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Copy
Management
You can use the Logistics Data Warehouse to
tailor the Logistics Information System (LIS) to meet your
requirements.
The design of the information structures is
instrumental for guaranteeing a high level of performance for updating and
evaluations, as well as for ensuring that the statistical data is up-to-date
and consistent.
To achieve these goals, Copy Management offers
the following options:
- reducing the system load by reducing the
number of information structures to be updated
- improving the evaluation performance by
providing information structures with a high level of aggregation
- enhancing statistical data with information
that is not provided by the "normal" updating function
- restructuring historical statistical
data
- simulating the effects of reorganizing
data
- preparing statistical data to satisfy special
requirements (e.g. in accordance with planning requirements)
- importing external statistical data to the LIS
information structures
- distributing statistical data over one or more
information structures
- providing a simple process for copying
statistical data
- enabling specific statistical data to be
targetted for deletion
Every run of the Copy Management function
consists of three steps:
1.
Reading statistical data
The statistical data
is either read from a source information structure in LIS or from any other
data sources that you choose.
2.
Adapting, enhancing and aggregating statistical data
This step is divided
up into two parts:
a) The period
unit of the information structures is converted, i.e. the periods of the
source information structure are automatically adapted to the periods of the
target information structure, where the period unit in the source information
structure has to be smaller or equal to the period in the target information
structure.
If, for example, the
source information structure is updated on a daily basis, but the target
information structure is updated on a monthly basis, then automatic conversion
takes place and it is aggregated into monthly values.
In some cases, it is
not possible to clearly convert periods, e.g. when the source information
structure is updated on a weekly basis, but the target information structure
is updated on a monthly basis. In this case, the data for the entire week is
added to the month which contains the last day of this week.
If the automatic
period conversion does not suit your specific requirements, you can always
create your own period conversion program manually.
b) The system
also offers the option of automatic aggregation, i.e. the contents of the
fields (characteristics, key figures and units) with identical field names in
the source and target information will be assigned to the target information
structure from the source information structure.
If the
characteristics in the target information structure form part of the
characteristics in the source information structure, i.e. if the target
information structure has a higher level of aggregation than the source
information structure, this automatic assignment will result in a logical
aggregation from the source information structure to the target information
structure.
In addition, Copy
Management also provides a function for automatic data enhancement. Automatic
data enhancement enables you to adapt statistical data from master data and to
enhance statistical data with additional master data.
When using automatic
data enhancement you can identify, for example, the current division for a
material or the current MRP controller for a plant and material, and thus
adapt the statistical data on the basis of these current
allocations.
If you want to make
use of automatic data enhancement, proceed as follows:
Start from the
initial screen of Copy Management or from the work table, and select Goto
-> Automatic data enhancement.
If you have not yet
fixed any methods for automatic data enhancement, select the function
Edit -> New entries .
Define both the
source and target information structure. Source and target information
structure can be identical.
If you want to
select an entry from the overview of the methods for automatic data
enhancement that already exist, mark it and select Source field
allocations . Here, you can specify, for the fields of the
target information structure, those fields that are to be defined from the
master data that is read.
In the fields source
table and source field, you define the place where the system reads the
required allocation. If the current division, for example, is to be read from
the material master, you must specify MARA as the
source table and SPART as the source
field.
Caution
For the system to
read the source table, all of the key fields of the specified source table
must be able to be supplied from fields of the source information structure.
For this reason, the system tries to make the following
allocations:
If there are fields
with the same name in the source information structure and in the source
table, they will be allocated.
In a further step,
the system tries to make allocations by using the same data
elements.
Finally, the system
tries to make allocations by using the same domains. F4 Help provides all the
tables which satisfy this condition.
You can perform complex transformations of
statistical data by using methods. You can branch to methods maintenance of
Copy Management as follows:
- from the initial screen of Copy Management via
the function Goto -> Methods
maintenance
- from the work table of Copy Management also
via Goto -> Methods maintenance
The procedure for this is described in
Methods maintenance.
3.
Writing altered data to an LIS information structure
The generated data
records are automatically written to the target information
structure.
Key figures that can
be cumulated (floating decimals, whole figures, packed numbers), which are
indicated as such in the information structure definition, are added and then
aggregated to values that already exist. The summation indicator is set for
cumulative key figures in the information structure display.
All other key
figures are updated by data transport, which overwrites values that already
exist.
In addition to these
standard procedures, the behavior of the key figures in Copy Management can be
manipulated such that they can be aggregated, replaced, initialized (deleted)
or excluded (not changed).
