Time-Dependent Hierarchies 
Use
In a hierarchy that is not time-dependent, the relationships of the hierarchy nodes to one another are the same at each point in time; the characteristic values are always the same.
If you want to create hierarchy versions that are valid for a specific time period, you need to create the entire hierarchy as time-dependent.
If you want to model relationships that change time-dependently, you need to create the hierarchy structure time-dependently.
Functions
in the InfoObject maintenance, you can set whether and if so in which way a hierarchy is to be time-dependent. You can choose from the following:
· whether the hierarchy is to be non time-independent (hierarchy not time-dependent). This is set by default.
· whether the entire hierarchy is to be time-dependent (entire hierarchy time-dependent).
· whether individual node relationships are to be time-dependent (hierarchy structure time-dependent)
Entire hierarchy is time-dependent
You can either load time-dependent hierarchies (see Loading Time-Dependent Hierarchies) or create them in the BW system (see Creating a Hierarchy). When creating a time-dependent hierarchy, you need to enter a validity interval (valid to and valid from fields).
If an entire hierarchy is time-dependent, the system creates hierarchy versions that are valid for separate intervals. The system automatically uses the current valid version in this case. The hierarchy valid in each case can be uniquely identified by its technical name and the From-To Date.
In the InfoObject tree of the Administrator
Workbench, all time-dependent hierarchies under the associated InfoObject are
displayed with the corresponding To Date, for example 
Time-Dependent Hierarchy
05.31.2000.
In Reporting, the system returns the valid hierarchy when a query is executed using the query key date.
Within a restructuring of company areas, you can create time-dependent versions of a hierarchy for the Main Area InfoObject. This enables you to compare the restructuring over different time periods in a query.
Time-dependent hierarchy 01.01.1999 - 05.31.1999 |
Time-dependent hierarchy 01.06.1999 - 12.31.1999 |
Main Area NORTH |
Main Area NORTH |
Area 1 |
|
Area 2 |
Area 2 |
Main Area SOUTH |
Main Area SOUTH |
|
Area 1 |
Area 3 |
Area 3 |
Area 4 |
Area 4 |
In Reporting, you can work in the individual columns of the report structure with fixed date values. You may want to do this to compare Main Area North in the Time-Dependent Hierarchy 05.31.2000 with Main Area North in the Time-Dependent Hierarchy 06.01.2000 (simulation).
Time-dependent hierarchy structures
You can either load time-dependent hierarchies (see Loading Time-Dependent Hierarchies) or create them in the BW system (see Creating a Hierarchy).
In hierarchy maintenance, you can determine a valid time interval for each hierarchy node (Valid to and Valid from fields).
In Reporting, a hierarchy with a time-dependent hierarchy structure is built for the current date or the key date set up in the query.
You can assign an employee to different cost centers at different times within the context of a restructuring.
Via Display Hierarchy in the context menu for a hierarchy, you can access the hierarchy display: Each node and leaf has been given a date symbol.Hierarchy nodes that are assigned to different places in the hierarchy structure depending on the time are displayed several times. By double clicking on a hierarchy node, you can display the associated validity period for the node relation.
In the following example, you can double click on the Jones leaf to see that the worker Jones was assigned to region USA between 01.01.1999 and 05.31.1999 and Puerto Rico from 06.01.1999 to 12.31.1999.
See also:
Maintaining Hierarchy Versions