Data Collection Method (SAP Library - Business Consolidation (SEM-BCS))

Data Collection Method

Definition

The grouping of multiple data collection procedures into one method.

Integration

To simplify the customizing for data collection (especially for data collection tasks), data collection methods are available in addition to data entry layouts and methods for flexible uploads.

These let you combine different data entry layouts and methods for flexible uploads, and assign these to data streams.

You assign the data collection method itself to a task for data collection (see the following example).

Example: Data collection method

Data Stream	Data Collection Procedure	Method/ Data Entry Group	Doc. Type	Pres. Server	Log. File	File Name
Totals records	Manual entry	Grp01
Totals records	Flex. Upload	FlexUpl01		X		C:\temp\upl2.txt
Inventory data	Manual entry
Supplier data	...	...				...

Data to be entered in the data collection method

Data Collection Procedure	Method/ Data Entry Group	Doc. Type	Pres. Server	Log. File	File Name
Flex. Upload (no documents)	Upload method		X	(X)	X
Manual data entry of reported financial data (no additional financial data)	Data entry group

Explanations:

X = required
(X) = optional
Data stream type and data collection procedure:

You need to assign a data collection procedure to a data stream type to be able to save the data for the data stream type.

Data collection method/data entry group:

No specification is necessary for the manual entry of additional financial data. This is because the data input screens are hard-coded.

Presentation server; logical file; file name

Presentation server: Here you determine whether you specify a path on the presentation server or on the application server.
Logical file: Here you determine whether you specify a logical or a physical file name.
File name: Here you specify the name of the logical or physical file (that is, the <path> + <file name>).

Example

To be able to execute a data entry layout, you assign the data entry group that belongs to the data entry group (for example, Grp01) to a data collection method (for example, DC1). And you assign the data collection method to a task (for example, DT10). See the illustration:

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text