Creating Planning Applications in the BEx Analyzer

Planning applications are BEx applications that are based on a planning model. Power users combine the objects of the planning model into an interactive planning application which allows data to be entered and changed automatically or manually by users.

Planning model objects include:

• InfoProviders that contain data (seeInfoProviders)
• Aggregation levels as InfoProviders which provide a set of data with a particular level of granularity for data entry and change (seeAggregation Levels)
• Input-ready queries which allow you to make manual entries for the aggregation level (seeInput-Ready Query)
• Planning functions which allow automated changes to be made to data in the aggregation level and therefore model a part of the data flow (seePlanning Functions).

In addition, planning sequences can belong to the planning model (seePlanning Sequences).

To illustrate the basic procedure, the following example shows how you create a planning application in the BEx Wed Application Designer on the basis of a simple planning model.

The underlying planning model consists of the following objects:

• A real-time InfoCube Plan_IC containing the planned sales data for next year
• A standard InfoCube Actual_IC containing the sales data for the previous year
• A MultiProvider Plan_Actual_MP containing the two InfoCubes
• An aggregation level Plan_Actual_Aggr for MultiProvider Plan_Actual_MP
• An input-ready query Plan_Query01 which displays the actual and plan data and allows plan data to be entered manually.

The two InfoCubes contain the same characteristics and have at least one common key figure; the only difference is the key figure Year. One of the characteristics is Country. This has to be included in the query.

The following graphic shows how the objects in the planning model are related:

The planning application contains at least one of the following elements:

• A planning function for copying the data from the InfoCube containing actual data into the InfoCube containing plan data PF_Copy
• A selection list (dropdown box) that allows you to navigate in the query
• A planning function for revaluating plan data PF_Revaluate01 (revaluate by %), where the selections in the selection list determine the data that you want to revaluate
• A planning function for saving plan data

You have created the necessary planning model objects.

You have installed the front end.

The following example shows how you create a workbook with a title, table, selection list, and special pushbuttons (for functions such as copy, revaluate by %, delete, and save).

1. Open the BEx Analyzer.
2. Check that you have the necessary security settings. Choose Tools → Macro → Security. Switch to the Trusted Publishers tab page and set the indicator for Trust access to Visual Basic Project.
   Note

   You only have to set this indicator when you are creating the planning function. You can deselect the Trust access to Visual Basic Project indicator afterwards.

3. Choose New to create a new workbook.
4. To enter the title, navigate to the relevant cell in the workbook, enter the text, and assign a suitable font size.
   Tip

   In this example, the text Sales Planning is entered in cell B2 and given font size 18.

5. To start designing the workbook, choose to switch to design mode. The SAP Logon dialog box appears.
6. Log on to the BW server that you want to use.
7. To display the results of the query with the actual and plan data and enter plan data manually, navigate to the appropriate cell in the workbook and choose to insert an analysis grid.
   Tip

   In this example, we navigate to cell B6 and insert the analysis grid here. For more information about this design item, seeAnalysis Grid.

8. In the context menu of the analysis grid, choose Properties. The Analysis Grid Properties dialog box appears.
9. On the General tab page, create a new data provider. The Create Data Provider dialog box appears. In the Data Provider field, the system displays the name that is currently assigned to the data provider.
   Tip

   In this example, we create data provider DP_01. For more information, seeConfiguring Data Provider.

10. To specify the start view of the data provider, choose Query/Query View. The Open dialog box appears.
11. Select the required query or query view and choose Open. The system inserts the name of the InfoProvider on which the query or query view is based into the InfoCube field.
    Tip

    In this example, we assign query Plan_Query01 to data provider DP_01. The underlying aggregation level is Plan_Actual_Aggr.

12. Since you want to save the navigational state after navigation steps have been performed in the BEx Analyzer and plan data has been entered, deselect the Reference the Viewindicator.
13. When you have configured your data provider in this way, choose OK. The Analysis Grid Properties dialog box appears again.
14. Make sure that the Apply Formatting and Allow Navigation indicators are set and choose OK.
15. To select the values of a dimension in the query as a filter, navigate to the appropriate cell in the workbook and choose to insert a dropdown box.
    Tip

    In this example, we navigate to cell B4 and insert the dropdown box here. For more information about this design item, seeDropdown Box.

16. In the context menu of the dropdown box, choose Properties. The Dropdown Box Properties dialog box appears.
17. On the General tab page, select the configured data provider (DP_01in this example), and set the Display Labelindicator.
18. On the Dimensions tab page, select the dimensions for which you want to be able to select values in the dropdown box. Make sure that the Posted Values (Q) entry is selected in the Read Mode field so that only posted values are displayed.
    Tip

    In this example, we select the dimension Country.

19. For each special function that you want to include, choose to insert a design item of type Button.
    Tip

    In this example, we add pushbuttons in cells B18, B20; B22 and D22. For more information about this design item, seeButton.

20. In the context menu of the button, choose Properties. The first dialog box for the command wizard appears.
    1. Select Planning-Specific Command, and choose Next ->.
    2. Choose the required planning-specific command:
       1. Select Execute Planning Function.
       2. Select the required planning function and data provider DP_01 as the filter.
          • Planning function: PF_Copy
          • Planning function: PF_Revaluate01. Since this planning function contains the variable OF_REVALUATION_FACTOR, the system displays this in the lower area of the dialog box. Input help is available for selecting the values.
          • Planning function: PF_Delete
            1. Choose Finish. The Button Properties dialog box appears.
    3. Select the Save option, and then choose Finish. The Button Properties dialog box appears.

       For more information, seeCommand Wizard.

    If you do not use the Command Wizard, theButton Properties dialog box appears. You can then enter a pushbutton text and static parameters for each function button; the options are outlined in the following example:

Special Function Buttons

1. Since the workbook contains all the necessary elements, you can exit design mode. You do this by choosing .
2. Create the command range for the function Revaluate by %.
   Tip

   In this example, we navigate to cell A30 and insert the text VAR_VALUE. Then we navigate to cell B30 and enter "0". In cell C30 we enter "=C20".

3. If you want to see a plain background instead of the table layout, select all rows and columns and choose Fill Color.
   Tip

   In this example, we choose White.

   Note

   If you only want to hide the gridlines, you can change this setting. Choose Tools → Options → View; under the Window options group header, deselect the Gridlines indicator.

4. Choose to save your workbook. For more information, seeSaving.

You have an input-ready query in the analysis grid in which you can enter plan data manually. You can use the planning functions you have created to calculate plan data. The data set is determined by the navigational state of data provider DP_01. Restrictions on structure elements (restricted key figures, for example) are not taken into consideration.

For more information about the context menu of the cells in the analysis grid, seeFunctions for Manual Planning.