Planning Functions 

Use

Planning functions change the transaction data in a planning package. Each planning function is assigned to just one planning level. There are various types of planning function (for example, copy, distribute, delete, formula). Parameter groups are created for a planning function. Those fields that are to be changed are determined when a planning function is defined The values of those fields are determined when a parameter group is defined.

You want to copy data from the actual version to the plan version. When you define the planning function you can determine which fields are to be changed during the copy operation. Select the Version field. When determining the parameter group you determine that version 001 is to be copied to version 002.

Integration

You can subsequently process the plan data created with these functions with all other kinds of planning functions including manual planning. In addition, in planning sequences, you can group together any number of functions. These are always executed together in a predefined sequence.

Features

You design the planning functions according to a standard schema. To do this you select key figures and characteristics for each planning function for particular tasks (as change or condition fields or as reference data). The field types that are available and can be used in the corresponding parameter group dependon the function type (see the functions and field types table below and Editing Plan Data Automatically).

Field Type Fields to Be Changed

Here you select characteristics or – using the generic entry "key figure name" – key figures whose values you wish to change. When you execute a planning function using a parameter group, you determine which characteristic values (for example, in reposting) or key figures (for example, in revaluation) are to be changed in which way.

When you change characteristic values both the initial values and those created after the planning function was executed must lie within the planning package. If, for example, for the characteristic company there is a restriction to company codes 1000 to 2000, you cannot repost from company code 1000 to 3000.

Characteristics, which are restricted to a single value in the planning level are not displayed in the list of fields to be changed.

The planning functions formula and copy are the exception to this rule. In both these cases you are able to activate user-defined values that lie outside of the value range of the package.

Field Type Fields for Conditions

Here you select the characteristics whose values you wish to change in order to enter deviating processing rules per specification for the planning functions. You can also use the generic entry "key figure name" to determine that the planning function does not change the values of all key figures in the planning level (this is the default setting), but only the values of specific key figures.

For a planning function, you include the characteristic version and the generic entry "key figure name" in the Fields for Conditions. When you define a parameter group for the planning function, you choose the key figure Sales for version S1 and for "key figure name". This means that the planning function only processes those sales values that are assigned to version S1. Sales is the only key figure that is changed.

Restrictions that you can define for a function using condition fields are not an alternative to a characteristic value restriction in planning levels or packages.

The best way to use conditions is so that within the planning package the valid value ranges of a characteristic are completely covered by conditions you defined. If this is not the case, the whole data quantity defined by the package is transferred to the function for processing, although it is certain from the start, that not all of the data will be required. This can be disadvantageous in terms of performance.

Therefore SAP generally recommends that you reconcile planning packages and planning functions to each other as exactly as possible. If you determine, on the basis of the conditions of a function, that not all the data of a package is to be processed, you should either restrict the characteristic value of the package further or create a new package with the corresponding restriction and execute the function in this package.

If you use fields for defining conditions, those fields cannot simultaneously be included in the fields to be changed.

Field Type Reference Data

Here you select characteristics or – using the generic entry "key figure name" – key figures. You can then use their values, when executing the planning function, to relate the new plan values to existing values.

A typical example of the use of reference data is the distribution of plan data. When you execute such a distribution function, the first step is to read the reference data (usually the previous year's actual data) and to determine it's distribution. The distribution key that is determined automatically here is used in the second step to distribute the plan data to the selected characteristics. In this case, you would choose version as the reference characteristic and enter the value that identifies the actual data in the parameter group.

Value restrictions that are made in the planning level or planning package do not apply to characteristics that are used as reference data. Therefore, you can take all values that are defined for a reference characteristic, and use them as a reference.

The following table provides an overview of the various function types and the field types available in each case:

Function types (in alphabetical order) and the corresponding field types

Function Type	Available Field Types
Exit function	Change fields
Formula	Change fields, condition fields
Copy	Change fields, condition fields
Copy to several target objects	Change fields, condition fields
Delete	Condition fields
Deleting (invalid combination)	Condition fields
Forecasting	Condition fields, reference data, change field is the time characteristic
Reposting	Change fields, condition fields
Reposting (characteristic relationships)	Change fields, condition fields
Revaluation	Condition fields
Distribute with reference data	Change fields, condition fields, reference data
Distribute by reference data from sender to receiver	Change fields, condition fields, reference data
Distribute by key	Change fields, condition fields
Distribute by key from sender to receiver	Change fields, condition fields
Currency translation	Condition fields; the change fields (fields with currency keys) are calculated automatically
Unit conversion	Condition fields; the change fields (fields with unit keys) are calculated automatically

You can find more information on the individual planning functions in the following sections:

·        Copy:

¡        Copy

¡        Copy to several target objects

·        Distribute:

¡        Distribute by key

¡        Distribute by key from sender to receiver

¡        Distribute with reference data

¡        Distribute by reference data from sender to receiver

·        Repost:

¡        Repost

¡        Repost (characteristic relationships) 

·        Delete:

¡        Delete (for deleting data records from the planning package that fill the specified conditions).

¡        Delete (invalid combinations)

·        Revaluation

·        Forecast

·        Formula

·        Exit functions

Functions for conversions:

·        Currency translation

·        Unit conversion

You can also execute a planning function directly from manual planning (for example revaluation, distribution), without having to leave the planning layout beforehand. After the function has been executed the system reads the updated data and displays it immediately in the planning layout.

 

See also:

Undoing Changes to Data