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Function documentationMerging Transaction Data

 

You can merge consumption data, stocks, and order proposals of a substitution product and the related original product for the forecast and requirements calculation. The objective here is to take into account in automatic replenishment planning, the special characteristics of consumption and stock data following a product substitution.

Integration

The system uses the merged data for the forecast and requirements calculation.

Forecast

In order to be able to create an exact forecast, the system considers the historical sales data of the original product together with the sales data of the substitution product.

Requirement Calculation

In order to be able to carry out an exact requirements calculation from the switchover date, the system considers the stock information and order proposal quantities of the original product together with the corresponding data of the substitution product.

Merging operation

The system evaluates the following for this:

  • the master data saved in the substitution assignment for example, the conversion factors.

  • the substitution merge profile

    • You define in the profile if the system is to merge transaction data, and if so which data - if it is only to merge in the case of follow-up relationships, only with replacement relationships, or with both.

    • You determine the follow-up time measured in days following a switchover or a switch back.

    Note Note

    • The system always merges the data with the substitution merge profile that is valid at the time of merging. Therefore, changes to the substitution merge profile have no effect on already existing merge results.

    End of the note.

  • the switchover information

    The system searches the switchover and switch back information for an active entry.

    Caution Caution

    In the case of switchover information without substitution merge profile, there is no merging.

    End of the caution.
Calculation of the merge period

SAP F&R determines the merge period on import of the switchover information and also on creation and enrichment of the switchover information. The system limits the merging of the transaction data to a time span that starts with the switchover date and where the end dates are different depending on the substitution control:

  • for the follow-up product, event and time-controlled:

    The end of the merge period is derived from the switchover date plus follow-on period. With event-controlled, the merge period can be set up to the end of the switchover period.

  • for the replacement product, event-controlled:

    The end of the merge period is derived from the switch back date plus follow-on period.

    The following graphic illustrates the relationship between the switchover period and the merge period.

Caution Caution

  • The merge period must not necessarily lie within the switchover period. With substitution control follow-up product, time-controlled, the merge period can lie outside the switchover period.

  • You specify the follow-up time in accordance with your business requirements. For example, it may be appropriate, in the case of perishables, not to have any follow-on time.

End of the caution.
DIF occurrences

Using the substitution merge profile, you control the creation of DIF occurrences for replacement relationships. You can define whether the program for creation and enrichment of switchover information is to create DIF occurrences for the replacement product, the original product, or for both. For more information, see DIF Occurrences on Product Substitution.

Prerequisites

You have fulfilled the prerequisites for product substitution in the forecast and requirements calculation.

Features

As part of product substitution, you have the following options for preparing the data for replenishment planning:

  • For planning of the follow-up product, following a switchover from the original product to the follow-up product, you can merge the transaction data of the follow-up product with the data of the original product. For more information, see Merging the Transaction Data of Follow-Up Products.

  • For planning of the original product, following a switchover from the original product to the replacement product, you can merge the transaction data of the original product with the data of the replacement product. If the replacement product is contained in the assortment, you can plan the original and replacement products with the merged data. For more information, see Merging the Transaction Data of Replacement Products.

  • You can display the merge results for consumption and stock data in the following places:

Note Note

The actual transaction data remain unchanged even after merging. The system also provides the merged transaction data in addition and uses it in the forecast and requirements calculation as current data.

End of the note.