Here are some questions on SEM BPS. Some of the questions have not been answered which I will
add later on. If you have any pointers, please go ahead and add them via the comments.
1. What are Data
Slices?
A. Data Slicing is a kind of locking mechanism to lock a specific subset of a planning dataset. In other
words you can set a restriction on a characteristic value combination so that the data cannot be updated for that
Characteristic value Combination. All other data can be changed. You can have multiple data slices per planning area but data
restriction would be that much. If a plan area's data slice is not defined with any Characteristic value restriction then
the locking mechanism applies to all updates in that planning area.
2. What are Characteristic
Relationships? Why are they used?
A. Characteristic Relationships are used to relate those characteristics that
correspond to each other in terms of content. For example if a Characteristic relationship is setup between a Cost Center and
Currency, only currency valid for that cost center is provided for data entry. The other possibilities are, data can be
derived based on a relationship and data can be validated based on a relationship. For example if a material item light bulb
is under a node of Electrical items in the hierarchy of material group and later it was changed to a node of Household items
then the system should derive the current validity of the item Light bulb.
3. What is the Transaction to
access SEM-BPS Planning Workbench?
A. BPS0. Also please remember that when you do not see the menu with
SEM and BW menu paths when logged in to a BW system, you may use UG00 to get to that screen.
4. What
are Planning Functions? Where do you use them? Give some examples.
A. Planning Functions are used to change
transaction data in a planning package. Copy, Repost and Delete are some common planning functions
5. What are
Variables in BPS? How do you create them and where do you use them?
A. A variable is used to reduce
recurrent customizing work in a planning environment. You can specify variables while creating a planning area or by changing
the existing planning area. You can use these variables in Planning Levels, Planning Functions, Manual planning and parameter
groups. Variables cannot be used in Planning Packages.
6. What are different types of variables?
A.
There are two kinds of Variables, Variable type and Replacement type.
Variable types are of 4
types:
a) Characteristic - The variable is populated with values of a characteristic or a combination of
characteristic values.
b) Attributes - The variable is populated with the attribute values of a characteristic.
c)
Hierarchy - The variable is populated with the values of Hierarchy nodes or values of a characteristic.
d) Numeric - The
variable is populated with Numeric Values.
Replacement types are of 4 types:
a) Fixed Value - The
value is fixed and is valid for the entire planning area.
b) User Specific - It is like Fixed value but is specific for a
user. For example, Sales personnel should see only sales figures.
c) Authorization - Variable values are derived from the
authorizations for which the characteristic is set in BW.
d) User Exit - With this type of replacement variable you can
assign a function module and determine a characteristic value.
7. What are Planning Folders? How do you create
them? What do they consist and where do you use them?
A. A planning folder is used to put together related
planning levels, planning functions and planning packages along with their layouts. A planning folder can be created using
transaction UPSPM. It consists of planning layouts, planning functions, variables etc.,
8. What is a Key Figure
Model? Where do you use it?
A. Typically when few key figures are used in Planning then Key Figure Model is used.
CO-PA is a Key Figure Model. Disadvantage with this model is the limitation of 233 key figures for an Infocube. Normally Key
figure model is used when planning for short time periods (less than a year).
9. What is an Account based
Model? Where do you use it?
A. Whenever you need to plan on a longer time periods (3 or more years) or when you
have many key figures, then Account Model is used.
10. Describe an Exit Function and explain how you use
it.
A. An Exit Function is a customized function and is used to perform specific tasks that cannot be performed by
the functions delivered by SAP. This involves using function modules written in ABAP.
11. Describe Locking
Concept and how do you achieve it?
A. Locking is a mechanism used to restrict changes specific values in a
plan. This is achieved by defining a Characteristic value restriction in a Data Slice.
Locking concept is that when you
are in a certain Planning level then someone else cannot login/use that Planning level.
12. What are Planning
Sequences?
A. A planning sequence is a list of planning functions and parameter groups that are processed in a
specific order desired.
13. What are Planning Levels?
A. A planning level describes the level or kind
of planning. For example Profit Planning or Sales Planning.
