In SAP Analytics Cloud, the Predictive Planning feature is specifically designed to integrate predictive capabilities with planning models. This feature exclusively uses time series forecasting algorithms to analyze historical data and generate future predictions. The resulting forecast can then be directly written back into a specific version of a planning model. This allows planners to use a statistically generated baseline for their budgets and forecasts, streamlining the planning process. The other predictive scenario types do not have this direct write-back capability to a planning model.

A. Regression: Regression scenarios predict a numerical value but are not designed for the direct write-back integration with planning models that time series forecasting offers within Predictive Planning.

B. Value driver tree: A value driver tree is a manual simulation tool used within planning for "what-if" analysis; it is not a type of automated predictive scenario.

C. Classification: Classification scenarios predict a categorical outcome (e.g., churn/no-churn), which is structurally incompatible with writing back to a numerical measure in a planning model.

1. SAP Help Portal - SAP Analytics Cloud

Predictive Planning: "With the predictive planning features of SAP Analytics Cloud

you can use time series forecasting techniques to fill in the empty cells in your planning tables... You can then write the predictive forecasts back to your private version."

Source: SAP Help Portal

Getting Started with Predictive Planning. (The specific URL changes with updates

but the content is found under the SAP Analytics Cloud > Planning > Predictive Planning section).

2. SAP Help Portal - What Are Predictive Scenarios?: This document outlines the different types of predictive scenarios (Classification

Regression

Time Series). It implicitly distinguishes the application of time series for planning write-back from the other types.

Source: SAP Help Portal

What Are Predictive Scenarios?. (Found under SAP Analytics Cloud > Smart Predict).

3. SAP Learning Hub Courseware (CSAC2501): The SAC400 (SAP Analytics Cloud: Planning) and SACAD1 (SAP Analytics Cloud Administration) courses detail the planning process. They specify that Predictive Planning uses time series forecasting to populate a plan version.

Source: SAP Learning Hub

Course SAC400

Unit on Predictive Planning.