Navigation attributes in APO DP

I am using APO DP V5.
I have a planning characteristics of product and customer. I also have a characteristic of 'product group'. I am trying to clarify the <u>real difference</u> between modelling this characteristic as a planning characteristic or as a navigation attribute of product.
Based on my testing, using product group as a navigation attribute, I can select by product group and apply fixing and disaggregation.
So, what is the 'added value' of modelling 'product group' as a planning characteristics?
Any feedback appreciated.
Thanks, Bob Austin

To quote OSS note 413526
When defining a planning area you have the option of using either basic
characteristics or navigation attributes. With regard to the design the
following aspects should be considered:
Navigation attributes:
===========================================================
The use of navigation attributes adversely affects performance during
data selection and during navigation in the interactive planning. The
number of used navigation attributes is important and not the different
specifications of a navigation attribute.
It is very easy to realign the planning objects since only the master
record table of the affected InfoObject has to be changed.
Navigation attributes can not be used as a characteristic during the
definition of a fixed aggregate.
During the disaggregation a navigation attribute can never represent the
lowest planning level.
Navigation attributes can not be used in the promotion planning, in
other words an 'assign object' is not possible for navigation attributes.
Basic characteristics:
===========================================================
In comparison with navigation attributes, the exclusive use of basic
characteristics improves the performance.
It is possible to realign the planning objects, but this is more
complicated.
Basic characteristics can be used during the definition of aggregates.
Both navigation attributes and basic characteristics can be used during the
data extraction.
It is therefore not possible to give a clear-cut recommendation for or
against navigation attributes.

Similar Messages

Use of planning characteristics vs navigation attributes in APO DP

I am using APO DP V5.
I have a product characteristic.
Products are grouped into 'product groups'.
I want to be able to run stat forecasts at the 'product group' level, and also adjustments via key figures at the 'product group' level.
For the 'product group', I could set up a planning characteristic or a navigation attribute.
What are the pros/cons of setting up a planning characteristic or navigation attribute, bearing in mind the need to forecast and make adjustments at this level?
Thanks in advance...

Hi,
The pros for using navigatyion attribute are quite easy: it will give you far more flexibility.
For example in case of change of hierarchy, you will not need to run realignment.
It simplify in the same way the data loading.
Now the cons: there is still some limitations: you can without any problem run stat forecast and adjustment for a navigation attribute. The only limitations I can remember are for promotion and store the assigment of a forecast profile to a selection (see /SAPAPO/MSDP_FCST2 - Assign Forecast Profiles to a Selection ).
this point might, or not, be the issue for you: do you plan to use the automatic forecast profile selection? If yes, then I suggest you to test it with navigation attributes; but as far I know it will fail. (note: I think there is workaround with a badi implementation, but can't remember which one now)
I hope it helps
Julien

Use of navigation attributes in APO DP

I am trying to clarify how navigation attributes compare with full planning characteristics in APO DP (V5).
In general, I know that navigation attributes are used for selection and navigation in APO DP.
But suppose I have a navigation attribute called 'product type' for planning characteristic 'product'. Isn't it also possible to forecast and make adjustments at the 'product type' level.
If the answer is yes, what is the real difference between the use of navigation attributes and planning characteristics?
Thanks for any help with this.
Bob Austin

You do not see difference in Attribute and characteristics in the interactive planning screen. So you should be able to create selections and do general navigation
just a little more detail on the difference between nav attributes and planning char
But creating forecast profiles might be a problem- Selections with navigational attributes do not create forecast assignment table entries. As of SCM4.1, the attribute information can be stripped out of the selection via BADI, allowing an assignment entry to be created.
Maintenance of CVCs also have to be done differently. Navigational attributes are not same as CVCs. Instead they point at the value of another characteristic. We create master data for nav attrib in the Admin workbench. Also If you plan to use navigational attributes on standard characteristics, say in 9AMATNR, then you could have issues in SNP since SNP does not support Nav attrib
Also realignment of Navigational attributes is not a standard process but can be done.

APO Demand Planning - Navigational Attributes BADI

Hi,
I have an issue in that I need a Navigational Attribute to be able to store the GUID for a Forecast Profile to a Selection. In standard, only a selection with Key Characteristics can do this. It is not practical for us to use a Key Characteristic because the realignment would take to long therefore it needs to be a Navigational Attribute.
Having read the note "Use of planning characteristics vs navigation attributes in APO DP " dated 19/10/2009 in SAP Solutions » SCM - APO Forum, it indicates that there is a BADI work around to enable this to be done but cant remember which one.
Does anyone know the BADI can be used to achieve this?
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Prabhat
Please refer to OSS note 413526 for a comparison of Navigational Attributes v/s basic characteristics. While most planning tasks can be done with navigational attributes there are a few limitations.
Rishi Menon

