Under certain circumstances it might be necessary to enhance data that was not available at the time of updating at the point of evaluation, or to interpret data on a higher aggregation level that was already updated and thus calculate new key figures.
Such a key figure can be created when defining an information structure. This key figure is excluded from the update process, as the values are first determined by means of a so-called method when the standard analysis is carried out.
In the standard analyses, a method is a FORM routine which supports the enhancement of, or changes to, statistical data and it is automatically called up by the standard analysis.
These methods are similar to the methods that you can use in Copy Management.
In standard analyses, a distinction is made between the two types of methods:
The data enhancement methods allow you to enhance data on the lowest level, i.e. data at the level of the individual data record of an information structure.
A data enhancement method could be used to write master data that was not available at the time of the update to a material.
After data selection, an internal table containing all of the data records is transferred to the FORM routine that describes the method so that it can change the records.
In order to support and facilitate the creation of methods, SAP provides several transformation scenarios. Each scenario consists of both a detailed business desciption (documentation) and a reference method which the system automatically adapts to the information structure that you have chosen. It is then copied to the clipboard so that the system can make use of it when creating a method.
A scenario is only automatically adapted to the source and target information structures when you call up the reference method via the pushbutton Copy from.
You also have the option of calling up a reference method from the accompanying documentation. In this case, no automatic adapting can take place.
The methods maintenance is integrated in the step "Change settings". In the case of self-defined information structures, you can select a data enhancement method as well as the accompanying scenarios in the parameters settings screen by using the Maintain function.
Proceed as follows: