FACTOR=USING/TOTAL!!!!

Question

Hi,
I do not understand the meaning of FACTOR=USING/TOTAL in the allocation logic. Can someone explain me this? I tried in forums i could not locate the information. If you feel the information is already available in other threads please direct me there. And also i have seen this code in the example of allocation logic. Can some one explain me this. your help is much appreciated.
*XDIM_MEMBERSET TIME=2008.JAN,2009.JAN
*XDIM_MEMBERSET P_ACCT=RENT
*XDIM_MEMBERSET CATEGORY=PLAN,ACTUAL
*XDIM_MEMBERSET ENTITY=$SOURCE$,$TARGET$
*WHEN ENTITY
*IS "ASA"
*REC (EXPRESSION=$ASARENT$,TIME=2009.JAN,CATEGORY=PLAN)
*ENDWHEN
*COMMIT
*RUNALLOCATION
*FACTOR=USING/TOTAL
*DIM P_ACCT WHAT=RENT; WHERE=<<<; USING=<<<; TOTAL=<<<
*DIM ENTITY WHAT=$SOURCE$; WHERE=BAS($TARGET$); USING=<<<; TOTAL=<<<
*DIM TIME WHAT=>>>; WHERE=2009.JAN; USING=2008.JAN; TOTAL=<<<
*DIM CATEGORY WHAT=>>>; WHERE=PLAN; USING=ACTUAL; TOTAL=<<<
*ENDALLOCATION
*WHEN ENTITY
*IS "ASA"
*REC (EXPRESSION=0,TIME=2009.JAN,CATEGORY=PLAN)
*ENDWHEN
Kind Regards,
Surya Tamada.

Answer 1

Hi Surya,
I'm not sure what in particular you don't understand in in FACTOR = USING/TOTAL. It's hard to explain it in general terms because theoretically it could be different combination of USING and TOTAL restrictions.
In your example, where TOTAL = <<< it's much easier.
Basically RUNALLOCATION retrieves data based on restrictions listed in all WHAT parts. In your case it will be P_ACCT = RENT, ENTITY = $SOURCE$, TIME = 2009.JAN AND CATEGORY = PLAN.
Than it selects all data restricted by USING clause (P_ACCT = RENT, ENTITY = BAS($TARGET$), TIME = 2008.JAN and CATEGORY = ACTUAL). It summarizes those USING values in groups that have same values of Dimensions not included in RUNALLOCATION and those in USING. I don't know what those are in your case, but they will be grouped by members of TARGET, since all other dimensions have just 1 value.
Than it calculates ratio of USING/TOTAL; in you case it will be amount for each member of TARGET divided by total amount for TARGET. This ratio is applied to each amount retrieved in WHAT and finally in the result WHAT members are replaced with WHERE members.
So, in your example it will take Planned Source Rent for JAN.2009, distribute it to Target Plan Rent of same period proportionally to amounts of each member of Target had in Actuals of JAN.2008.
Not sure if this came up more clear than the RUNALLOCATION itself, but if you you have a more elaborate question I'll try to give you an answer to that.
Regards,
Gersh