Defining Input-Ready Queries

This chapter provides an explanation of how to define input-ready queries, together with things to look out for when working with them (such as disaggregation and inverse formulas).

1. Define the relevant query components as input ready.
   • If you want to make a structural element (selection or formula) input ready, go to the properties of the structural element in question on the Planning tab and select Yes in the Input-Ready field.
   • If you want to make an exception cell (reference cell) input ready, go to the properties of the reference cell in question on the Planning tab and select Yes in the Input-Ready field.
2. If the input-ready structural element or input-ready cell is a formula, you have to define a formula group.

   To do this, choose Generate Inverse Formula in the formula editor for the original formula. This option is available for all formula types that can be uniquely switched after the operand. By double-clicking on an inverse formula, you can call the Change Formula screen. Define the rule valid for the inverse calculation.

   Note

   We consider the formula for the Average Price as the quotient of Amount and Quantity for example. The input-ready formula becomes the carrier of a formula group. In our example, the quotient Average Price and the two operands Amount and Quantity belong to the formula group. A rule (in the form of an inverse formula) needs to be defined for every input-ready operand in the formula. This rule specifies how the system calculates back to this operand if the value for the Average Price is changed.

3. Specify whether you want the query to be started in change mode or in display mode.

   To do this, go to the properties of the query in question (General tab) in the Planning screen area and select Start Query in Input-mode.

   This setting overrides the default settings for the changeability of data in a query component. If the query contains one or more input-ready structural elements however, the user can still activate input-readiness of the query at runtime.

4. Define when and how the aggregated data records are disaggregated and how you want them to be distributed.

   In input-ready queries, normally only cells at the detail level of the underlying aggregation level can be changed. Any cells that contains aggregated values, result cells or internal hierarchy nodes for example, are not input-ready. To be able to change an aggregated value, this value must be disaggregated on all data records that contribute to it.

   Note

   It is not possible to disaggregate using the unit characteristic for a key figure or using characteristic 0INFOPROV. The unit characteristic for the key figure and 0INFOPROV are therefore also required characteristics for structural components with disaggregation, meaning that they always need to be set explicitly for the input-readiness of a cell.