Answer for the Interview Questions

[Former Member]

Hello Experts,

Below is the list of questions from DP and SNP which I took it from APO Interview Questions thread. Please provide us the answers for the questions. It will be really helpful for the beginners like me. If every one in the forum contributes then it will be very great.

Thanks for your reply.

Best Regards,

Raj.

Where do you define Info-objects?

Info-objects comprise of?

What is Administrator Workbench is used to create and manage?

What are the different types of data in liveCache?

what is the difference between Storage Bucket Profile and Planning Bucket Profile?

How can you setup two grids in the Planning Book / Data View?

What can be sources of data in the timeseries keyfigure?

What is the use of ex-post forecast in Univariate Statistical Forecasting?

What are the types of Keyfigure aggregation in terms of characteristics/Calc Type?

What are the types of Keyfigure aggregation in terms of time?

Where do you maintain keyfigure aggregation?

What are aggregates?

What is the difference between planning characteristic and navigational attribute?

What are selection profiles used for?

What are the different ways of creating CVCs?

How many levels does a macro have?

What are the different types of standard macros?

When is the exit and default macro executed?

What is process chain and how is it used in Demand Planning?

what is an Infospoke? Where do you find the configuration in BW Admin Workbench?

what is the basis of creation of planning books and data views considering background job performance?

Where do you set the level at which a DP background job activity has to execute?

How can you setup custom alert types for DP and SNP?

what is the difference between Dynamic and Database alerts?

Where are database alerts stored (table name)?

What is realignment and explain the process?

What is cannibalization group?

What are the different forecast error measures and which is most preferred?

What are the different types of keyfigures you can use in a Planning Book?

What is planning version and planning area initialisation?

What is the master data in APO Demand Planning?

what is meant by Release of Demand Plan to SNP?

How do you create proportional factors? What is the standard keyfigure for Proportional Factor?

1. What is the difference between order series and time series data. How does different types of transaction data get mapped to Interactive Planning keyfigures?

2. What are the different methods of doing Supply Network Planning namely Heuristic, Optimiser, Multi-Level Demand Supply Match (CTM)?

3. What are aggregates and how are they used in SNP.

4. What is SNP Stock Transfer Horizon? What is the relation with Planning Time Fence?

5. What is SNP Horizon? What is the relation with PPDS Horizon?

6. What is the key difference in planning with SNP vs PPDS?

7. What is the master data required for planning in SNP?

8. How are SNP Plans different from PPDs Plans.

9. How can capacity constraints considered in SNP.

10. What are Quota Arrangements and how are they used?

11. How do you get forecast in SNP? What is forecast consumption?

12. How does the different transaction data aggregate and show up in different keyfigures in Interactive SNP?

13. What are the different types of SNP Heuristics possible?

14. What are the different Safety Stock calculation methods that can be sued in SNP?

15. What is Netting and Forecast Consumption? Explain Backward and Forward Consumption?

16. Are requirements and receipts in SNP pegged? How is it different from PPDS?

17. What is the relationship between SNP Horizon and PPDS Horizon?

18. Briefly describe the different ways of managing safety stock in SNP

19. What is the difference between a model and a version

20. In what scenario Capable-to-Match is applicable.

21. Briefly explain how SNP optimiser can be setup and used.

[Former Member]

Hello,

i have given answer as i have some knowledge.

1.Where do you define Info-objects?
ANS: Under Infoobject catalog

2. Info-objects comprise of?
   chanr/keyfigures.

3. What is Administrator Workbench is used to create and manage?
   used to datasources, infocubes, Datastore objets, etc.

4. What are the different types of data in liveCache?
   CVC's DP master data, historical data.

5. what is the difference between Storage Bucket Profile and Planning Bucket Profile?
   Storage bucket profile is used to store data in planning area as bucketed.
   Planning bucket profile is used to display data in dataview for user interaction.

6. How can you setup two grids in the Planning Book / Data View?
   we need to define two data views in same planning book with first dataview.

7. What can be sources of data in the timeseries keyfigure?
   From Livecache.

8. What is the use of ex-post forecast in Univariate Statistical Forecasting?
   If you set this indicator, the system carries out an ex-post forecast twice:
the first time when it performs outlier correction, the second time when it calculates the
forecast based on the corrected history. The two ex-post values are not necessarily identical.

9. What are the types of Keyfigure aggregation in terms of characteristics/Calc Type?
   S, P, A, N, I, D....

10. What are the types of Keyfigure aggregation in terms of time?
    P, E, N, K, I.

11. Where do you maintain keyfigure aggregation?
    In Planning area.

12. What are aggregates?
    Charectaristics are aggregates as per the Calc type, Time type.

13. What is the difference between planning characteristic and navigational attribute?
    Planning char used to evaluating data in planning book, used in aggregation/disaggrigation.
    Navigation attributes used only for evaluation/display data. not for planning.

