Preface

15

Target Audience

16

Structure of the Book

16

How to Read the Book

18

1 Introduction to SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation

21

1.1 Functionality at a Glance

21

1.1.1 Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting

23

1.1.2 Consolidation

27

1.1.3 Reporting and Analysis

28

1.2 Features at a Glance

30

1.3 Alternative Versions of SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation

34

1.3.1 SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation, Version for the Microsoft Platform

36

1.3.2 SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation, Version for SAP NetWeaver

36

1.4 Interfaces and Components

37

1.4.1 Web Client

37

1.4.2 EPM Add-in

48

1.4.3 SAP Graphical User Interface

84

1.5 Summary

90

2 System Modeling

91

2.1 Environments

92

2.2 Dimensions, Members, and Properties

94

2.2.1 Dimensions in Standard Environments

95

2.2.2 Dimensions in Embedded Environments

98

2.2.3 Dimension Members

101

2.2.4 Dimension Properties

101

2.2.5 Dimension Hierarchies

102

2.3 Models and InfoProviders

103

2.3.1 Models in Standard Environments

104

2.3.2 Models in Embedded Environments

108

2.3.3 Local Providers (Embedded)

112

2.4 SAP Business Warehouse Objects

116

2.4.1 InfoAreas

118

2.4.2 InfoCubes

120

2.4.3 MultiProviders

121

2.4.4 InfoObjects

123

2.5 Summary

129

3 Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting

131

3.1 Planning and Budgeting, and Forecasting Approaches

132

3.1.1 Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches

132

3.1.2 Driver-Based Planning Approach

133

3.2 Accessing the Existing Reports and Input Forms (EPM Add-in)

133

3.3 Entering Data for Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting (EPM Add-in)

140

3.3.1 Entering the Planning, Budgeting, or Forecasting Data

142

3.3.2 Adding Comments Using the EPM Add-in

150

3.3.3 Using Historical Data during Data Entry

156

3.4 Accessing the Existing Web Reports and Web Input Forms (Web Client)

158

3.5 Entering Data for Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting (Web Client)

163

3.5.1 Using the Web Client for Reporting and Planning

164

3.5.2 Formatting Options

168

3.5.3 Entering the Planning, Budgeting, or Forecasting Data

173

3.5.4 Adding Comments Using the Web Client (Standard)

176

3.6 Using Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting Functions (Standard)

181

3.6.1 Spread Function

182

3.6.2 Trend Function

186

3.6.3 Weight Function

190

3.7 Summary

193

4 Consolidation

195

4.1 Generating and Monitoring Consolidated Data

196

4.1.1 Currency Translation in Consolidation

200

4.1.2 Executing the Predefined Consolidation Rules

205

4.1.3 Changing Work Status after Currency Translation or Consolidation

208

4.1.4 Resetting the Status of Currency Translation or Consolidation

210

4.2 Managing and Executing Ownership Data for Consolidation

212

4.3 Validating Consolidated Data (Standard)

222

4.3.1 Executing Control Sets to Validate Data

223

4.3.2 Analyzing and Monitoring the Controls Validating Data

232

4.4 Managing Adjustments with Journals

238

4.4.1 Creating Adjustment Entries with Journals

239

4.4.2 Creating Journal Templates

249

4.5 Summary

254

5 Business Process Flows and Activities

257

5.1 Defining a Business Process Flow

259

5.1.1 Creating Process Templates

260

5.1.2 Creating Process Instances and Role Assignments for the Activities

288

5.2 Executing the Activities in a Predefined Business Process Flow Scenario

296

5.3 Process Monitor

306

5.4 Summary

312

6 Custom Reports

313

