Setting Up Planning Content (SAP Library - Profitability Analysis (COPA))

Setting Up Planning Content

Purpose

To be able to perform sales and profit planning, you first need to set up the planning content in the Planning Framework. In the planning framework, you define planning levels and planning packages and thereby determine what is to be planned. In addition, you specify how planning is to occur by defining parameter sets for the planning methods.

Prerequisites

You need to have executed the IMG activities under Planning ® Initial Steps in Customizing.

When setting up the planning framework, you should note the following navigation principles:

You use a context menu to create or change elements. You call up this menu with the right mouse button. To create an element, you use the context menu for the higher-level node. To change an element, you use the context menu for that element. Alternatively, you can use these functions in the Edit menu.
You can change the order of the elements by Drag & Drop.
To activate the planning level or the planning package, double-click the one concerned in the tree. This displays all the relevant information; the detailed information is displayed in the right-hand side of the screen and the planning methods are displayed in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. You can only carry out planning methods on planning packages that have been activated.
When you maintain the individual elements in the detailed information section on the right-hand side of the screen, you can choose the symbol (with quick info text Details) to show the technical keys.
An element that you have created appears in the tree once the system has checked that the element has been fully defined. Once the element has been incorporated into the tree, it remains available for that planning session. You can choose the symbol (with quick info text Check) to run the check manually, but the element will not be saved as permanent. This is only the case once you have carried out the inclusive check by choosing the disk symbol .
To cancel processing of a particular element, choose the Cancel symbol .

Process Flow

Creating a planning level

First specify in one or more planning levels which characteristics are to serve as the basis for planning.

Note

A planning level determines the overall planning structure. This means that, to work with both strategic planning and operational planning, for example, you should create planning levels for each type of planning, and these planning levels should not contain the same characteristics. To specify the planning level contents to greater detail, such as to set up planning for different sales employees, you need to create different planning packages.

The characteristics Period/year (or Week/year), Version, and Record type automatically belong to each planning level in costing-based profitability analysis. The currency type is determined automatically from the version (see also Multiple Currencies in Planning). The characteristics Period/year, Version, Controlling area and Cost element automatically belong to the level in account-based profitability analysis. Any characteristic from the characteristics list (which contains all the characteristics in the operating concern) can be transferred to your planning level.

If individual characteristic values are valid for all planning packages in the same level, specify these characteristic values in the Selection tab page.

Recommendation

For the above-mentioned characteristics that exist in every planning level, it makes sense to make this selection there directly.

In the case of the characteristic Controlling area in account-based Profitability Analysis, you must select a characteristic value in the planning level (this is a required entry).

You can either enter the characteristic values directly in the planning level or you can use variables. If you want to use variables, you have to define them first with the path Edit ® Variable ® Define variable). Variables are valid for the operating concern. Variables are particularly useful for characteristics with the same selection for several planning levels. In this way, you can define the selection of characteristic values in one location and then use it in the relevant planning levels. Likewise, if you need to make changes, you also only need to change this selection in one location (variable processing) instead of making changes for each individual planning level. A typical example of a variable can be shown with the characteristic Period/Year. For the change in year, you can change the selection "001.2002 – 012.2002" to "001.2003 – 012.2003" in the variable, and this change then applies for all planning levels (or planning packages) containing the relevant variable.

Note that you can only enter a "from-to" selection for a variable and no multiple selections (this applies for individual values as well as for ranges).

Creating planning packages

You define one or more planning packages for a planning level by selecting characteristic values on the basis of the characteristics in that planning level. A planning package corresponds to a market segment (such as all the combinations of customers and products dealt with by a sales employee) that is to be used in planning for a specified period. You can either enter the selection of characteristic values directly in the planning package or you can use variables as in the planning level.

Note

When you perform planning, you can also create a planning package ad hoc for each planning level. However, an ad hoc planning package is only available for the planning session in which it has been created.

Creating parameter sets

If you have created a planning level, the system automatically makes the two possible planning methods available in this level.

On the one hand, you can use the Enter planning data planning method to plan individual profitability segments directly in an entry screen (in the same way as the display function using the Display planning data planning method). On the other hand, you can choose from a variety of planning methods that let you plan automatically all profitability segments that are specified by the planning package.

These planning methods can be applied via a parameter set that you create for one of them. You specify in a parameter set the parameters that are necessary for executing the method, such as which planning layout is to be used for manual data entry or for displaying planning data.

For more information on the individual planning methods and the respective parameter sets, see the section Planning Methods.

Note

When you perform planning, you can also create a parameter set ad hoc for each planning method. However, an ad hoc parameter set is only available for the planning session in which it has been created.

Create personalization profiles

By means of personalization profiles, you can determine a user-specific view for the planning levels, packages, methods and parameter sets that have been defined previously. If you choose Edit ® PersProfil ® Create Personalization Profile, checkboxes appear alongside the individual elements, and you can use them to select the elements that are relevant to individual users.

Note

If you only select one planning level or one planning method, the planning packages or the parameter sets for that level/method are not available. In such cases, the user can only use one ad hoc planning package or one ad hoc parameter set respectively. To include the availability of lower-level planning packages and parameter sets, you have to select them explicitly.

Users are assigned to personalization profiles in the User list tab page in the detailed information area. In the Authorizations tab page, you specify which context menu functions the users should be allowed to perform with that specific personalization. You also specify whether they are allowed to switch to the general overview. To be able to switch to the general overview, users must have the authorization object K_KEPL_FR (with the activity GL - general overview) assigned to them in their user profile.

Entering personalization profiles in user master data

If a standard personalization profile is to be valid for a user, you can enter that profile in that user's master data using the parameter RKE_PROF.

Result

When a planner accesses sales and profit planning via the planning framework set up for him/her, the data is displayed in the following ways depending on how the personalization profile was defined:

If neither a personalization profile nor the authorization object K_KEPL_FR (with the activity GL - general overview) has been assigned to him/her, then he/she will not be able to call up the planning framework.

If no personalization profile has been assigned to the planner but the authorization object has been assigned, then the general overview is displayed.

If a specific personalization profile has been assigned to the planner, then the elements specified in that profile are displayed.
If several personalization profiles have been assigned to the planner, then the elements displayed are those specified in the profile entered in the user master. If no profile has been entered in the user master, then the system uses the profile that comes first alphabetically. By choosing Set Personalization Profile, the planner can switch to one of the other personalization profiles assigned to him/her.

The following table summarizes the views called up initially with the different settings and whether it is possible to switch to the general overview.

Profile Assigned	General Overview Permitted in the Profile	Activity GL assigned	Initial View	General Overview Available
Yes	Yes	No	Personalization profile	No
Yes	Yes	Yes	Personalization profile	Yes
Yes	No	No	Personalization profile	No
Yes	No	Yes	Personalization profile	No
No		No	No access	No
No		Yes	General overview	Yes