demand planning configuration

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Demand Planning Configuration

The following are the basic Demand planning configuration steps:

1. Master Planning Object Structure2. Storage Bucket profile3. Time bucket profile4. Planning area5. Planning books and data view6. Forecast profile

All that above steps should be configured in sequence. In this document, I will present the required configuration steps in detail and also their relevancy with demand planning

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There are three types of master data in DP:

• Planning master data: BOMs, Routings, Material Masters, and Resources, that are required to generate supply plans. This data uses the CIF to populate SAP APO.

• BW Master Data: Data required for reporting that relates to Characteristics, such as Text, Attributes and Hierarchies. This data uses BW extractors to populate tables in SAP APO.

• Forecasting Master Data: Master data specifically for Demand Planning, called Characteristic value combinations. This data is created in SAP APO Demand Planning and stored in the Planning Object Structure.

In regards to Transactional Data, SAP APO will essentially store three types:

• OLTP: Current planning data from your R/3 system such as Sales Orders, Stock, Production/Purchase Orders. This data uses the CIF to populate SAP APO.

• BW: Historical transactional data on Sales orders, Production/Purchasing orders for forecasting or Analysis. This data uses BW extractors to populate InfoCubes in SAP APO.

• APO: Planning results from SNP, PP/DS, DEPL, TP/VS. This data is

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Before configuring the above said requirements, it is important to determine what the characteristics are and key figures are.

Let us take an example of Honda Company. The car by itself is a Finished Product and then the nature of the car (Product Category) like Sedan or an SUV and again it is further divided into standard luxury Sedan or a limited edition (Product Hierarchy) one and so on.

So if we look into the above example, Product, Product category, product hierarchy all form the Characteristics.

The Number of cars to be produced and the number of parts required to produce a car all form the key figures (Example 100 cars to be produced in Honda plant A, the 100 forms the key figure)

Characteristics and Key figures are usually defined in APO BW

All characteristics are selected in Planning Object structure and All Key figures are selected in Planning area of APO DP

Back to the configuration steps:

1. Master Planning Object Structure

Log on to your SAP-SCM system.

In your SAP Menu ->Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning ->Environment -> Administration of Demand Planning and Supply Network PlanningT.Code: /n/SAPapo/msdp_Admin


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Once in the screen, select from the selection list “Planning Object Structures” as shown below.

Now you will see the following objects:


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Note: The objects starting with 9A (9AAPOCRM, 9ACBAS) are SAP/System defined objects.

For our example let us create an object with the following characteristics

Planning Object Structure ZV_MPOS

1. Brand ZV_BRND2. Product 9AMATNR3. Location 9ALOCNO4. Customer ZV_CUST5. Sales org ZV_SORG

For the Key figures we would have to get back to planning area screen and copy some defined key figures from 9ADP01.From the drop-down menu, select Planning Area and then double click on the planning area 9ADP01


9ADPBAS is the standard planning object structure defined by SAP.9ADP01 is the standard planning area defined by SAP

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Click on the Key figs tab to see the available key figures.


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For our example, I have selected and re-named to the following

Planning Area ZV_PLGAR

1. ZV_DEPDM Dependent Demand2. ZV_TOTDM Total Demand Plan3. ZV_MANCOR Manual Correction4. ZV_PLNDPR Planned Price5. ZV_PROM1 Promotion 16. ZV_SLSFR Sales Forecast7. ZV_STFR1 Forecast (Stat.1)8. ZV_STFR2 Forecast (Stat.2)9. 9ATOTFC Total Forecast10. ZV_SLHIST Sales History11. ZV_MANFIX Fixing Values

To create the Planning Objects structure we first need to create the info objects in BW/BI (Business warehouse/Business Intelligence)

You have several ways to enter BW in SCM, from the same screen click on

or on the command line (in the Menu section) enter /o/rsa1 ->

or another way would

be to

SAP Menu ->Demand Planning ->Environment ->S_AP9_75000146- Data Warehousing workbench


In real time scenario it is always advisable to keep the Additional Field1-5 as it is. In future if you wanted to add any new key figure to the planning area, you can simply modify these buffer fields. Deleting now and adding a key figure manually later is a tedious work as system gets disturbed.

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Steps to create Info Objects in BI

1. Create Info area2. Create Info objects catalog3. Create info objects (characteristics and key figures)

To create Info area, right click on Info provider and select create info area

Enter the info area name and long descriptionFor our example,

Info area: ZV_infoareaLong Description: Info area for DP ractice


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This will create a transport object and should be treated as a transport request to be release via se09/se10

The next step is to create the info objects catalog

For this, select info objects, and right click on your info area and select create info objects catalog


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Next we need to create 2 infoobject catalogs, one for characteristics and another for key figures

In the next screen click on activate icon to activate the char info obj catalog.The system will ask for package details. For test purpose we shall assign it to /SAPapo/demand_planning


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Once the required info for the transport is entered and saved you would see the char info objects created as shown below

In the same manner create another catalog for Key figures. Once both are completed you should be able to see them under the infoobjects


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Next and the last step in this BI are to create info objects for the characteristics and keyfigures. (The characteristics that we discussed in the planning objects and keyfigures in the planning area are to be created here.)

