Functions of the MAP Planning Interface

Use
The SAP MAP toolbar on the MAP planning interface enables you to plan data locally in
Microsoft Excel and then transfer it to SAP BW-BPS. This method means that you can
work with a familiar and easy-to-use front end and also takes up less resources on the
server.
Prerequisites
You have installed and started the Microsoft Excel Add-In for the SAP MAP toolbar.
For more information about installing the Microsoft Excel Add-In for the SAP MAP
toolbar, see Installing the SAP MAP Toolbar.
Features
The Microsoft Excel Add-In for the SAP MAP toolbar provides you with a new toolbar
offering a range of functions:

• Logon:
Using the Logon function, you establish a connection to the SAP BW-BPS and open a
dialog box in which you can choose a planning folder.
• Log off:
The connection to the SAP BW-BPS is closed.
• Open planning folder:
When you choose Open planning folder a selection box appears, from which you can open
a planning folder to process.

Make sure that you have created the planning folders that you want to open in the
SAP MAP toolbar as planning folders for assortment planning in SAP BW-BPS.
A workbook is created in Microsoft Excel for each planning layout in a planning folder. You
can select these workbooks using the functions in Microsoft Excel and arrange them on the
screen (for example, one beneath the other).
You can open several planning folders at the same time. We do not recommend this
procedure, however, as the data is not synchronized between different planning folders
online.

The planning folders in SAP BW-BPS enable you to define pure output layouts.
These output layouts are not displayed by the SAP MAP toolbar.
• Save all planning workbooks centrally:
When you choose Save all planning workbooks centrally, the SAP MAP toolbar checks the
planning data and transfers the data to SAP BW-BPS where it is saved.
• Validate data:
You can check the planning data (for example, for permitted values for master data
attributes or mandatory fields) using the Validate data function. If the check proves
successful, the data is transferred to SAP BW-BPS and synchronized between the
planning layouts of a planning folder. If the check is unsuccessful, entries containing errors
are highlighted and an explanation is added. This check is also carried out each time the
data is saved to the database. Data is only saved if the check is successful.
• Change selection:
The Change selection function enables you to give values to the variables that are
assigned to the planning folder. Typically, you use variables to be able to change the
header combinations of the planning layout.

Note that the SAP MAP toolbar only supports variables from SAP BW-BPS of type
“characteristic value”.
• Append new rows:
Using the Append new rows pushbutton, you can extend the planning screen by a number
of blank, input-ready rows. You can then create new entries for new characteristic values in
these new rows.

This pushbutton is only active if you have permitted the insertion of new rows in the
Settings for the Planning Interface of Assortment Planning.
• Delete existing rows:
By choosing the Delete existing rows pushbutton, you can delete the selected rows. If you
use the release status function, (see Settings for the Planning Interface of Assortment
Planning), deletion is only possible for a defined status. This pushbutton is only active if
you have permitted the insertion of new rows in the Settings for the Planning Interface of
Assortment Planning.
• Search help:
You can call the search help for new characteristic or attribute values using the Search
help pushbutton.
• Hide details and Show details
By choosing the Hide details and Show details buttons, you can collapse or expand the row
or column areas that you have grouped in Microsoft Excel. To do so, position the cursor in
the relevant column or row area and choose the required pushbutton.

These functions are provided in addition to the collapse and expand functions in
Microsoft Excel because in the SAP MAP toolbar, the planning layouts have
workbook protection. Workbook protection prevents values from being entered in
cells that are not ready for input. For more information about Microsoft Excel’s
workbook protection in the SAP MAP toolbar, see Using VBA Macros in the MAP
Planning Interface.
• Undo:
By choosing the Undo button, you can reverse all changes that have been made since the
last synchronization with SAP BW-BPS. Synchronization is carried out when you choose
 the functions Save all planning workbooks centrally, Validate data and Execute a planning
function.

Note that you can only undo actions that you have performed within the area that
you have defined in step 1 and step 2 when creating the planning layout. The data
from SAP BW-BPS is retransferred to the SAP MAP toolbar.
You cannot undo manual changes in cell areas that you have made in
enhancements of the Microsoft Excel template in SAP BW-BPS Customizing. It is
also impossible to undo changes in this area that have arisen due to customer-
specific formulas or VBA macros.
• Planning functions available:
In the selector for planning functions, you can select all the planning functions from SAP
BW-BPS that are assigned to the planning folder.
• Execute a planning function:
By choosing this pushbutton, you execute the planning function that you have selected
from the list of available planning functions. This happens on the server so that
communication with the SAP BW-BPS takes place. The planning data is checked before
the function is executed.

