SOP: Planning Types and Macros
Description
In Release 3.0 you can create your own customized planning screens using the Table Painter. These planning screens, known as planning types, enable different users to have different views on the data. For example, the view of the sales planner can be different from the view of the production planner. Because you base a planning type on an information structure of your choice (either a standard information structure or a self-defined information structure), you have almost infinite possibilities with regard to the information you can plan. Thus, planning types provide a flexible tool for the planning, storage, and analysis of any logistics data.
As in Release 2.2, a standard planning table (planning screen) is available for the planning of product group hierarchies.
A planning type defines what lines are contained in the planning table, the layout of these lines, and the relationships (in the form of macros) between them. A line in a planning type can refer to key figures from an information structure, or to events that apply to the key figure, or can be freely defined by you, the user.
Note
The data on a freely defined line exists only at runtime; it is not saved on the database.
You can set the ready-for-input status of a line; for example, a line showing the results of a calculation would have the status "not ready for input". You can also use different types of line description: for example, the line description can come from the information structure or you can define it yourself. A planning type also describes a planning horizon. You can enter the number of historical periods and future periods to be shown in the planning table. Historical periods are not ready for input unless you specify otherwise.
Two planning strategies are available: either single-level (owner) or dual-level (owner and members) planning. Which strategy you use depends on the planning method. If the consistent planning or delta planning method has been defined for the information structure on which your planning type is based, the strategy is always dual-level planning. For further information on planning methods, see SOP: General Concepts.
The information structure on which the planning type is based determines the key figures which you can assign to it. This, in turn, determines the macros you can create.
Using macros, you define the functions between lines. A macro is a mathematical operation made up of a sequence of instructions. These instructions are carried out together when you execute the macro. It is useful to define macros for frequently required, sometimes complicated, series of instructions. Macros save time and eliminate the possibility of typing errors during the planning process. You execute a macro with a single keystroke or mouse-click. For example, you might define a macro that calculates "price" * "quantity" and writes the result to the line "cost".
There are no restrictions on the number of planning types possible.
Requirements
Each planning type is based on an structure. A suitable information
structure must therefore exist before you can create a planning type. You
create an information structure in the step 
Maintain user-defined information structures in Customizing for
the Logistics Information System.
This information structure needs to have been configured for use in Sales & Operations Planning. To configure the information structure, you must perform three actions:
For full information on information structures, see the
Implementation Guide for the Logistics Information System and the
document "Logistics Information System" in the R/3 Library.
Change system parameters in customizing
You can create and change planning types and macros in
Maintain planning types.
Changes to the interface
You can also maintain planning types and macros in the Tools menu of standard SOP or flexible planning.