SAP ABAP IMG Activity /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST (Set Up Variant)
Hierarchy
☛ SEM-BW (Software Component) SEM-BW: Strategic Enterprise Management
   ⤷ FIN-BAC-PM (Application Component) Profitability Analysis
     ⤷ /EACA/PROFITABILITY_MANAGEMENT (Package) E-Accounting: Profitability Management
IMG Activity
ID /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST Set Up Variant  
Transaction Code /EACA/50000036   (empty) 
Created on 20020123    
Customizing Attributes /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST   Set Up Variant 
Customizing Activity /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST   Set Up Variant 
Document
Document Class SIMG   Hypertext: Object Class - Class to which a document belongs.
Document Name /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST    

Use

In this step, you define the contextual structure of Profitability Analysis (contribution margin accounting) for the purpose of Profitability Management. The settings required for this are summarized in a variant that represents a business, consistent, Profitability Analysis.

You can create several variants (for example, for test purposes), of which just one is designated as active. This active variant is then supplied with a data retention and determines the structure of the journal and the business transaction. In turn, an update module and a read module are generated for this active variant (see the context menu functions below).

Definition of a variant comprises the following steps (described in greater detail later):

  1. Create a variant in the data basis
  2. Choose the characteristics for this variant
  3. Choose the key figures for this variant
  4. Define calculated key figures (such as contribution margins)
  5. Set a variant as active
  6. Define data retention
  7. Optional: Activate the 'Realignments' function (for details, see above).

Requirements

The characteristics and key figures required must be registered in the data basis.

Standard settings

The following mandatory characteristics are entered automatically for each variant:

  • Currency ID
  • Accounting system
  • Fiscal year variant

Notes:

If changes are made to an active variant, the Profitability Management component must be reactivated (Activate/Generate key). This sets the status of the variant to active. The status is displayed as additional information for the variant after the description in the tree.

Activities

  1. Create a variant in the data basis

    To create a new variant, go to Data Basis in the structure tree and choose Create Variant using the context menu.

    Enter a technical key and a description for the variant. After you have saved, the variant appears as a new node in the structure tree.

  2. Choose the characteristics for this variant

    To edit the fields, go to Variant and then choose Edit Fields using the context menu (or double-click).

    Select the required characteristics in the selection box on the right and transfer these to the box on the left. All characteristics that you transfer to the Characteristics of the Variant box are available to you in the line item and in the BW query as evaluation characteristics. Save your settings.

    To maintain characteristic use, choose Variant and then choose Characteristic Use using the context menu.

    For each characteristic, define whether it should be kept in the line item, the totals record in the BW or in both. The following combinations make sense (combination 1 for characteristics in both forms of data retention - standard settings; combination 2 for characteristics only in line items):

Characteristic    Totals    Line items

1. ABC    X    X

2. ABC    -    X

  1. Choose the key figures for this variant

    Perform the same step as when choosing the key figures. Choose all key figures that are required for displaying results or for calculating calculated (see below). Save your entries.

    To edit key figure attributes, choose Variant and then choose Key Figure Attributes using the context menu.

    For each key figure, maintain the type of key figure. This setting controls the +/- sign handling for this basic key figure.

  • Costs (standard setting)
  • Revenue
  • Sales deduction
  • <No selection>

  1. Define calculated key figures (such as contribution margins)

    Here, define calculated key figures that are also calculated when the data is read from Profitability Analysis. Normally, these are key figures that always need to be calculated from the dataset and do not therefore have to be stored. Examples are contribution margins or percentage values calculated from stored amounts.

    To create a new key figure, choose the create symbol in the application toolbar and give the key figure a technical key and a description, as well as the type of calculated key figure (A = amount, Q = quantity, U = user-defined). The type of key figure you choose influences the type of reference field, which is required for generation of the read structure. If you enter 'U', you also need to specify the length of the field in bytes and the number of decimal places.