Characteristics Key figuresBrand ZV_BRNDProduct 9AMATNRLocation 9ALOCNOCustomer ZV_CUSTSales org ZV_SORG

ZV_DEPDM Dependent DemandZV_TOTDM Total Demand PlanZV_MANCOR Manual CorrectionZV_PLNDPR Planned PriceZV_PROM1 Promotion 1ZV_SLSFR Sales ForecastZV_STFR1 Forecast (Stat.1)ZV_STFR2 Forecast (Stat.2)9ATOTFC Total ForecastZV_SLHIST Sales HistoryZV_MANFIX Fixing Values

In the same screen right click on the

In the next screen enter the characteristics that we would like to have

When creating characteristics select BW function.


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When creating Key figures select APO function.

Once you selected enter it would take you to the screen where you would enter the attributes of the characteristics like data type and Length.


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For ZV_BRAND, I have selected Char and length to be 10. Click on the activation icon on the top. You should be able to see that the Version and Object status are in Active state as shown in the fig.

Similarly create for other characteristics too.

For creating key figures, right click on the

And enter the Key figures that we have discussed.


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Enter the quantity and unit of currency in the next screen. Demand Planning is always with 0unit.


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Similarly create the same for other key figures.

Please note that the key figures can be added here at any point of time. But it should be avoided to change in the Master planning objects.

Once the BW part is complete, our next step is to create the Master Planning Object structure

In your SAP Menu ->Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning ->Environment -> Administration of Demand Planning and Supply Network Planning

T.Code: /n/SAPapo/msdp_Admin


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Once in select the Planning objects structure right click on the planning objects structure folder and create


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In the next screen enter the long text and also select the planning object structures.


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Once all the object structures are in, Activate. This inturn will activate an infocube in the same name in BW.

To check this click on the . Click on the Info provider and search for the Planning Object that you have created. In this case, “ZV_POS”

Double click on the instance and it will show

With this we complete the first step in Demand Planning i.e, Master Planning Object Structure

The next step is the creation of storage bucket profile.

2. Storage Bucket Profile


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The storage bucket profile is also called Periodicities for planning area.

The path for creating the storage bucket profile is SAP menu->Demand planning ->Environment->Current settings ->Periodicities for Planning AreaT.Code: /n/SAPapo/tr32

Here we enter at what period we would be planning the DP. Like weekly or monthly or yearly

For test purpose we will keep the horizon for 10 years.

The next step is the creation of Time bucket profile

3. Time bucket profile


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For this we need 2 types of profile, one for future and the other for history

So let us name the future as ZV_TBFUT and for history ZV_TBHIS

The path for creating Time bucket profile is SAP menu->Demand planning ->Environment->Current settings ->Maintain Time bucket profile for Demand Planning and Supply Network PlanningT.Code: /n/SAPapo/tr30

The next step is the creation of planning area. 4. Planning Area

In your SAP Menu ->Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning ->Environment -> Administration of Demand Planning and Supply Network Planning


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T.Code: /n/SAPapo/msdp_Admin

Enter the T.code and right clock on Planning Area to create the planning area.

Enter the following details and save.


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Once you click enter you will be taken into the detail view of the Planning Area. Select the Key Figs tab and add all the key figs that you have described

In the locking logic, unlock the deactivate the “Activate livecache Lock”


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Once saved it will appear in as following

Next step is to create Time series objects for the planning area.

Right click on the created planning area and select “Create Time series objects”


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As we enter the “000”, the planning version we described, it would automatically populate the start and end date. But the dates should reflect the exact date of when the planning would take place. I.e this should reflect the 18 months period (or the client’s time period)

So enter the required planning time period in the Time period section


The date entered in the planning version is like a safety cap. If we give a range of 10 years, then we do not need to go and change it every 18 months and also once the first 18 months planning is done, and if we did not give that vast time period, then the there is a huge gap and discrepancy created. At any point of time it should have 2 years of past history and 18 months of future history.

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Once you clicked on the execute icon, It would through the following error

This is because we did not maintain the characteristic combinations. This is nothing but, a combination of (values) key figures and characteristics. To maintain these values, go to


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the planning objects, select the one that we created ZV_POS, right click ->Char. Combinations->Maintain

This would take you to the following screen.


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Here you have two options to enter the data, If you select “Single characteristic combination” In APO itself you can create the location, Product Brand, Customer and so on. This is helpful if you wanted to enter 1 or 2 set of data (1 or 2 row). To enter more than one record at a time you can select “create characteristics combinations”. For our example I am selecting the create characteristics combinations”. This will take you to the next screen where you can load data


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There are several options to load the data again. The “Create manually” option will let you enter the data one by one. The “Load to worklist” and “Generate Immediately” options would let you upload the file in several ways, using info cube, from CSV file, using BAdI or even from other Planning objects.

