SAP SOP Overview of Planning Tables

A brief overview of the planning table is required before deep diving into the subsequent topics or procedural steps. A planning table uses the planning type as created in the previous step. The planning type becomes the skeleton on which the data is held. The planning type brings in the key figures that are involved (which lie on left side of the screen) and the information structure used in creation of the planning type identifies the information structure thereby involving the required characteristics combinations (organizational levels) and the planning hierarchy to be used in planning.

It is possible to create multiple planning tables for the same information structure or planning type. 

A planning table is created with the use of the following data or information: 

• Planning type – 

A planning type should been already created before playing with the planning table. 

• Characteristics combinations (organizational levels) 

The planning hierarchy and the information structure used in creation of the planning type helps the system to know the characteristics combinations and the proportions between the levels. 

• Version of data that is stored in the information structure. 

With the information structure known through the planning type, the system should also know the “version number” of which the data is used to be pulled in the planning table.

The following procedural steps explain execution of the planning table for a given version and characteristics combinations. 

Step 1) Selection screen 

Enter the planning type 

Enter the characteristics combinations for which you want to create the planning table for. You may leave this blank

Enter the version number of the information structure data that is to be used in the planning table.

Enter the version number of the information structure data that is to be used in the planning table as shown above. Press enter to enter in to the planning table. Once you press enter, the planning table screen will be opened which would show you the data from the information structure for the key figures.   

Note - Before using the information structure, it is a nice idea to create and copy a new version – copying data of another version in to this version. In consistent planning, the data copied in to the new version would be that of the same information structure. There are also options to copy data of a version of a different information structure in to the version of your information structure. 

Initially if the planning table is executed for the Actual version 000, then the data from the information structure for the actual version will be pulled in, into the planning table. If the planning type is set for a start date of 01.2011, and the historical data is set to pull in the last 12 months, then the data from 01.2010 to 12.2010 will be displayed in the planning table. If you notice the screen below, the column for the month 01.2011 does not have any data since this month is in the future period and the information structure does not have any transactional data for this month (for the given version). 

The “Corrected order quantity” key figure is included in the planning table, since have configured the planning type to work with “events” (configuring events is explained in the next procedural step). 

The Planning Hierarchy can be graphically shown below. Keeping this planning hierarchy in mind, the planning table is explained in the below paragraphs. 

Step 2) Planning table screen 

In the planning table, the planner can maneuver between the characteristics levels, the planner can fix some of the key figure values so that they would not be changed during the aggregation and disaggregation process. 

The planning hierarchy levels and their selected values are shown in the planning table just above the key figure data. 

Moving between Planning levels or planning characteristics combinations: 

The button which is marked in “red box” is the “Details Button” (Shift + F5) and it can help the planner move down to the next level of details or the next level of characteristics combination in the hierarchy. 

In the below figure, after pressing the details button, the characteristics hierarchy has apparently moved from 3100 characteristics combination level to the 3100/10/21 characteristics combination level. Since the data remains the same up to this level, there is no change in the key figure values.  

When at the 3100/10/21 level (Sales Org/Dist Channel/Division Level), if the planner wishes to move across horizontally to check the data at other characteristics combinations like the 3100/40/22 level (which is another part of the total planning hierarchy), they can do so by using the horizontal arrows as shown by the buttons in the “Black Box” in the above figure. Though there are no key figure values for the 3100/40/22 level because of which the planning table shows no historical data.

Moving still below in the Planning hierarchy (to the material level): 

Staying at the 3100/10/21 level, if you want to drill down to the next level (the material level) you would once again press the hierarchy button or the detail button (Shift +  F5)                                                                                                  

Staying at the 3100/10/21 level, the planner can move to the next horizontal level to check the planning data at the material master ZUK_SOP_M2 material master level by pressing the horizontal arrows.

Going up to the higher characteristic combinations or hierarchical levels:

Similarly going up in the hierarchy of the characteristic combination can be achieved by pressing the “Total Button” (Shift + F4); this button is called the totals button since it is aggregating the key figures to the higher levels. 

Summing Values at a Characteristics Combination Level:

At a given characteristics combination hierarchical level, the planner can press the “green button” called the “Key Figure” button (CTRL +  F4) as shown below, which would sum the values at that a characteristics combination level and also show the sum of the below levels.  

The planner can again press the same button, to move out of the summing screen, which directs the summed details back to the characteristics combination level key figure data.  

The following are other salient features: 

• To deciding the number of decimal places and to allow Rounding of key figures data, the planner can press the F8 button or use the path – Settings > Places after Decimal Point. 

• To Firm or un-firm the key figure data, so that the disaggregation and aggregation will not change the same in consistent planning, the planner can use the path – Settings > Firming (Switch off Firming – CTRL + F6, Switch on – CTRL + F5). 

• The planner can copy data for a key figure from another information structure, using the copy data functionality by using the path – Extras > Copy Data. The copy of key figure data is made from the source information structure for a given period to the target information structure or the target planning screen. For example copy of sales quantities from the S076 structure to the concerned structure. 

• To check the capacity situation in a planning table, when the rough cut planning tool is used in SAP SOP, the planner can use the path – Views > Capacity Situation. 

• The planner can also transfer the data for the material level data as planned independent requirements, using the path Extras > Transfer to Demand Management. When the option is pressed, the planning table will be saved and then diverted to the transaction code MC90. The planner is the MC90 screen has to choose the periods from the information structure that is required to be transferred to demand management, the key figure data that is to be transferred, the requirement type, the version of planned independent requirements. 

If you observe the figure below (MC90 Screen shot) the plant data is empty, which means that the plant allocation quota is not set properly when the transfer was attempted from the planning table. The transfer of data to demand management is explained in detail in the document in the subsequent procedural steps. 

• To show row totals, the planner can use the path – Settings > Show Row Totals. 

• To check the header info, which shows the planning hierarchy levels, use the path – Settings > Choose header info. 

• The future period key figure data would initially be totally or have no key figure data at all till somebody enters the key figure values manually or till the forecasting feature is used to forecast future period key figure data through the use of using the historical data stored in the information structure.   

• The planner can transfer data to Microsoft excel, using the path – Extras > Microsoft Excel. 

• Using Events in the planning table 

• Forecasting Historical data in the planning table 

• Capacity Planning 

• Transfer to Demand Management 

• Transfer to COPA

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