Defining Your Planning and Budgeting Parameters

This chapter provides an overview of planning and budgeting parameters and discusses how to:

• Define the history (analysis base).

• Define time hierarchies.

• Establish activities and activity groups.

• Set up methods.

• Set up spread types.

• Specify rate combinations.

• Set up scenarios and scenario groups.

• Define account type options.

• Define account categories.

• Use Planning and Budgeting email templates.

• Attach documentation and guidelines.

Understanding Planning and Budgeting Parameters

To build and stage a planning model, first complete the setup by defining the planning and budget parameters so that you can budget for positions and assets as well as enter line item budgets. The planning and budgeting parameters and options that you define can optionally be shared across planning models. This chapter reviews how to configure the necessary parts that let you create an annual budget, a multiyear budget, and strategic plans for your planning models.

Defining the History (Analysis Base)

This section discusses how to specify history (analysis base) details.

Page Used to Define the History (Analysis Base)

Specifying History (Analysis Base) Details

Access the History (Analysis Base) page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, History (Analysis Base)).

Analysis Base ID

Displays the identifier of the historical or budget information that you use as a reference during the budgeting process. Use comparison scenarios to associate an analysis base with an activity scenario. Each comparison scenario is associated with a unique analysis base.

Description

Displays the first four, predefined translate value descriptions. Values are: Prior Year Actuals, Year To Date Actuals, Current Year Budget, and Current Year Forecast. Optionally, enter the remaining five translate value descriptions, for History 1 through History 5, and then link the description to the comparison scenarios that you want to use in the planning model. For example, if you use prior-year budget data as an historical reference point (comparison scenario), you can enter Prior Year Budget as the description for History 1.

Defining Time Hierarchies

This section provides an overview of time hierarchies and discusses how to define time hierarchies.

Understanding Time Hierarchies

The time hierarchy enables you to compare line item scenarios and activities with others within a defined scenario group. For example, you can roll up a scenario and activity using a monthly calendar into a quarterly view to compare it with a scenario and activity using a quarterly calendar. The time hierarchy allows for aggregation of budget transactions to increasingly summarized time periods (such as monthly transactions that are aggregated to quarterly).

You must include and define any calendar in your time hierarchy that is used in a nonhistory planning scenario within the scenario group. History-type scenario calendars are normalized through period mapping rules within the scenario group, and their calendars are not required.

The system includes three main calendar types: detail calendars, summary calendars, and budget period calendars. Because they differ substantially, only calendars of the same general type can exist in the same time hierarchy, as shown in this table:

Page Used to Define Time Hierarchies

Defining Time Hierarchies

Access the Time Hierarchy page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Time Hierarchy ).

Calendar ID	Enter the identifier of the calendar (such as A1 for Annual or Q1 for Quarterly). If you select the calendar ID using the prompt, the system displays only the calendars with the same setID as the time hierarchy. You define the list of available detail, summary, or budget period calendars by selecting EPM Foundation, EPM Setup, Common Definitions, Calendars. The calendars in the hierarchy must be of the same category, either all detail and summary or all budget period. After the time hierarchy is associated with a scenario group, you cannot change these calendar IDs (and they become unavailable) if they correspond to any planning scenarios in that scenario group. If any scenarios using the time hierarchy are staged, you cannot change anything in the time hierarchy except the description. Specified calendars must be in ascending level of summarization. (For example, the lowest level must be more detailed than the second lowest.) The calendars that are selected in the hierarchy must span the period ranges that are specified on all nonhistory scenarios that will use the time hierarchy (using a scenario group). Finally, ensure that the periods in each level align with each other. (For example, if monthly periods start on the first of the month, then the quarterly periods in the level above should also start on the first of a month.)
Description	Displays the description that is related to the selected calendar ID that is defined using the calendar definition pages. Click this link to access the calendar definition page. The maximum number of levels in a time hierarchy is four, including the default ALL_TIME level that is displayed in the top row.
Calendar Type	Displays the type of calendar that is defined using the calendar definition page. Values are Detail Calendar, Summary Calendar, and Budget Period Calendar. Budget period calendar is defined by a calendar start date and a calendar end date. Detail calendar is defined by accounting period (month, quarter, and so on) and fiscal year. Summary calendar is defined by a beginning budget period and ending budget period.
Delimiter	Enter a unique delimiter for each time hierarchy level that is associated with detail and summary type calendars to generate the desired budget period. The system uses this value within the concatenation of the fiscal year and accounting period to form a budget period that is used later in the planning and budgeting process. For example, a delimiter of M within a monthly detail calendar forms periods such as 2004M1. Having a single period field allows for the creation of a time hierarchy tree, the feature that facilitates aggregation of budgeting and planning transactions to higher levels of time. Because budget period calendars already save their periods as single fields, delimiters are not required; however, all of the periods for the date range of a scenario group must be unique. That is, two budget period calendars in the same hierarchy cannot have the Period 1 name representing January 2004 and December 2004 respectively if the time span of the scenario group is January through December 2004. The system validates this during tree generation when you save the scenario group. If no scenario group spans that time period, then no conflict occurs. The generated tree rounds periods to the nearest period available. Therefore, if the scenario group date range is April 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002 (Q2 2001 to Q2 2002), the calendar includes annual periods for 2001 and 2002 from the A1 calendar and the date range of the tree expands to January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002.

