SAP BW Generic Functions and Planning

SAP Business warehouse Fields to Be Changed

Definition: Characteristics or – using the generic entry "key figure name" – key figures whose values you wish to change. The exact values of those fields are defined in the parameter groups of the planning function, not in the function itself.

Performance: The more fields are changed, the slower the function will become.

SAP Business warehouse Fields for Conditions

Definition: Characteristics for which deviating processing have to be specified based on the values of the characteristic.The exact values of those fields are defined in the parameter groups of the planning function, not in the function itself.

Performance:The more fields are used in conditions, the slower the function becomes.Replace conditions with restrictions in the planning package. This will reduce the size of the package and at the same time avoid costly checks of conditions.

Reference Data

Definition: Characteristics or – using the generic entry "key figure name" – key figures that are used to relate the new values to existing values.The exact values of those fields are defined in the parameter groups of the planning function, not in the function itself.

Performance: If the reference data is not contained in the planning package, an additional database selection is necessary.If no other user needs access to the reference data, include the reference data in the planning package. No other user will be able to work with this data until it has been unlocked by the user.

Basic Planning Functions

The copy function is used to get data from a source inside the planning area and to copy it to a destination in the selected planning package.You typically use this function for the following purposes:

Copy plan or actual data from a reference version into the current plan version as a starting point for planning
Copy actual data into the current forecast period
Get targets for organizations and Balanced Scorecards.

Delete Function

The delete function is used to remove data from the selected planning package.The records are not directly deleted from the Info Cube. The system rather creates additional records with offsetting values. The original and offsetting record will finally be deleted, when the Info Cube is being compressed. For performance reasons it is therefore recommended to compress the Info Cube on a regular basis (schedule a nightly job). There is a special delete function to remove records that are invalid according to the characteristic relationships. This function will be explained in detail in the unit about characteristic relationships.

Revaluation Function

You typically use this function:

to create different plan versions
to revalue plan data with a specific percentage

Re post Function

You typically use this function for the following purposes:

Organizational changes
Change characteristics assignment
There's a special re post function to realign historical data according to the characteristic relationships.

Adding Functions to Planning Folder

Planning functions can be included in the planning folder. These functions are constantly available when executing a planning folder, independent of which input and output layouts are active.The second option is to include planning functions under the input layouts. In this case, the function would be only available if the corresponding layout is displayed. For each function, you can define when the function is executed:

Push button: The user executes the function by clicking on a button.

Execute before layout display: The function is executed before the planning layout is displayed. If the function changes data which is displayed in the layout, the changes are immediately visible in the layout.

Execute before layout change: The function is executed when you exit the planning layout. If the function changes data which is displayed in the layout, the changes are not immediately visible after opening the layout.

Undo and Trace of Function Execution

Executing planning functions causes data of the planning package to be changed, generated again or deleted. When testing newly created functions and the corresponding parameter groups (in particular the Customizing phase) data changes may occur unintentionally.To undo unintentional changes if necessary you have the following options within the BW-BPS planning environment:

You can exit the planning session without saving. This means that all changes (both to data as well as to the planning objects, such as planning levels and functions) which you have made since saving the last time will be lost.

You can deliberately undo the data changes which were caused by the last execution of a planning function. All remaining changes that you have executed during the current planning session are not affected. You will find more information on these options in this section.

Prerequisites

In order to be able to undo changes to data you must not have performed the following activities since executing the function that is to be reversed.

You have not executed any further planning functions.
You have not navigated to any other element (such as, for example, displaying a planning area or changing a parameter group) within the planning environment.
You have not saved the data.

How to undo changes:

In the planning workbench .choose Edit

Undo Planning Function.
In planning folders choose Edit

Undo Planning Function.
In web interfaces click on the Undo Button.

The system does not take manual changes that have been made in the mean time into account. The data is restored in the form in which it was before executing a planning function – independent of whether manual changes were made in the mean time.

Trace Mode for Planning Functions

The trace mode allows you to obtain detailed information about which data objects were changed in which way when executing a planning function. This function is especially useful when you set up new planning functions and parameter groups and want to check whether the function has the desired effect on the data set. How to trace a function:

From the context menu of the parameter group, choose Execute with Trace.

Trace Output

On the right hand side of the screen, switch to the Trace tab strip.The top part of the output shows a row for each combination that has been processed by the function. All fields that have not been changed are displayed.An icon next to a combination indicates if messages have been recorded. The lower part of the screen shows the Before and After picture for the fields were in the "fields to be changed".