Distributing Data with the Planning Panel

In SAP Analytics Cloud, you can use the planning panel to quickly move values in a table to perform distributions.

We use the planning panel to demonstrate planning on multiple hierarchies, as we will plan at the country-level and use the planning panel to efficiently distribute the data to the stores.

The panel can help if you’re working on a task that’s too complex for basic data entry, but doesn’t need a structured data action. For example, you have an unassigned overhead cost that you want to spread to a few different cost centers. Or, you need to redistribute sales volumes among different regions without changing the total. These tasks are difficult with basic spreadsheet applications, but you can handle them quickly using the planning panel.

Select a source cell, and right-click to open the menu. Select Distribute Value to open the planning panel.

Once the planning panel is open, there are many ways that you can configure your distribution.

You can interact with the table while the planning panel is open. You can collapse or expand dimension members, set the drill level of a dimension, show/hide unbooked members, and show/hide rows and columns.

1. What amount?: Allows you to configure the source value as necessary.
   • Operation Type: You can choose between Distribute source amount to targets or Redistribute overall amount among targets.
   • Amount: Typing a new source values allows you to assign any amount without referencing a source cell.
   • Lock the source cell: If you have a value booked directly to a parent member, this option lets you spread it to its leaf members.
   • Select source cell: Selecting this icon will allow you to pick a different source cell from the table.
   • Book as additional amount: If selected, the operation won’t deplete the source cell. Instead of moving values from one place to another, you’ll just book the value to your targets.
2. Where to?: You can use a recommended operation, or customize your own.
   • Select the target cells using the Add Target icon. The target area can include cells on different levels of a hierarchy, from different members of multiple dimensions, and from different measures.
   • In Method: Choose whether to Overwrite existing target cell values, or Append the new values.
   • Use the Distribution Key to choose the driver for how to set the cell values from the following options:
     • Input Values: Add the exact target values, either in the table or in the panel.
     • Input Weights: Set proportional weights for each cell. For example, if you want to get weights from a different time period, you could copy and paste those values from the table.
     • Equally: Divide the source value equally among the cells.
     • Proportionally: Use the existing proportions between the cells.
3. With every selection you make in the planning panel, the table updates to preview the changes that you will make.
4. Select Apply to commit the changes and distribute/redistribute your values.

The planning panel provides recommendations for distribution based on your selected source value. The number of recommendation options depends on whether the source value is a parent with only children or a parent with siblings. In the following example, the planning panel is opened for the parent nodes of the entity. From the recommendation, Redistribute equally among Entity members one level below is selected and the recommendations are applied to the planning panel selections. Selecting Apply redistributes the values from the United States entity to all three entities in the table.

The planning panel can be used to adjust your revised annual budget. For example, if your travel expenses are higher than budgeted, then you can assign the variance to the upcoming forecast periods. This way, you’ll set new targets that reduce your costs enough to meet the budget for the year.

In the following example, the year-to-date variance is 17,543,670. In the planning panel, you enter -17,543,670 and choose Append. The forecast for July to December is reduced. The YTD expense variance is distributed to the remaining months so that no over-runs occur by the end of the year.