BPS Planning Layout - Data Column issues

Question

My basic question is:  is it possible to configure a characteristic in the data column such that it contains a range of values, instead of just a single value.  We have requirements to produce a series of comparison columns for things such as "Year-to-Date" (sum of a range of fiscal periods), "Prior 12 Months" (again, sum of a range of periods), and so forth.  Unfortunately, the BPS layout configuration of data columns only allows you to specify a single characteristic value.  If you configure it with a variable that contains the range, the system only uses the LOW value of the range, not the full range.  The ability to provide such comparison columns is critical to our users' ability to see prior information and make a determination of new plan values for the plan year.
Any thoughts or suggestions on how I should approach this, or alternative approaches to take?

Answer 1

John,
This has been an issue with BPS since you can only display data columns of the granularity you specify rather than a range such as YTD similar to what you can do in BW restricted key figures. 
The work around is to create and store the numbers in 
1) YTD key figure in say fiscal year current year fiscal period current period and/or
2) Prior 12 months Key figure and store the number against fiscal year current year fiscal period # or first period period of the year...
Hope this helps and assign points if you found it useful.
Mary