same name already exists in the target environment. 

Fields

For Functions, Processes, and Reports, a warning dialog is displayed before replacing an existing artifact, giving users the opportunity to confirm or cancel the operation. 

Functions

Processes

Reports

The change matters for a few reasons. The warning gives every user a chance to pause and verify the target before completing the operation. The same guard dialog applies consistently across reports, functions, and processes, so there's no surprise depending on what you're copying. And when you do mean to overwrite, a single click confirms your intent and keeps the workflow moving. 

 

Process

Introducing Data Scope for Import, Export, and Erase of Data and Rules

You can now control exactly which data is included or affected when performing Import, Export, and Erase operations in the Activity screen and Data screen. A new Data Scope dropdown has been added to the Import Data, Export Data, and Erase Data dialogs, allowing you to define the boundary of each operation before it runs. The same enhancement is available for Import Rules, Export Rules, and Erase Rules, accessible from both the Activity screen and the Dynamic Rules screen.   

For more information about the new feature, you may refer to this blogpost: SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model: Introducing Data Scope for Import, Export, Erase of Data and Rules 

 

Data Screen

Extended Waterfall Chart with Total and Subtotal Support 

You can now visualize cumulative totals and subtotals in waterfall charts using the new Extended Waterfall chart type. This enhancement allows you to create waterfall charts that display a total column summarizing all series values, as well as configurable subtotal columns at defined positions, giving you a complete picture of cumulative values across your data series.  

New Extended Waterfall Chart Type

A new Extended Waterfall option is now available in Create Advanced Chart from All Rows. In addition, a Settings icon is now available for this chart within the Edit Chart. The Extended Waterfall chart requires at least one selected category and at least one selected series to render. 

Configuring Total and Subtotal Columns 

In Edit Chart, choose the Set Up tab to configure the total and subtotal columns. 

You can perform the following: 

• Configure the title of the total column 

• Add subtotal columns at specific positions in the chart 

• Rename subtotal columns 

• Define the position of each subtotal column 

Calculation logic:

Column Type	Behavior
Total	Accumulates all values from zero up to the current data point
Subtotal	Accumulates values from the previous Total or Subtotal up to the current data point

Formatting Options 

In Edit Chart, choose the Format tab to access visual settings for the Extended Waterfall chart. The following new options are available: 

Titles section: 

• Horizontal Axis Title: Set a label for the horizontal axis. 
• Vertical Axis Title: Set a label for the vertical axis. 

Visual settings: 

• Series: Configure the appearance of data series bars. 
• Horizontal Axis: Adjust the horizontal axis display. 
• Vertical Axis: Adjust the vertical axis display. 
• Direction: Select “Vertical” or “Horizontal” from the dropdown list to control the orientation of the chart. 

 More information can be found in the Application Help for Universal Model: Data Screen – Create Range Chart.

 

Add Calculated Field Enhancement

SAP Profitability and Performance Management Cloud – Universal Model delivers a set of enhancements to the Add Calculated Field feature in this release. Business users can now assign a Field Type to any calculated field so that formula results are displayed in the correct format, write spreadsheet-style client-side formulas that are evaluated directly in the browser, and benefit from a faster application load time thanks to a lighter formula editor. All three enhancements are available in the Data screen and the Report screen without any additional setup. 

What's New 

Field Type Support for Calculated Fields 

Previously, all calculated field results were treated as plain text regardless of whether the formula returned a number, a date, or a Boolean value. A new Field Type dropdown is now available in the Add Calculated Field dialog. Selecting the appropriate type ensures that the formula result is formatted and displayed correctly in the report grid. 

The following field types are supported: 

• “String” – Default type. Displays the formula result as plain text. All existing calculated fields retain this type automatically. 
• “Number” – Formats the result as a number with locale-aware thousand-separators (for example, 1,500,000). 
• “Boolean” – Renders the result as “Yes” or “No”. 
• “Date” – Formats the result as a date value. 
• “Time” – Formats the result as a time value. 
• “Timestamp” – Formats the result as a date-and-time value. 

When “Number” is selected, the calculated field value is automatically formatted with locale-aware thousand-separators (1500000 → 1,500,000). An optional Currency or Unit Field dropdown also becomes available, listing the unit and currency fields in the data model. If a field is selected, its value is appended to the number (for example, 1,500,000 USD or 750 kg). The Currency or Unit Field is optional — if it is left empty, only the formatted number is displayed. 

If a formula result cannot be converted to the selected Field Type, the cell displays a clear indicator instead of an empty cell:

• Field Type = “Number” → “Invalid Value” is displayed in the cell
• Field Type = “Date” → “Invalid Date” is displayed in the cell
• Field Type = “Time” → “Invalid Time” is displayed in the cell
• Field Type = “Timestamp” → “Invalid Timestamp” is displayed in the cell
• Field Type = “Boolean” → “Invalid Boolean” is displayed in the cell

This gives users immediate visibility into formula conversion results directly in the grid.