Establishing Activities and Activity Groups

This section provides overviews of activities and activity groups, activity relationships, dimension mapping, and the planning center and discusses how to:

• Define activities.

• Define activity groups.

• Assign dimension hierarchies.

• Define dimension member options that are used by each activity.

• Select dimension members.

• Define activity relationships for the activity group.

Understanding Activities and Activity Groups

Activities are user-definable planning components such as revenue, expenses, and balance sheet that, combined with scenarios within a model, form the basic planning unit of work that is known as the activity scenario. Activity groups specify a collection of activities and the dimension setIDs and hierarchies to apply across all dimensions of the activities that are contained therein. They also frame dimension member mappings, dimension member selection, and activity relationships. Activity groups are associated with models. You can share a single activity group across multiple models.

Activity properties include dimensions, activity type, and the planning center dimension. Dimensions are the ChartFields across which you want to budget or plan. Activity type dictates whether the activity facilitates line item, position, or asset planning or budgeting. The planning center dimension is a special dimension that controls how the system slices the plan or budget for preparation (such as by department), and it dictates how the system secures the plan or budget.

If the activity or group is staged, you cannot modify it or its properties or delete attributes (such as the activities in an activity group). You can, however, add new attributes and, if the same entity is needed as a starting point for a new entity, you can copy functionality.

See Selecting Dimension Members.

Understanding Activity Relationships

Three types of relationships exist: one is workflow-based, and the other two are data relationships. The collection of activities within the activity group, and the relationships defined, are applied to all activity scenario combinations within your planning model. The following paragraphs explain the three activity relationships.

Activities that are defined as Approval Includes represent a workflow relationship between activities. You can define this relationship type only between line item activities and assets, and line item activities and positions, as the related activities. You cannot define an Approval Includes workflow relationship between two line item activities. When you are associating asset and position activity types as related activities to a line item activity, they must also share the same planning center dimension and level. When budget preparers work on these activities, they can submit them only through the parent line-item activity.

An Includes Data From relationship indicates that the related activity contains data that the system includes or aggregates into the corresponding (or parent) activity. The system uses the following three specific methods to extract data from the related activity: POSBUD (from position budgeting), ASSETS (from asset budgeting), and LINEITEM (from line item) methods. Indicating this relationship means that the parent activity contains some of the same dimensions and possibly members of the child (or related) activity that the system can directly insert or aggregate into the parent activity. Activities that are defined with only the Includes Data From relationship do not need to share the same planning center dimension.

You use a References Data From relationship typically in conjunction with the flexible formula (FLEX) method. Note that you define this relationship only between line item activity types. In this case, the system does not insert or aggregate data into a parent activity, so no need exists for the related activities to contain the same dimensions, same members, or both the same dimensions and members. This relationship merely indicates that the system needs the data in the related activity to derive an amount in another activity. This relationship is defined only between line-item activity types.

See Understanding Planning and Budgeting Activities.

Understanding Dimension Mapping

The system uses the dimension conversion table that you define here during the data staging process. Define dimension member mappings to ensure that the system locates the appropriate data in the staging tables. You can achieve various results, including:

• Retaining discontinued dimension members (ChartFields) by mapping them to valid members.

• Keeping historical data synchronized with current situations.

  Modifications to accounting practices as well as reorganizations often result in changes to an organization's chart of accounts. For example, suppose that your organization reorganized the Administrative Division (DeptID 30310) of the History Department since the last budget cycle. In addition, the Administrative Division merged with the Central Administrative Office (DeptID 31000) of the Liberal Arts School. For the Department dimension, define the From Dimension Member as 30310 and the target or To Dimension Member as 31000. When you map 30310 to 31000, the system transfers historical data that is contained in 30310 to 31000 so that you do not lose the data that is related to the History Department's Administrative Division.

