/sap-sac-scripting

Chart Variance Script APIs

New in SAC Q4 2025 (2025.21): Script APIs for managing chart variances programmatically.

Overview

Chart variance APIs allow developers to dynamically add, remove, update, and retrieve variance configurations on charts in the optimized story experience.

Availability: Optimized Story Experience (Q4 2025+) Widget Types: Bar Chart, Column Chart, Line Chart, Combo Chart

API Reference

getVariances()

Get all configured variances on a chart.

var variances = Chart_1.getVariances();

// Returns array of variance objects
variances.forEach(function(v) {
    console.log("Variance:", v.id, v.referenceMeasure, v.comparisonMeasure);
});

Returns: Array<Variance>

addVariance(options)

Add a new variance to the chart.

Chart_1.addVariance({
    referenceMeasure: "Actual",
    comparisonMeasure: "Budget",
    varianceType: VarianceType.Absolute,
    showLabel: true,
    position: VariancePosition.Right
});

Parameters:

updateVariance(varianceId, options)

Update an existing variance configuration.

// Toggle to percentage display
Chart_1.updateVariance("var_001", {
    varianceType: VarianceType.Percentage,
    showAsPositiveGreen: true
});

removeVariance(varianceId)

Remove a variance from the chart.

Chart_1.removeVariance("var_001");

removeAllVariances()

Remove all variances from the chart.

Chart_1.removeAllVariances();

Enumerations

VarianceType

VarianceType.Absolute      // Show absolute difference
VarianceType.Percentage    // Show percentage difference
VarianceType.Both          // Show both absolute and percentage

VariancePosition

VariancePosition.Left
VariancePosition.Right
VariancePosition.Top
VariancePosition.Bottom
VariancePosition.Inline    // Inline with data label

Common Patterns

Dynamic Variance Toggle

// Toggle button onClick
var variances = Chart_1.getVariances();

if (variances.length > 0) {
    // Remove existing variance
    Chart_1.removeAllVariances();
    Button_Toggle.setText("Show Variance");
} else {
    // Add variance
    Chart_1.addVariance({
        referenceMeasure: "Actual",
        comparisonMeasure: "Plan",
        varianceType: VarianceType.Both
    });
    Button_Toggle.setText("Hide Variance");
}

Conditional Variance Display

// Show variance only for specific dimension members
var selections = Chart_1.getSelections();

if (selections.length > 0 && selections[0]["Category"] === "Revenue") {
    Chart_1.addVariance({
        referenceMeasure: "Current Year",
        comparisonMeasure: "Prior Year",
        varianceType: VarianceType.Percentage
    });
}

Variance Based on Dropdown Selection

// Dropdown onChange event
var selectedComparison = Dropdown_Comparison.getSelectedKey();

Chart_1.removeAllVariances();

if (selectedComparison !== "none") {
    Chart_1.addVariance({
        referenceMeasure: "Actual",
        comparisonMeasure: selectedComparison,
        varianceType: VarianceType.Absolute
    });
}

Event: onVarianceChange

Fires when variance configuration changes.

// In Chart_1 onVarianceChange event
var changeInfo = event.getChangeInfo();

console.log("Variance changed:", changeInfo.type); // "added", "updated", "removed"
console.log("Variance ID:", changeInfo.varianceId);

// Update status text
Text_Status.setText("Variance " + changeInfo.type);

Export Considerations

When exporting charts with variances:

Application.exportToPDF({
    includeVariance: true,
    varianceFormat: "inline" // or "separate_column"
});

Best Practices

1. Check Measures Exist: Verify measures are available before adding variance
2. Clear Before Adding: Use removeAllVariances() before adding new ones to avoid duplicates
3. Provide User Feedback: Show busy indicator during variance recalculation
4. Consider Mobile: Test variance display on mobile devices

Version: Q4 2025 (2025.21) Last Updated: 2025-12-27