Planning level merely restricts the data that is available
within the info cube.. you can create a level just for functions or just for layouts… (nothing to do with Profit center
planning) - its just the ability for user to DEFINE the subset of data that the layout and functions will use. All Layouts
and functions are created with relation to a Planning level.
14. What are Planning Packages?
A. A
Planning Package describes the data for which the Planning functions are to operate and layouts are to use the data
for.
15. What is an adhoc Package and where do you use it?
A. An Adhoc package is a system
generated one and is used to manipulate data between key figures. For example in Cost Center Planning to Distribute Values.
And Adhoc package is user specific and is reset once the user leaves the planning session.
16. What are FOX
formulas?
A. FOX is Formula Extension. These are used deriving plan data out of a simple/complex mathematical
calculation.
17. How do you Calculate Operating Profit?
A. Operating Profit = Gross Profit -
Overhead costs (Sales, R&D, Admin etc)
18. Describe the steps involved in creating the Planning Function
'Allocation'?
A. The planning function Allocation is used for distribution or assessment within a planning
application. For example in Cost Center planning. This is a highly flexible function and can be set up using many different
variants. Allocation is used two ways as described below:
Distribution:
Distribution allocates amounts
or quantities to the receiver assignment (accounts, items or cost centers). The balance of the sender assignment is decreased
and balance of the receiver assignment is increased like debit and credit. These debit and credit entries take place at the
respective original assignment (Cost centers). The information about the original assignment is
retained.
Assessment:
Assessment works like distribution but the debit and credit entries take place at the
assessment assignment (for example Assessment Account) instead of the original object. Hence the original assignment
information is lost.
19. What is Top Down Distribution and where do you use it? (what plans)
A.
Distribution function is used to distribute values from planning level to another. Typically it is used for Top Down
Distribution from one organizational unit to another. Distribution is done based on two factors reference values or
weighting factors. For example Cost Center planning.
20. What is Bottom Up Distribution and where do you use
it? (what plans)
A. Typically Distribution function is used to roll up values from bottom to top in order to
summarize same values from different sources. For example Profit Planning.
21. Describe the Function
Currency Translation and how do you do it?
A. This function is used to translate key figures that represent money
into another currency. In order to achieve this exchange rates and different currencies must be maintained in the BW system.
22. What is the Maximum number of Transaction records per Request that you can write to a transaction Cube?
A. 50,000.
23. What happens if you have more than 50,000 records in a request?
A. The
system will delete the current request and open a new one.
24. Describe Revaluation and how do you achieve
it?
A. Revaluation function is used to generate new suggested values for planning depending on the percentage
rates on the selected key figures (ex: Costs, Revenue etc.,) plan values can be changed. A revaluation function changes only
key figures and not Characteristics.
25. Describe Repost Function.
A. Whenever a characteristic
property of a posted record needs to changed, Repost Function is used. A repost function only alters Characteristic values
and not Key figure data.
A repost function can also be used with Characteristic relationships to change values of
characteristics whose assignments are changed. For example if a cost center is moved from one cost center group to another,
the plan data for the cost center can be validated using Repost with Characteristic relationships.
26. What
is the difference between the functions Distribution and Distribution with Reference Data?
A. A distribution
function used when a value has to be distributed among different object based on a supplied distribution factor. The
distribution factor can be keys or with reference data. When its keys it is a fixed number and a percentage when it is with
reference values.
27. Describe Depreciation and how do you achieve it?
A. A depreciation function is
used to calculate the depreciation rates for specified assets in a given period of time. You can indicate whether to only
generate posting records for the income statement. If the indicator is selected then only the income statement entry is
posted to the expense item. If the indicator is not selected, for every data record that describes an asset according to the
entry Depreciation Expense (debit entry) with accumulated depreciation (credit), one record is generated for expense item and
a second record is generated for asset balance. The debit entries are posted with + signs and the Credit entries are posted
with - signs.
