Data Basis

Defines the data model for consolidation, which consists of the characteristics and key figures with their respective roles for consolidation.

Structure

Data bases have numerous properties and settings, which you configure on the following tab pages:

Field Catalog

The consolidation system (SEM–BCS) uses precisely one RFC destination to the BI system (SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence). This RFC destination is used to transmit the transaction data to the consolidation system. If you do not specify an RFC destination, the system uses the BI system located in the SEM system.

After specifying the RFC destination, as the next primary setting you specify the InfoCube that contains the totals records used in the consolidation system. You can use one of the InfoCubes 0BCS_C10, 0BCS_C11, or 0BCS_C50 as a template. These objects are part of standard Business Content.

You also make the following settings:

You can assign one InfoObject catalog for characteristics, and another for key figures, to access other fields that reside in the BI system but are not assigned to any of the data targets used (see Additional Financial Data). You use this option to add more fields for attributes or to add a layout of assets and liabilities. This option also lets you define an external field catalog for a source data basis.
SAP Business Content includes the InfoObject catalogs 0BCS_CHA01 (characteristics) and 0BCS_KYF01 (key figures) for this purpose.
You can assign one or more source data bases to a data basis.

Data Model

The settings on this tab page involve:

Role assignments for totals record fields
Characteristics with the role consolidation unit
Assets/liabilities

Role Assignments for Totals Record Fields

In the data model, at least one field needs to be assigned to each of the following roles:

Version
Group currency key
Consolidation unit
Consolidation group
Partner unit
Item
Document type
Posting level
Time characteristics (fiscal year and period)
Value in group currency

Each characteristic with the role consolidation unit also requires one or more additional characteristics with one of the following roles:

Partner unit
Consolidation group

You may need other characteristics and key figures depending on which consolidation functions you want to use.

Additional Characteristics and Key Figures Required Depending on Consolidation Function
Consolidation Function	Characteristics and Key Figures Required
Currency translation	In general: the local currency and/or transaction currency (in addition to the group currency) For recording temporal translation differences: the translation indicator
Interunit eliminations and reconciliations	For splitting the transaction currency: key figure transaction currency For eliminating quantities: key figure quantity
Allocation	For reporting sender and receiver objects: the clearing characteristic
Consolidation of investments	Unit of measure Quantity For each characteristic with the role consolidation unit, you need one or more characteristics with the role investee unit Investor unit – if applicable (for each characteristic with the role consolidation unit, you need one or more characteristics with the role investor unit)

Characteristics with the Role Consolidation Unit

If a data model has more than one characteristic with the role consolidation unit, you need to determine which characteristic should be used as the currency-bearing consolidation unit.

If you use two characteristics with the role consolidation unit, you also can define a DataStore object (DS object) for custom attributes of combinations of consolidation units in the data model.

Assets/Liabilities

On this tab page you make various settings concerning capitalization and valuation allowances, elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred assets, and elimination of interunit profit/loss in transferred inventory:

For detailed information, see F1 Help for the various fields under Assets/Liabilities.

Goodwill

In the Goodwill area, you can specify for characteristics with role Goodwill-Creating Investee Unit those fields in the Goodwill data stream to which the system is to persistently store the investee unit for the goodwill-creating activity. For more information, see Separation of Goodwill from Investment.

Data Streams

The data streams identify the location for storing the transaction data in Consolidation. Data can be read from, and written to, all data streams.

On the Data Streams tab page, you specify a data target for each data stream you want to use. You can have the system generate the data targets, as well.

As an option, for each data stream you can also assign or allow the system to generate a virtual InfoProvider for reporting purposes. For the data stream Totals Records, in particular, you can make further settings for reporting based on a MultiProvider.

For more information, see Definition of Data Streams.

Data Stream Fields

Here you choose additional subassignments and other custom fields (without roles) for the data streams of additional financial data and documents. The assignments depend on the data stream:

Investment, equity: You can select optional fields. Available are all fields with the role subassignment, plus those fields that are contained in the additionally connected InfoObject catalogs. The system adds these fields to the respectively assigned DS objects when the data streams are generated.
Goodwill: You can select Goodwill in Local Currency on the Settings tab page of the Customizing screen for a consolidation area that belongs to the data basis. After you set this indicator and generate the goodwill DS object, the system automatically adds further fields to the DS object that are required for the Goodwill in Local Currency function.

