Adding an Embedded Data Action Step

Use an embedded data action step in SAP Analytics Cloud to run another data action as part of the one you’re working on. Combining these steps with dynamic parameters lets you reuse data actions and set different source or target members.

Prerequisites

Before carrying out these steps, set up the data action that you want to embed. Create dynamic parameters for any numbers or dimension members that you want to change when embedding the data action.

Both data actions must be based on the same default model.

Context

An embedded data action step is a reference to another data action. The data action that you embed won’t be changed as part of this process, and you can still edit it or run it on its own.

You might have a step that you need to run in several different data actions, or that you want to run several times in a single data action. For example, you might create a data action that calculates subscription revenue based on booking data, with a dynamic parameter for the product type.

Using embedded data action steps, you can reuse that data action multiple times in another data action. And you can specify a different product type each time.

With this setup, you don’t need to copy and edit the revenue calculation step multiple times, and you can still run all the calculations with a single data action.

You can arrange embedded data action steps in several ways:

  • Embedding a data action within multiple different data actions

  • Embedding a data action multiple times within one data action

  • Nesting multiple levels of embedded data actions

However, you can’t create a loop where a data action ends up embedded within itself.

Note

You can also nest multiple data actions as steps in a multi action. In particular, this is helpful if you need to run data actions on different versions or models, and if you need to publish data in between different data actions. For more information, refer to Automate a Workflow Using Multi Actions.

Procedure

  1. In the data action page, select  (Add Embedded Data Action Step).
  2. From the Data Action Name list, select the data action that you want to embed.

    Only data actions based on the same default model will show up in this list.

  3. If you need to, change the Name and Description for the step.
  4. If the embedded data action has dynamic parameters, you can set values for them here.

    This way, you can set a different fixed value each time you reuse the data action. Or you can assign another parameter from the container data action.

    • The embedded data action will run on the same version, so you don’t need to set the default Target Version parameter.

    • For member parameters, specify a fixed member or use a parameter within the container data action. (You can select to pick a member or parameter, or just type the ID or description to search. A list of results appears as you type.)

      If you want to use a parameter, make sure that it has the correct settings. You can find these by selecting and hovering over or selecting Parameter.

    • For number parameters, type a number or choose a number parameter from the container data action.

    • If the parameter has a default value set in the embedded data action, you can select the icon to use that value.

  5. Check for validation messages and then save your data action.

Results

When you run the data action that contains this step, the embedded data action will run as part of it.