xP&A CX Commercial Planning - Get to know the Marketing and Portfolio Planning modules within the Commercial Planning Content part of the xP&A Content Suite

In this step you will learn how to navigate to the folder which contains all SAP Analytic Cloud content packages.

1. Login to your SAP Analytics Cloud tenant using Google Chrome.

   INFORMATION:

   In order to get the best experience, it is recommended to use Google Chrome as it offers the best compatibility with SAC.

   Other browsers can be used as well but are not supported by SAP.

2. In the SAP Analytics Cloud Menu, navigate to the Files section.

   

3. Access the content package folder.

   • You can access the content package folder by either navigating to the Public folder first and looking for a folder named SAP_CONTENT, or by using the search function in the top-right corner.
   • In case you want to make use of the search function, simply enter the term SAP_CONTENT into the search bar.
   
   • The folder SAP_CONTENT contains all objects required to run SAC content. Here you can find your installed content from the content network provided by SAP.
   

Now that you learned where all the SAP Analytics Cloud content packages are stored, you need to find the SAP Commercial Planning content.

1. Look for the SAP Commercial Planning content package by using the search bar.

   • In order to do so, please use the keyword xP&A or CX
   • In the result list, click on the folder SAP_CX_Commercial_Planning with the description xP&A – Commercial Planning
   

2. Run the Commercial Planning content package.

   • The folder SAP_CX_Commercial_Planning contains two folders for each module of the content package, which are the marketing planning module and the sales planning module.
   • Each of ths sub-folders on the other hand contains the respective stories and all the other remaining objects related to the sub-package.
   • To run the Commercial Planning content, please navigate to the folder SAP_MKT_Marketing_Planning and enter the folder Stories. Click on the story called Commercial Planning Overview Page (SAP_MKT_CommercialPlanning_Overview).
   

   INFORMATION:

   • The application SAP_MKT_CommercialPlanning_Overview serves as a starting point and allows you to access all resources of both modules during run time.
   • In other words, you do not need to access the remaining stories by manually launching them from the Files section. Instead, you can open them from inside the SAP_MKT_CommercialPlanning_Overview application.

Before jumping into the different stories which are accessible through the overview page of this content package, it is necessary to understand what the individual stories are for and which use cases they cover.
As this tutorial does not cover the sales planning module, only the portfolio planning and marketing planning content sub-packages are covered here.
If you wish to learn more about the sales planning module, check out the tutorial !!!PLACEHOLDER!!! INSERT LINK TO TUTORIAL LATER

As a last preparation step, it is required to understand the navigation concept of the content package in order for you to use it properly. In this step, you will learn about the meaning and the functionality of all the buttons as well as other UI elements.

1. Home button

   
   • Each planning application apart from the Overview Page (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_OVERVIEW_PAGE) has a Home button located on the top-left corner
   • Clicking on the Home button will always bring you back to the Overview Page (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_OVERVIEW_PAGE)

2. Ask a question button

   
   • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package (apart from the Overview Page) and is located at the top-right corner
   • By clicking on the Ask a question button, you will be redirected to an SAC community page which offers you the possibility to post a question related to this content package

3. Get Involved button

   
   • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package (apart from the Overview Page) and is located at the top-right corner
   • By clicking on the Get Involved button, you will be redirected to an SAP Influence Program page which provides you with the opportunity to post your wishes related to to this content package

4. Learn More button

   
   • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package (apart from the Overview Page) and is located at the top-right corner
   • By clicking on the Learn More button, you will be redirected to an SAC Community page which provides more information about the workforce planning applications and other xP&A related topics.

5. Show/Hide Header button

   
   
   • These buttons can be found in each of planning application of this content package (apart from the Overview Page) and are located at the top-right corner
   • The Hide Header button hides the complete header section, which is useful in case you require more space for the planning tables
   • The Hide Header button changes to a Show Header button after its activation. By pressing the Show Header button, you can unhide the header section again

6. Steps description field

   
   • Such a text field can be found in each planning application of this content package (apart from the Overview Page) and is located at the top-left corner
   • This description field serves as a rough guideline and describes the intended workflow within each of the planning applications

7. Filter button

   
   • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package and is located at the top-left corner
   • By using this function, you can filter all tables and charts down to specific members of the given dimensions for an eased data entry and reporting.

8. Version button

   
   • This Version button is located next to the comparison charts in the header section of each planning application which is part of the Plan FTE Demands and Costs section of the Overview Page (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_OVERVIEW_PAGE) application.
   • By pressing on this button, a dialogue is opened which allows you to select different versions you want to compare your data against
   

   INFORMATION:

   Initializing plan data for more than one plan level in the aggregated planning scenario will lead to duplicate results for the Aggregated_Plan version in the charts

9. Collapse/Expand lanes button

   
   
   • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package containing a table widget and is located at the top-left corner of each table
   • Clicking on the triangle icon next to the table header allows you to expand or collapse the corresponding table in order create more room for a particular table
   • This interacts with the Show/Hide Header button and allows you to use a maximum of space for a planning table when entering your data

10. Confirm button

    
    • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package and is located at the top-right above the tables
    • The Confirm button lets you publish your current plan data into the public plan version.

