Modeling Planning Scenarios 

Purpose

To model your planning scenarios, BI integrated planning provides you with the Planning Modeler and the Planning Wizard.

Both tools are Web Dynpro-based applications that must be installed on the SAP J2EE Server. You can allow access to these applications using links or iViews in the portal. It is not necessary, therefore, to install the SAP front end locally.

Planning Modeler

You use the planning modeler to model, administer, and test all the metadata that belongs to a planning scenario.

Interface

The tab pages InfoProvider, Aggregation Levels, Filters, Planning Functions and Planning Sequences have been formed in such a way that in the upper part of the screen there is an option to search by certain objects that are available for selection in the system, and a table to display the results of this search. If you select or create an entry, in the lower part of the screen the system displays the properties of the respective object and provides the user with options to edit the object.

You can adjust the interface as required by hiding and showing the subareas.

To adjust the table layout, you can:

·        Enter the descriptions by which the table columns are filtered in the input-ready line by choosing Filter On

·        Select table columns using Settings and define their sequence and the general settings for the table layout

Functions

The planning modeler provides the following functions:

...

·        InfoProvider selection, characteristic relationship and data slice assignments, selection, modification, and creation of InfoProvider of type aggregation level

You define the corresponding settings on the InfoProvider und Aggregation Levels tab pages in the planning modeler.

Tab Page	More Information
InfoProviders	The InfoProvider defines the data basis for the planning. This involves real-time-enabled InfoCubes and MultiProviders. You can define permitted combinations of characteristic values in the form of characteristic relationships and create data slices for data you want to protect for real-time-enabled InfoCubes. For more information, see Characteristic Relationships, Data Slices. On the Settings tab page, you can set a Key Date as the standard key date for planning. If time-dependent objects, such as attributes or hierarchies, are used in objects of the planning model, you can also refer to the standard key date for planning there. In this way, you can ensure that a uniform key date is used in the planning model. The objects in the planning model that are relevant for this are characteristic relationships, data slices and parameters of planning functions. See also Standard Key Date in Planning Functions.
Aggregation Levels	An aggregation level is a virtual InfoProvider that has been especially designed to be able to plan data manually or change it using planning functions. An aggregation level represents a selection of characteristics and key figures for the underlying InfoProvider and determines as such the granularity of the planning. You can create several aggregation levels for an InfoProvider and, therefore, model various levels of planning and, for example, hierarchical structures. Note, however, that aggregation levels cannot be nested. You can change an aggregation level by selecting InfoObjects in the lower part of the screen that are to be used or not to be used. For more information, see Aggregation Level.

The following InfoProviders are suitable to be the basis for an input-ready query:

·         The InfoProvider is an aggregation level that is defined on a real-time-enabled InfoCube (simple aggregation level).

·         The InfoProvider is an aggregation level that is defined on a MultiProvider (complex aggregation level). The following prerequisites must be fulfilled: the MultiProvider includes

·         at least one real-time-enabled InfoCube

·         no simple aggregation level

·         The InfoProvider is a MultiProvider that contains at least one simple aggregation level.

·        Creating and Changing Filters

With regards to the underlying InfoProvider, filter objects are global objects to restrict the dataset that can be used in queries and planning functions. Filters are required when you want to use a planning function in a planning sequence.

You define the corresponding settings on the Filter tab page.

Tab Page	More Information
Filters	You can restrict selected characteristics of the InfoProvider to single values, value ranges, hierarchy nodes, history, or favorites and determine whether they can be changed or not when you execute them. For more information, see Filter.

·        Creating and Changing Planning Functions and Planning Sequences

You define the corresponding settings on the Planning Functions and Planning Sequences tab pages.

Tab Page	More Information
Planning Functions	The system offers you predefined planning functions to select from. You can create the following types of planning functions: ·        Unit conversion ·        Generated combinations ·        Formula ·        Copy ·        Delete ·        Delete invalid combinations ·        Repost ·        Repost by characteristic relationships ·        Revaluation ·        Distribute by reference data ·        Distribute by key ·        Currency translation You can use FOX formulas for complex tasks, or you can define your own types of planning functions using an Exit in ABAP. For more information, see Planning Functions.
Planning Sequences	You can determine steps for the input templates or for a planning function by selecting the required aggregation level, filter, and planning function (where necessary). For more information, see Planning Sequences.

·        Creating and Changing Variables

Variables can be used in different areas of the planning model and in queries (see Variables). The system offers provides you with the variable wizard wherever it makes sense for you to use variables:

¡        When defining characteristic relationships and data slices (InfoProvider tab page)

¡        When defining filters (Filter tab page)

¡        To parameterize planning functions (Planning Functions tab page)

¡        To parameterize queries (in the BEx Query Designer)

Planning Wizard

To help you use planning modeling for the first time, the planning wizard offers support with an assistant that leads you through a simple scenario starting with one InfoProvider.

The cover the following steps:

Step	More Information
InfoProviders	You can select an InfoProvider. (You cannot, however, define characteristic relationships, data slices, and settings.)
Aggregation Level	You create one or more aggregation levels.
Filters	You create one or more filters.
Planning function	You create one or more planning functions.
Test Environment	The system integrates your planning model into a planning sequence. You can then execute this in the test environment.

Prerequisites

You require real-time-enabled InfoCubes as data stores. You have created these InfoCubes in the Data Warehousing Workbench. For more information, see Real-Time InfoCubes.

Process Flow

...

       1.      You choose the appropriate InfoProvider.

       2.      You create one or more aggregation levels.

       3.      You create one or more filters.

       4.      You create one or more planning functions.

       5.      You create a planning sequence.

       6.      You test the planning model.

Result

You have created a planning model on the basis of which you can now run input-ready queries and automatic planning functions.

For more information, see Definition of an Input-Ready Query.