Maintaining Reference Data

You use this function to group references together to form a reference module, as well as to maintain reference modules that have been maintained manually or imported through the interface. A reference points to a replacement sales history to use for forecasting. You use the reference when you launch a new product, to calculate automatic replenishment for the new location product using the time series for existing, similar location products.

Integration

You assign the single references or reference modules that you created (or imported) to the product/location combination in mass maintenance for location products. Several references (for different location products) can be assigned to a reference module. You can maintain the attribute for reference assignment there, such as:

Level shift factor

The system multiplies all the values of the time series by this factor when they are forwarded to forecast calculation.
Valid-to date
The system uses the sales history of the reference product for forecasting during the validity period of the reference. SAP F&R then uses the new location product's own time series, while still taking the old reference data into account as historical data. The location product builds up its own time series through repeated collection (updating) of the sales data.

To do so, go to the SAP Easy Access screen and choose Start of the navigation path Forecasting and Replenishment Next navigation step Master Data Product Maintain Location Products End of the navigation path .

Features

You can create new reference modules. To do so, you can use a creation profile that you defined previously in Customizing (optional). For more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) of Forecasting and Replenishment under Master Data Maintain Creation Profile for Reference Module .
You can maintain existing reference profiles, optionally with an input help to start with the merchandise category or existing references. You can maintain the following data (among others) in the header data of a reference module:
- Exclusion period
  
  Period in weeks during which the system does not use any historical reference data to calculate an artificial time series. You define this period from the start of the listing period of the reference.
- Filter Historical Base flag: Allows you to filter the historical data of the references when you build an artificial history, but only for location type Distribution Center.
  - If you do not use this filter, the system always uses the same historical data from the references as it used to forecast the reference. In this case, SAP F&R builds a time series with type Aggregated Time Series for Sales Figures (CONS_DATA).
  - If you use this filter, the system only uses the historical data from the references that agrees with the data that SAP F&R used to forecast the new products (the data assigned to the references). In this case, SAP F&R aggregates time series by type and builds up to three artificial histories for each reference module (with types CONS_DATA, AGG_ST_ORD, AGG_ST_SLS). Of these, the system only uses one time series to forecast the location product (specifically: the history with the suitable time series data type).
- Period for listing check
  
  You can define a weekly period starting from the start date of the exclusion period. You can only assign listed references.
You can use the report /FRE/FU_REFMOD_REORG to reference modules, along with some or all reference assignments whose validity has expired.

Activities

To create or maintain a reference module, go to the SAP Easy Access screen and choose Forecasting and Replenishment Master Data Reference Module Maintain Reference Module .
To delete references, go to the SAP Easy Access screen and choose Forecasting and Replenishment Master Data Reference Module Deletion of Reference Data .