New Planning Area for Data Entry

New Planning Area for Data Entry

In SAP Analytics Cloud, release 2021Q4 (2021.20.12) many new features were introduced. (https://help.sap.com/doc/00f68c2e08b941f081002fd3691d86a7/2021.20/en- US/c96a267c5da04fff90bb55313ee9f77c.html

One of these new features was a bit hidden in the background, but of great importance when using SAP Analytics Cloud for Planning. Especially when using Planning on large Data Models with millions of records.

If that is the case, it is now possible to set the planning area for data entry. When creating a Private version or editing a Public version of the data, one can add a subset of the data in the Private version or edit a subset of the data in the Public version.

In this blog, I will explain how this “Planning Area for Data Entry” can be set up. First I will recap how to setup Data Locking in a SAP Analytics Cloud model

Data Locking in SAC Model

Set up data locking

• Open the model that contains the
• Select Model Preferences
• On the Access and Privacy tab, set Data Locking to ON, and choose Locked as the Default Lock State. Select OK

The model data will be locked by default.

• Select (Save Model).
• In the model, Select (Configure Data Locks)

• Edit Driving Dimensions section of the Data Locking page

• select +Add a new Driving Dimension and choose Category, Date, Account dimensions

• From the Account Dimension choose Account members

• Show Grid:

• The Grid displays Category, Date, Account dimensions

• Click on a cell in the Grid and choose Locked

The Accounts in the Actual version can be in Locked state as they should not be modified All Accounts in the Forecast version can be locked as well,

Except 2, 3, 4 these are Open or Restricted

The calculated account 5, contain formulas, they cannot be changed by default

• For the Forecast version, drill into the Date dimension to show 2018 2019 2020 column, set the lock state for the years in the past to “Locked”

• In the Model / Account Dimension Settings:
• Choose Rights / Access:

In the Model, a column “Data Locking Owner” is added where you may add a user or user group that will act as a Data Locking Owner.

• When DAC is enabled; 3 columns are added:
  • Read – Write – Data Locking Owner

A distinction can be made here between different profiles with Read/Write access.

New Planning Area for Data Entry

The new planning area creates a subset of data based on model and access settings. Use this option to improve performance on large versions.

Enable Planning Area

• Selecting the toggle for Optimize Recommended Planning Area within Model Preferences under Data and performance.

• the scope of the Planning Area can be based on existing Data Access Control and/or Data Locking configurations
• This new feature for planning models reduces the amount of data and time necessary to create a private version or to edit a public version:

With Planning Area Disabled a private version 16.77 Million Records will be created

With Planning Area Disabled a private version 4.25 Million Records will be created

• When creating a new private version an additional option has been added: “Copy data in recommended planning area”

• The Edit Mode is now Limited:

• With this detailed information:

Data Actions when Planning Area Enabled

• Important remark here is that execution of Data Actions will fail if they operate as well in the area that is not included in the Planning
• A failed error message will be generated:

Manual triggered Data Actions

If the Planning Area is enabled in the SAC Model, Data Actions will fail if they operate in the area that is not included in the Planning Area. To overcome this issue, go to the manual DA trigger in the dashboard, open it in the Builder area and uncheck the checkbox “Use recommended planning Area”

For public versions, data actions run on data in edit mode. If the target version isn’t already in edit mode, the recommended planning area will be used.

Scheduled Data Actions

If the Planning Area is enabled in the SAC Model, Data Actions will fail if they operate in the area that is not included in the Planning Area.

In the SAC Calendar, go to the Scheduled Data Action, and uncheck the checkbox “Use recommended planning Area”

For public versions, data actions run on data in edit mode. If the target version isn’t already in edit mode, the recommended planning area will be used.