Settings for Leading-Indicator-Based Forecasting 

To use leading-indicator-based forecasting, you must make the following settings:

Customizing

●      Execute the IMG activity Define Leading Indicators. In this activity, you define the leading indicators and leading indicator groups that you wish to use for leading-indicator-based forecasting.

For more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Advanced Planning and Optimization under Supply Chain Planning → Service Parts Planning (SPP) → Forecasting → Define Leading Indicators.

●      In the forecast profile, you define a service profile for the preparation service for leading-indicator-based forecasting. The preparation service for leading-indicator-based forecasting determines sales histories for your leading indicators and historical values for the coefficient. In the service profile for the preparation service, you specify on the basis of which data the system is supposed to run the preparation service for leading-indicator-based forecasting.

For more information, see the IMG for Advanced Planning and Optimization under Supply Chain Planning → Service Parts Planning (SPP) → Forecasting → Define Forecast Service Profiles.

●      You schedule the planning service SPP: Prep. Srvce for LI-Based Fcsting (SPP_LFI_SERVICE) in the Planning Service Manager (PSM). 

You define the selection and the process profile for this planning service at product level.

For more information, see Use of the Planning Service Manager for Service Parts Planning.

●      In the forecast profile, set the Consider Leading Indicator flag for all forecast functions for which you wish to use leading-indicator-based forecasting. You can use leading-indicator-based forecasting for the following forecast functions:

○       Forecast

○       Disaggregation

○       Forecast (StdDev.)

○       Forecast Approval

For more information about the forecast service profile, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Advanced Planning and Optimization under Supply Chain Planning → Service Parts Planning (SPP) → Forecasting → Define Forecast Service Profile.

Forecast Profile

You get to the forecast profile on the SAP Easy Access screen under Advanced Planning and Optimization → Service Parts Planning (SPP) → Planning → Forecasting.

●      For all location products for which you want to use leading-indicator-based forecasting, you specify the leading indicator you wish to use. You do this on the Leading Indicator tab page in the forecast profile. In the Leading Indicator field, you can select one of the leading indicators that you have created in the IMG activity Define Leading Indicators. To restrict the selection of leading indicators, you can specify one of the leading indicator groups that you created in the IMG activity Define Leading Indicators in the Leading Indicator Group field. In this case, the input help for the Leading Indicator only displays those leading indicators that are included in this leading indicator group.

●      You define a forecast profile for all leading indicators that you wish to use for leading-indicator-based forecasting. To do so, select the Leading Indicator entry in the Forecast Profile field in the forecast profile.

●      You define a forecast profile for the coefficient that the system uses for leading-indicator-based forecasting. To do so, select the Coefficient entry in the Forecast Profile field in the forecast profile.

BI System in SAP SCM

Ensure that the following information about your equipment is available in the Business Intelligence system (BI system) in SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM):

●      Key figures for your installed bases in InfoCube 9AIBASKF

●      Key figures for the bills of material in your equipment in data store object 9AEQBOM

●      Master data information about your equipment in characteristic 0EQUIPMENT

Under Load Equipment Data from SAP ERP to SAP SCM via SAP BI   you find an example of how you can load equipment data from SAP ERP into SAP SCM via the BI System.