Executing a Planning Folder

Use
You execute a planning folder in order to use the planning layouts and functions that are
connected in terms of content (and therefore contained by the folder) in the sense of a
business planning application.
Features
Display in SAP GUI or in Web browser
You can decide whether you want to execute a planning folder in the SAP GUI or in a
Web browser (the prerequisite for executing it in the Web browser is that you have
selected a Web-enabled variant when creating the folder).
To execute a planning folder in the Web browser you must first generate a Web interface
for the folder. You can then convert this into an executable Web application using the
BW-BPS Web Interface Builder. For more information, see Editing Planning Folders.
If you have created a planning folder that is not Web-enabled you can generate a Web-
enabled folder from this later by copying the folder. Here you can specify that it should
be Web-enabled in the general folder attributes of the new folder. All other attributes of
the original folder are transferred unchanged to the new folder when copying.
Switching between different planning layouts
You can switch between the different layouts assigned to a planning folder. If more than
one layout has been assigned to the input or output area of the folder you can do this by
choosing one of the pushbuttons in the executed folder. The system automatically
generates these for every assigned layout.
 Data that you enter or change in the context of planning folders is subject to the
general BW-BPS saving concept. All changes are stored internally on a temporary
basis and also remain between layouts during the switch. Therefore, you only need
to save the data when exiting the planning folder.
Controlling data changes
If in Customizing you have defined a corresponding connection regarding content
between input and output layouts, you can change the data in the input layout and check
the effects directly in the output layout.

For example, you can enter or change primary costs at cost center level in the input
layout, and check the effects on the aggregated costs for the entire controlling area
in the output layout.
Setting variables
As with the planning environment, you can set user-specific values for all variables (not
just those in the particular planning folder) when you execute. Choose Goto → Set
variables. The Set Variables dialog box appears.
Showing or hiding variables and planning functions
The following functions serve to increase the available size of the planning folder layout.
If you have included variables in a planning folder then the system displays these
variables with their current value in the screen area.
• You can hide the display of variables using Close Variables.
• You can show them again using Display Variables.
You also have the opportunity to hide variable values using , and show them again
using .
If you have included planning functions in the planning folder, the system displays
pushbuttons with the symbol for the appropriate functions.
• You can stop functions being displayed using Close Functions.
• You can show them again using Display Functions.
Searching for planning folders
You use the search function to search for a specific folder if you know its name or a
part of the name. This function is very helpful when working with folders that were not
created in the context of a planning application because the number of folders can quickly
become quite large. The search function searches for the character string you entered in
all texts displayed in the list of folders. If you have shown the technical ID then the
search extends to the name of the planning folder, the technical name, and for Web-
enabled folders to the URL displayed in the list.
 Documents in Planning Folders
Use
You use documents in planning folders to enable access to qualitative information that is
related by content to the characteristics and key figures of a planning package. For more
information on the general concept of the documents function in BW-BPS, see
Documents.
Integration
The documents which you display, create, or edit in the context of a planning folder are
the same documents which you also edit in the planning environment with the documents
function.
Features
You can use documents in a planning folder in different ways:
• In a displayed planning layout as a comment to a cell.
With this variant, no special activities are required in the Customizing of the planning folder.
The only decisive factor is whether a planning layout used in the planning folder contains
documents and whether the document display has been activated for the layout in the
Layout Builder.
• As a list of documents which are assigned to the key figures and characteristic values of a
planning package.
With this variant, you transfer the Documents (0-DOC) function node in the Customizing of
the planning folder, which was created in the planning environment for a planning level, into
the planning folder. When executing the planning folder, the system offers the available
documents in a list for display or editing.
You can display, edit, and delete existing documents, and you can create new documents.
Activities
To offer documents in a document list in a planning folder, proceed as follows:
...

1. Select the desired folder in the overview of the planning folders, and choose Planning
Folder ® Change Planning Folder. The detail screen to edit the planning folder appears.
2. Select planning area, level, and package for which documents exist, and for which the
documents function was created in the planning environment, by double-clicking on them.
3. From the list of planning functions, choose the Documents (0-DOC) entry and insert it
in the planning folder in one of the areas Input layouts or Output layouts, for example,
using Drag&Drop.

Although documents in BW-BPS have the status of a function, within planning

folders they are handled similarly to layouts. This means you can neither insert the
Documents planning function in the Global Planning Function area of a planning
folder, nor assign it to a planning layout as a local function. One of the reasons for
this is that both listing and displaying documents in the application screen requires
just as much space as displaying a planning layout. Therefore, a juxtaposition of
planning layout and documents is not useful.
4. Define a name for the document list.
5. If necessary, repeat the steps named for the documents function in connection with
further planning areas and levels.
 6. Save your changes.
In the executed planning folder, you can select the document list in the same way as a
planning layout. The system offers you pushbuttons for the different editing possibilities
for the documents.