If the source and
target information structure as well as the source and target versions are
identical, the source data is deleted and replaced by the target data. In this
case, the system assumes that the statistical data will be updated with the
help of Copy Management (for example, adapting the data after the sales areas
have been reorganized).
You can set the
parameters of each Copy Management run so that data in the source information
structure can be changed. You can use this option to indicate those data
records that have already been processed, for instance.
It is also possible
to set the parameters of a Copy Management run so that the system deletes
those data records of the source information structure that have already been
processed.
Caution
If you wish to
change source data, then online updating must be switched off for the assigned
source information structure, at least in the area that is processed by Copy
Management.
Technical information
Source data is changed as follows:
If you have changed a data record, this data
record will be deleted from the source table and then added to the source
information structure in its altered form via MODIFY.
Caution
If you use a method to change key fields of the
source information structure, then a data record that already exists under
this key will be overwritten by the changed data record.
Activities
1. Specify the
name of the source information structure.
2. Press
Enter to reach the work table.
3. Specify the
name of the variant for the Copy Management run.
You can use the
pushbutton Maintain to branch to function selection.
4. In the
function selection of LIS Copy Management you define the settings for the
further processing of the Copy Management run. In doing so, you
select:
- Info structure
The source data originates from an information structure from the Logistics
Information System.
- @48@External Data
External data is all data that is not saved in the LIS information structures.
This includes all data in the tables of the R/3 System, as well as data read
from a file. The functional enhancement RMCAF000</> is used for
reading external data. To use this enhancement, you need to have created and
activated a project.
- @0S@Info structure
The data is written to an information structure in the Logistics Information
System.
- @49@Update
Data is transferred to the LIS inbound interface which consequently leads to
the updating of the Logistics Information Structure. To use this
functionality, you must already have generated an LIS inbound interface to the
source information structure, which defines update rules and activates the
update. The functionality cannot be used for the information structures "S032"
and "S035".
- @2U@Copy data
Data from the source information structure is written to the target
information structure, depending on the method used.
- @0Z@Change source data
The function copy and change source data has the effect that source
data can be changed while being copied to an information structure using a
method. As a result, they are updated in the database. This function can only
be used if you selected the function copy data.
- @18@Delete source data
The function copy and delete source data has the effect that source
data is deleted after it is copied to the target info structure. This function
can only be used if you selected the function copy data.
- @37@Change data
This function only allows you to change the key figure values of the source
information structure; this can considerably speed up the data conversion. The
data source and target must be identical for this option. Any changes to
characteristic values made using a method are ignored, which means that the
the set of data changed in this manner is not updated. If a method produces
more than one target data record, these data records will not be updated. This
functionality is only available in the update mode.
- @11@Delete data
Only the selected data from the source information structure is deleted; no
data is copied. Within the expert mode there is the option Initial
data records only , with which only those data records with
initial key figure values are deleted.
- @5W@User mode
Functionality for copying, changing, and deleting data is offered in the user
mode. The function Change data cannot be selected in the user
mode.
- @6C@Expert mode
The expert mode offers additional functionality for data processing (key
figure parameters, Delete only initial data records) and for
performance improvement (Change data, Delete/set up
indexes,Initialize target structures, Parallel mode ),
as well as for the general control of the program flow(Data packet
size, Lock info structure/version ). You make the selection by
clicking the relevant button, although only certain combinations are possible,
which are indicated using status icons. Based on the settings made here, the
selection screen that appears when you release data shows only the combination
of fields possible. The default setting is the "normal" copying of data from a
source info structure to a target info structure in the user mode.
Four different status icons can be displayed in the selection screen. The
icons have the following meanings:
@01@Function is
selected
@5B@Function can be
selected without current settings being changed
@5C@Function can be
selected, but current settings are changed
@02@Function cannot
be selected
1. Choose
Enter to reach the selection screen.
2. Here, you
define the following parameters:
Data
source
This is where you
specify the name of the information structure which contains the data you want
to process using Copy Management.
Source
Version
This is where you
specify the number of the version in the source information
structure.
- Restrictions
Here you can select the data of the source information structure that is to be
read by using its characteristics, period units, and key figures similar to
periods.
Data packet
size
This parameter is only available in the expert mode. The setting
Data packet size indicates how many data records within a
database LUW are read from the database table of the source information
structure in order to be further processed in Copy Management. The standard
(default setting) is: 1000 in user mode, 10000 in the expert mode, and 50000
when reading external data.
