Processing

Union GL, Plan and Forecast Data

This Join function is used to combine actuals and plan/forecast data from different data sources into one stream, to which the same calculation rules are then applied.

Since both the GL data and the plan and forecast data share the same fields and granularity in the rules of this function, a simple union of both inputs is sufficient.

Calculate Additional Activity Drivers

This Calculation function is used to calculate activity drivers that are not delivered from a source system nor entered manually. Instead, they can be calculated based on existing driver data.

For demonstration purposes, the following rules have been defined:

• Rule RDIS – Research and Development selects only the data subset of the production activities per year from the existing activity driver data.

• Rule RRET – Trends Watching is used to fill all characteristics. This is just an example of taking any activity as a benchmark for calculating others.

• Rule RCALC – Development Laboratory is then assigned and the activity source is set to ERP.

Assign Resources

This Allocation function uses the Union GL, Plan and Forecast Data function as sender data and allocates it to resources using the Resource Assignments function as receiver data.

Here the receiver rule Variable Portions is used to allocate the sender data using the adjustment (%) driver from the receiver.

Allocate Resources to Activities

This Allocation function uses the Assign Resources function as sender data and allocates it to activities using the Resource Drivers function as receiver data.

Only one rule is defined here, which carries out direct allocation, keeping all fields and providing results with a maximum level of granularity. It allocates the amount using the resource value as a distribution base, and calculates the driver result in the Resource Portion field for convenience. This is then available in reporting to show which fraction was used for the allocation.

Allocate Activities to Services

This Allocation function uses the Allocate Resources to Activities function as sender data and allocates it to products and services using the Calculate Additional Activity Drivers function as receiver data.

Because it uses the result of another allocation as input, it can also be called a step-down or step-ladder allocation.

Only one rule is maintained here, which carries out direct allocation, keeping all fields and providing results with a maximum level of granularity. It allocates the amount using the activity driver value as a distribution base and calculates the driver result in the Activity Portion field for convenience. This is then available in reporting to show which fraction was used for the allocation.

Allocate Services to Customers and Projects

This Allocation function uses the Allocate Activities to Services function as sender data and allocates it to Customer Positions as receiver data.

Here the receiver rule Variable Portions is used to allocate the sender data using the quantity tracing factor from the receiver.