Time Reference Characteristic
If the InfoCube contains a non-cumulative key figure, then a time-based reference characteristic for the exception aggregation of the non-cumulative key figure must exist. There can be several time characteristics per InfoCube, but only one time reference characteristic. This means that the time-based reference characteristic is the same for all the non-cumulative key figures of an InfoCube.
The time reference characteristic for an InfoCube when there are several time characteristics in the InfoCube is always the most refined, since all other times in the InfoCube are derived from this.
An InfoCube contains warehouse key figures that should be evaluated for the calendar month and calendar year. In this case, the calendar month is the most refined common time reference characteristic.
You can only maintain the time-reference characteristic and the fiscal year variant when updating an InfoCube with non-cumulative key figures. All other time characteristics are automatically derived from the time-reference characteristic. Therefore, the time-reference characteristic must not be left blank.
There is a difference between complete and incomplete time characteristics:
The complete time characteristics are the SAP time characteristics calendar day (0CALDAY), calendar week (0CALWEEK), calendar month (0CALMONTH), calendar quarter (0CALQUARTER), calendar year (0CALYEAR), fiscal year (0FISCYEAR) and fiscal period (0FISCPER). They are clearly assigned to a point in time. Only these SAP time characteristics can be used as time reference characteristics, since you must be able to derive time characteristics automatically from the most detailed time characteristic must be possible with the non-cumulative folder.
Incomplete time characteristics, such as 0CALMONTH2, 0CALQUART1, 0HALFYEAR1, 0WEEKDAY1 or 0FISCPER3 can be used in a non-cumulative InfoCube but cannot be a time reference characteristic, since they are not assigned to a specific point in time.
The following graphic gives an overview of the hierarchy for SAP time characteristics:
If you have a non-cumulative for a week and for a month in the same InfoCube at the same time, the roughest common time characteristic is calendar day. The time characteristic calendar day must be included in the InfoCube, so that it can function as a reference characteristic for time-based aggregation.