Furthermore, here you can choose additional fields for the DS objects for documents, noncurrent assets, and assets/liabilities, and for other objects. You choose these fields in addition to the fields that are provided in the system and displayed here.

Attributes

The system lists the field attributes that exist in the data basis, sorted by fields. You can define whether each individual attribute is to be made available as a selection attribute for single selections. For fields with multiple attributes you can define the sequence of those attributes using the arrow keys. The following factors affect whether you can modify the setting of the Selection Attribute indicator, or whether the system uses a certain presetting.

Factors That Affect Settings of Selection Attributes
Cause	Effect	Example
The attribute is a characteristic created in the BI system with reference to another characteristic.	a) The attribute that references another characteristic is set as a selection attribute: The attribute referencing the derived characteristic can be used as a selection attribute. b) The attribute that references another characteristic is not set as a selection attribute: The attribute referencing the derived characteristic cannot be used as a selection attribute.	The partner profit center field is based on the reference characteristic profit center. If you use profit center as a selection attribute, this also enables the use of partner profit center as a selection attribute.
The attribute is a characteristic that is used in the InfoCube as a navigation attribute.	The attribute that references the derived characteristic is preset as a selection attribute. This setting cannot be changed.

Mapping

Here, the system lists those BI attributes of the characteristics with the roles consolidation unit, item, transaction type, document type, and restatement (and any combinations of consolidation units) that you can map to a local attribute in the consolidation system. (In general, these are the BI attributes that you have not defined as selection attributes on the Attributes tab page.) The system lists all local attributes that are technically feasible. You need to decide which links are suitable from an accounting standpoint.

If a local attribute is dependent on the consolidation area, you need to specify (in the CA column) a consolidation area in which the mapping should take place.

If a local attribute is dependent on the special version, you need to specify (in the Special Version column) for the predefined special version type a special version in which the mapping should take place.

For more information, see Linking of Local Attributes to BI Attributes.

Authorization Check and Validity Check

On this tab page, you can define how the system should access the characteristics of your data basis and how to process the entry of values.

Authorization Check for Characteristic Values: Select this indicator to automatically check the authorization for the characteristic at the level of characteristic values. For example, this lets you specify that a user is allowed to display or enter data for a specific consolidation unit only. If you do not select this indicator, you can grant or deny authorizations only for all values of the characteristic. You can set the authorization check at the characteristic level for all characteristics contained in the data basis. You use SAP authorization management to define the actual values to be checked during an access (see Users and Roles). For more information, see Authorizations for Master Data.
Validity Check: You use this to define whether the system is to check the validity of the values that are entered for a given characteristic. You can specify that the check is to be dependent on version, time, or combinations of version and time. When you request a validity check, the system only displays and evaluates the data records of the data basis for a given characteristic if they match the permanent parameters of the Consolidation Workbench. For more information, see Validity of Master Data.

Column Headings

This is where you define the texts for the fields in the data basis to be used as column headings in logs, audit trails, and output lists. You can use this function to modify the names of individual fields to better suit the terminology used in your organization or to adjust the lengths of the names.

You have a great degree of freedom in your choice of names. In particular, there are no length restrictions for the names of fields. However, it is not beneficial for the name of a field to exceed the output length of its values by more than a few characters. The output length is also displayed to help you determine the name length.

If you make no entries here, the system uses the field names delivered by SAP.

Special Considerations for Alternating Logon Languages

You can run SEM-BCS with different logon languages. Note that you need to translate the column headings into all languages you use. Otherwise, the system will use internal logic to display the column headings in a language that comes as close as possible to the logon language. However, the logic applied is not always satisfactory.

Depending on the functional area and utilization, the system decides whether to use the column heading you have defined or to directly access the name of the respective InfoObject for the field name. In multilingual environments, you therefore need to translate not only the column headings, but also the names of the InfoObjects that those headings are based on. To do this, you need to use the general translation function of the BI system in which the InfoObjects are located – not the translation function of SEM-BCS. You can access the translation function in the SAP menu at Start of the navigation path Tools Next navigation step ABAP Workbench Extras Translation Short and Long Texts End of the navigation path . For more information about translating system texts, see Translation Tools for Translators.