11. Reset button

    
    • This button can be found in each planning application of this content package and is located at the top-right above the tables
    • In the Aggregated Planning applications Aggregated Internal HC Plan (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_AGGREGATED_INTERNAL) and Aggregated External HC Plan (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_AGGREGATED_EXTERNAL), the Reset button can be used to reset all changes you have done in the plan version since the last publish.
    • In the Detailed Internal FTE Plan application (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_DETAILED_INTERNAL), you can decide whether you want to reset the whole version or whether you want to revert only the plan data for an individual employee

    • Prior to resetting a complete version you will receive the following pop-up:

    
    • Prior to resetting a specific employee you will receive the following pop-up:
    

12. Show adjustment toggle switch

    
    • This switch can be found in all planning applications located in the Plan FTE Demands and Costs section of the SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_OVERVIEW_PAGE application and is located next to the cost table
    • By enabling this switch, you can show or hide the additional adjustment column inside the cost table
    • The background color of the cell is indicating whether a certain cell is input enabled (white) or read only (gray)

    INFORMATION:

    • The Amount measure (read only) shows the calculated costs based on the planned HC/FTE values and the cost drivers maintained in the in the central assumptions.
    • On the Adjustment measure (input ready) you can enter manual adjustments which are added to the calculated costs.
    • The Total Amount measure (read only) shows the sum of the measures Amount and Adjustment

13. Calculate Costs button

    
    • This button can be found in all planning applications which have a cost table and is always located on the top-right corner of the cost table.
    • By pressing this button, a recalculation of costs is started. This is necessary when you adjust your headcount or FTE numbers as costs do not automatically refresh after adjusting the headcount or FTE values.

Before going into the planning applications, you need to make some foundational settings required for the planning activities in the data modeler first.

This is because some of the properties maintained in the data modeler are used for the correct initialization of the planning applications and the widgets inside of them. Making these settings beforehand is highly recommended, so your planning process will not be disrupted by jumping back and forth between the applications and the data modeler.

In this step you will learn which settings must be configured outside the applications in case you do not want to go with the default settings and how this is done. This includes changing the span of the plan horizon (Tab 1), defining the reference period used for the data seeding algorithms (Tab 2), changing the Plan Level (Tab 3) and other possible modifications (Tab 4).

Now that you are familiar with the basics and the navigation concept, you will learn in more detail how to use the different planning applications.

This step focuses on the Application Configuration (SAP__HR_BPL_IM_WFP_CENTRAL_ASSUMPTIONS) application.

You will learn how to open the application (Tab 1), how to setup the parameters and the planning baseline (Tab 2) and how to populate the pre-delivered versions with plan data (Tab 3).

If you are interested in a short demo visualizing all of this, please check out the following video Operational Workforce Planning: Configuration:

As you have now maintained all relevant cost parameters and pre-populated the plan version with plan data, you can continue with the actual planning activities.

In this step, the Aggregated Internal HC Plan application of this content package is introduced.

You will learn how to open the planning application (Tab 1) and how to maintain plan values for your internal workforce by entering the total headcount demand (Tab 2) or alternatively by planning the amount of hires and terminations (Tab 3).

If you are interested in a short video demonstrating all of this, please check out the following content:

In the next step, you will learn how to operate the Aggregated External HC Plan application.

This includes opening the planning application (Tab 1) and maintaining plan values for your external workforce (Tab 2).

In the next step, the Detailed Internal FTE Plan application is introduced.

Here you will learn how to open the planning application (Tab 1), how to maintain FTE and cost values for your individual employees, how to plan events such as absences or promotions (Tab 2) and lastly how to create new positions (Tab 3).

If you are interested in a short video showing all of this in action, you can check it out here:

After you have completed your workforce planning, you can extend the value of this xP&A scenario by integrating the results into your financial plans.

In this step, you will learn how to open the financial integration preparation application (Tab 1), how to prepare your data for the financial integration (Tab 2) and how to transfer the costs into the Operating Expense data model from the Integrated Financial Planning content package (Tab 3).

In this step, the reporting section will be introduced to you.

Here you will learn how to open the reports (Tab 1) and how to leverage the different reports to get an overview about your resources, your actual data compared to your plan data and other insights (Tab 2).

If you are interested in a short video showing all of this in action, you can check it out here:

Congratulations! You have finished the introduction tutorial and are now able to use the SAP Human Experience Management (HXM) Workforce Planning content like an expert.

If you want to customize the content and adjust it according to your own business requirements, the following resources might be helpful:

• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Create and Upload Central Assumptions
• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Add a new Cost Type
• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Add a new Version
• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Add a new Plan Level
• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Create Predictive Scenario
• xP&A HXM Workforce Planning - Write back plan positions to SAP SuccessFactors

Interested in more xP&A topics and related business content packages? Visit our community page Extended Planning & Analysis Business Content.