Understanding the Stock Coverage Option in Key-Figure

[gajendra_moond]

Introduction

A plethora of features - big and small have been introduced with SAP BW7.4 powered by SAP HANA. One interesting feature is the 'Stock Coverage' option introduced in the key-figures. This document will provide a business case where this functionality can be used.

Scope

The scope of this document is restricted to an excel based planning application developed using Integrated Planning component of BW.

Software Components

- SAP BW7.4 powered by SAP HANA

- SAP BEx Query Designer

- SBOP Analysis for Office V2.03

- MS Excel 2013 (32-bit)

Note

I will be using technical names of the objects that I created as part of this explanation. In your case, technical names can differ and hence you need to change or adjust per your requirements.

Using Key-Figure with Stock Coverage Option

Go to T-code RSD1 and create a Key-figure as shown below. We are naming KF as ZKF_NOM in our case. You will notice that when you check the box for Stock Coverage, a new tab by the same name will be visible in the screen.

When you click on "Stock Coverage', you will be directed to the tab named "Stock Coverage". Now this tab needs four parameters:

- Referenced Stock Key Figure: Key-figure that is going to be equivalent of stock. It could be receipt or supply depending on your requirement. In our case, we are using a key-figure for Projected Inventory here - ZKF_PRINV

- Referenced Demand Key Figure: This is key-figure against which coverage will be provided by ZKF_PRINV.

- Max. Number of Covered Periods: Number of periods for which ZKF_PRINV should provide coverage. In our case, we are limiting it to 2

- Stock Type: This is to define the stock consideration period - Beginning of period or End of Period. We are choosing End of Period.

When you select Stock Type, you will be directed to "Aggregation" tab where you need to provide time granularity for Stock Coverage. Currently only standard SAP time characteristics can be selected. Even if you create a custom characteristic with reference to standard, it will not be supported here. For our purpose, we are planning at month level and will be using 0CALMONTH.

We are now done with stock coverage configuration for this key-figure. Activate it.

Create a real-time cube using Administrator Workbench. You must ensure that 0CALMONTH, ZKF_PRINV and ZKF_TDMND must be included when we are using ZKF_NOM.

Activate your InfoCube and load any required data. You will notice that, ZKF_NOM is not visible in transformation and listcube transaction - much like non-cumulative key-figures. The reason is that for this KF, calculation has already been pushed to database and it is calculated at run-time.

Create an aggregation level and create an Input-ready query on top of it. ZKF_PRINV and ZKF_TDMND are marked as input-ready in the BEx query.

We will now call this query in Analysis Office. Launch "Analysis for Microsoft Excel" from your Programs Menu.

Ensure that planning ribbon is activated. If not, follow the settings below:

Insert the input-ready query created before as datasource and execute it by passing values into variables, if any.

Now I will be entering a value of 10000 for the 07/2015 for Projected Inventory and 5000 and 7000 for 08/2015 and 09/2015 for Total Demand.

Now click on the save icon visible under Planning ribbon of your Analysis tab and we will have our number of months calculated.

Now let us understand the calculation happened. Remember that when we were configuring key-figure ZKF_NOD, we gave value to the parameter "Max. Number of Covered Periods" as 2.

Total Projected Inventory available in 07/2015 is 10000 units to cover for demand for next 2 months. However, combined demand of next two months - 08/2015 and 09/2015 is 5000+7000 = 12000 - which is greater than available quantity.

Demand is completely covered for 08/2015 but for 09/2015, it falls short by 2000 units. The available stock, therefore, can cover only for a portion of the month that can be calculated as 5000/7000 = 0.71 month.

So the total stock coverage available in this case is 1.71 months. To achieve it to the desired level, I could either raise Projected Inventory or carry forward the excess demand. There could be a lot of ways to tackle this scenario.

This is a very handy feature and saves a great deal of time. You can get your Inventory in Number of Days if your reference time characteristic is 0CALDAY.

While loading data into your InfoCube, if you have data for stock and demand key-figures, the stock-coverage key-figure will be calculated during loading and the values will be readily available in your query or application or report.