14. What are selection profiles used for?
Selection profiles used for planning, running batch jobs, etc.

15 What are the different ways of creating CVCs?
   a. Manually
   b. Generate immedtly generation from text file(Local/application server)
   c. background from infocube/MPOS/infoprovider...
   d. using realignment.

16. How many levels does a macro have?
    3 : Details Only, All Planning Objects and Certain Level(s).

17 What are the different types of standard macros?(Events?)
   start, Default, level changes & exit.

18 When is the exit and default macro executed?
   when user loded data and pressed enter/saved after any changes then default will execute.
   when user saved after any changes then exit will execute.
   if both are there then Exit first followed by default.

19. What is process chain and how is it used in Demand Planning?
    1. Generating CVCs
    2. Consistence check.
    3. Locading data from Cube to planning area.
    4. Alerts determining/generating
    5. Initializing time series
    6. calculating proportional factors
    7. data realignment
    8. DP background process
    9. releasing data to SNP
    10. taking backup data from planning book.

    11. etc...

20. what is an Infospoke? Where do you find the configuration in BW Admin Workbench?

............ask BW people.

21. what is the basis of creation of planning books and data views considering background job performance?
    Less keyfigures & chars

22. Where do you set the level at which a DP background job activity has to execute?

23. How can you setup custom alert types for DP and SNP?
    run /sapapo/amon1 and go to environment on monitor level.

24. what is the difference between Dynamic and Database alerts?
    Dynamic alerts reflect the current planning situation that is stored in the SAP liveCache,As a result they cannot be     seen outside the Interactive Planning session.

     Database alerts get stored in /SAPAPO/AM_ALERT and hence can be pulled in the stand-alone Alert Monitor.

25. Where are database alerts stored (table name)?
    /SAPAPO/AM_ALERT.

26. What is realignment and explain the process?
    is used to create new cvc and copy keyfiger data with selected cvcs to new cvcs.
    Realignment copy is used to copy data for that selected cvcs(No new cvcs created).

27. What is cannibalization group?
    is used to plan the non-promotion product demad planning.

28. What are the different forecast error measures and which is most preferred?
    MAD, MAPE, MPE, MSE, RMSE.        MAPE.

29. What are the different types of keyfigures you can use in a Planning Book?
    1. History,
    2. corrected history
    3. Forecast/base line forecast/consumed forecast.
    4. Sales input/Market input
    5. final forecast
    6. proportional factors
    7. promotion keyfiger
    8.

30. What is planning version and planning area initialisation?
    There transectional data will be stored in plannint is called planning version. active is 000.
    Planning area initialisation means time series adjustment.

31. What is the master data in APO Demand Planning?
    CVC's.

32. what is meant by Release of Demand Plan to SNP?
     time series data to order series(catogery FA).

33. How do you create proportional factors? What is the standard keyfigure for Proportional Factor?
    Using Tcode /sapapo/mc8v will calculate ex. proportional factor based on historical data.

[former_member182607]

Hello Raj,

I know it is good to know the questions. But when we interview we assume you know all these. We ask our candidates to tell us what have they done in their projects and how they have used the functionalities.

Thanks,

Subash

[kenneth_snyder]

You can see dynamic alerts in alert monitor...

Ken Snyder

[Former Member]

Dear Raj,

you can go through the following questions and answers which will help you.

How can a planning version be frozen and unfrozen?

A Planning Version can be frozen and unfrozen using Function Module /SAPAPO/TS_PAREA_VERSIO_FREEZE so that no further changes to the planning version can be done.

What is Release Profile?

Release Profile is used to release timeseries data from DP to SNP/PPDS. You need to define the DP Planning Area and timeseries keyfigure the data in which is released and the SNP Category Type (typically FA) to which data is released. You may maintain a Daily Buckets Profile it will define the number of working days (working days determined based on Shipping Calendar maintained for the location master) starting on and from the From Date if released online/ interactively or that many workdays of the planning horizon when release is carried out in background. The Period Split (blank, 1 and 2) field in the SNP2 tab of location-product master determines how demand plan is released to SNP from DP (how bucketed data is disaggregated to the workdays).

What is the usage of Period Factor?

Period Factor maintained in the SNP PPM or Transportation Lane determines the Availability Date of a Receipt element within a time bucket (period). The system determines the exact availability date/time of the receipt elements within a period, by adding a time interval (that it gets by multiplying the period factor with the period length) to the start time of the period. You can enter a factor between 0 and 1, where 0 is the start of the period, 0.5 the middle, and 1 the end of the period. When calculating the availability date/time, the system takes into consideration all weekdays, meaning that it does not take into consideration any days that have been defined as non-workdays in the calendars.

Period Factor used is .71 = 7x0.71 = 4.97 or 5 days from ptimizer of weekly bucket resulting in a Friday.

If Period Factor is not maintained in PPM or Transportation Lane then the User Period Factor indicator and the Period Factor value maintained in the Lot Size tab of the location-product combination is used. If this is not maintained a default value of 0.5 is used.

What determines stock categories displayed in Stock on Hand keyfigure?

