The function Create distribution key is an optional planning aid, that makes the entry of plan data easier.

Using the distribution key, you can distribute values that you enter on the overview screen for the entire planning time frame, to the periods according to a predefined seasonal distribution. The default setting distributes values in line with those already existing. If no values already exist the distribution is carried out evenly.

You can assign a distribution key to certain combinations of characteristic values in Customizing in order to represent different planning scenarios in automatic planning. This assignment is done using an object-dependent parameter and a planning aid access. For each combination of characteristic values (for example, company code 0001, fiscal year 1999) you can portray several scenarios. You do this by storing several object-dependent parameters with different planning aid accesses. This enables you to store, for example, best-case and worst-case plans. For more information, see Customizing.

If you would like to use a particular seasonal distribution, you can define new distribution keys. A relative factor is assigned to each period and the entered plan values are distributed according to this factor. All periods, to which no value has been assigned, implicitly receive the factor zero. The number of periods in the year is determined from the fiscal year variant of the aspect.

If you wish to set up a seasonal distribution that repeats each year, enter the data for any year you wish and check the field Cyclical.

If necessary, you can also delete distribution keys that are no longer required.

The creation of a distribution key is described in more detail in Customizing.