Time and Version Dependency of Hierarchies

Hierarchies of consolidation units are always defined as version dependent and time dependent.

You can decide whether hierarchies of other characteristics in the consolidation system (SEM–BCS) are dependent on time or the version (for example, hierarchies for financial statement items and subassignments).

The following rules apply when you define the dependency on versions and time:

  • The existence of hierarchies is independent of versions and time periods.

  • Hierarchies are defined as version dependent .

  • The assignments Start of the navigation path  (higher-level nodes Next navigation step lower-level nodes) End of the navigation path within a version are time dependent . That is, a starting year and starting period determine from which point onwards an assignment is valid, and an ending year and ending period determine up to which point the assignment is valid. The assignment can also be valid in multiple timeframes.

When defining a hierarchy in SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (BI) for a characteristic, you can choose:

  • Whether hierarchies of this characteristic are version dependent

  • Whether the entire hierarchy or the hierarchy structure is time dependent

These settings in BI also affect the consolidation system. Hierarchies of consolidation units are the exception: You always define these as time and version dependent – regardless of the settings in BI.

The node assignments in the consolidation system are time dependent (or, more precisely, the edges are time dependent).

Example Example

In period 011/200X you have a hierarchy of consolidation units; then in period 012/200X you add the new consolidation unit CU Z .

In period 012/200X, only the node CG 2 changes, not the entire hierarchy.

End of the example.