The categories defined in Category Group ST1 (can be maintained in table /SAPAPO/APOCGC) determine the stock categories that are displayed in the Initial bucket in the Stock on Hand keyfigure. Subsequent buckets are dynamically computed.

Does dynamic alerts show up in Alert Monitor?

Dynamic Alerts do not show up in the stand-alone alert monitor. Network alerts are to show pegging relationships.

What is the report to execute MASSD?

The report for executing MassD in background job is MASSBACK.

What is the shortcut to change location type in APO?

Report /SAPAPO/CHECK_LOCATION_TYPE can be used to change location type (say from 1001 to 1002 or vice-versa) of existing locations in APO. The table to refer is /SAPAPO/LOCMAP. SAP does not recommend this process.

How can a transaction be executed even when no authorization?

SE93 - Transaction code for Transaction Code E.g. CRC1 Create Resource has txn code CRAH. So if you do not have authorization to create resource you can use SE93 and enter txn CRAH and then Test F8 button to go to the txn.

How to copy a Process Chain?

To copy a process chain to another process chain, goto the Process Chain you want to copy and then type copy in the tool tar and hit enter. It will allow you to copy the Process Chain to another Process Chain that can be modified as per user's requirement, saved, activated and used.

What is the process to copy planning versions in R/3?

Use OLIX to first delete previous MRP planning versions. Then use MCB& to create the new MRP planning versions by choosing the appropriate version you want to create as ICO Version. The info structure in this case is S094.

How to use create planning book with two tables?

To use two tables on one screen of Planning Book/Data View - select indicator next to second page title and give name. Additional tab page is displayed in Planning Book Maintenance wizard to define the keyfigures for the second table.

What is Master Data in DP?

Master Data in Demand Planning primarily is Charcateristic Value Combinations commonly termed CVCs. CVCs are the planning combinations against which data is stored in keyfigures.

What is the behaviour of Procurement Type X?

Procurement Type X - source selection is based on matching due date then priority then cost. If both In-house Production and External Procuremnet is possible then In-house Production (PPM) is chosen as source of supply.

What is PPDS Fixing Horizon?

PP/DS fixing Horizon defines the PP/DS time Fence - within that period if heuristic is run no orders get changed.

What is the reuse mode in Product Heuristic?

Reuse mode in Product Heuristic - makes the system to reuse orders already present in the heuristic run i.e. orders are not deleted and recreated.

What is Planning Procedure?

Planning Procedure in Product Master (PP/DS) defines that when you convert a planned order to process order it is in Deallocated state and not Scheduled state and more.

<u><i><b>Award me if helpful</b></i></u>

Regards

Srikanth

[Former Member]

Hello Raj,

1. Which are the components of the new mySAP SCM Solution?

SAP SCM 4.1 is the new available Supply Chain Management Solution offered by SAP. The SAP SCM 4.1 System includes SAP APO 4.1 (Advanced Planning and Optimization), SAP ICH 4.1 (Inventory Collaboration Hub) and SAP EM 4.1 (Event Management).

2. How about the architecture of SAP SCM 4.1?

SAP SCM 4.1 is based on the SAP Web Application Server 6.40. All SAP SCM 4.1 Architecture Components can be installed on one hardware server, as long as this server is sized for all used application components.

3. What does APO mean?

SAP APO stands for SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization and is the planning component within the mySAP SCM solution.

4. Can SAP APO be used as a stand-alone solution?

No, SAP APO always requires a backend ERP system for execution functions. In most cases, the backend system is an SAP R/3 system.

5. Can SAP APO and SAP R/3 be installed on the same server and use the same database?

No, SAP APO requires a separate server. The actual size of the SAP APO system may vary and depends on the data volume to be processed. You can find more details on this subject under the alias /sizing on the SAP Service Marketplace (//http:/service.sap.com).

6. How does SAP R/3 communicate with SAP APO?

Through the APO Core Interface (CIF) which supplies SAP APO with master and transaction data in real time. CIF is delivered through the R/3 Plug-In, which is something you have to install in your SAP R/3 system. This is the same Plug-In that you need for connecting a BW or a CRM system.

7. What about the exchange of data between the two systems?

With SAP APO you have a real-time integration to SAP R/3. The minute you change something in one system, it is immediately being transferred to the other and vice versa. And that goes for all data, be it a sales order, a production order or a purchase order. You do not have to perform any batch jobs for transferring data between the systems.

8. OK, SAP APO is a separate system. Do I have to maintain the master data twice?

No. You create and change master data exclusively in SAP R/3. If you want to work with SAP APO, you need to transfer the master data from the SAP R/3 system.

Depending on the scenario you want to use in SAP APO, you may have to enhance the transferred data with SAP APO specific settings, which are not relevant to SAP R/3.

9. What is an easy, cost efficient way of installing some standard SAP APO scenarios?

The answer is: SAP Best Practices for Supply Chain Management. Choose one or more of the mySAP SCM business scenarios that SAP Best Practices for SCM provide.

Regards

Srikanth