Understanding the Planning Center

Planning centers define the roll up and approval structure for a planning or budgeting development process. You can view a planning center as a cost center that has authority, responsibility, and access to data that is required in developing the plan or budget for specific entities (or activities) that you define in your organization. As you define a planning center, consider what drives the budgeting process within the organization, whether it is department, product, project, or operating unit. You can have only one planning center per activity, and those activities that have an Approval Includes relationship also share the same planning center dimension and tree level.

The dimensions that are available as the planning center depend upon the integration source (established on the Budgeting Installation Options page), and the active dimensions (established on the Dimension Configuration page). Available dimensions can include:

• Department

• Fund

• Operating Unit

• Product

• Program

• Class

• Project

• ChartField 1

• ChartField 2

• ChartField 3

Note. You cannot change planning centers after you stage activities in the planning model. This means that before defining planning centers, you should carefully evaluate your organization's business processes around each activity and any required workflow relationships.

Pages Used to Establish Activities and Activity Groups

Defining Activities

Access the Activity page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Activity).

Planning Center Dimension	Enter the planning center dimension. The value that you enter appears in the Dimension list with its check box selected; however, you are unable to clear it. If you change the planning center dimension, its previous value appears in the Dimension list with its check box cleared; however, you can select it. Note. If the activity is staged, the value in this field cannot change.
Activity Type	Select the type of activity to use. Values are Asset, Line Item, and Position. The activity type determines functionality. That is, data sources are different depending on activity type.
Secondary Security Dimension	Enter the optional secondary dimension that you want to secure for this activity.
Include Balance Sheet Planning	Indicates whether the line item activity supports balance sheet planning. This indicates whether the rules that apply to the starting balance will be used throughout the activity. This option is set by the coordinator. When the activity is staged, this option is disabled. Note. Do not use the Include Balance Sheet Planning option if you are creating an activity for a Commitment Control budget type.
Export to GL	A Y/N option that indicates whether the budget data is to be exported out of the planning model to the General Ledger database. The extract, transform, and load (ETL) map that exports data from the Planning and Budgeting source table (PS_BP_LEDGER_BDEXP) to the General Ledger target table with the same name, filters for the option (BP_EXPORT_TO_GL='Y'). If the option is set to Y, then the activity data is exported to the General Ledger staging tables and EPM Warehouse. If the option is set to N, then the activity data is exported only to the EPM Warehouse when selected for export on the run control page.
Select	Select to include the associated dimension in the staging and budget development process.
Dimension	Displays available dimensions, which are defined at the model level. Account is a required dimension that you cannot select as the approval dimension. After staging, you cannot clear check boxes that are associated with dimensions included in the staging process.
Copy Activity	Click to copy the displayed activity definition so that you can create a new, similar activity.

Defining Activity Groups

Access the Activity Group page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Activity Groups, Activity Group).

As Of Date	Enter the most appropriate as of date to select the desired dimension members and trees. Effective-dated dimension members and trees are based on the as of date. Because member and tree selection occurs at the activity group/activity and activity group/dimension levels, activity group must be as of dated so that you can select the correct members and trees. Only those members and tree versions that are active and for which effective dates are prior or equal to the as of date are available for selection.
Activity	Enter the activity that you want to include in the activity group. You cannot change or remove a group's staged activity. Adding an activity automatically draws in that activity's dimension information and creates, but does not select, activity scenarios in any models that use the activity group. Removing an activity from a group referenced in an unstaged model deletes any activity scenarios in any models that use the activity group. If an activity group is associated with a staged model, you can add new activities; however, you cannot delete staged activities and their properties (such as method groups, dimension trees, and dimension members).
Description	Click the Create Activity link (if you haven't yet selected an activity for a row) to access the Activity page and define a new activity that the system automatically adds to the activity group. If you already selected an activity, click its associated link to access the Activity page to search for and display the activity's details.
Method Group	Enter a planning method group for each line item activity. You cannot enter a method group for position or asset activity types.
Method Group Details	Click the Details link to access the Planning Method Groups page to search for and display the method group's details.
Copy Activity Group	Click to create another activity group based on the current activity group. For example, to use the same set of activities with the same dimensions and activity dependencies for two models with different dimension hierarchies, click Copy Activity Group, change the hierarchy information, and then select the new activity group in the model.

Assigning Dimension Hierarchies

Access the Hierarchies page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Activity Groups, Hierarchies).

