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Function documentation Input-Ready Query  Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

Use

You can use input-ready queries to create applications for manual planning. These can range from simple data entry scenarios to complex planning applications.

Integration

You define queries for manual planning in BEx Query Designer (see Defining New Queries).

In Web Application Designer or BEx Analyzer, you can combine input-ready queries with other queries and planning functions to create complex planning applications.

Prerequisites

You can define an input-ready query on any of the following InfoProviders:

      Aggregation levels (see Aggregation Level)

      MultiProviders that include at least one simple aggregation level

The aggregation levels are created in the Planning Modeler. MultiProviders are defined in the modeling functional area in Data Warehousing Workbench.

Features

Input-Ready Query Definition

Once you have defined a query on one of the InfoProvider types listed above, you see the Planning tab page under the Properties of structural components (in key figures or restricted key figures, for example). You can use the options here to set which structural components of an input-ready query you want to be input ready at runtime. For structural components that are not input ready, you can also set whether they are viewed as data not relevant for locking or are just protected against manual entry.

For the structural components, you also have the following options:

Input Readiness of Structural Components of a Query

Option

Description

Not input ready (not relevant for locking)

The structural components are not locked for exclusive access by a single user because a large number of users use this data as a reference (for actual data, for example).

This is the default setting.

Not input ready (relevant for locking)

If you want to protect structural components against manual entries, but allow changes by planning functions, you can use locks to protect this data for one particular user. This allows you to ensure that the planning function works with the displayed data only and not with data that has been changed by other users.

Input ready (relevant for locking)

The data is locked for a user and is input-ready for manual planning.

Note

These default settings can be overridden by the system state, for example if no disaggregation takes place (see below).

You can also set whether to start an input-ready query in change mode or in display mode. This property is in the Query Properties on the Planning tab page. If there is at least one input-ready query component, the query is started in display mode provided that no setting has been made to the contrary.

Note

The Start Query in Display Mode setting overrides the default settings about whether data can be changed. If you set the structural component so that the data is input-ready and relevant for locking, but the Start Query in Display Mode setting is activated in the query properties, the query will not be input-ready when it is started. The user can activate input-readiness at runtime, and the settings specified here take effect for the structural component.

Note

In BI applications that use input-ready queries as data providers, you can enter data manually at runtime. More information: Performing Manual Planning and Creating Planning Applications.

Disaggregation (Also Called Top-Down Distribution)

In input-ready queries, only cells on the detail level for the aggregation level can normally be changed. Any cells that contain aggregated values, such as in results rows or inner hierarchy nodes, are not input ready. To be able to change an aggregated value, the value must be disaggregated in all data records that are related to this aggregated value.

Note

Disaggregation cannot be performed with the Unit characteristic for a key figure or with characteristic 0INFOPROV. The Unit characteristic for the key figure and 0INFOPROV are therefore also required characteristics for structural components with disaggregation. They therefore always have to be set for the input-readiness of a cell.

Disaggregation Settings

Setting

Description

No Disaggregation

The values for the structural component are not disaggregated. Cells that contain values aggregated at the aggregation level cannot be changed.

Disaggregate Value Entered

You can change cells that contain values aggregated at the aggregation level. The newly entered value is distributed to all data records that contribute to the changed cell. The type of distribution depends on your specifications, as described below.

Disaggregate Difference

You can change cells that contain values aggregated at the aggregation level. The difference between the old and the newly entered value is distributed to all data records that contribute to the changed cell. The type of distribution depends on your specifications, as described below.

Distribution Types for Disaggregation

Distribution Type

Description

Equal Distribution

The distribution is made evenly across all data records that contribute to the changed cell (including data records with zero values).

Analog Distribution (Self-Reference)

Distribution is the same as all data records that contribute to the changed cell.

Analog Distribution (With Reference to Following Structure Element)

You can define a structure element as a reference. Distribution is the same as all data records that contribute to the corresponding cell of this referenced structure element. You can only select a structural component from the same structure as the reference for analog distribution.

More information: Performing Manual Planning and Disaggregation (Top-Down Distribution).

Input-Ready Formulas

To be able to change values for formulas (like Average Price as a quotient of Amount and Quantity), you can make formulas input ready. To do this, go to the Data part of the Planning tab page and select Input-Ready (lock-relevant) for the formula in question.

The input-ready formula becomes the carrier of a formula group. In our example, the group is made up of quotient Average Price and the two operands Amount and Quantity. A rule needs to be defined in the form of an inverse formula for every input-ready formula operand. This rule defines how the system calculates back to this operand whenever the value for the Average Price is changed. To do this, choose Create Inverse Formulas from the context menu. By double-clicking on an inverse formula, you can call the Change Formula screen. Define the rules for the recalculation.

Note

More information: Examples: Inverse Formula and Defining Inverse Formulas.

For more information about input-ready and inverse formulas at runtime, see Performing Manual Planning and Inverse Formulas and Examples: Inverse Formulas at Runtime.

Example

Input-Ready Query Definition

You want to create an input-ready query for manual planning for a plan-actual comparison of revenues for a set of products. You want the plan data in a real-time InfoCube and the actual data in a standard InfoCube.

...

       1.      Create a MultiProvider that includes the InfoCubes for the plan and actual data.

       2.      Define an aggregation level on the MultiProvider that contains characteristic Product and key figure Revenue.

       3.      On the aggregation level, create two restricted key figures Plan Revenue and Actual Revenue. Choose characteristic 0INFOPROV and restrict it to the plan or actual InfoCube.

       4.      Add the restricted key figures to the key figure structure. Insert Product into the rows. For Plan Revenue, choose Input Ready (Relevant for Locking) for the input-readiness option. For Actual Revenue, choose Not Input Ready (Not Relevant for Locking).

       5.      In the query properties, set the flag to define whether the queries are started in display or change mode as required.

Example of an Input-Ready Query

Product

Plan Revenue

Actual Revenue

P01

 

20

P02

 

30

Note

If you want to keep actual and plan data in a real-time InfoCube, you do not require a MultiProvider for the task described above. Create an aggregation level on the InfoCube and define the input-ready query for the aggregation level. In the example above, a version characteristic acts as the InfoProvider. Create restricted key figures with the plan or actual version and proceed as in the previous example.

More Information

You can find examples of how disaggregation is used in Disaggregation (Top-Down Distribution).

For examples of how to use inverse formulas, see Examples: Inverse Formulas.

 

 

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