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Locking and Modifying SVP Data (End User)

Locking provides a mechanism that allows users to modify data throughout the account-product-category hierarchy without conflicting with other users' modifications.

The SVP module offers two options for locking account-product nodes. The first option is automatic locking based on the account-product node's position in the SVP hierarchy. Any user in the account hierarchy can lock a node to prevent users at lower positions in the account hierarchy from modifying their account-product nodes. The second option for locking is to manually set a lock.

This task is a step in Process of Sales Volume Planning.

About Automatically Locking Account-Product Nodes

The SVP module uses an allocation lock process during the allocation and aggregation process. An allocation lock is a Boolean variable kept at the highest account level. When an allocation lock is set, the lock prevents all subordinate account levels from performing updates to SVP data. Before an allocation lock is granted, the application checks the current account node to confirm that its upper lock is active and searches to ascertain that no allocation lock is currently held in the superior account node.

Allocation locks are maintained for the account hierarchy. Within a single instance of the category-product hierarchy, all updates are allocated and aggregated immediately.

After a user has completed SVP allocation-related updates, the actual allocation is invoked, at which time the Siebel application modifies the locks as follows:

• By updating the upper lock in the originating allocation node
• By disallowing further changes there until the Aggregate action is performed

NOTE:  You can see which nodes have been locked by navigating to the Allocate Lock column in the Accounts list in the Sales Volume Planning screen. You may need to manually refresh this view to see the results of a recently attempted lock request.

Locking, Modifying, and Allocating Account-Product Nodes

You can lock and unlock an account-product node manually. However, you can only unlock the account-product node if no changes have been made. If changes have been made, the node remains locked until one of the following actions has occurred:

• The changes are allocated.
• The aggregate is performed, and the specific updates are aggregated up the organizational hierarchy.

The following procedure uses baseline planning quantity as an example to describe how to lock and modify account-product nodes. It also includes information on how locking and unlocking can occur automatically.

To lock, modify, and allocate the baseline planning quantity

1. Navigate to the Sales Volume Planning screen > Baseline view.
2. In the Accounts list, select an account record.
3. Lock the category for which you want to modify the baseline planning quantity as follows:
   • To lock the category manually, click Lock.
   • To lock the category automatically:
     • In the Category list, select the category for which you want to modify the baseline planning quantity.
     • If desired, navigate down to the product level and select the product for which you want to modify the baseline planning quantity.
4. Scroll down to the Category Baseline or Product Baseline list, select the record you want to modify, and then edit the fields.

   Modifying a baseline planning value automatically locks the selected account nodes when connected to the server (even if you did not click Lock in Step 3).

5. To apply the same change to multiple periods, click Mass Change, complete the fields in the Baseline Mass Change dialog box, and then click Execute.

   Adjustments made to the baseline planning quantity affect only the products and categories within the account.

6. Perform one of the following actions to view the navigation mechanism for the Product Baseline:
   1. Navigate to a category sublevel. In the Category Baseline list, from the Category Baseline drop-down list, select one of the following:
      • Period Analysis
      • Sub-Account Baseline
      • Sub-Category Baseline
      • Sub-Product Baseline
   2. Navigate to a product sublevel, and do the following:
      • In the Category List, select a product.
      • Scroll down to the Product Baseline list and from the Product Baseline drop-down list, select Sub-Account Baseline.
   3. In the Category Baseline or Product Baseline lists, click Refresh.

      This step is for informational purposes only to see how Step 4 and Step 5 (if executed) impact upon the allocation of values for an account down through the category hierarchy. The Basis% field is recalculated to reflect the new proportions of the account-product hierarchy.

      Repeat Step 4 until you finish modifying the basis planning quantity.

7. Scroll up to the Accounts list, and click Allocate.

   The baseline planning quantity is allocated to the next lower level of the account hierarchy. When the allocate action is complete, the account-product node is unlocked. Managers at the next lower level of the account hierarchy repeat this process until the baseline planning quantity is allocated to the lowest level of the account hierarchy.

   NOTE:  If the allocation does not complete (due to pending subaction records that have not been processed), then the action will not complete and the account will remain in locked mode.