Dimension	Displays the dimensions that are selected in the associated activity. The rows in the Dimensions grid display the union of the dimensions that are selected in each of the activities, including the approval dimension.
Dimension SetID	Enter the desired dimension set identifier that the system uses to filter the trees that you can select as well as to filter the dimensions on the Members page. The value that you enter overrides normal setID indirection for this page; therefore, verify that the setIDs that you select here by dimension match those that are established for the business units in which you use this activity group. Establish this setID indirection using the TableSet Controls page by selecting PeopleTools, Utilities, Administration. Note. A model validator error occurs if the setID that is associated with a model (for each dimension) using this activity group does not match the dimension setID that is defined on this page. The source table for a dimension comes from the BP_CF_DEFN system data table. You cannot update this table; however, you can access the Dimension Configuration page within Maintain System Options to display the valid dimensions, but it does not display the source table.
Tree Name (optional)	Enter the tree name that you want. The system filters the list of available trees by the dimension setID that is specified for the same dimension. To ensure comparability, each dimension must use the same hierarchy and tree across all activities.
Export to GL	Select to export the specified dimension to the general ledger. The system automatically exports to the general ledger the account dimension and any dimensions that are used as approval dimensions. Their associated check boxes appear selected and you are unable to clear them.
Map Rules	Click the Dimension Member Mapping link to access the Dimension Member Mapping page and enter the range of dimension member values that you want to convert for the selected activity group as well as enter the target dimension member to which you are mapping data. Your entries are applicable to all scenarios that are associated with the activity. If you are summarizing data, enter a value in the Target Dimension Member field that is the same for both source members. In this case, the system aggregates all data that exists for the specified dimension member. For example, you could map departments 100 through 200 to 300 by entering 100 in the From Dimension Member field, 200 in the To Dimension Member field, and 300 in the Target Dimension Member field.

Defining Dimension Member Options That Are Used by Each Activity

Access the Members page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Activity Groups, Members).

Dimension	Displays the dimensions that are selected for each activity within the activity group.
Selection Options	Select the member criteria that you want to use to filter the dimension members to the most relevant ones. Values are: All Members: Indicates that the system automatically includes all members for the dimension for the activity, based on the defined setID. When you define a tree on the Hierarchies page, the system includes all the tree values. However, if you do not define a tree, this value represents all members that are located in the dimension table for the defined setID. Multiple Members: Displays the Select Members link that opens the Dimension Member Selection page so that you can select members either using a tree or a range. Single Member: Displays a Value field that enables you to select a single dimension member. Note. For asset and position activity types, the Account dimension will become All Members by default because the account defaults are set by category under Asset Budgeting Defaults and Position Budgeting Account, respectively.
Selected Members	Click to access the Dimension Member Selection page to select members by tree or value. For example, in most instances, it may be more relevant for the revenue activity to be associated with a different set of account values than the expense activity; therefore, accessing the Dimension Member Selection page to select the revenue node on the account tree is more reasonable. Note. This link appears when you select Multiple Members from the Selection Options drop-down list box. See Selecting Dimension Members.
Value	Enter the specific dimension member. Note. This field appears when you select Single Member from the Selection Options drop-down list box.

Selecting Dimension Members

Access the Dimension Member Selection page (select Multiple Members from the Selection Options drop-down list box on the Members page, and then click the Selected Members link).

The fields on the page vary based on your selection in the Select Members group box.

See Understanding Dimension Mapping.

Select Members by Tree

Select the By Tree option to view and select dimension members by tree node.

Note. If no tree is associated with the dimension, the By Tree option is unavailable.

Dimension member relationships to one another (for example, node only, node and siblings, node and descendants, descendants, and siblings) are readily apparent. Click a node to add it to the Selected Nodes group box on the right. Click a folder icon to expand or collapse the tree node. The staging process uses selected nodes to select dimension members in the following way:

• If the specified tree level for the staged data is the same level as the tree node that is selected here, then the system selects dimension members that correspond to the tree node.

• If the specified tree level for the staged data is below the level of the tree node that is selected here, then the system selects dimension members that correspond to the children tree nodes (at the specified level) of the tree node that is selected here.

• If the specified tree level for the staged data is above the level of the tree node that is selected here, then the system selects dimension members that correspond to the parent tree nodes (at the specified level) of the tree node that is selected here.

Select Members by Value

Select the By Value option to enter one or more dimension value ranges for the staging process to use in selecting dimension members for inclusion in the budget or plan.

Ranges that are entered here are alphanumeric, so the system includes any members with a value that is greater than or equal to the from value and less than or equal to the to value.

Defining Activity Relationships for the Activity Group

Access the Relationships page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Activity Groups, Relationships).

