Precalculating Value Sets
The distribution type Precalculate Value Set allows you to fill variables of the type precalculated value sets with values for characteristic values in the background. In addition, the precalculated value sets are available as variable values in BEx queries.
The following cases are typical examples of where precalculated value sets are executed in the background:
- When analyzing target groups, since you can specify a fixed value
- When complex selections are involved, such as top N queries, which are used to greatly improve query performance
- Instead of variables that are filled from a query result
The query must contain the characteristic for which the variable is to be the placeholder.
You have created a broadcast setting for the required query and you have chosen the distribution type Precalculate Value Set. The output format is Value Set.
See also:Creating Broadcast Settings
Specifying the Language and User-Specific Settings
On the User/Language tab page, you can specify for the background processing of the broadcast setting which language, authorizations, and user-specific settings are to be used to generate the scheduled document.
See also:Specifying the Language and User-Specific Settings
Defining Value Sets and Selecting Characteristics
On the Precalculation tab page, you can enter the technical name and the description of the value set and choose the characteristic on which the value set is to be based:
- Value Set: You can enter the technical name for the value set manually or use a text variable by choosing
with the quick info text Attach Text Variable.If a value set already exists under this technical name, it is overwritten.
NoteIf you want the technical name of the value set to be identical to the technical name of the broadcast setting, use the SETTING_ID text variable.
- Subject: You can enter a description of the e-mail manually or use a text variable by choosing
with the quick info text Attach Text Variable.We recommend including the technical name of the broadcast setting (text variable SETTING_ID) in the description to make it easier to find the broadcast setting again later.
See also:Using Text Variables
- Characteristic: Select the required characteristic. The value set is precalculated based on this characteristic.
A value set that has been precalculated in the background is essentially a query with the following properties:
- The key figure structure is in the columns.
- The characteristic that you have selected in the broadcast setting is in the rows. All the other characteristics are aggregated.
The precalculated value set displays the value of a variable of type Precalculated Value Set from the selected characteristic.
As a result of background processing, you can use the precalculated value set in a characteristic value variable. You create a characteristic value variable in the BEx Query Designer using the variable editor. Under Details,you specify that the variable represents a precalculated value set. The value of this variable is the technical name of the value set specified in the broadcast setting. You enter the technical name on the Default Values tab page. The variable can be input ready and you can select different value sets on the variable screen at query runtime.
You can also manually enter variables of type Precalculated Value Set on the variable screen. To do this, enter the technical name of the value set specified in the broadcast setting.
Note that for technical reasons, you cannot use variables that represent a precalculated value set in restricted key figures or in selection structure elements.
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