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Time series and Order series questions

scm_09
Contributor
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Hi Guys - Need some help in understanding/Visualizing some basic APO concepts. I do not want to move further without understanding these concepts completely. I did read sap help and couple of apo books but none gave me a complete understanding of this very basic concept.

1. Data is stored in livecache in 3 different ways. time series, order series and atp time series. for now I am concentrating on just time series and order series. Can some one help me understand with an example how data is stored in time series and how it is stored in order series? I read that data which is not order related is called time series data and which is order related is called order series data.

My query is even in DP time series data, data is stored with respect to product and location that is transferred to snp. In SNP too data is processed with respect to product and location. so what is the difference in time series data and order series data?

2. what are time series key figures and what are order series key figures? I read safety stock for example is a time series keyfigure. why is it not a order series key figure? what makes a keyfigure time series or order series? can some one xplain this in detail with an example or numbers?

3. there is a stock category group in snp tab of location master LOC3. Stock category should be product related right? how is this related to location and what does this field mean in location master

Thanks a lot for your help in advance. Please let me know if I am not clear in any of the questions.

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Former Member

Hi,

Time series: Data is stored in buckets with no reference to orders.( If you place the mouse on time series data and right click for

display details , you will not find any information.

Suitable for tactical planing and aggregated planning. Usually in demand planning.

Pre requisite: 1. You need to create time series objects for the planning area.

2. When creating planning area you should not make any entries for the Key figure in the field Info Cube, category

and category group.

3. When creating planning area any entry you made in the field Key figure semantics with prefixed with TS.

(Optional entry)

Order series: Data is stored in buckets with reference to orders.( If you place the cursor on the order series data and right click

the mouse for display details , you will find information of order details.)

Useful for operative planning.

*You will have real time integration with R3.

Pre requisite: 1. You need to create time series objects for the planning area.( though you are creating Order series)

2.When creating a planning area specify a category or category group or enter a key figure semantics with prefix

LC.

3. When creating planning area you should not make an entry for the key figure in the field Info cube.

Thanks,

nandha

scm_09
Contributor
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Nanda,

Thanks for the reply. I understand what you said. But my query is totally different. Let me explain again..

In DP we create timeseries for keyfigure. for example let say we have created a independent demand fcst for 5 months in future for a product at a location

Product x - loc y - Sep 2010 - 100 pcs

Product x - loc y - oct 2010 - 200 pcs

Product x - loc y - Noc 2010 - 100 pcs

Product x - loc y - dec 2010 - 300 pcs

Product x - loc y - jan 2011 - 200 pcs

Data is saved like this in DP with respect to product and location. I totally understand the time line here is called time series.

Now I release this to SNP. After releasing in SNP, when you open the planning book and do selection cririera for product x at Loc Y, you get these numbers in the demand keyfigure for those time periods.

so physically what is the difference between time series and order series. even in order series data is stored under the same time buckets. I am trying to visualize in space how data is store in live cache as time series and as order series. I am not understanding the difference. I hope I am clear.

Former Member
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Hi,

"Now I release this to SNP. After releasing in SNP, when you open the planning book and do selection cririera for product x at Loc Y, you get these numbers in the demand keyfigure for those time periods.

"

Do you know this , when you transfer data from DP to SNP , you need to choose teh category.why do we choose 'Category (ex: FA,FC...etc).

Can you think in that point of view.

Data in time series LC is just stores as number w/o any reference to orders. You can get these numbers by CVC (Product,loc)...for a period.

Order series data is with reference to orders.

To get into example, when you display sales history, can you get me the 'category' of those figures.is it possible to retrieve this infofrom time series LC? NO.

In order time series, all receipts & requirements will be stored with categories.

Best Regrads,

Deepthi

scm_09
Contributor
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Deepthi.. Thanks for the explanation..

My questioin would be, when unconstrained forecast is released to SNP as FA or FC type, then those numbers in SNP will be stored as orders.. what order type is it.. forecast order? is category and order the same? am I confused with the naming convention? Also what is the use if it gets stored as a order type key figure in SNP?

also could you please answer my 2nd question in the first post? I think I may get a clear view from the 2nd question answer. Thanks for your time.