Activity	Select the line item activity to which you want to establish a relationship. You may refer to this activity as the parent activity, and regard the related activities as children activities. The activity cannot be a position or asset type activity, because these can only be related activities. If the activity is staged in any model, you cannot change or remove relationships. You can, however, add new relationships, which triggers changes in the models that use the activity by automatically selecting activity scenarios involving the related activities. You may need to run a model recalculation to populate interface tables between activities with new relationships.
Includes Data From	Select to include data from another activity. In addition to integrating position and asset budgets into a line item budget as special lines in the line item budget that are associated with POSBUD and ASSET method IDs respectively, line item budgets can also feed into other line item budgets that are associated with a LINEITEM method ID to indicate that the system copied the line from a different activity. The system pulls plan or budget amounts from the child activity into the parent activity during the staging process as separate line items if the child activity dimension members correspond to the parent activity's dimension members, and the parent activity uses LINEITEM method.
References Data From	Select to reference data from another source. You can refer to data from different line item activities as flexible formula sources in a flexible formula expression; however, the source activity data must be stored in an interface table so that Analytical Calculation Engine (ACE) can reference it when it determines that the source is coming from a separate activity. Establishing this type of relationship ensures the availability of this data in the interface for use in flexible formulas.
Approval Includes	Select to let the target (parent) activity control the workflow and working versions of the source (child) activities. The child activity cannot submit, reject, or copy versions, because the versions of the parent and children activities must match up with each other. Creating a new working version in the parent creates a working version in the child activity. A child can have only one parent activity controlling its workflow.
Related Activity	Select an activity that may be considered the child activity in the relationship.
	Click to access the dynamically generated Activity Dependency page, which describes the defined relationships and their impact on the model.

Setting Up Methods

You need to prepare method groups for use in the planning model for line item activities. This section provides overviews of methods and method drivers and discusses how to:

• Modify method names and view method attributes.

• Define method drivers.

• Describe driver lookup tables.

• Define driver lookup details.

• Establish planning method groups.

• Copy a planning method group.

• Define a method's drivers.

Understanding Methods

The system assigns a method to every line in a line-item budget activity. This method defines how the system calculates the budget amount for the line or how the system derives the budget amount if a calculation is unnecessary.

Use the delivered methods as a basis for creating the planning model activities. You can change the method name and provide a description that is more meaningful to your organization. Changing the method name does not change the logic and rules that underlie the method itself.

Review the following table for a list of method ID system labels, names, descriptions, and usage:

Note. When using an activity defined to include balance sheet planning, the coordinator cannot assign a default value (or driver value) for the starting balance. But for those methods that allow the starting balance to be available, the end user can enter an amount when override is allowed by the coordinator.

The following methods are not supported with forecast scenario types: AMTFTE, AMTHC, POSBUD, ANN%, PER%, ECODRV, and ASSETS.

The following methods are not supported with top-down scenario types: AMTFTE, AMTHC, POSBUD, and ASSETS.

Planning models that are defined as project budgeting types, as indicated by the scenario group, do not use the following methods: AMTFTE, AMTHC, POSBUD, and ASSETS.

When you set up methods for the planning model you need to:

• (Optional) Modify method names.

• (Optional) Define driver lookup tables so that you can have variables by planning center associated with drivers.

• Define method groups that can be associated with line-item activity scenarios.

• Specify driver default values and lookup tables that are used for a method group.

Understanding Method Drivers

Methods that require a system calculation use method drivers. A method driver is the calculation factor that is used in the algorithm of the method. You define method driver defaults that are used during line item budgeting. You can also enable override of the driver defaults when you set up line-item activity scenarios in the planning model.

You can also establish driver lookup tables that enable budget preparers to select alternate drivers; these alternate drivers reference values on defined planning centers. Define drivers for those methods that require them. For example, when you associate a lookup table with a driver, the system retrieves the driver parameter for the planning center from an established lookup table. If the system cannot locate a lookup value for the planning center, it uses the established default amount for the method driver.

The table lists predefined drivers that are delivered with the application. The budget coordinator can also define method drivers:

Note. The system does not display the QTYXCOST and PERSUM method drivers for the ITM (itemization) method when you define the Method Driver page in the group. Instead, these specific method values are available to you only on the Itemization Method detail page in the line item activity during budgeting.

When you define the default driver parameters that are required for certain method drivers, you can also define a driver lookup table that enables the budget coordinator to define different driver values based on planning center.

When you define method drivers and driver lookup tables, determine the number of decimal positions that the system uses to calculate the method amount during line item budgeting. Use statistical drivers that have values defined up to eight decimal positions, or use monetary drivers that have values defined by the associated currency code definition. The system uses the method driver definition, or driver ID, to determine the number of decimal positions that are used to calculate the method amount during line item budgeting regardless of the definition that is used for the driver-lookup table definition. If you want the system to use eight decimal positions during method amount calculations, use a driver ID that is defined as a statistical driver.

Pages Used to Set Up Methods

Modifying Method Names and Viewing Method Attributes

Access the Planning Method page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Planning Methods).