Navigation attribute in the Alert Monitor

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In the alert monitor in SAP APO the display table contains only characteristics and not the navigational attribute.
Is there any way through which we can display the navigational attribute also?
Thanks,
Diana

Diana ,
This is how we handled it when we had a situation similar to yours. Since the navigational attribute was also a BW info object , we pulled the value for the navigational attribute to APO-BW . We then put custom logic in the BAdI to pull data for the navigational attribute and display the same in the alert monitor.
Your ABAP team should be able to help you in putting the custom logic in the BAdI . To save the value to the info object you need to have an idea about APO-BW.
Thanks
Saradha

What is the role of navigation atributes in APO DP

What is the role of navigation attributes in APO DP

Hi,
Navigational attributes bear the same meaning as in BW. They can be used for navigation- drill up and drill down in the planning book. There is a very little difference in usage.
They also appear in the CVCs, they are just like a regular characteristic. You can select the N.Attribute in your selection profiles, you can use them for forecasting as well.
But the problem is , when you specify as a navigational attribute, additional tables are created and they have to be accessed from there instead of database like the regular key figures. So it hampers the performance.
It is a good idea to define the characteristics that you think would be using in planning, macros, forecasting model selections, selection profiles etc. and have the characteristics by which you want to drill up/down the data in the planning book.
This saves a lot of performance.

BAdi /SAPAPO/SDP_SELECTOR to secure by Navigational Attribute

Hello All - I am hoping you can help me. I have been trying to find a way to secure updates to a shared planning book in DP by Sales-Org. The Sales-Org in our environment is a "navigational attribute" and not a "characteristic". I tried creating a custom object using RSSM to no avail. I found some documentation that said you could use a user exit or BAdi method "SELECTION CHECK' (/SAPAPO/SDP_SELECTOR) to run additional authorization checks. I need to know whether this method could be used to secure a Navigational Attribute? If so, what information do I need to provide to the developer to implement this exit?

Hi,
As a SAP APO technical consultant we have implemented the BADI but am not sure if it meets your requirement:
You can use the implementation as a reference for the method you are trying to implement:
http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/SCM/ImplementingBADIin+APO
cheers
Aveek

Unable to view Navigational Attributes in ODS

Dear All,
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I did master Data Activation and also did Attribute change run. Where as I am able to view values for Material Group in Material Master Data.
Regards
Ravi Y

Hi Ravi,
You could check if the X/Y table of material group are correct.
Do RSRV combination check on the info object material and material group. Run all the tests...espeially the consistency of X and Y tables..
Also, you could probably check if this is some authorization issue... that you dont have authorization to view contents of material group...(may not be the case, but worth a check )...
Sounds strange though, if all is ok and u still dont see material group. (and sometimes it cud be a refresh issue as lalit suggests....., if it has to get wierd )
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Regards,
Sunmit.

Navigational Attribute data is not display in Cube level and reporting

Hello ALL
Iam facing a problem like,I created Navigational attribute and I selected that navigational attribute in cube level also but data is not display in cube level.
What will be the problem?Pl help me out.
regards
balaji

Hi Dinesh
You mean base characteristic means loading data after creating Navigational attribute?Is it this way,(orelse can u tell me about this base characterstic)
Yes after making that particular attribute as a navigational attribute I loaded data in master data tables.
How to run Attribute change run?can u give me steps
regards
balaji

Navigational attribute in Cube

Hi Gurus,
I want to understand one point before I am going to perform a small enhancement.
I need to set a navigational attribute in a cube(before it is not checked on "I/O") meaning make this navigational attribute behave as a char., but this cube contains data already, my question is :
can I make this change ? if yes any other additional effort?
Thanks in advance

Hi Ryan,
The attr needs to be marked and activated as Navigational Attr in the parent char first. Then you can mark it as nav attr in the cube (which contains the parent char). Does not matter if the cube contains data...you can do this activity in a cube with data. Remember to reactivate the cube's update rules and any multiproviders that it is a part of after you make this change.
Hope this helps...

Adding navigational attributes to a cube

We have upgraded to BW 7.3. Previously when we added navigational attributes to a cube we need to activate the update rules from the ods but now it appears that we don't need to do that anymore. Is this the expected behavaior? We are using the 3.5 update rules.
thanks

HI,
If you are using 3.5, after selecting nav attr in the cube, the cube structure gets deactivated. The dependent update rules also gets deactivated. You will be forced to activate all again.
In BW 7.3, SAP would have given privilege to add without activation. It is good for us. So nothing to worry.
Regards,
Suman

Code needed for a Navigational Attribute.