Former Member
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Hi,

In APO orders are represented by ATP category but not order type. Only DP works based on time series data. ALl other modules considers order series data.

If look at DP, you may not even have product & location combination exist in the system. It is actually tactical planning. Doesn't need real network....where as all other modules considers order series and all those information should be of real time.For example purchase orders,planne orders....

Coming to safety stock....as you have mentioned it is time series data,.... the meaning is that it wil not have any category attached and will not be available in order series. And as i mentioned all other modules use order series data, this will not be available.

For example, in production planning, business would like to consider this safety stock planning as requirement and plan accordngly. If this is not available in order series how can we do that.......

And how do you differentiate KFs as order series/time series definitions, please have a look at Nanda's post.

Best Regards,

Deepthi

scm_09
Contributor
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Deepthi, I really understand what you are saying and I appreciate your time.

But my question is, there is a category called CC for stock and why safety stock is not conisdered a CC type category? what is making it to be considered as time series keyfigure? Thx

And also, why aggregated planning requires only time series keyfigures? why cant be aggregated planning done with order key figures? can please some one explain this with an numerical example?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your help guys

Edited by: SCM0925 on Sep 6, 2010 3:07 PM

Former Member
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0925,

Safety stock is a planning parameter, a kind of 'goal' to be planned for. It does not represent any type of physical stock. You can have zero stock on hand, and still have a value for safety stock. In most planning systems, it is effectively regarded as a requirement that must be supplied by stock.

why cant be aggregated planning done with order key figures?

I don't know. I guess they probably could. You might want to write a letter to Walldorf and ask them. If you do, please fill us in on the answer you get.

Best Regards,

DB49

scm_09
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DB,

I see a category type of CB for safety stock in SNP categories type. If there is a category type, why is it not stored as order series key figure with type CB? why is it considered as Time series KF?

This is kind of very confusing to me. Thanks for ya help.

Also in my planning book I am seeing keyfigures stock on hand, supply shortage, safety stock,Traget stock level...etc. But I do not see them in the planning area.

Edited by: SCM0925 on Sep 6, 2010 6:49 PM

Former Member
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0925,

Again, your questions as to why SAP chooses to do things in one way, and not another, should be directed to SAP. Or, since your questions continue to address additional areas of interest to you with each response, you might be better off just taking a class.

CB is not 'safety stock', it is 'Parameter dependent ATP safety stock'. It is used during ATP, and consists of a series of dates and quantities that are calculated by the PASS functionality. I have never placed this category into an SNP planning area, but, I would imagine that it would be Order series.

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_scm70/helpdata/EN/22/977941a51a1809e10000000a155106/frameset.htm

Best Regards,

DB49

scm_09
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DB49,

Thank you for your responses. I think I got some answer regarding this safety stock stuff.

do you mind answering this below question too if you have time..Thanks

3. there is a stock category group in snp tab of location master LOC3. Stock category should be product related right? how is this related to location and what does this field mean in location master

Former Member
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0925,

It is customary in these forums to restrict a thread to a single question or issue. Otherwise, the threads become unwieldy and un-readable.

To support this 'rule of engagement', when one has a new inquiry, they raise the new issue in a new thread.

Best Regards,

DB49

aparna_ranganathan
Active Contributor
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Hi

The stock category is and should be related to location. In SNP the system uses the stock category to determine the type of stocks that need to be included in the initial stock calculation. Lets say you have 100 materials in location X and you have assigned a stock category group say ZS to lcoation X. When you load the CVC's corresponding to the products in the planning book you will see the projected stock on hand keyfigure. Check the macro and understand how the value for this key figure is calculated. The projected stock on hand is calculated based on the total demand / receipts and initial stock on hand . The system calculates the initial stock on hand based on the stock category group. That is all the stock categories in the stock category group will be taken into account and the sum of stock under each of these categories as of system date is the initial stock on hand.

The sytem checks the location master and picks the stock category group from location master . In case you have left the stock category group as blank in location master then the system uses the default stock category group ST1.

Thanks

Saradha

scm_09
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Saradha, Thanks a ton for the explanation.

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