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Sales Volume Planning FAQs

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about working with the Sales Volume Planning Module:

  1. What are the definitions of the algorithms available in the Sales Volume Planning module?

    2. There are two algorithms available in the Sales Volume Planning module:

  2. What is the sales volume planning Build Tree action "process"?

    3. Sales volume planning is the process of modeling projected sales of a product at one or more accounts within an upcoming period of time. Companies establish sales volume plans to forecast or plan the quantity of products they will sell to these accounts during the sales volume planning period. The sales volume planning Build Tree process models this complex account-category-product-period hierarchy and allows for the allocation and aggregation of data through this hierarchy.

    The sales volume planning Build Tree action uses the account-category links created by an administrator to construct the account-category-product hierarchy, and associates the imported source data with the appropriate sales volume planning nodes. Sales volume planning nodes create records that represent the combination of accounts and category-products.

    The sales volume planning Build Tree action is an ongoing sales volume planning task. Each time the action is run after the initial Build Tree action, a search is performed down the established account-category-product-period hierarchy structure and any new or missing nodes are created.

    The data is then reaggregated through the account-category-product-period hierarchy. The Build Tree action should be performed any time a planning cycle is complete for a particular column (for example, baseline planning), and the values need to be aggregated.

    The build tree process is specific to a single SVP entity (Baseline, Shipment, Target, or Consumption). For example, a user who triggers the Build Tree process for Baseline may select the Baseline Planning Qty field as the Source Field for the Build Tree Action. This Build Tree process will aggregate all Baseline Basis, Baseline Planning, and Baseline values, as well as the Incremental values, because those fields are all relevant to the Baseline SVP entity. Shipped Qty will not be effected, because it is relevant to the Shipment SVP entity. A separate Action would be required to perform Build Tree for Shipment data.

    The execution of the sales volume planning Build Tree action is a process intensive task, as it is dependent upon the complexities of your account-category-product-period hierarchy, as well as your source data set. The appropriate planning of this process is a key component to using the Siebel Sales Volume Planning module.

  3. Does the sales volume planning Build Tree action create a tree for both targets and baselines?

    4. The sales volume planning Build Tree action must be run independently for each product movement type: baseline, target, consumption, and shipment. For example, a planning administrator who wants to establish targets and a baseline basis must run the Build Tree action twice, once to establish the targets and a second time to establish a baseline basis. The planning administrator uses the same sales volume planning hierarchy when performing the Build Tree action for targets and a baseline basis.

  4. Does the sales volume planning Copy Tree action work across tables?

    5. Unlike the Sales Volume Planning Copy Field action, Copy Tree cannot be performed across tables, due to the inherent differences in table column definitions.

  5. What does the Account Allocation Level parameter refer to and how do you view an account's level?

    6. The Account Allocation Level parameter is used to specify the account level in the sales volume planning account hierarchy that will be used when performing a sales volume planning action. For example, if you want to allocate two levels, you would navigate to the Sales Volume Planning Administration screen and in the Action form, click the Allocation Level drop-down arrow and choose Allocation Level 2.

    The parent account is always designated as Level 1 and each subaccount level is designated as the next sequential number. These allocation levels are specific to the sales volume planning account hierarchy.

    To view an account's level, you execute the sales volume planning action Reset Levels, which displays the current levels associated with each account represented in your sales volume planning hierarchy. For more information on resetting levels in sales volume planning, see Resetting Account-Product Tree Levels.

  6. How is the percentage basis calculated in each sales volume planning-specific Category list (for example, Category Baseline or Category Target)?

    7. The percentage basis is calculated as the proportion of the record to the total value of records in the referenced list.

  7. After a sales volume planning administrator releases the basis planning quantities (baseline or target) and the subordinate managers finish modifying their basis planning quantities, to what level does the Allocate button release the updated basis planning quantities?

    8. The Allocate button releases the updated basis planning quantities to the next lower level of the account hierarchy and unlocks the account-category-product node. Managers at the next lower level of the account hierarchy repeat this process until all of the quantities are allocated to the lowest level of the account hierarchy.

    In addition, after performing Build Tree, administrators perform Populate Locks and the data becomes visible to subordinate managers.

  8. Can data be imported into the baseline and target account-category-product hierarchy?

    9. You can use Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM) to import data into any of the standard product movement tables (baseline, target, consumption, and shipment) provided for the use of the sales volume planning process. Data imported into these tables is copied or staged to the appropriate catalog category tables for the same product movement types. For more information on using EIM, see Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager Administration Guide.

  9. Can Sales Volume Planning actions be performed across period types?

    10. The sales volume planning Build Tree action does not aggregate across period types, so data changes made to data stored in weeks will not aggregate up into the monthly periods, nor will changes made at the annual level allocate down throughout the periods that make up the year.

    It is recommended that data be stored in the standard periods of either weeks or months.

  10. Will extensions be recognized by SVP Actions?

    11. No, extensions are not recognized by SVP Actions.

  11. What locking mechanism or process is used by the Sales Volume Planning module during the allocation and aggregation process?

    12. The Sales Volume Planning 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 set, all subordinate account levels are prevented from performing updates to Sales Volume Planning data. Before an allocation lock is granted, the current account node must be checked to confirm that its upper lock is active, and a search is performed 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 will be allocated and aggregated immediately.

    After a user has completed the sales volume planning allocation-related updates, the actual allocation will be invoked, at which time the Siebel application will modify the locks as follows:


 Siebel Consumer Sector Guide 
 Published: 18 April 2003