When a calculated field uses a range formula that references values with different currencies or units, the system displays “–” in the calculated field row. The system aggregates and displays calculated values only when all underlying values share the same currency or unit, preventing misleading totals across different units of measure. 

Calculated fields are included in the following export options:

• CSV Export (Page View)
• XLSX Export (Page View)
• XLSX Export – Numbers Only (Page View)

Note: Calculated fields are not included in the Export All Data function.

Client-Side Formulas

Add Calculated Field now supports client-side formulas in addition to the existing server-side computed fields. Client-side formulas use spreadsheet-style syntax and are evaluated directly in the browser. This makes it easy for business users to create lightweight ad hoc calculations — including lookups of other column values — directly in the Data screen or the Report screen. 

Client-side formulas support the following capabilities:

• Spreadsheet-style syntax – use familiar expression functions (for example, IF, SUM, VLOOKUP) and column references.
• Range support – formulas can reference ranges of cells, enabling aggregations across rows.
• Group calculations – formulas are evaluated for individual rows as well as for grouped or subtotal rows.
• Cross-column lookups – formulas can reference values from other columns in the same row.

After saving, the calculated column appears immediately in the grid. The calculated column supports the same display, sorting, and filtering capabilities as server-side computed fields.

Improved Formula Editor

The formula editor used when writing client-side formulas in the Add Calculated Field dialog has been upgraded to a lighter and faster component. The editor continues to provide syntax highlighting and formula entry while improving application load performance. Existing client-side formulas remain supported, and no user action is required.

 

Joule

Chat Panel & Ask Mode (Read-Only Queries)

What's New

Joule in SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model introduces a conversational interface that allows users to explore and analyze PaPM data using natural language without navigating multiple application screens. With the Chat Panel and Ask Mode, users can query environments, processes, reports, and other PaPM entities directly through chat and receive clear, structured answers with full traceability. 

Chat Panel & Welcome Experience

The Joule chat panel opens directly from the PaPM application shell either as a floating panel or pinned panel. Before the first message, a Welcome screen appears with a greeting and clickable suggested prompt chips (e.g., “Show all my environments”, “Which processes are currently active?”). The suggested prompts change based on the selected mode (Ask Mode or Act Mode).

In Ask Mode, users can: 

• Create, rename, delete (with confirmation), and switch between conversations using the sidebar.

• Persist in chat history — reopening the panel or refreshing the page shows prior messages.

Ask Mode (Read-Only Queries)

Ask Mode is the default mode, toggled via Ask/Act buttons in the input area footer. In Ask Mode, all operations are read-only; any attempt to create, update, or delete data displays an informational message.  

In Ask Mode, users can: 

• Query PaPM data with natural language filters (e.g., ”Show active environments”, “Show processes created after 2026-01-01”). 
• Sort and paginate (e.g., “Sort by creation date descending”). 
• Run aggregation queries (e.g., “Count environments grouped by type”). 
• Navigate and expand related data (e.g., “Show environments with their fields”). 
• Query runtime data from activated environments (e.g., “Show calculation results for function X in environment Y”). 

When a query returns more than 15 records, the response explicitly states that only a subset of the results shown. Misspelled entity names return a helpful suggestion or the correct interpretation. 

Environment Scoping using @Mention

Entering @ in the message input opens a dropdown of available environments. Selecting an environment inserts it as a chip below the input, scoping the query to that environment (e.g., @PROD_ENV shows only functions in that environment). 

Multi-Turn Conversations

Joule maintains context across messages within the same conversation (e.g., “Show environments” followed by “Now filter those by active status”). Starting a new conversation resets the context. 

Stop

While Joule is processing in Ask Mode, a Stop button appears. Choosing Stop immediately cancels the in-progress request. 

Citations / Sources 

Successful queries produce a clickable Sources badge on the response. Opening Sources shows a panel with agent citations — including service, entity, operation, and record count — displaying the full agent action trajectory. Choosing a citation with a screen URL navigates you directly to the relevant PaPM application screen (e.g., environment detail, process list). 

The Chat Panel and Ask Mode give PaPM users a fast, intuitive way to explore and analyze their data through natural language, all without leaving the application. Whether querying environments, processes, reports, or runtime data, users now have a conversational interface that is both powerful and safe by default. 

More details are available in the Application Help for Universal Model – Joule.  

 

That’s a wrap on this month’s updates!

We hope these enhancements help you get even more out of SAP PaPM Cloud UM. We’re always working on new features, so stay tuned for our next ‘What’s New' drop coming next month. To keep up with the latest updates or explore previous releases, follow the PaPMCloudUMWhatsNew tag on SAP Community. 

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