Sorted
reading
When you set this indicator, reading is sorted according to the primary key of
the source table (source info structure). Sorted reading is a prerequisite for
continuing a cancelled Copy Management run, and can be necessary for the
process of self-defined methods.
- LIS External Data
This includes:
If you set this
indicator, the system does not read the source information
structure to determine the source data, but uses the functional enhancement
RMCAF000 instead.
Note
If you use the SAP
enhancement RMCAF000 to determine the source data, the
options found under Edit are not possible and are therefore
deactivated when you press enter.
File
path
Control
indicator
Can be freely used in the SAP enhancement
RMCAF000.
- Processing
The data processing chosen in the function selection is displayed:
Change
source data when copying
(Change source data in the function selection)
Delete
source data after copying
(Delete source data in the function selection)
Change only
selected data
(Change data in the function selection)
Delete only
selected data
(Delete data in the function selection)
Select and
delete only initial data records
This indicator is only available in Expert mode and Delete
data were selected in the function selection.
If this indicator is set, the only data records selected and deleted are those
in which all key figures are populated with the relevant initial values, which
means they are either blank or = 0. From a technical point of view, they are
selected using the condition 'WHERE field_x = SPACE OR field_x IS
NULL'
- Additional logic expert
mode
- Delete/set up indexes
If this indicator is set, any secondary indexes in the target info structure
are deleted before copying takes place. They are then set up once copying is
completed. If the indicator is set together with the function Delete
data , the secondary indexes of the source info structure are deleted
before the data is deleted. They are then set up again once deletion is
complete. This improves performance.
- Block Structure/Version
This parameter is only available in the expert mode, but not if the data
source is external to LIS and the the target of the data is the release to the
update.
This parameter is used to set a write protection (lock mode "E") in the source
and/or target table (at the level of the information structure or version),
which means that the data is blocked during the Copy run and can only be read
or processed by Copy Management.
The following values can be selected:
0
-- Block (information structure/version) no tables
1 -- Block (information structure/version) source table
2 -- Block (information structure/version) target table
3 -- Block (information structure/version) source and target
table
- Parallel mode:
This parameter is only available if Expert mode and Copy
data were selected in the function selection. When copying statistical
data, if both the source and target information structure, and the source and
target version are identical, Copy Management uses a temporary version
internally. In order to execute multiple jobs in parallel, they must have a
different "parallel mode" indicator (letter or number). The indicator
"Parallel mode" is only useful if both the source and target information
structure and version are identical when copying.
Note
Because source data is to be changed, the online update must remain in at
least one are which is processed by Copy Management. Furthermore, the
different parallel Copy Management jobs must be selected so that independent
data areas are processed, for example by different periods.
- Target info structure:
Here you specify the name of the information structure to which the data to be
processed using Copy Management should be written. Target and source
information structures can be identical.
Here you specify the
number of the version in the information structure to which the data is to be
written after it has been processed by Copy Management. If source and target
information structures are identical, then the source and target versions can
also be identical.
Transformation
No Copy
Method (default)
If you wish to use a
method that you have designed yourself, you need to enter the name of this
method in the Copy method field and also mark this
field.
- Automatic data
enhancement
If you wish to use a
method with automatic data enhancement, you need to enter the name of this
method in the Copy method field and also mark this
field.
You can find a
description of this functionality in this chapter under 2b.
At present, SAP
provides methods for the Sales Information System (SIS) and the Retail
Information System (RIS).
You can display
these methods from the work table: Goto -> SAP
Methods.
If you wish to use
one of these methods, you need to both specify the name of the method in the
field Copy method and mark this field.
This is where you
specify the name of the method for transforming the data, if
necessary.
Key
figure
This parameter is only available in the expert mode.
In the parameter settings for key figure processing, you can define the rules
according to which the key figures of the target information structure are
processed during the Copy Management run.
The processing types that can be set are:
@3Z@Total
The contents of the field are added to the relevant field in the database.
This is a default setting for all key figures of type F (floating point
number, Float), I (whole number, Integer), N (numeric text) and P (packed
number , Packed), for which the totals indicator is set in the definition of
the information structure. This processing type is not available for key
figures of other types.
@7X@Replace
The contents of the field replace the field in the database table.
This is a default setting for all key figures of types other than F, I, N and
P, and all fields of these types, for which the totals indicator was not set
in the definition of the information structure.
@84@Exclude
This field is excluded from processing during a Copy Management run so that
the content of the relevant database field cannot be changed.
@5C@Delete
The content of the database table field is deleted (in other words, reset to
the initial value).