28. What is Net Present Value (NPV)?
A. NPV is a sum of all the discounted net present
values for a specified rate for the calculation of costs. For the Net present value method, the percentage rate for the
calculation of costs is given as a parameter and NPV is calculated. For the Internal Interest Rate method NPV is set to zero
and the internal percentage of an investment is derived from a mathematical calculation.
29. What is Return on
Investment (ROI)?
A. An ROI is a percentage that shows what return you make by investing in something. For example
if a company invested in a projected that costed it $200,000. The benefits of doing the project save $230,000 for the company
in the first year alone. The ROI is calculated as (benefit-cost)/cost. In this case it its 30,000/200,000 = 15%. For any
company the bigger ROI percentage the better.
30. What is the difference between Standard Planning Area and
Multi Planning Area? Give Examples?
A. A standard planning area is where we define the settings for plan
data and assign settings for plan environment. For example a Planning area can be defined for Profit planning assigning an
infocube related to profit planning data.
A multi planning area is a combination of several standard planning areas. For
example Balance sheet Planning.
31. How do you move data from one plan cube to another?
A. Using
Fox Editor. Example {abc, def, ghi}
32. What is an Automatic Planning Function?
A. It is a
function that is assigned to a planning layout for automatic execution.
33. What are Global Planning Sequences?
Where do you use them?
A. When a set of planning functions and parameter groups are to be processed across
planning levels and areas, they can be bundled in a global planning sequence and can be executed.
34. What is the
difference between Local Planning Sequence and Global Planning Sequence?
A. A local Planning sequence is
restricted a planning level whereas a global planning sequence is
used for processing plan data across multiple
plan areas.
35. What Planning Functions have you used in Sales Planning?
A. Formula calculation
Copy
Deleting
Top-down distribution
Distribution with reference data
Planning sequences
36.
What Planning Functions have you used in Profit Planning?
A. Formula calculation
Copy
Deleting
Top-
down distribution
Distribution with reference data
Planning sequences
37. What Planning Functions have
you used in Investment Planning?
A. Formula calculation
Copy
Delete
Revaluation
Distribution
with reference data
Currency translation
Planning sequences
Depreciation
Calculation of capital value and
internal interest rate
38. What Planning Functions have you used in Cost Center Planning?
A.
Formula calculation
Distribution by key
Copy
Currency translation
Allocation
Local and global planning
sequences
39. What Planning Functions have you used in Balance Sheet Planning?
A. Formula calculation
Planning sequences
The following functions are used from the special functions for balance sheet planning:
Accumulate balances
Depreciation calculation
Discounting
40. What is Status Tracking System?
A. The status Tracking System (STS) is a web based work flow solution that systematically supports the execution
of planning.
41. Describe briefly how you built a web report using a Planning Folder?
A.
42.
What is a version in Planning? How do you use it?
A. Version is a characteristic that is used to differentiate
between different versions of plan within a planning application. For example, the user may need different versions for
Actuals, Budget, and Forecast. Further, the user may want to create several versions to do and save the "what-if" analysis.
0VERSION characteristic is used to define a version. 0VERSION may be used in conjunction with 0VTYPE (which helps
distinguish between actual and plan values) and also time characteristics such as Fiscal year, Posting Period and Quarter to
distinguish the Forecast columns for different months, quarters, and years.
43. How do you create a web
report using a Web Interface Builder?
A. Either from the SEM main screen choosing Web Interface builder and the
option Customizing or by using the transaction BPS_WB.
44. What are the steps involved in Profit Planning?
A.
45. What are the steps involved in Investment Planning?
A.
46. What are the steps involved in Cost
Center Planning?
A.
47. What are the steps involved in Liquidity Planning?
A.
48. What are the
steps involved in Balance sheet Planning?
A.
49. What are all involved in project based implementation of
SEM-BPS?
A. There are three main Documents that are involved
a) Business Blueprint - Shows exactly what is
required from the Business point of view.
b) IT Design - Mapping of the current and future requirements to SEM and
workarounds.
c) Implementation Document - Describes what practically needs to be done along with Testing.