Defining Method Drivers

Access the Method Driver page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Method Drivers).

Describing Driver Lookup Tables

Access the Driver Lookup Tables page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Driver Lookup Tables).

Defining Driver Lookup Details

Access the Driver Lookup Details page (click the Lookup Table Details link on the Driver Lookup Tables page).

Currency Code	Enter the currency code that you want. Note. This field is available for monetary-based driver lookup tables. This field is unavailable if you select Statistical Driver on the Method Driver page.
Distribution Type	Select how the system calculates the budget amount per budget period. Values are: Amount: The system uses the predefined or constant amount that is unique to the planning center to calculate the budget amount by period when you select a method that uses a driver lookup ID. The table is populated with constant or monetary values. Percent/Rate: The system uses a percentage or rate that is unique to the planning center to calculate the budget amount by period when you select a method that uses a driver lookup ID. The table is populated with percentages.
Planning Center SetID	Enter a setID other than the setID that is defined for the lookup ID to define the planning centers for which you want to enter distribution values. The setID determines the prompt table that is used for Planning Center in the Enter Driver Lookup Values grid. The setID also determines the available values for driver lookup tables when you define the method group using the same setID.
Planning Center Dimension	Enter the dimension (ChartField) to use as the planning center dimension for this driver lookup. This value controls which planning centers are available in the grid to define driver lookup rules. The planning center dimension that you define here for the lookup table should also be the same dimension that you establish as an activity's planning center.
Calendar SetID	Enter a setID that is used to select the calendar. The calendar controls the periods across which the system applies the lookup values in the grid. This value does not need to be the same value as the planning center setID.
Calendar ID	Select the calendar ID, as filtered by the calendar setID, for the system to use to define the periods across the grid to which the system applies the lookup values. Detail calendars with fewer than 14 periods per year are available for selection.
Add All Planning Centers	Click to populate the grid with all of the valid values that are defined for the selected planning center setID and planning center dimension.
Import from CSV (import from comma-separated values)	Click to populate setup data from files that are formatted with comma-separated values (CSV). Note. Create a CSV file using the Driver Lookup Tables page to prepopulate planning center values. The layout of the file is important for the import of data. When the import process updates information from a CSV file, the system updates only the planning center values that are defined in the file; any other original planning center values that are defined in the lookup table are not deleted or affected by the import. To use the import feature, set up the file transfer protocol (FTP) using the URL Maintenance page. Note. To download the information in the grid to create a CSV file, use the PeopleTools Download icon in the tools bar in the grid heading.
Refresh Total	Click to update the totals in the grid.
Select	Select the check boxes next to the planning centers to which the system applies the distribution amount. Clear the check boxes next to the planning centers that should use the default driver amount. Alternatively, use the Select All button to select all planning centers in the grid area.
Planning Center	Enter the lookup values in each period for a planning center.

Establishing Planning Method Groups

Access the Planning Method Group page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Method Groups).

SetID and Method Group ID	Displays the setID that is associated with the method group ID. Associate each method group ID with a single setID, planning center setID, and currency.
Copy Method Group	Click to copy the selected method group and associated method drivers into a new method group. Using this button saves you from having to manually create a second method group when you require more than one line item activity with different method groups in a single activity group. Clicking the Copy Method Group button accesses the Copy Method Group page, where you enter the new method group ID. Note. Only the most current row is copied into the target method group when a source method group contains more than one effective dated row.
Effective Date	Enter the effective date that you want. If you add a new effective-dated row to the planning method group, the system copies the method attributes that you defined on the last active row to the new row.
Planning Center SetID	Enter the setID that the system uses to determine the valid values that you can select for Driver IDs on the Method Drivers page. The system displays a warning message when you modify Planning Center SetID indicating that, when you select a different setID, the system clears the Lookup Driver ID field for every driver ID on the Method Drivers page. Repopulate each lookup ID field based on the available values for the selected planning center setID.
Currency	Enter the default currency to use for all methods and drivers that you define.
Select	Select the check box (system default) next to each method ID that you want to use with the activity scenario in the planning model. Clear the check box next to each method that you do not want to use during the budget development process. When you define a proposed line item activity, the system makes available all 18 delivered methods for monetary budgeting. For statistical budgeting, which is a line item budget that uses a statistical account or statistical code, you can use all delivered methods except for: ASSET POSBUD When you prepare a line item budget that is a top-down scenario, you can use all delivered methods except for ASSET (from asset budgeting), POSBUD (from position budgeting), AMTFTE (amount per FTE), and AMTHC (amount per headcount). When you prepare a line item budget that is a forecast scenario type, you can use all delivered methods except for ASSET (from asset budgeting), POSBUD (from position budgeting), AMTFTE (amount per FTE), AMTHC (amount per headcount), ECODRV (Economic driver), ANN% (Annual growth percentage), and PER% (Period growth percentage).
Method Drivers	Click to access the Method Drivers page to define a method's drivers, driver parameters, and lookup ID. Note. If a method ID does not require a driver, the Method Drivers link is unavailable.

