Master Data Generator in Flexible Planning 

The Master Data Generator creates planning objects for an information structure on the basis of existing or planned data, thus creating a planning hierarchy. You access the Master Data Generator in flexible planning with Master data ® Generate master data ( see Running the Master Data Generator in Flexible Planning).

If you wish to run the Master Data Generator, SAP strongly recommends that you do so before you start using Sales & Operations Planning. Background processing is the most suitable mode of execution for this program.

If necessary, you can change the results manually with Planning hierarchy ® Change. This might happen if you want to plan a new product line that has not existed until now.

You can also reduce the number of records found by the Master Data Generator to those which are relevant for sales and operations planning. SOP allows you to define your own user method for this purpose so that the unique planning requirements of your company can be met. For more information, see Defining User Methods.

To decide whether a user method is required to reduce the number of records included in the planning process, run the Master Data Generator with the Simulation indicator switched on. The system then tells you how many records would be generated by the Master Data Generator for a particular information structure.

After you have created a planning hierarchy with the Master Data Generator, you predefine its proportional factors. For more information, see:

Automatic Calculation of the Constant Proportional Factors in Consistent Planning

Automatic Calculation of the Proportional Factors in Level-By-Level Planning

Calculating the Proportional Factors Automatically

Ways to Aggregate and Disaggregate in Consistent Planning

Ways to Aggregate and Disaggregate in Level-By-Level Planning

Ways to Aggregate and Disaggregate in Delta Planning

 

There are two situations in which you run the Master Data Generator in flexible planning.

  1. You want to plan key figures for a large number of characteristic value combinations in an information structure; for example, for a great many materials. It would take a long time to create these characteristic value combinations manually. You therefore run the Master Data Generator. The system creates a planning object for each characteristic values combination for which actual data has been recorded in this information structure.
  2. Example of Planning Objects created by the Master Data Generator


    Sales
    organization

    Distribution
    channel


    Division


    Material

    Planning object

    NORTH

    Wholesale

    Household goods

    Vacuum cleaner

    Planning object

    NORTH

    Wholesale

    Household goods

     

    Planning object

    NORTH

    Wholesale

       

    Planning object

    NORTH

         

    Planning object*

           

    *The final level represents planning across all sales organizations.

  3. You created planning data for an information structure in Release 2.2 and want to use consistent planning for this information structure in Release 3.0.

The planning method for information structures in Release 2.2 was delta planning.

The system creates planning objects on the basis of the data in an existing planning version of your information structure.

 

See also:

Master Data Generator in Standard SOP