Edit Plan Data Automatically 

Prerequisites

The functions of automatic planning run similarly to those of interactive planning. The procedures and various details of automatic planning are described below:

Procedure

Initial Screen

Enter the following details for plan data:

  1. Enter the aspect to be planned.
  2. Enter the plan version, into which the changed data will be transferred.
  3. Enter the periods to be planned.

 

Enter the following details for reference data:

  1. Enter the aspect from which data is to be transferred, or referenced.
  2. Specify if you wish your plan to refer to actual data or to an existing plan version.
  3. Enter a version from which the data is to be copied or referenced.
  4. Determine from which periods the source data is to be copied or referenced.

Enter the necessary details for function:

The function determines how the plan data is to be processed. You can find more information about the various functions under:

Seasonal Distribution

Revaluation

Forecast

Top-Down Planning

Enter the following details for extras:

  1. Select Test run if you wish to execute the function without any changes to the database.
  2. Select Log to keep a log of the procedure.
  3. Select Background processing for dealing with a large number of changed objects to avoid dialog processing (see section Background Processing).

Enter the necessary details for updating:

With the exception of top-down planning, which is always updated directly, you can either update the plan data directly or by using the data transfer functions. The latter entails updating using a sender structure and transfer rules. For more information see Automatic Planning.

Selection of the Characteristics

After you have made your entries on the tab page General settings, choose the tab page Characteristics. Here, you can restrict the selection of plan data to be copied by selecting certain characteristics. If you only wish to edit data for regions and areas, for example, you can select the characteristics region and area.

If you are working with the characteristic data area in your aspect, you have to enter a characteristic value. The data area holds the default currency for the basic key figures and must, therefore, be specified.

Selection of Key Figures

Choose the tab page Key figures to determine which key figures you will plan with. If you want to plan only sales volume and revenue, for example, select these fields.

For automatic planning, select only those key figures for which "Summation" ( sum ) is defined as the aggregation behavior.

 

If you have created calculation formulas for certain basic key figures in planning, and wish to use these in automatic planning and write them to the database, select the relevant key figures. If you do not choose a basic key figure for calculation, it will not be calculated with the stored formula, but will be processed like the other key figures. For example, it might be increased by 5% or it might be forecast. You can find further information about this in Customizing.

In top-down planning you enter a reference base for the value distribution For more information see Top-Down Planning.

Characteristic Value Restriction

Choose the tab page Selections to restrict the characteristic values. If you want to plan the regions South and East only, for example, enter single values or an interval.

Choose Automatic planning ® Execute to carry out the automatic planning.

Save Parameterization

When you have made all settings for the planning run, you can save them as parameterization with a specific name. Enter a technical name and a description of the settings in the field current parameterization and choose , to save. This saving of the planning parameters is at the same time a prerequisite for being able to schedule planning runs in the background.

Background Processing

If you wish to change a lot of data, it is recommended to let the automatic planning run in background processing. While the automatic planning is running the program RKCPLEXE is called up. Using a variant for this program, you determine which parameterization is used for the planning. Then you plan the program in background processing.

Result

The plan data is generated automatically according to the function you have selected, and is saved to the database if required. If a log has been kept, it is displayed automatically during online execution, or written to the spool during background processing.