6.1 Creating a Custom Report in the EPM Add-in

314

6.1.1 Creating a Custom Report Using the EPM Pane

315

6.1.2 Creating a Custom Report Using the EPM Report Editor

320

6.1.3 Saving a Generated Report

328

6.2 Analyzing Data in the EPM Add-in

334

6.2.1 Expanding the Member for Drilling Down

334

6.2.2 Collapsing the Member for Drilling Up

337

6.2.3 Symmetrical Expand/Collapse Feature

339

6.2.4 Keeping the Members in a Data Set

341

6.2.5 Excluding the Members in a Data Set

342

6.2.6 Symmetrical Keep/Exclude Feature

343

6.3 Advanced Reporting Features (EPM Add-in)

345

6.3.1 Sorting Data

346

6.3.2 Filtering Data

348

6.3.3 Ranking Data

357

6.3.4 Formatting Reports

359

6.3.5 Using Excel Formulas with Local Members

365

6.3.6 Member Recognition

377

6.3.7 Linking Reports

379

6.4 Developing an Input Form for Data Entry (EPM Add-in)

381

6.5 Creating Custom Reports (EPM Add-ins for PowerPoint and Word)

383

6.5.1 Inserting Data

386

6.5.2 Inserting Members

388

6.5.3 Inserting Comments

390

6.6 Creating Web-Based Ad Hoc Reports (Web Client)

391

6.6.1 Defining the Data Grid

392

6.6.2 Configuring the Context

395

6.6.3 Saving a Generated Report

398

6.6.4 Editing the Existing Reports

399

6.7 Analyzing Data (Web Client)

399

6.7.1 Expand the Member for Drilling Down

399

6.7.2 Collapse the Member for Drilling Up

400

6.8 Developing a Web Input Form for Data Entry (Web Client)

403

6.9 Dashboard Reporting (Standard)

406

6.10 Reporting from Other SAP Business Intelligence Solutions for Plan-Actual Variance Analysis or Other Requirements

409

6.11 Summary

412

7 System Reports

415

7.1 Accessing the System Reports

415

7.2 Business Process Flow-Related Reports

417

7.2.1 Operation Report (Standard)

418

7.2.2 Instance Report

425

7.2.3 Activity Report

428

7.3 Security-Related Reports (Standard)

431

7.3.1 Users Report

431

7.3.2 Teams Report

435

7.3.3 Task Profiles Report

439

7.3.4 Data Access Profiles Report

442

7.4 Audit-Related Reports

444

7.4.1 Data Changes Report

445

7.4.2 Administration Activity Report (Standard)

452

7.5 Other System Reports

456

7.5.1 Comments Report (Standard)

457

7.5.2 Work Status Report

460

7.5.3 Performance Statistics Report (Standard)

463

7.6 Summary

468

8 Advanced SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation Tasks

469

8.1 Accessing the Administration Menu

469

8.2 Environment Management

473

8.2.1 Creating an Environment with Reference (Standard)

475

8.2.2 Creating an Environment without Reference (Embedded)

477

8.2.3 Changing the Descriptions of Environments

478

8.2.4 Changing the Environment Status (Standard)

480

8.2.5 Viewing the User Activity (Standard)

482

8.2.6 Setting the Template Version (Standard)

483

8.2.7 Deleting an Environment

484

8.3 Dimension Management

485

8.3.1 Creating New Dimensions (Standard)

488

8.3.2 Creating New Dimensions (Embedded)

509

8.3.3 Processing Dimensions

521

8.3.4 Copying Dimensions

523

8.3.5 Deleting Dimensions

524

8.4 Model Management

526

8.4.1 Creating a Model (Standard)

528

8.4.2 Creating a Model (Embedded)

539

8.4.3 Assigning New Dimensions to Existing Models

551

8.4.4 Copying Models (Standard)

554

8.4.5 Optimizing Models (Standard)

556

8.4.6 Deleting Models

558

8.5 Security Management

560

8.5.1 Managing Users (Standard)

561

8.5.2 Managing Users (Embedded)

567

8.5.3 Managing Teams

569

8.5.4 Task Profiles (Standard)

576

8.5.5 Data Access Profiles

583

8.5.6 Managing Authorizations (Embedded)

589

8.6 Summary

591

Appendices

593

A Glossary

593

B The Author

601

Index

603