Key figure types    Reference field

A (Amount)    Currency reference field of type CUKY

Q (Quantity)    Quantity reference field of type QUAN

U (User-defined)    Reference field of type DEC with specification of length and decimal places

Example:

Key Figure    Description    Key figure type    Length    Decimal places

DB1    Contribution margin 1    A (Amount)    -    -

QUAN1    Quantity1    Q (Quantity)    -    -

PROZ1    Percentage 1    U (User-defined)    7    2

When a calculated key figure is created, the system sets a technical name by prefixing it with '/EACA/'. This ensures that the key figure can be distinguished from the basic key figures. If a calculated key figure does not have a formula, this is indicated by a grey rhombus (@BZ@).

To create a formula for the new key figure, double-click on the formula line in question. The system calls up the formula editor for you. You can use this to define the formula from the selected basic key figures and the previously defined calculated key figures.

Choose 'Back' (F3) to return to the maintenance screen for calculated key figures. All formulas that are already defines for key figures are displayed in text form in the text editor. It is not possible to carry out maintenance there; the display is only for purposes of transparency and to allow checks to be made.

If a calculated key figure has a formula, this is indicated by the formula icon (@BZ@). A yellow triangle (@5D@) indicates that an empty formula has been created.

  1. Assign Accounting Systems

    Choose the accounting systems from which you want data to be provided for Profitability Analysis. All characteristics that have been chosen on the variant are added to the cost and revenue journal of the corresponding accounting system upon activation and so updated.

  2. Set the variant as the 'active variant'

    To set a variant as the active variant, call up the context menu for the variant and choose Set as Active Variant. The active variant is highlighted by the icons (@5B@) (status active) and (@5D@) (status not active). All other variants are indicated by the grey rhombus (@BZ@).

  3. Define data retention

    To set up data retention for the variant that is indicated as active, call up the context menu function 'Data Retention'. For the remaining procedure, see the documentation displayed.

  4. To make the variant executable, activate the variant in the last step. Note that to activate the variant the steps 'Metadata->Fetch Field List from View' must be executed in data retention. The remaining objects for data retention (such as data supply flow) can be set later.

Context menu functions for the variant

  • Use of Characteristics

    Initial screen for maintenance of key figures for totals and line item characteristics (see above)

  • Key figure attributes

    Initial screen for maintenance of key figure attributes for +/- sign handling.

  • Change variant

    With this function, you change the text for the variant. The time and change of the last change is also displayed.

  • Copy variant

    With this function, you copy the definition of a variant. This copies all characteristics, basic key figures, and calculated key figures (including formulas).

  • Delete variant

    With this function, you delete a variant.

  • Edit fields (alternative: double click)

    With this function, you edit the field selection for a variant. At this stage, the variant is locked and against changes.

  • Assign accounting systems
  • Set as active variant
  • Transport
  • Data retention

    With this function, you call up data retention Customizing for the variant.

  • Activate / Generate

    If a variant has been set up properly, it can be activated using this menu option. The configuration will be passed on to the Accounting Engine, and the runtime environment will be generated.

  • Generated objects

    With this function, you can display the most important generated objects for the variant.

Activate Realignments

As an optional Profitability Analysis function, activation of realignments allows a view 'by current structure'.

This view can be selected in parallel to the 'As Posted' view. Both views result in separate data in SAP BW.

Business Attributes
ASAP Roadmap ID    
Mandatory / Optional 2   Optional activity 
Critical / Non-Critical 2   Non-critical 
Country-Dependency A   Valid for all countries 
Assigned Application Components
Documentation Object Class Documentation Object Name Current line number Application Component Application Component Name
SIMG /EACA/SIMG_PM_VAR_ST 0 SE30000014 Profitability Analysis 
Maintenance Objects
Maintenance object type C   Customizing Object 
Assigned objects
Customizing Object Object Type Transaction Code Sub-object Do not Summarize Skip Subset Dialog Box Description for multiple selections
/EACA/PM_VARIANT T - Individual transaction object /EACA/PMCFVARI  
History
Last changed by/on SAP  20021001 
SAP Release Created in 10A