Note. The planning type that you define for the scenario affects the use of methods within an activity scenario in the planning model. For example, if you select all method IDs, certain methods are unavailable for the forecast planning types. This means that for the activity scenario for a planning model, the system displays only the appropriate methods (on the Define Method default page), not all available methods.

Copying a Planning Method Group

Access the Copy Method Group page (click the Copy Method Group button on the Planning Method Group page).

Source

Target

Defining a Method's Drivers

Access the Method Drivers page (click the Method Drivers link on the Planning Method Group page).

Note. The fields that appear in the Method Drivers Details group box depend on the selected method ID.

Setting Up Spread Types

This section provides an overview of spread types and discusses how to:

• Define spread types with a detail calendar.

• Define ratios by period using a detail calendar.

• Define ratios by period using a budget period calendar.

Understanding Spread Types

To reflect position-related expenses in a way other than spread evenly across the budget year, set up spread types that distribute expenses that more accurately reflect your business process. For example, if a position-related expense should be spread across the budget year based on the number of work days per period or number of pay periods per month, set up spread types accordingly. The coordinator defines custom spread types to be used by budget preparers of position budgeting, the POSBUD method type.

Alternatively, you can use spread types in conjunction with the amount per period (AMTPER) method when entering amounts for a line item budget. For example, instead of using an even spread, use the spread type IDs to specify how to spread the amount across the period during data entry in the line item activity (AMTPER method type only).

You can set up spread types using a detail calendar or a budget-period calendar. The Periods Ratio Entry page differs based on the calendar that you select.

Pages Used to Set Up Spread Types

Defining Spread Types with a Detail Calendar

Access the Spread ID Definition page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Spread Types).

Calendar SetID

Enter the setID that the system uses to locate the detail or budget-period calendar.

Calendar ID

Enter the calendar ID to use for your proposed budget or plan to specify the number of periods in which you can enter the spread type. Note. The calendar setID and calendar ID should be the same as those used by the planning scenarios (nonhistory scenario types) that are defined in the scenario group that is associated with the model. If they differ, the system may not be able to find spread IDs during activity scenario setup in the planning model.

Defining Ratios by Period Using a Detail Calendar

Access the Periods Ratio Entry page (click the Spread Periods Ratio link on the Spread ID Definition page).

Fiscal Year

Enter the fiscal year of the defined detail calendar ID. Enter fiscal years for the proposed budget if they should be available for the activity scenario in a planning model during budget preparation. Assigning a fiscal year can be advantageous. For example, a single proposed monthly budget could have 5 years, or 60 periods. By assigning the fiscal year, you confine the grid to a more manageable number of columns.

Spread Total and Total

Displays row or column totals. When you use detail calendars to define spread ID, the system displays a row total. When you use budget period calendars, the system displays a column total.

Defining Ratios by Period Using a Budget Period Calendar

Access the Periods Ratio Entry page (click the Spread Periods Ratio link on the Spread ID Definition page).

Start Budget Period and Through	Enter a start and end period range when using a budget period calendar for control budgets. The system uses these dates to generate the periods that define the ratio for the spread ID. Note. These fields are unavailable when you are using detail calendars instead of budget period calendars. Using a detail calendar defines the number of periods that are available in the grid for data entry.
Show Periods	Click to display the periods that are already defined for the spread ID using a budget-period calendar.
Generate Periods	Click to generate all of the rows that are defined in the start and end period range when using budget period calendars. If rows already exist, the system generates the rows that are not yet defined in the range. Any existing rows are unaffected.
Budget Period and Period Name	Displays the budget period and description for the start and end range that are defined for the spread ID of a budget period calendar. You can enter additional budget periods.
Spread Ratio	Enter the value (or ratio) that represents the method of spreading values across periods to simulate a seasonal spread. Enter zero if some periods do not receive any amounts. Note. You do not need to define a spread ID for evenly spread amounts. The system defines evenly spread, and it is always available for the position budgeting (POSBUD) and amount-per-period (AMTPER) methods.

Specifying Rate Combinations

This section provides an overview of rate combinations and discusses how to define rate combinations.

