SAP S/4 Finance blog series-3-SAP Integrated Business planning-Overview & Setup
Hi Guys,
After my blog on the S/4 reporting options,( SAP S/4 Finance blog series-2-Reporting options… | SCN ), i take this opportunity to write about SAP IBPF which is one of the pillar of SAP Simple Finance.
There are some excellent blog on IBP given by Arnaud Sergent which you guys should check
Overview , So what is IBP / IBPF – 😕
IBP is the planning tool offered by SAP in Simple Finance and it replaces all the GL based planning. It is also a tool which enables client to use the same planning setup for both BPC and ECC ( read Analysis for Office) based planning. With Sfin 2.0 / 1503 on premise, there are a good number fiori tools which can be used for reporting the plan vs actual data.
It uses AO for the planning layout:- Shown below is cost center planning
Shown below are the various Fiori apps available for reporting of Plan vs Actual for various dimensions
OKK…So how do I use this 😆 😆
During the initial setup of this, one problem was lack of documents online on how to use this tool. I am talking in term of an regular FICO consultant .Since Integrated Planning was available previously though mainly from BW, there are few consultants with this skills.
However fret not 🙂 🙂 , I will try to outline most of the steps and details to set IBP
1) Setup BW client
In the sfin system you need to create a BW client to which the IBP would work. You can use this function module and set the client
2) Once this is done, you need to define the logical system and activation of the BI content. The BI content delivered by SAP provides a great deal of standard content for planning and it is almost enough to meet about 80 % of your planning requirement of client.
Follow the 4 nodes shown below
Shown below is the activation of the BI content. Before you perform this please read the help provided on the node to set the parameters correctly
4) Once this is done, all the excel layout for planning are available, but they need to be activated for use.
To do this, use transaction RSA1 and activate the excel layout. This will enable the AO layout to be available for planning
5) Once the above step is done, we still need to change the query for the planning. This is a minor change and will enable the data comes out correctly
Open the planning query in the “Query Designer” tool and change the default parameters to get data from Master data instead of the posted data.
All the planning query are set with the default parameter as “posted data”, which will not allow the initial launch of the planning views
View all the list of query available for planning:-
Change the parameters for the default values, as shown in diagram for the GL Account for the Cost Center planning on period
This should enable IBP for your usage now 🙂 🙂 😎 😎
Other good resource
There is a central note-0002081400 provided by SAP which has all the information on setup of IBP.
Other excellent document for the IBP and how to change the default content are:-
https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-59001 Enhancing an Input-Ready Query with a Comments Column https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-59000 Provisional Master Data
https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-63225 Process Orchestration with BPF
https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-65723 Plan Data Retraction from Standalone BPC to IBPF https://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-54501 Embedded BW
I hope this helps and you guys will be able to explore this good solution of SAP.
Regards
Rishab
Other blogs in the series:-
SAP Appendix ledger
Reporting options with S/4 HANA
SAP S/4 Finance blog series-2-Reporting options with COPA as use case
CO-FI initial setup
SAP S/4 Finance blog series-4-Changes in Controlling & how to use them
SAP S/4 1511 changes in details
Hi Rishab,
Thanks for sharing this information.
It is still confusing how above configuration steps provided for IBP linked to Fiori tool.
Can you provide more insight on the same?
It is also not clear the purpose of above customization steps.
Thanks & Regards,
Yogesh
Hey Yogesh,
Thanks for feedback,
The configuration for the Fiori apps of IBP follows both fiori and IBP side.
I will list the steps below:-
1) All the Fiori app will use some backend query to get the data. So the all the Bex query need to be checked and working. So you need to refer the above the step and activate the Bex query. This will ensure the data availability to the Apps
2) Now to get the app working, you need help from Basis to get the Fiori tile available.
After this you need to get the web dynpro service active for all the apps.
This should get the tile working for you
Hope this helps.
Regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab
Thanks its Great so can BW also help me setup some more Analytics Reports
Like Dashboards something which was not there in ECC
Hi Aniket,
Thanks for your response
Yes there is a lot of standard content provided by SAP which need to be activated annd used.
Much of this will be the standard content available with BW standalone.
However I have not been involved in the Reporting side for BW so far with Simple Finance.
Regards
Another Good one !
Hello Rishab, additional information:
a) IBP for Sales and Operations Planning (IBP SNOP) covers the logistics part of the planning cycle. IBP for Finance (IBPF) covers the financial part of the planning cycle.
b) IBF's cannot replace all existic planning tools from a functional point of view. Its strenght is (among others) that it combines CO-Planning (Cost Center Planning/Project Planning/..) with FI Planning (BS / P&L) so that you can see the result of the plans inmediately on company or group level.
Regards, Steffen
Thanks Steffen for you comment
Hi Rishab,
Thanks for the useful information.
I have a question.
