Creating Key Figures

You can create a key figure. Key figures provide the values that are reported on in a query.

1. You are in the BW Modeling tools. You have created a new key figure using the wizard and you are in the editor.

Dictionary

2. You can change the key figure type and the data type. For the amount, quantity and number, you can choose either decimal numbers or floating point numbers. For the key figures Date and Time, you can choose the decimal display to apply to the fields.
   Note

   Note: Using floating point numbers results in unavoidable rounding errors in all arithmetical operations. We therefore advise against using floating point numbers for amounts and quantities which exact results are required for. SAP Note 2798 describes this problem and illustrates it with the help of a few examples.

   The following combinations of key figure and data type are possible:

   Key figure type	Data Type
   AMO Amount	CURR: Currency field, created as DEC
   	FLTP: Floating point number with 8 byte precision
   QUA Quantity	QUAN: Quantity field, created as DEC
   	FLTP: Floating point number with 8 byte precision
   NUM Number	DEC: Calculation field or amount field with comma and sign
   	FLTP: Floating point number with 8 byte precision
   INT integer	INT4: 4 byte integer, whole number with +/- sign
   	INT8: 8 byte integer
   DAT Date	DATS: Date field (YYYYMMDD), created as char(8)
   	DEC: Calculation field or amount field with comma and sign
   TIM Time	TIMS: Time field (hhmmss), created as CHAR(6)
   	DEC: Calculation field or amount field with comma and sign

Aggregation

3. You can select an aggregation type.

   There are four aggregation options:

   • Minimum (MIN) The minimum value of all the values in this column is displayed in the results row.

   • Maximum (MAX) The maximum value of all the values in this column is displayed in the results row.

   • Total (SUM) The total of all the values in this column is displayed in the results row.

   • No Aggregation (X if more than one value exists) (NO2): A value is only shown in the result cell if all values entered into the result cell have the same value. In the case of standard aggregation NO2, the exception aggregation must also be NO2.

4. You can select an exception aggregation.
5. You can specify a reference characteristic for exception aggregation.

Currency/Unit

6. You can assign a fixed currency to the key figure. If this field is filled, the key figure bears this currency throughout BW. You can also assign a variable currency to the key figure.
7. You can specify an InfoObject that carries the unit of the key figure. For quantities or amount key figures, this field must be filled or you must enter a fixed currency or amount unit.

Properties

8. If you choose High Precision, the OLAP processor calculates internally with packed numbers that have 31 decimal places. This results in greater accuracy and fewer rounding differences. Normally, the OLAP processor calculates with floating point numbers.
9. If you select Stock Coverage, you can use a special key figure in a query to display how long the available quantity of a given stock value will cover the planned or expected demand for. More information: Stock Coverage
10. If you set the Non-Cumulative flag, the key figure becomes a non-cumulative key figure. You can then see and use the Non-Cumulative tab page. More information: Modeling Non-Cumulatives with Non-Cumulative Key Figures
11. If you select Attribute Only, the key figure that is created can only be used as an attribute for another characteristic. It cannot be used as a key figure in its own right in the InfoCube.

BI Clients

12. You can set the default scaling for the field in the query. This layout can be overwritten in queries.
13. You can set the default number of decimal places the field has in the query. This layout can be overwritten in queries.
14. Under Properties in the screen area under the Editor, you can see information about the key figure's DDIC elements. You can navigate further to the relevant information via the links.
    Note The generated view are only intended for internal use, not for use as an interface. You can use the external SAP HANA view instead, or official interfaces. More information: Quick Reference: Interface Overview

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