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Background documentationDefining Advanced Execution Times with Period Functions Locate this document in the navigation structure

 

SAP CPS features rich calendaring possibilities; time windows offer great flexibility while remaining easy to define. However, sometimes complex calculations are required to determine if certain conditions are met for a time window to be open, Easter for example. For this matter it is possible to create period functions. Period functions are boolean functions used in time windows that calculate when a time window is supposed to be open or closed. Period functions are complex functions written in RedwoodScript, stored in the Repository, that are used in time windows to calculate the dates and times that a time interval is open.

When you import SAP Calendars (like the Factory and Holiday calendars), these become available as period functions.

The following period functions are built-in:

Period Function

Description

SAP_FactoryCalendar

Use the SAP calendar from an SAP instance to schedule jobs; the calendaring data needs to be imported from the instance

SAP_HolidayCalendar

Use the SAP calendar from an SAP instance to schedule jobs; the calendaring data needs to be imported from the instance

System_Easter

Calculates Easter or Easter-based holidays

System_FiscalPeriods

Calculates open days based on periods in a fiscal year.

You can create your own period functions, however, since they are very complex, you should contact SAP for more information.

Note Note

You need the scripting module, which requires the Module.Scripting license key, to be able to create period functions.

End of the note.
Actions

Period functions support the following actions:

Action

Description

Export

Export the period function into a CAR file

Edit

Edit the period function

Edit Security

Edit the security of the period function

Delete

Delete the period function

Duplicate

Make a copy of the period function to create a similar one

Expand All

Expand all period functions in the current filter

New

Create a new period function

Filter > New Filter

Create a new period function filter

Filter > Edit Filter

Edit current period function filter

Filter > Delete

Delete current period function filter
Easter Period Function

The easter period function accepts one dayNumber parameter, which is the offset to easter Sunday.

No parameter or daynumber=0 means easter Sunday.

SAP Calendars

AP calendars are imported and converted to period functions to be used in time windows. Period functions of SAP calendars take arguments, as the factory calendar, for example, can include several different calendars, which all must have a unique calendar id.

SAP Calendar period functions accept the following arguments:

  • calendar=<SAP Instance> <Calendar ID>

Parameter

Description

<SAP Instance>

The SAP Instance Name

<Calendar ID>

The Calendar Id, usually two characters, can be found in the output file of the SAP_ImportCalendar job.

You should only specify instances for which you have imported the calendar with the SAP_ImportCalendar job definition and the specific calendar ID must exist in that SAP instance. Use the Opens at tab of the time window edit screen to make sure you are using the correct values.

Fiscal Period Function

The fiscal period function is used to calculate open days based on the fiscal year, both US and ISO-8601 fiscal years are supported. Fiscal years divide quarters in 1 five- and 2 four-week periods.

US style fiscal years start on January 1st. ISO-8601 fiscal years always start on Monday. The 4-5-4 fiscal period starts on the 2nd workday to the 6thworkday of each period.

Parameter

Description

Values

Default

week{1|2|3}

Specifies the number of weeks for the first, second and third period of the quarter

4 (period is 4 weeks long) 5 (period is 5 weeks long)

week1=4 week2=4 week3=5

weekday{From|To}

Specifies the day of the week.

1 (Sunday), 2 (Monday), 3 (Tuesday), 4 (Wednesday), 5 (Thursday), 6 (Friday), 7 (Saturday), 8 (Workday), 9 (Weekends), 10 (Workweek), 0 (Anyday)

weekdayFrom=8 (Workday) weekdayTo=1 (Sunday)

weekOrDay{From|To}

Specifies the number of the weekday in the period; if the number is larger than the number of days in the period, it specifies the last weekday.

1 (Sunday), 2 (Monday), 3 (Tuesday), 4 (Wednesday), 5 (Thursday), 6 (Friday), 7 (Saturday), 8 (Workday), 9 (Weekends), 10 (Workweek), 0 (Anyday)

weekOrDayFrom=1 (Sunday) weekOrDayTo=1 (Sunday)

isISOPeriod

Specifies the start of the year.

true (Monday) false (January 1st)

false (Year starts on Monday).

Note Note

The period function parameters are case-sensitive.

End of the note.
Finding Period Functions

You can search for period functions using filters and the Search Period Functions box on the Period Functions tab. This box is known as the intelliSearch box and located under your username on the top right-hand side of the user interface. Filters allow you to specify a list of objects with static criteria. IntelliSearch allows you to specify complex queries in a simple way using prefixes. Prefixes are used to specify which property you are searching in and have short and long syntaxes. For example, if you want to display all period functions with the term import in the comment, you would use the search criteria as follows:

c:import

You can search more than one property, as follows:

c:import n:Bi

Note Note

No spaces should be entered before or after the colon (:).

End of the note.

See the Advanced Object Search for more information.

The following table illustrates the available prefixes for period functions:

Prefixes

Description

n, name

searches the name property

c, com, comment

searches the comment property

d, desc, description

searches the description property

a, app, application

searches the application property
Deleting Period Functions

You can only delete period functions when no other objects relate to them. For example, if there are time windows that use the period function, the period function cannot be deleted until all time windows that use it have been edited to not use it anymore. You can see all objects that relate to the period function in Related Objects in the lower detail pane and on the show page.

The table in related objects contains three columns:

  • Type - the type of objec with a link to itt

  • Related Object - the name of the object with a link to it

  • Used As - objects can sometimes be used in different roles

Security

Privilege

Description

PeriodFunction.Create

Create period functions

PeriodFunction.Delete

Delete period functions

PeriodFunction.Edit

Edit period functions

PeriodFunction.View

Access period functions

You can grant privileges on two levels, Access and Admin; a privilege granted on Admin level allows the grantee to grant the privilege to other users. These privileges can be granted system-wide, per partition or isolation group.

If you have the security module, which requires the Module.Security license key, you have an additional Security tab on the period function. It allows you to specify which users can access, edit, and delete the period function.

Example

In the following examples, tables illustrate the fields of the time window element that need to be filled, all other fields are left with their default values.

SAP Calendar Period Function Parameter

In this example, you want to have the time open on the fourth workday of the SAP Factory Calendar of every month. You need 3 time windows in this case. One that is always closed, one that uses the SAP Factory Calendar and one for the day shift.

Note Note

We need the TW_AlwaysClosed and TW_GermanFactoryCalendar time windows below because we want to force SAP CPS to use the SAP Calendar for determining and counting workdays, this way it takes public holidays into account.

End of the note.

You need to create a time window that is always closed. Only the following fields need to be specified:

Field

Value

Name

TW_AlwaysClosed

Is Calendar

true (checked)

You also need a time window to use the SAP Factory Calendar:

Field

Value

Name

TW_GermanFactoryCalendar

Is Calendar

true (checked)

The German factory calendar of the PR1 instance is used in a time window element as follows:

Field

Value

Period Function

SAP_FactoryCalendar

with parameters

calendar=PR1 de

The time window with the day shift is the one you will use in SAP CPS:

Field

Value

Name

SAP_4th_Workday

Is Calendar

true (checked)

If an open day is closed during

TW_AlwaysClosed

the shift this day

Forward

to the

4

open day in

TW_GermanFactoryCalendar
Easter Period Function

The following time window element defines Good Friday (Friday preceding easter).

Field

Value

Period Function

System_Easter

with parameters

daynumber=-2
Fiscal Period Function

Field

Value

Period Function

System_FiscalPeriods

with parameters

week1=4 week2=5 week3=4 weekOrDayFrom=2 weekdayFrom=8 weekOrDayTo=6 weekdayTo=8 isISOPeriod=true