5 Best New Upgrades in SAP IBP 2102
What better way to get a fresh start in 2021 than a new SAP upgrade? We always look forward to the first iteration of the upgrade season, with a large volume of new and improved SAP functionality upgrades. I've broken down what I deem the 5 best new upgrades in the latest Integrated Business Planning release, SAP IBP 2021.
1) Dynamic Rolling Aggregation
Gone are the days of having to request an L-script to create the functionality of aggregating key figures across time periods for specific attributes, constants, and key figures. In previous versions, users only had the option to use Rolling Aggregation, which could only define a time horizon using constants. With this new configuration functionality, there is a one-step process to create a calculation horizon using not only constants, but also attributes, and key figures. While this is an exciting new function, it does come with its downfalls, as it requires more configuration and maintenance efforts in the background.
Data showing how the Dynamic Rolling Aggregation calculation works, using offsets and duration
2) Cloud Integration for Data Services Excel Job Templates
For those who are adept at both the IBP add-in and CPI-DS, SAP has created new functionality to allow the users to have both in one. Enhancements have brought in the option to control CI-DS job visibility in the Excel add-in by adjusting a setting in the Global Parameter DISABLE_EXCEL_APJT_CPIDS to True from its default setting of False.Also, in the 2102 enhancement, SAP has brought in the option to apply a filter to the CI-DS jobs. This option does require CI-DS and Data Service Agent version 1.0.11 patch 40 or later.
3) Interactive Planning for Supply Elements
The Order-Based Planning fans out there will be excited for this new enhancement from the 2102 upgrade. In the View Projected Stock Application, users now have the option to make manual changes to some supply elements and apply these changes to the operative version, or other versions. Planners have the option to create, change, fix, and delete purchase requisitions, stock transfer requisitions, planned orders, and many more. Also, there is the option to start a planning run in a separate step.The users will be able to make their changes, create, or delete the supply elements in Simulation Mode. Once the changes have been made, they will be highlighted with a blue marker, and then the user has the option to save from there (*to use this feature, the administrator needs to enable it in the business role.)
Interactive planning using the View Projected Stock Application
4) Year-to-Date Analysis Key Figures
SAP has increased their standard year-to-date and year-to-go key figures to include Actuals Revenue and AOP Revenue YTD. This enhancement uses the Cumulative Aggregation function (IBP_CAGGR) to show the users the Actuals and AOP Revenues from the start of the year to the current time bucket.
Year-to-Date and year to go calculation graphs using Demand as the input
For this functionality to work properly, there must be values in the input key figures in all time buckets, or else the Cumulative Aggregation Function will not work. If this is not the case, the users will have to upload Null values for all time periods. This new functionality can be brought in by copying the 2102 SAPIBP1 planning area, or manually configuring the key figures.
5) Two Options to View Recommended Safety Stock
Changes have arrived in some highly used key figures in the SAPIBP1 planning area. Recommended Safety stock now shows no Last Period Aggregation in the standard configuration of the key figure for RSS and Recommended Safety Stock Value. However, do not worry. The LPA has not gone too far. It is just in some new key figures called Recommended Safety Stock (LPA) and recommended Safety Stock Value (LPA). See what they did there? For those who are used to seeing the Inventory Optimization with the LPA, SAP has changed the operators to use the Recommended Safety Stock (LPA) versions.
*Honorable Mention - Change History Application
Just in time for the deprecation of the old Change History Application in the 2105 upgrade, we have a new Change History App. These new changes have brought the filters from the old app, into the new app, without any effort on the user’s part.You can read more about best practices for SAP IBP 2102 here.