We are facing HANA views errors while activating BI bundle content for planning in Sfin system.
Do we need to install HANA live before activation of BI content in Sfin system. Please let me know.
Thanks and Regards
Ravi Kumar
Hi,
note 1972819 - Setup Integrated Business Planning for Finance describes the way to correctly activate the embedded BPC/BI and the corresponding reports etc.
Regards, Steffen
Great blog.
I have assigned BW client via functional module and activating the Queries . But the jobs are facing Timeout error after running for 4 hours.
did i miss something?
Hi Micheal,
Please read the help document on the customizing node.
It mentions the parameter to be set before activation.
Hopefully it should help resolve your issue.
There is a log which is saved for the activation, see what is really getting struck
regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab , i already read the notes and configured accordingly as in the screenshot.
Hey Michael,
It seems like all the steps are followed and activation parameters are set correctly.
Not sure if there is a overlap in objects / lock as shown in message- a previous activation is still running.
Please raise a message with SAP, it may be an issue with locks. Hope that should help.
Regards
Rishab
Hi,
Its really a helpful document.
But I have many questions related to IBP.
As IBP being brought as another alternative for BPC Planning.
1) Do I need to create Environment/Model/Dimensions like in BPC?
2) In BPC we have a web link but here I can't see any web link.
3) In my case Planned Actuals will be loaded externally through a File so how should I implement this as there is no web link and EPM Spreadsheet
My questions are in perspective with BPC vs IBP for planning.
Please help me on my queries
Regards,
Ravi
Hey Ravi,
Thanks for your valuable feedback.
About your questions:-
1) In IBP you dont have environment to be setup. SAP gives a lot of default data and models for planning and you can copy those for use.
2) There is no web version for IBP, though you can have both BPC and IBP together and in that case you will have the web link
3) The actuals for IBP are stored in a cube, so you need to load it manually.
Personal opinion, if you dont have SAP for actuals then using IBP does not make a lot of sense.
Hope this helps,
Regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab
Thanks for the information. I have a question relating to locking the plan data.
In SAP FICO, we have transaction OKP1 to lock the planning data for a given version and year once the planning is completed so users can no longer modify the information. Do we have similar functionality to lock a region of data in IBPF given now we are using CATEGORY and not version?
Thanks and Kind Regards
Julie
Hello Julie,
The OKP1 transaction for locking can be made available with a note, but it will still function as before and will not be involved with data set by IBPF solution.
About locking & unlocking period, this is available directly in BPC with IBPF solution, scenario.
For normal S/4 -IBP scenario, I think you can work with authorizations to ensure this lock.
I will update you if I find more on this subject.
Regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab
Thanks for your response. Is it correct to say that the work status setup in BPC will not lock data using the standard workbook delivered as part of IBPF? The work status will only work if we setup new BPC model with the IBPF real-time INFOCUBE and create the input form.
Thanks and Kind Regards
Julie
Hi Rishab,
Do you know the impact on the cost center planning from 'rate' perspective - KP06 and KP26 ? If I do the cost center planning using IBP , do I need to again do the planning for rate calculation separately ?
Thanks.
thanks for the information Rishab,
With the procedure that you have mentioned, also activate the InfoCubes, infobojetos, and other items needed for planning? it is necessary to activate or differently?
It is the first project we do in IBP with BW and we have very clear procedures for working with IBP.
Thank you,
Hello Emilio,
How are you doing.
I think the infocube & info objects are activated with the activation of BI content.
This will help you get the objects.
Regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab,
thanks for your reply, I understand that the steps you are said to enable planning templates, right ?. as a preliminary step objects such as InfoCubes, infobojetos must be activated, among other objects for planning and all this is activated BI Content. I could provide a guide or link where you can find more information to activate these objects from BI Content ?
thank you very much
HI Rishab,
Very nice presentation.
Is there any plan from SAP to introduce Consolidation functionality on this product as what we are having in Standard BPC and recently Embedded version of BPC also equipped with Consolidation feature.
And this product also has web reporting or AO is the only interface available for this product ?
Please update if you have any info.
Thanks & Kr,
Mohammed
Hello Mohammed,
How are you doing,
About your questions:-
1) Consolidation- We might have it in IBP but it is not mentioned as of now. BPC will be the solution for consolidation
2) Reporting in IBP- You have Fiori apps & AO, but since it is a BW cube you can also use BO tools to access this.
Hope this helps,
Regards
Rishab
Hi Rishab,
I am doing good and thanks for asking and also thank you for your reply.
With IBP we can share the ERP Master Data and realtime access to transaction data in IBP.
Besides, this what are the Pros and Cons to be considered and compare with Traditional BPC system, suppose we have to load data from external system outside of ERP to perform planning functions and Reporting.
Because, we are in the above situation and considering which product to select or have both of them.
Please share your inputs.
Thanks & Kr,
Mohammed