Exploring the SAP Analytics Cloud Planning Process

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the process phases and planning-related topics of SAP Analytics Cloud.

The Planning Process

Simplified planning process overview diagram with the prepare, plan (with predict and analyze), and finalize phases displayed.

The Planning Process

In this video, we'll take you through the planning process and its phases.

Summary

Prepare: Build planning models and dimensions, add planning objects such as data actions, create stories to perform planning, and set up and assign tasks and processes.

The Finalize Phase. Tasks are completed by users with the Planning Reporter role (build models and dimensions, add planning functionality, create stories, set up and assign tasks and processes).

Plan: Input data into the plan and publish the data to share it. There are often iterative changes in this part of the process as planners and stakeholders at different levels and in different departments collaborate on the plan.

The Planning Phase. Tasks are completed by users with the following roles: Planning Reporter (create and share private versions, enter data, share content) and Planning Viewer (comment and discuss)

Finalize: Review, approve, and publish the results. Lock data to prevent changes to the approved data.

The Finalize Phase. Tasks are completed by users with the following roles: Planning Reporter (submit data for calendar tasks, review and approve calendar tasks, publish version, and set data locks) and Planning Modeler (export planning data).

Overview of Planning-Related Topics

The following table contains a high-level overview of some of the planning-related topics you will need to understand when working in SAP Analytics Cloud planning.

TopicDescription
ConnectionsYou can:
  • Connect SAP Analytics Cloud to on-premise data sources.
  • Connect SAP Analytics Cloud to your cloud data sources.
Dimensions
  • Dimensions represent master data such as cost center, profit center, product, and account.
  • Dimensions contain members, descriptions, properties, and hierarchies.
  • Base members don't have children while parent nodes in a hierarchy do have children.
  • Public dimensions are shareable across multiple models while private dimensions are model-specific.
Disaggregation
  • Plan data can be entered by base member or by hierarchy parent node.
  • When data is entered by hierarchy parent node, the data is disaggregated to its children equally or in proportion to existing values.
Planning models
  • Planning models contain dimensions that are intended for unique types of planning such as sales, cost center accounting, human resources.
  • New type planning models require at least one measure such as local currency amount, but they could easily have several measures such as local currency amount, group currency amount, and quantity.
  • New type planning models will typically contain an account dimension even though it isn't technically required. Accounts in a planning model can represent general ledger accounts in an ERP system such as 411100 Revenue, 422000 Cost of Goods, and 799000 Annual Net Income. Accounts such as 911000 Number of People, 912000 Kilowatt Hours, and 913000 Labor Activity Price are also common.
  • When a new type planning model is created, the system automatically generates a version and date dimension specific to the model.
  • Date dimension: The (flexible) date dimension can be configured to represent calendar months or fiscal periods. Daily, weekly, monthly/period, quarterly, and annual planning levels of granularity are supported.
  • Version dimension: The version dimension is used to separate actual vs. plan data in the model.

High-level workflow: Import actual data into a planning model, copy data from the actual version into a plan version, perform planning stories, approve, and publish the results.

Data imports
  • Dimensional data can be imported from files or various source systems.
  • Transaction data can be imported from files or various source systems into planning models.
Data exports
  • Plan data can be exported.
  • Export data from planning models to various SAP source systems such as SAP Business Warehouse, SAP-Integrated Business Planning, and SAP S/4HANA.
Data locking
  • Used to protect data from changes.
  • When planning data is approved, prevent data changes by setting a data lock for the planning version and period/year.
Data point comments
  • Used to collaborate with team members.
  • As planning data is created or modified, comments can be added to the same data intersection to add context to the values.

Access Planning Activities

In SAP Analytics Cloud, planning-related objects can be accessed from the Navigation Bar.

SAP Analytics Cloud Home page with the Navigation menu open, displaying the planning options available.

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