Generating SAP IBP Formulas Using Planning Assistance

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to understanding AI-Assisted Planning for SAP IBP Formula

AI-Assisted Planning in SAP IBP, Microsoft Excel add-in

You can use AI-assisted planning (Planning Assistance) in the planning view of the SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP) add-in for Microsoft Excel to automatically generate SAP IBP formulas or formatting rules within your planning views.

With Planning Assistance, you can provide natural language instructions to create formulas or formatting rules without needing to know the technical details behind them.

Capabilities

Planning Assistance can generate SAP IBP formulas for:

  1. Specific member values using the IBPMEMBER function.
  2. All members of a specific dimension using the IBPDIMENSIONMEMBERS function.
  3. Header labels using the IBPHEADER function.

Steps to access Planning Assistance and generate formulas:

  1. Right-click a cell or multiple cells in header area of planning view.
  2. Select Planning Assistance from the context menu.
  3. Choose generate Formulas, then in the window that opens, describe the formula you want to generate like difference between key figures.

You can also include a name for your formula in the description. If you don’t provide a name, Planning Assistance automatically generates one.

Note

To use AI-assisted planning feature, you must have a valid license for the Joule Premium for Supply Chain Management package. Additionally, the required permissions are assigned to enable the use of SAP IBP formula and planning assistance functionalities.

Example of AI-Generated SAP IBP formulas

Example of AI-Assisted Planning in SAP IBP, Microsoft Excel Add-in

Below are few use cases to generate AI-Assisted SAP IBP formula generation.

  • Simple calculation of two key figures : Calculate difference between two key figures across time horizon
  • Sum for specific time periods : Display sum of first three months
  • Delta between time periods : Display delta between the values of a key figure between current and previous period.

Exercise 9: Create SAP IBP Formulas using AI-Assisted Planning for Microsoft Excel add-in

Business Example

In a scenario where the Sales Forecast is updated interactively within the planning view, AI-assisted planning formulas can be utilized to enhance visibility and analysis. The objective is to display the delta between the Sales Forecast Quantity and the Consensus Demand Quantity, indicating the variance between the two values, and to calculate the month-on-month change in the Sales Forecast Quantity across the planning horizon.

Prerequisites

Note

When the data values for the exercise include ##, replace ## with the group number that had been provided to you.

Steps

  1. Using the ChartVBA_Embedded template, create a new planning view containing Consensus Demand and Sales Forecast Qty key figures for next 12 months for your products for the Series2 product subfamily.

    1. If you have the favorite from the previous exercise open, close it, and in the Planning View section of the SAP IBP ribbon, choose New ViewFrom Template. Then from the drop-down, select the ChartVBA_Embedded template.

    2. Choose MonthTime Periods starting from the current period to 12 months in the future, for example, Oct ‘24 to Sep ‘25.

    3. Select Attributes and choose Product Sub-Family.

    4. Select Key Figures and choose the following key figures:

      • Consensus Demand.

      • Sales Fcst Qty.

      • Choose a Currency To ID as EUR.
      • Choose a Unit of MeasureTo ID as EA.
    5. Select the Filter Menu, choose the previously created filter My Group Products ##. Now click Add Attribute, and then select the Product Sub-Family and select the value Series 2 and clickOk.

    6. Choose OK to view the report.

    7. Hide the graph by selecting the Collapse button in cell A3.

  2. Create SAP IBP Formula using AI-assisted planning feature to calculate difference between Consensus Demand and Sales Forecast Quantity and display it in SAP IBP Excel Add-in.

    1. Right-click a cell containing the Consensus Demand key figure in the planning view to open the context menu.

    2. From the context menu, choose Planning Assistance → Generate Formatting.A pop-up window will appear to Generate Formatting with Planning Assistance.

    3. In the window that appears, enter text as Calculate the difference between this key figure and Sales Fcst Qty.

    4. Choose Generate Button.

    5. Planning assistance generates a SAP IBP formula that calculates the difference between the two key figures and is added after theSales Fcst Qty key figure of each planning combination.

    6. You can also verify the formula generated by AI-assisted planning feature. In the Planning view section of the SAP IBP ribbon, choose Edit ViewEdit Planning view. Then, select the Formulas tab to view the generated formula.

    7. Choose OK to return to the Planning view.

  3. Create SAP IBP Formula using AI-assisted planning feature to calculate the month-on-month change of in the Sales Fcst Qty and display it in SAP IBP Excel Add-in.

    1. Right-click a cell containing the Sales Fcst Qty key figure in the planning view to open the context menu..

    2. From the context menu, choose Planning Assistance → Generate Formatting.A pop-up window will appear to Generate Formatting with Planning Assistance.

    3. In the window that appears, enter text as Calculate Month-on-Month change for Sales Fcst qty Key Figure.

    4. Choose Generate Button.

    5. Planning assistance generates a SAP IBP formula that calculates the difference Month-on-Month change in Sales Fcst qty Key figure across the planning horizon.

      The key figure value calculation will commence from next month; no values will be calculated for the current month.

    6. You can also verify the formula generated by AI-assisted planning feature. In the Planning view section of the SAP IBP ribbon, choose Edit ViewEdit Planning view. Then, select the Formulas tab to view the generated formula.

    7. Choose OK to return to the Planning view.

    8. To save your planning view as Favorite, choose Favorites and choose Add.

    9. Enter a relevant name for your Favorite, and choose Add.