The first time the selection screen "Key figure processing" is called, the
default settings are copied from the information structure definition. The
setting Total is made for the 'FINP' key figures
with the totals indicator, and Replace is set for
all other key figures.
The options that appear in the application toolbar have the
following effect:
@2L@Save
All settings that differ from the aforementioned default settings are
saved.
Copying based on these settings will begin immediately.
@42@Initialization
The settings in the selection screen are reset to their orginal status which
means they are reset to the default and other settings.
@11@Delete
All rules that differ from the default settings are deleted.
The rules from the definition of the information structure apply again for
copying, with immediate effect.
Do not copy
initial records
If the indicator 'Do not copy initial data records' is set, the only data
records in the target information structure that are copied are those in which
at least one of the key figures is not initial (usually not equal to 0, or not
blank). From a technical point of view, the condition 'IF NOT field_x IS
INITIAL' is used for copying.
Note
When choosing an option, bear in mind that initial key figures can also be
relevant to statistics.
- Initialize target
version
If you set this
indicator, the values in the target version of the target information
structure are initialized before copying takes place.
Initialize
target structure
This indicator is only available if Delete data was selected in the
expert mode, and should always be used together with Delete/set up
indexes . If you set this indicator, the structure of the target table in
the database is removed and set up again. This removes all
the data in the target information structure.
Attention
All data in the information structure in the system is
deleted, in all clients!
- No automatic period
conversion
If you set this
indicator, the system does not carry out any automatic period
conversion.
In this case, you
need to perform the period conversion in the method you are using. This period
conversion is not checked by the system.
Follow-up
processing
If you want to send
a mail to a user after the Copy Management run has ended, enter the name of
the user here.
- Transfer to distribution
list
The information
about Copy Management is transferred to the distribution list that you specify
here.
1. Save the
variant (Edit -> Attribute, Maintain meaning and
Save).
2. Fix the
print parameters.
This setting
determines whether and in what way WRITE statements from methods maintenance
appear (e.g. to display errors).
3. Define the
start date values for the Copy Management run.
4. Plan the
Copy Management via CM run -> Schedule
job.
Additional
Functions in the Work Table
- To use Copy Management to transfer statistical
data to the update, you must first create the LIS inbound interfaces using
Environment -> LIS interface.
- You reach the update rules maintenance via
Environment-> LIS interface -> Update
definition.
- The Copy Management run can also be executed
directly. You reach the function selection via CM run ->
Execute where activities 5-7 should be carried out. Execute the
Copy Management run directly or in the background. Do not create any variants.
If you wish to create a variant for a job, proceed as described
above.
- You can use the function
Environment -> Job overview to monitor the background
processing.
- You can use the function
Environment -> Display log to display the most important data
for completed Copy Management runs.
Restart logic is only used for terminated Copy Management runs if:
- The Copy Management run was started using a
variant (indirectly)
and
- Source data is read sorted by the primary
index.
If these
prerequisites are met, the restart logic is supported in two ways, depending
on the parameters and processing progress of the job.
These two types of support are:
- @0J@Create method
reference
In this case, it is
not possible to support restart logic, because no program variant can be
created from the last data record to have been processed.
Using the method reference created here, a self-defined method can be created,
with which the terminated job can be restarted. During processing, this method
"filters" out the data records that have already been processed (the filter
can be described as: "anything smaller than the data record key will not be
processed").
In doing so, all data records are first read again, including those already
processed. For the sake of performance, you should check if the data records
that have definitely already been processed can be excluded using manual
entries in the selection options.
- @0R@Create program
variant
In this case, it is
possible to provide the program variant(s) with the relevant selection
options. If you click on the icon in front of the text, the selection screen
of the program RMCAnnn5 (nnn = numbers from the source
information structure) appears with the selection options/parameters already
populated. These settings should be saved as a variant, and the variant can be
scheduled in Copy Management.
Note
If a job in which only data is to be deleted terminates, you must create just
one program variant (in the detailed overview, a row "Create program variant"
is displayed).
If a job terminates, in which more than just deletion was to take place,
generally two program variants must be created (the row "Create 1./2. program
variants" is shown).
Further
notes
The Copy Management functionality and that of
the LIS
inbound interface overlap in certain respects.
When faced with the choice as to which tool is
the more suitable, SAP recommends that you use Copy Management instead of the
LIS inbound interface in the following cases:
- when using data elements similar to those of
SAP
The above is merely a suggestion. The final
decision as to which tool you should use obviously depends on your specific
requirements.