Hi Experts,
I have a requirement to update records on a Navigational Attribute of an Infobject in an DSO.
DSO A has key figures Region & 0calmonth. Data fields Price, Quantity, Place & Name. DSO B has key figures 0customer & Data Filelds Plant, Material etc. DSO B Plant's Navigational Attribute is Region /BI0/OIREGION.
Now, I want to link the Region of DSO A with the Navigational Attribute of DSO B with Region /BI0/OIREGION and update the values of DSO A in DSO B.
For this I want to write a code in the END ROUTINE. Please provide me with the code.
Thanks in advance,
With Kind Regards,
Kannan Jagadeesan.

Hi,
data : begin of itab1 OCCURS 0,
         Region type /BI0/OIREGION-Region,
         OBJVERS type RSOBJVERS,
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        END OF itab1.
select * from /bic/DSOaa00 into table itab1    * this is DSO A*
for all entries in DATA_PACKAGE
where /BI0/OIREGION = DATA_PACKAGE-/BI0/OIREGION..
loop at DATA_PACKAGE.
    select /BI0/OIREGION
        /BI0/OICALMONTH
   from /bic/DSOaa00
   into TABLE itab1
   where /BI0/OIREGION = DATA_PACKAGE-/BI0/OIREGION
    If sy-subrc = 0.
      sort itab.
    endif.
    read table itab with key /BI0/OIREGION = DATA_PACKAGE-/BI0/OIREGION.
    if sy-subrc = 0.
      /BI0/OIREGION = ITAB1-Region.
      endif.
this is the dry draft to read the oregion navigational object.
try to correct accordingly in your system and implement it.
hope this helps you
santosh
Edited by: Santhosh Nagaraj on Sep 16, 2009 2:01 PM
Edited by: Santhosh Nagaraj on Sep 16, 2009 2:05 PM

BI-IP / Formula navigation attribute

Hi,
i have the following problem and hope somebody can help.
I have a BI-IP planing function (Fox-Formula) which simply copies the keyfigure Amount from the characteristic company (#) to the characteristic company (8703).
{ KI_LCCUR, 8703 } = { KI_LCCUR,# }.
this characterisic has also a navigation attribute headquarter.
when i run the function the following error message appears:
8703,# is invalid: Valid is 8703,DE. Characteristic "ZCompany"
which means to me the master data for charactersitic company 8703 and its attribute Headquarter # is not valid, which is true. But what do i need to do in order to use the right combination 8703,DE?
Is there a way to make fox formula to find the right value for the attribute? is there a way use navigation attribute in fox formule?
Thanks for your help in advance!
Mike

Hi,
The problem can be due to the mapping in the cube.
Please reactivate your cube.
If you are using a multi-provider, then please check that the navigational attribute is defined in all the cubes in mulitprovider.
Regards,
Amit

How to show data for navigational attribute in a report ?

Hello all,
I have a hierarchy info object A which has a navigational attribute(hierarchy) B. I need to filter on B for a particular node.
I have added A in the filter column and selected B as the attribute. How can i restrict B for a particular hierarchy node ?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
S N

Hi,
Have you defined 'B' as Navigational attribute at InfoProvider Level?
You can Restrict B for a Particular Value once it is defined as Navigational attribute at InfoProvder level.
Go to InfoProvider maintaince>click 'nav attributes'>enable it (check the box).activate the InfoProvider.
Then you can see it under same dimension where 'A' is assigned and its name would be A_B.
Drag and drop in to rows and restrict(include/exclude) with required value.
thanks
Message was edited by:
Murali

Virtual infoprovider with services - Navigational attributes

Hi all,
I have a basic cube in BI system- X , and created a virtual cube in another BI system Y with services to read data from basic cube of BI system X . In BI system Y we built a report on virtual cube. This report (on virtual cube in BI system Y) is using a characteristics say Product group ( which is a navigational attributes of prodect in BI system X).
DataFlow is as under:
Basic cube in BI system X:
Product
Year
Amount
and Product group is switched on as navigational attributes in this basic cube.
Virtual cube in BI system Y:
Product group
Year
Amount
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Product group in rows
Amount in column
This report is not working.
If I do the the following changes as follows then it works:
1.Use Product instead of product group in report
2. Switch off navigational attributes in basic cube.
We are in BW 3.5 and navigational attributes option is ticked on for virtual cube.
In summary, If I do not use navigational attributes in report and switch off navigational attributes from basic cube then report shows data.
Could you please help me to figure out the issue.
Thanks,
Harry

Thanks Naga,
Yes, I tried adding product in virtual cube as well but it did not work. Secondly, we do not want to add product in virtual cube because of data aggregation.
Most strange thing is that, once we switch on any navigational attributes on basic cube, function module stop working (paasing any data to virtual cube report). report says no appropriate data found. We are using sap standard function module "RSDRI_INFOPROV_READ_RFC". I debegged this code and no data in internal tables.
If we switch off all navigational attributes from basic/source cube this function module provide data to internal tables in code.
Why function module is behaving like that.
You guys experience/support/any clue will be appreciated highly.
Thanks,
Harry

Navigation attributes in APO DP

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