If the link to the SAP BW is activated you can use this function to read actual data from the SAP BW to the info structures of the planning scenario.

Actual data is read in Customizing for the planning scenario. There are two options available:

• Read actual data immediately in order to achieve the current status of your actual data in the short term.
• Schedule actual data to be read in order to update the status of your actual data regularly, for example, when the office has closed.

An automatic delta comparison is not possible, that is, all actual data in the selection always has to be read. You can, however, limit the volume of actual data to be read using a selection, both by selecting planning levels and also by setting a sensible time frame.

When reading data from the SAP BW you have the option of specifying planning steps as data targets. You can write data to specific database tables assigned to the planning steps.

This has the following advantages:

• The system /database is not overloaded with unnecessary data.
• You do not have to remove characteristics that are not relevant in the current planning step because only one characteristic is planned (for example, only one of several sales organizations) from the part of the planning hierarchy that represents the planning step. This leads to a greater flexibility in the way you structure the planning hierarchy.

You can indicate the data target by calling the function "Read BW data" on the selection screen.

The link to the SAP BW must be maintained accordingly (BW link activated, InfoObjects linked to database fields, RFC destinations etc.).