Which analysis technique helps in identifying unexpected sales changes in SAP Analytics Cloud?

Anomaly detection is a powerful analysis technique specifically designed to identify unexpected changes or patterns in data, which is crucial for organizations monitoring sales metrics. In the context of sales data, this method can help quickly highlight significant deviations from regular patterns, such as sudden drops or spikes in sales figures. By utilizing statistical algorithms and models, anomaly detection distinguishes these irregularities from normal fluctuations, enabling analysts to investigate further and take appropriate action.

While other techniques like historical analysis, variance analysis, and regression analysis have their own purposes—such as observing trends over time, comparing actual versus expected results, and understanding relationships between variables—they do not focus explicitly on identifying those unexpected changes in sales. Instead, they often provide a broader context and are useful for different aspects of data analysis. Anomaly detection stands out because it centers on the immediate identification of outliers or anomalies, which can prompt timely decision-making in response to unexpected business events.