SAP SAC Planning: Lessons learned
1. Think it through, which Dimensions you need
Subsequent changes could be costly when using Account Model. If you have complex Transformations and Import Jobs, all of them must be Rebuild
2. Don't rush into the new Measure based model, it is not always the best choice
Many Bugs, Limitations exist with Measure based model
- i.e. Updating Dimension while loading is not supported, Limitations in Data Actions etc.
New Model:
Account Model:
3. S4HANA Export Prerequisites
OData Service API_FINANCIALPLANDATA_SRV also needs other services activated to work properly:
- Company Code
- Cost Center
- Plan Category
- G/L Account
4. Be careful when using FOREACH in Advanced Formula, it can destroy your version
- Use MEMBERSET to filter the right amount of data for which you are going to loop through
- Don’t use unnecessary Dimension in FOREACH …. ENDFOR
5. Be careful when deleting objects
- Be careful when deleting objects such as Data actions, you will not get a warning if the object is used in a Multi-Action or a Story
6. Place the calculations carefully, advantages vs disadvantages
- In the model
o Can be used in Excel Add in
o Can be used for planning scenarios with Inverse Formula
o Can be used in Data Actions
- In the Story
o Faster to do
o In Cell Calculations in a single Cell are possible
o More flexible
7. Planning Models – Performance Issues
- Aggregate data not more than 100.000 rows
- For complex scenarios use 2-layer architecture
- Do not put Planning Date range too far in the past or in the future
8. Not all Dimensions have to be in the table
- Use Data Validation to retrieve rest of Dimension
9. Use "Source" dimension to differentiate
- For each Source use different Identifier Source
10. Planning Standard Planner Reporter Role Is not sufficient
11. Pay attention on which language you are logged in
When creating a Model, the users login language is taken as Original language for it. Some elements such as Date could appear in i.e. English and cannot be translated!
12. Content Network can mess your environment
When activating a package from Content Network, be careful which objects you want to add into your SAC environment. By selecting all, you can mess up your environment
13. Allocation cannot run on itself
Works: Allocate Energy Cost from CostCenter X to the rest of the CostCenters
Does not Work: Allocate Energy Cost from CostCenter X to ALL cost Centers
14. In Advanced Formula calculation does not work when using multiplication or division using two result lookups
Use Variables when looping with FOREACH if you Multiply 2 Values with different aggregation levels. More on it https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/3040945
15. Use cross calculation if you don’t want to see Version in your table
Measures require Version dimension. You can't remove the version dimension from Rows
16. User Management
- Use technical user as system owner
17. Use Mapping Tables for Version or Cutover date
Use the FIND Function for that:
18. Sorting Ascending/Descending for Dimensions with Numeric Master data
- Currently, sorting with Dimensions including Numeric Values does not properly work. As a workaround, create a Property type Integer and use that Property to sort
19. Export using file type CSV
- Exporting using File type Excel does not always export all necessary data
20. Don't test on Productive environment
For users with only a single SAC Environment, use Export all, Import it to a Demo Environment for major changes and see the impact
An article by:
Vahan Nersesyan
Analytics Consultant
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