Precalculating Value Sets 

Use

The distribution type Precalculated Value Set allows you to fill variables of the type precalculated value sets with values for characteristic values in the background. The precalculated value sets are then available as variable values in BEx queries.

The following cases are typical examples of where the execution of precalculated value sets in the background is used:

●     When analyzing target groups, because you can specify a fixed value

●     When complex selections are involved such as with top N queries, used to greatly improve query performance

●     Instead of variables that are filled from a query event (Replacement Path: Replacement from Query)

Prerequisites

The query must contain the characteristic that is the placeholder for the variables.

You have created a broadcast setting for the query you want and you have chosen the distribution type Precalculate Value Set. The output format is value set.

Features

For the precalculation of value sets, make the settings on the following tab pages:

User/Language

On the User/Language tab page you can determine for the background processing of the broadcast setting the language, authorizations and user-specific settings with which the scheduled document is to be generated.

For more information, see User/Language.

Precalculation

Enter the technical name and the description of the value set and choose the characteristic the value set is to be based on:

●     Value Set: Enter the technical name for the value set manually or use a text variable (choose  Attach Text Variable.

If a value set already exists under this technical name, it is overwritten.

If 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.

●     Description: Enter a description for the value set manually or use a text variable (choose  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. For more information, see 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 corresponds to 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 variable. You create a characteristic value variable in the Query Designer using the variable editor. Under Details you determine 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 in the Default Values tab page. The variable can be input ready and you can select different value sets in 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.

For more information, see the Variables section under Details and Default Values.