Sunday, May 31, 2009

Modeling Planning Scenarios in BI

Purpose

To model your planning scenarios, BI Integrated Planning provides you with the Planning Modeler and the Planning Wizard.

Both tools are Web dynpro-based applications that have to be installed on the SAP J2EE Server. You can allow access to these applications using links or iViews in the portal. It is not necessary, therefore, to install the SAP front end locally.

Planning Modeler

You use the planning modeler to model, manage, and test all the metadata that belongs to a planning scenario.

Interface

The tab pages InfoProvider, Aggregation Levels, Filters, Planning Functions and Planning Sequences are structured in such a way that in the upper part of the screen you have the option to search using objects that can be selected in the system, and a table which displays the results of the search. If you select or create an entry, in the lower part of the screen the system displays the properties of the respective object and provides the user with options to edit the object.

You can modify the interface as required by hiding or showing the subareas.

To modify the table layout, you can:

Choose Filter On and enter descriptions in the input-ready rows by which the table columns are filtered.

Choose Settings and select table columns and define the sequence and the general settings for the table layout. When you upgrade, it cannot be guaranteed that the user-specific settings for the table views in the planning modeler will be retained, or that you will be able to reuse them if you have saved them locally.

Functions

The planning modeler provides the following functions:

...

InfoProvider selection, characteristic relationship and data slice assignments, selection, modification, and creation of InfoProvider of type aggregation level

You define the corresponding settings on the InfoProvider und Aggregation Levels tab pages in the planning modeler.

Tab Page

Related Information

InfoProvider

The InfoProvider defines the data basis for planning. This involves real-time InfoCubes and MultiProviders. See InfoProviders.

For real-time InfoCubes you can define permitted combinations of characteristic values in the form of characteristic relationships and create data slices for data that you want to protect. For more information, see Characteristic Relationships and Data Slices.

On the Settings tab page, you can set a Key Date as the default key date for planning. See Standard Key Date in Planning Functions.

Aggregation Levels

An aggregation level is a virtual InfoProvider that has been especially designed to be able to plan data manually or change it using planning functions. An aggregation level represents a selection of characteristics and key figures for the underlying InfoProvider and determines as such the granularity of the planning. You can create several aggregation levels for an InfoProvider and, therefore, model various levels of planning and, for example, hierarchical structures. Note, however, that aggregation levels cannot be nested.

You can change an aggregation level by selecting InfoObjects in the lower part of the screen that are to be used or not. For more information, see Aggregation Level.

Note

The following InfoProviders are can be used as the basis for an input-ready query:

The InfoProvider is an aggregation level that is defined on a real-time-enabled InfoCube (simple aggregation level).

The InfoProvider is an aggregation level that is defined on a MultiProvider (complex aggregation level). The following prerequisites must be fulfilled: The MultiProvider includes

at least one real-time InfoCube, and

no simple aggregation level.

The InfoProvider is a MultiProvider that contains at least one simple aggregation level.

Creating and changing filters

With regards to the underlying InfoProvider, filter objects are global objects that restrict the dataset that is used in queries and planning functions. You require filters if you want to use a planning function in a planning sequence.

You define the corresponding settings on the Filter tab page.

Tab Page

Related Information

Filter

You can restrict selected characteristics of the InfoProvider to single values, value ranges, hierarchy nodes, history, or favorites and determine whether they can be changed when you execute them. For more information, see Filter.

Creating and changing planning functions and planning sequences

You define the corresponding settings on the Planning Functions and Planning Sequences tab pages.

Tab Page

Related Information

Planning functions

The system offers you standard planning functions. You can create the following types of planning functions:

Unit conversion

Generate combinations

Formula

Copy

Delete

Delete invalid combinations

Repost

Repost by characteristic relationships

Revaluate

Distribute by reference data

Distribute by key

Currency translation

Note

You can use FOX formulas for complex tasks or define customer-specific planning function types in ABAP using an exit.

For more information, see Planning Functions.

Planning sequences

You can determine steps for the input templates or planning functions by selecting the required aggregation level, filter, and planning function (if applicable). For more information, see Planning Sequences.

Creating and changing variables

Variables can be used in queries and different areas of the planning model (see Variables). The system provides a variable wizard wherever you might want to use variables:

When defining characteristic relationships and data slices (InfoProvider tab page)

When defining filters (Filter tab page)

To parameterize planning functions (Planning Functions tab page)

To parameterize queries (in the BEx Query Designer)

Planning Wizard

To assist you in modeling planning for the first time, the planning wizard offers support in the form of an assistant that leads you through a simple scenario, starting with one InfoProvider.

You perform the following steps:

Step

Related Information

InfoProvider

You can select an InfoProvider. (You cannot, however, define characteristic relationships, data slices, and settings.)

Aggregation level

You create one or more aggregation levels.

Filter

You create one or more filters.

Planning function

You create one or more planning functions.

Test environment

The system integrates your planning model into a planning sequence. You can then execute this in the test environment.

Prerequisites

You require real-time-enabled InfoCubes as data stores. You have created these InfoCubes in the Data Warehousing Workbench. For more information, see Real-Time InfoCubes.

Process Flow

...

1. You choose the appropriate InfoProvider.

2. You create one or more aggregation levels.

3. You create one or more filters.

4. You create one or more planning functions.

5. You create a planning sequence.

6. You test the planning model.

Result

You have created a planning model on the basis of which you can now run input-ready queries and automatic planning functions.

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