Using Advanced Manual Planning

In SAP Analytics Cloud, when you enter or change data on a parent member in a table cell, the value is redistributed to leaf members. This process is called disaggregation.

Any data entered for the parent member is not stored in the related model, so you only enter the node value into the data cell when performing disaggregation. These disaggregated values of the leaf members are stored in the model when you save the data.

Generally speaking, in planning models the data is stored for the leaf member of each dimension hierarchy. Parent members only show the aggregated values of their children, and don't contain values on their own.

Let's take a look at how disaggregation can be applied both proportionally and equally. In the business use case in this example, we need to disaggregate discounts.

The following filters have been applied to the story:

1. Existing discounts: The children of the Discounts account in Feb (2025) contain existing values that total 0.8m. In Mar (2025) no values are posted for Discounts.
2. New discounts: Values of 1m for Discounts in Feb (2025) and in Mar (2025) are entered.
3. Discounts disaggregated:
   • The delta of 0.2m is spread proportionally to Pricing Adjustments and Sale Allowances. Since every dimension in the model is restricted to leaf members in the table filter, only two records are updated.
   • The 1m entered for Discounts in Mar (2025) is disaggregated equally to the four children accounts because they don’t contain any data.
   

If you enter a value in an unbooked cell (a cell which displays a dash character (-) instead of a value), then the following rules are used to determine how to disaggregate the value along each dimension:

1. If the unassigned member (#) is available as a leaf member of the source cell, then this member receives the same value as the source cell and other members of the dimension remain unbooked.
2. If the unassigned member is not available, then in these cases, the value is spread to base members based on the dimension's aggregation type.

   This aggregation type is determined either by account or measure settings, depending on which has priority. When the account or measure has the default aggregation type, then all dimensions will use it for disaggregation. With an exception aggregation type defined, specific dimensions can use that aggregation type instead. Some reasons why the unassigned member may not be available:

   • It's filtered out of the table.
   • It doesn't aggregate up to the source cell.
   • It doesn't exist for dimensions such as Time and Account. In these cases, the value is spread to base members based on the dimension’s aggregation type.

The data disaggregation settings provide more control over how values are spread from parent members to leaf members. Disaggregation behaves differently based on these settings, for example, data locking prevents disaggregation to locked cells and validation rules prevent disaggregation for invalid combinations (due to relationship validation) leaf members that would otherwise normally receive values.

While there are a few ways that you can get more control over disaggregation while planning in a table, in general, disaggregation is typically controlled by either filtering the data table so that input cells only represent leaf members or by using the Data Aggregation model settings.

In this lesson, we use data locking to demonstrate data disaggregation. In the model, Data Aggregation Based on Data Locking is enabled and in the data table, Data Locking is applied in the Builder panel.

Performance Considerations for Data Disaggregation: The data disaggregation settings provide more control over how values are spread from parent members to leaf members, however, enabling it may impact on performance. While speed might be gained by a more focused disaggregation and a reduced number of facts changed, the evaluation of locks and validation rules during disaggregation might add to the overall run-time due to increased dependency checks.

Visit the SAP Help Portal to find additional information about the following topics:

• Planning Model Settings for Data Disaggregation.
• Disaggregation of Values During Data Entry

Cell locks prevent data entry for specific table cells and are defined in the table. If you lock a table cell, then the value in that cell isn't updated when you change the data. Data locking prevents data entry and disaggregation won't update the cell.

When using cell locks, it's important to remember:

• They are saved with the story.
• They are page-specific.
• They are story-specific.
• They apply to everyone who accesses the same page in the same story.

In the following example, you can see two ways to set cell locks:

1. Lock Cell: You can set locks individually in the table by right-clicking a cell and choosing Lock Cell.
2. Value Lock Management: You can set locks on multiple cells by using the Value Lock Management panel.

In the Value Lock Management panel, you can:

1. View all locks: View existing locks and their priority in Value Lock Order. Locks can be reordered to change their priority or removed.
2. Set new lock: Create a new lock by selecting Create Lock.
3. Clear locks: Clear all locks at once.
4. Reset priority: Reset the lock order. By default, data entry processes have lower priority than cell locks. If you want to give data entry processes higher priority, you can change the order of the locks. In the Value Lock Order, you can drag a lock to change the priority.

Note

depending on your screen resolution, the Value Lock Management panel may be found in the option in the toolbar.

If you want to prevent input for a large range of cells but you don't want to prevent disaggregation, then you can use the Set/unset read only for selected cells option.

To use this option, follow these steps:

1. Highlight the cells that you want to disable for input.
2. Go to More in the Tools area of the toolbar.
3. Select Set/unset read only for selected cells.

Once applied, the selected cells are grayed out and data entry isn't possible.

When you save the story, the Set/unset read only for selected cells setting is retained.