What is the difference between Characteristic Values and Key Figures in APO ?

[lokesh_sah]

Hi Experts,

Can you please clarify the concept of Charateristic values and Key Figure Values in APO.

Sorry for such a naive question but can you please explain this with some real life examples.

Regards,

Lokesh Sah.

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi Lokesh,

Key Figure 

Contains data that is represented as a numerical value―either a quantity or a monetary value. Examples of key figures used in Demand Planning are planned demand and ac

tual sales history. Examples of key figures used in Supply Network Planning are production receipts and distribution receipts.

Characteristics

A planning object such as a product, location, brand or region.

The master data of Demand Planning or Supply Network Planning encompasses the permitted values of the characteristics, the characteristic values. Characteristic values are discrete names or numbers. For example, the characteristic 'location' could have the values London, Delhi and New York.

Please visit following links for more information on SAP definition of characteristics, key figures and other objects in demand planning;

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_scm70/helpdata/EN/59/a3453ff168e07fe10000000a114084/frameset.htm

Rgds

Sourabh

[m_manimaran]

Hi Lokesh,

In simple terms Characteristic are the containers of Master Data and Key figures are the containers of the transaction data.

For example Location, Product, Customer, etc., are Characteristics

Sales quantity, price, historical sales quantity, forecast quantity etc., are Key figures

A specific value for the characteristic is called Characteristic value. For example Plant 1300 is the value for the characteristic Location. AAA is the value for the characteristic Product.

In Demand planning, master data Characteristic value combination (CVC) is created based on these characteristics.

A value for the key figure is usually a numeric value. For example, value of the Key figure 'Sales quantity' for the product AAA at location 1300 for the month of March'2013 is 5000.

Hope it helps to clarify your doubts.

Regards,

Manimaran M.

[former_member458819]

Pls go through the Below Links

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_45b/helpdata/en/2a/f9f872493111d182b70000e829fbfe/content.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_470/helpdata/en/ac/71ad39be3e11d1a54a0000e839d005/content.htm

Sunil Kumar M