Example Scenario: Model a Monthly Forecast Planning Process Using the Calendar

Learn how you can set up a workflow to complete your monthly forecast planning in the SAP Analytics Cloud calendar.

Context

This example scenario illustrates how you can set up your workflow in the calendar and adapt it according to your changing needs during the planning process.

There are three regions that are involved in the monthly forecast: EMEA, APJ and North America. Each region has a responsible regional manager:

  • Each regional manager enters data in the same work file.

  • Each regional manager only needs to see and enter their own region's data in the work file.

Preparing the Planning Process

Procedure

  1. Create a process to group the tasks for each region.
  2. Create three composite tasks for each region and add them to the parent process.
    Tip

    To be quicker, you can start with one composite task and copy it for the other two. You can then change the context after copying.

  3. Add a work file ("Monthly Forecast" story or analytic application) and the corresponding context to the three composite tasks.
  4. Add the regional managers as assignees of their composite tasks.
  5. Since APJ and North America need a review step, add reviewers to these two composite tasks.
  6. Optional: Check the default time distribution between assignee and reviewer, and change it as needed.

Results

You've prepared the planning process by creating the individual events.

Tip

In some cases, you can automatically generate tasks. Your planning model needs to have an organizational region dimension with the three regions at the top of the hierarchy, and you need to prepare the work file. Then, you can use the calendar wizard to create all three tasks at once. You can create the parent process beforehand or you create it directly in the calendar wizard. Select the region dimension members as context, as well as the assignees and reviewers that are maintained as attributes of the driving dimension. As a result, a composite task is created for each region. See also: Example Scenario: Generate Tasks for a Monthly Forecast Using the Calendar Wizard

Adapting the Process to Region-Specific Changes

Context

The EMEA region gets an additional regional manager who is jointly responsible. Either assignee should be able to submit the task. They will coordinate among each other who will finally submit the composite task for EMEA.

Procedure

Add the new regional manager as an additional assignee of the composite task for EMEA.

Results

Both regional managers can work on the forecast for EMEA. The composite task is completed once one of them submits it.

Refining the Process

Context

Instead of locking the data slice for each region, the entered values should be copied to a separate version on the due date. You can do this data copy step with a predefined data action that copies the data from the corresponding region and the source plan version to a target plan version. The data action should start on the due date of the review task.

Procedure

  1. Convert each composite task to a process.

    The EMEA child process has a general task for the two assignees, and the APJ and the North America child processes have a general task and a review task each.

    The reviewers are displayed as the assignees of the review tasks. As the review tasks depend on the preceding general tasks, you can't change their start dates, only their due dates. The corresponding work file is automatically inherited from the general task, and the reviewers can start working on it once the regional managers have completed their general tasks.

  2. Optional: To give all regional managers the same amount of time, you can change the due dates of the general tasks for APJ and North America accordingly.

    The dependent review tasks are automatically shifted, and the processes for APJ and North America are automatically extended.

  3. Create three automatic data action tasks to copy the data.
    1. Set the start condition of the APJ and the North America data action tasks as dependent on the corresponding review tasks.

      Once they're successful, the data action tasks will start.

    2. For EMEA, set the start condition of the data action task as dependent on the general task for EMEA.

      Once it's successful, the data action task will start.

    3. Add the automatic data action tasks to the corresponding child processes.

Results

The parent process consists of three child processes for each region. Once the forecast data entry task and its review (in APJ and North America) have been successful, an automatic data action task starts and copies the data from each region to a target plan version.
Note

Alternatively, you can group all general tasks into one process dedicated to the data entry work, and all review tasks into another process dedicated to the data entry review. The dependency between the corresponding general task and its review task still exists.

Ad-Hoc Changes During the Process

Context

While the forecast process is running, an organizational change in the APJ region requires an additional review round for APJ. In North America, additional regional managers also need to work on the data entry task.

Procedure

  1. Convert the general task for APJ to a composite task.
  2. Define two review rounds and add the reviewers accordingly.
  3. Remove the redundant review task from the APJ process and adapt the due date of the composite task for APJ, so the reviewers for APJ will have the same time as the reviewers for North America.

  4. Add the additional regional managers as assignees to the general task for North America.

    The jointly responsible regional managers will work on their task collaboratively and one of them will submit their work to complete it.

Next Steps

Learn how the assignees and reviewers work together to enter, submit, and review the data for the monthly forecast in APJ and North America: Example Scenario: Collect Data for a Monthly Forecast Using the Calendar