Planner Profile 

Definition

A planner profile is a selection of planning layouts for the planning session, sometimes with specific default settings.

Use

A planner profile is an optimal planning aid for controlling the planning flow. There is a m:n relationship between the planner profile and the aspect, that is you can use a planner profile in many aspects and in the context of an aspect you have access to many planner profiles.

You have assigned Aspect 001 Profitability Analysis to planner profile PROFILE01. In profile positions 1 and 2 you have assigned the planning layout PL01 to this planning area (aspect).

You enter version 1 as a parameter for the planning layout in profile position 1. Enter version 2 as a parameter for the planning layout in profile position 2.

When planning, you can use the function Next/previous layout to jump between the planning layouts of the selected planner profile. This allows you to plan in various versions.

Structure

In a planner profile, you determine which planning layouts are to be used for each planning area (aspect). In a planner profile, you can store as many planning layouts for each planning area as you wish.

The planning layouts are assigned in the planner profile using profile positions. In each planning area you can have as many profile positions as you wish. The profile position determines the sequence of the planning layouts in a planner profile. It is also possible, using different profile positions, to assign the same planning layout (with different predefined parameters however) several times in a planner profile.

Features

In a planner profile you can set the following parameters for planning.

·        By assigning an authorization group to a planner profile, you can control specific authorizations for planning. This is especially important for decentralized planning. Using planner profiles that are customized for each planner, and assignment of authorization groups, you can ensure that only planning is only carried out within the relevant responsibility area.

·        If you wish to edit the planning layout in Microsoft Excel rather than with the SAP interface, you can activate the Excel integration indicator. You must also enter a file description or have one generated. You can find more information on the required settings for working with Excel under Setting Up Integrated Excel.

·        You can make settings for the variables in a planning layout by predefining the planning layout parameters in the planner profiles. This simply means entering values for these variables in the planner profile. You can overwrite these values. However, you can also prevent overwriting by activating the relevant indicator in the planner profile definition. In a planning session the system retrieves as parameters all the variables defined in a planning layout.

·        If some users always work with the same planner profiles, you can enter these profiles with parameter-ID PPP in the user parameters under System ® User profile ® Own data.

·        You set the planner profile for a planning session by choosing Planning ® Interactive ® Set planner profile, and entering a profile.

·        If you want to plan without a planner profile, you can switch off the profile. You do this by choosing Planning ® Interactive ® Set planner profile and then choosing Clear profile.

You can find more information about creating planner profiles in Customizing.