For our example I am selecting the option of loading from a file. This file will be created with format shown in the next figure.


To load from ECC to SCM you would first have to enter the data in the Info Cube (BW) and then transport from BW to SCM.In real time scenario the data are uploaded from Info providers. The reason is there might several changes to the master data and hence maintenance is easier with info providers.

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Let us create a new file “DP_POS_Data.txt” attached below

Once executed your data will be displayed in SAP as:

Once you see the data entered. Click on and generate combinations by clicking


Make sure that the columns and rows match. You might have to “tab” twice in your keyboard to adjust the key figures as per the columns

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To view in detail, go back to the previous screen. Select the option Yes and proceed


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Select Display Characteristic Combinations and in the next screen click on the execute icon. This will display all the uploaded data


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Now that the Combinations are maintained go back and activate the Planning Area.

Create the Time series objects for the planning area.

Right click on the created planning area and select “Create Time series objects” and enter the required details. Take care of the start and End date of Time period.

Once you clicked on the execute icon, It will be activated this time


Please note that the BOM Char Comb ID column will not be displayed as it is Internal

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This finishes the setup of planning area. The next step in the DP configuration is the Planning books and data view.


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5) Planning books and data view

Planning book is the most important tool for demand planner. The data for planning is derived from the planning area. Although the Demand Planner does not maintain the Planning area, the data stored in the Planning are maintained by him.

To define a Planning book,

In your SAP Menu ->Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning ->Environment -> Current Settings -> Define Planning book

T.Code: /n/SAPapo/SDP8B

Once you enter the T.Code, Enter the name of the planning book. Let us name our planning book as ZV_PLGBK and click on create


There can be n-number of planning book per planning

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In the next screen enter the planning book description and planning area. The navigational views in the same screen represent the planning model type and the screen selections associated with it. Select all the views and continue.


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For our example I am selecting all the key figures from the planning object and characteristics from the planning area.


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Click “Continue” to select the characteristics.

The next step is assigning Data view for the Planning book.

Here, the Planning start is the day on/from which you want the planning to start. If left blank the planning will start automatically from today (default value).

Offset field represents the buffer period given in days (offset in buckets). This represents the number of days after which the DP to be started. For example if the Planning start is 10-oct-2009, and offset entry is 10, then the DP would start on 21-oct-2009.


Planning book is a subset of Planning Area and Data View is a subset of planning book. You can have n number of Data view for 1 planning book.

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The TB represents the Time bucket profile that we assigned to planning area. The visible and Input fields are related to the Time bucket history profile, whether you wanted to view past history and if so from when and whether you wanted to manually enter/add history data in the planning book if so from when.For our example I have given from October 2007 onwards.

The Table1 field represents a name for this Data View table.

Once you click continue, you would again see the key figures, but this time it is from the Planning book. You are the key figures here to add it to the data view. Again for our example, we select all the key figures. Please note that the characteristics are not/cannot be selected, only the key figures. Once selected, click complete to activate the planning book.


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Now to see how all the description/data entry we did in the previous step, go back to the same transaction

In your SAP Menu ->Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning ->Environment -> Current Settings -> Define Planning bookT.Code: /n/SAPapo/SDP8B

Enter the Planning book name we created and the corresponding forecast in the data view. Click on Edit


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In the next screen you would see,

The table name we gave DP_FCST1, the fields we described in the data view, TB past and future and it will also be in Edit mode as during the planning book creation we selected the input option for TB past.

Please note that whenever we change the TB history and future, same is affected here.

For example, Go to /SAPAPO/TR30 - Maintain Time Buckets Profile for Demand Plng and Supply Network Plng and change the month and week in the TB profile,


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This completes the creation of planning book and data view. The next is creation of Forecast profile.

6. Forecast Profile

In order to do the Demand planning we need to forecast. For that forecasting we need to assign some algorithms/formulas to a profile. This assignment is done in the forecasting profile. This forecasting profile is assigned to the planning area.

To create a forecasting profile, go to SAP menu-> Advanced Planning and Optimization ->Demand Planning -> Environment-> Maintain Forecast profiles.

T.Code: /n/SAPAPO/MC96B - Maintain Forecast Profiles

Once in, select the Planning Area and enter a name for the forecasting profile.


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The forecast figure key represents the key figure to which the calculated forecast to be saved. For our example let us take ZV_STFR1.

The forecast horizon represents the restricting period for this master forecast profile.

Here u can either enter the “From” and “To” or you can just enter the period as shown in the figure above.

The next step is to select a model for the master profile to do the forecast.

Here we choose Univariate profile.


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For our model parameters, we choose Moving Average and for Forecast errors we choose, all the error type.

Once the details are entered on this screen click on the to save this profile. Then go to the main profile tab and assign this profile there.


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Save the profile and exit.

This completes the configuration required for the Demand Planning concept. From this we would be seeing the processes in DP or Interactive Demand Planning.


demand planning configuration

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