Actual and Plan Data in Different Cubes scenario - BI Integarted Planning

[Former Member]

Dear all,

I am still on the Integrated Planning basics and I have some questions:

1) Scenario: Currently I have a basic cube with Actual and Plan Data (plan data is loaded from flat file). If I go for BI Integrated planning and want to keep the Actual data in the same basic Infocube, I will need to create a real time infocube for Plan Data. On the Top of this I need to create a Multicube to report Actual/Plan Data. I assume therefore that will require huge work to copy the existing queries to be based on the Multicube and therefore huge rework of the current Workbooks & Web reports.

Additionally, do I need to copy Actual data into the new Plan data real time infocube as per descibed on the below link (Actual and Plan Data in Different InfoCubes scenario): http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/b6/92bc7479fb11d5b3df0050dadfb23f/frameset.htm

2). Can I use Retractors with BI Integrated Planning? I read that yes but with limitations. Can I use Cost Centre Accounting Retractores with BI Integrated Planning? My question regards the following comment:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/44/059baf6ef7025be10000000a1553f7/frameset.htm

"Retractors

In BI Integrated Planning, no new retractors are shipped.

In BI Integrated Planning, you can only use some of the retractors that are used in BW-BPS: you can use any retractors that work according to the pull principle (COPA and Public Sector) without changing them. Other retractors cannot be used directly in BI Integrated Planning; retraction is only possible using BW-BPS."

3) What's the relation, if there is any between BI Integrated Planning and ERP Express Planning?

Thanks in advance

Regards

[Former Member]

There is no other way but to copy manually to the new multi provider.

Ravi Thothadri

[Former Member]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I do prefer the Multicube scenario because of the Multicube approach benefits and because it feets on the SAP Multicube strategy recommendation.

The problem with this is what I mentioned on the first post - the need to copy / recreate workbooks and Web Reports after copy queries to be based on the Multicube. This is very time consuming and this is the reason why we didn't change to this Multicube approach even without thinking of Integrating Planning but for instance regarding what SAP calls "Logical partition at application level", e.g. split data in different cubes by year.

Can you comment on this huge task? Have you done this?

[Former Member]

Eduardo,

you don't HAVE to create a new cube, as Ravi says you could use the Actual cube, make it Real time and keep on switching the cube behavior between loading and planning.

However what I would do is create a real time cube as a copy of the actual one. Build a multiprovider with exactly the same structure and an aggregation level on top of the multiprovider. The old plan data can remain in the Actual cube and using the layouts and planning functions you can use it without a problems.

Then all the new planning data should be written to the new cube.

This way, once the old plan data becomes obsolete your data will be partitioned in two cubes, with the advantage of reporting using a multiprovider.

Regards,

C

[Former Member]

1. You dont need another realtime cube to store plan data. If the data volume is not large, you can use the same cube. But make sure the cube is built as a realtime cube and you switch it to plan mode during planing time and load mode while loading. Thus, you also dont need a multi cube.

2. Retractords you can use, but you need to call the FM in BPS for this. There is a how to on this in SDN.SAP.com.

Ravi Thothadri