3n Strategy │ Evidence-Based HR Decision-Making

SAP People Intelligence vs Report Stories: A People Analytics tools comparison

Written by 3n Strategy | 29-Oct-2025 13:02:43

SAP People Intelligence vs. Report Stories

For many HR and People Analytics teams, the analytics landscape inside SAP SuccessFactors is changing fast - and with it, a new set of questions is emerging.

What exactly is SAP People Intelligence? How does it compare to Report Stories? Are they separate tools doing similar things - or two parts of the same strategy?

If you’ve been feeling unsure, you’re not alone. With new feature releases, shifting product roadmaps, and overlapping functionality, it’s easy to feel uncertain about which reporting tool to focus on - and how each fits into your overall analytics approach.

Why This Matters Now

Over the past year, SAP has been evolving its analytics strategy for SuccessFactors customers, introducing new layers of capability and future-focused tools designed to transform how organisations make data-driven people decisions.

Among these tools, People Intelligence in SAP Business Data Cloud is generating a lot of interest — and just as many questions. For teams that have invested time building dashboards and reports in Report Stories, understanding what comes next (and how to prepare for it) has become a top priority.

Operational vs. Strategic People Analytics

At 3n Strategy, we often describe the relationship between these tools as the difference between operational and strategic People Analytics.

  • Report Stories sits firmly in the operational space - helping HR and People Analytics teams deliver accurate, day-to-day reporting. It’s the backbone of workforce data visibility, powering dashboards and KPIs that support ongoing HR operations.

  • People Intelligence, on the other hand, is about strategic decision-making. It’s designed to help leaders explore patterns, model scenarios, and connect people data to broader business outcomes. In short: it’s about using analytics to shape decisions, not just report on them.

Understanding how these two layers complement each other is key to building a modern, end-to-end people analytics strategy in SuccessFactors.

Understanding the Tools - and Their Roles

In our recent session, 3n Strategy broke down the evolving relationship between SAP People Intelligence and Report Stories. The goal was simple: to bring clarity to where each tool fits, how they complement each other, and what HR and People Analytics teams should do next.

During the session, we unpacked:

  • What SAP People Intelligence actually is — and how it differs from Report Stories

  • Why both tools matter within a modern SAP SuccessFactors analytics strategy

  • How to decide when to use each one to drive better reporting outcomes

  • And crucially, what to expect next as People Intelligence continues to evolve

Don’t Miss the Full Breakdown

If your team is trying to make sense of SAP’s people analytics direction - and how to prepare your strategy for the future - this session is a must-watch.

Watch the on-demand webinar: “SAP People Intelligence vs. Report Stories – What You Need to Know.”

You’ll come away with a clear understanding of how each tool supports smarter, faster, and more strategic decision-making in your organisation.