Understanding Rate Combinations

You must define rate combinations as part of setting up multiple currency planning models. After you define rate combinations, you then reference or link them to proposed planning scenarios so that the system can apply different exchange rates to different scenarios within the models. Rate types (such as current, commercial, floating, average, and historical) enable you to specify different exchange rates to use with different account types. These rate types further categorize market rates. For example, you can use an average rate for expense accounts and a current rate for balance sheet accounts. Use effective dates to define different rates for different budget periods under EPM Foundation maintenance pages.

Page Used to Specify Rate Combinations

Defining Rate Combinations

Access the Rate Combinations page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Rate Combinations).

Index and Rate Category

Select the rate index that you want. The system derives the valid values for Index from the PS_RT_INDEX_TBL that you import from PeopleSoft Financial Management. The rate category depends on the selected index. You can edit the table using the Market Rate Definition page as part of setting up the PeopleSoft Performance Warehouse system.

Account Type and Rate Type

Select the account and rate type combination that you want. Several types of conversion rates may exist for any pair of currencies. These different types of rates are appropriate for different types of accounts. You can assign only one rate type per account type; however, each account type can use a different rate type. For example, you can assign the CRRNT (current) rate type to the Expense account type, and then assign the AVG (average) rate type to the Assets account type. Note. Associate rate combinations to proposed (nonhistory) scenario types on the Scenario page to link account types to rate types for the activity scenarios of your planning model. You can define a unique rate combination rule for each scenario definition. Use the Currency Options page of your planning model to define the currencies that the system uses in all the activity scenarios of the planning model.

Setting Up Scenarios and Scenario Groups

This section provides overviews of:

• Scenarios, scenario groups, and period maps.

• Scenario types.

This section also discusses how to:

• Define scenarios.

• Define scenario groups.

• Define scenario period mapping.

Understanding Scenarios, Scenario Groups, and Period Maps

This section discusses:

• Scenarios and scenario groups.

• Period maps.

Scenarios and Scenario Groups

When preparing a plan or budget, you might want to use data that exists in different ledgers. For example, you might want to display prior-year actual and current-year budget data for reference or comparison purposes against a proposed budget to be prepared. Do this by defining a scenario to capture prior-year actuals, a second scenario for the current-year budget, and a third for your proposed budget. You can then gather these scenarios together within a common scenario group. When creating scenario groups, you can include an unlimited number of scenarios. Though you can link a planning model to just one scenario group, models can share the same scenario group.

Scenarios provide the time element to a budget or plan, or history for source or comparison purposes. You select a calendar to use that controls periodicity of the plan and specify the beginning and ending periods of the proposed budget or plan. The scenario also includes a ledger that the system associates with a ledger template. Ledger templates (in conjunction with the general ledger scenario), dictate the physical source of the historical data that the system uses to seed a budget or plan (and the physical target location of the plan or budget); this frames the actual dimensions (ChartFields) that are enabled for use. The dimensions must exist on the physical ledger table. For the planning scenario specifically, this dictates the target of the plan or budget data when it is exported.

Scenario groups enable you to collect related scenarios for use within a planning model. Only scenarios in the scenario group that are associated with the model can be used as source, proposed plan or budget, target, and comparison scenarios. Scenario groups also have time hierarchy and budgeting type functionality. The time hierarchy represents a series of calendars that are collected in increasing levels of detail and that form a time tree. All the proposed scenarios within a scenario group must be associated with calendars that are contained in the time hierarchy. This enables you to group scenarios for various plans (for example, monthly plans, quarterly plans, and annual plans), but prevents you from grouping scenarios for disparate time periods. The budgeting type controls whether the scenarios that are contained in the group represent standard, project, or control type plans. Specific functionality exists for each of these types. Regardless of the budgeting type, all scenario groups can contain scenarios associated with the actual general ledger because it is not updatable by Planning and Budgeting. For example, when you use the control budgeting type for a scenario group, then only scenarios included in the group are associated with Commitment Control ledgers and actual ledgers.

Note. After staging is complete, you cannot change the properties of existing scenarios or scenario groups, and period mapping between staged scenarios becomes display-only. However, you can add new scenarios.

Period Maps

To populate budget period mapping, you must establish (by linking) the data combinations in your model to facilitate any analysis, reporting, target setting, and data sourcing across the various scenarios within a scenario group for a planning model.

Important! The system requires that you establish data combinations to populate budget period mapping.

You can achieve various results. You can:

• Retain prior-year budget periods by mapping the historical scenario to the budget periods that are used in the proposed budget or plan in the planning model.

• Define the relationship between data and ledgers that do not use the same budget period levels.

  If you map actual ledger data based on monthly periods to a budget ledger based on quarterly budget periods, identify each of the three months in the first ledger (actual) to map to a single quarter in the second ledger (budget). The amount for a quarter is equal to the sum of the amounts for the three months that you map to the quarter. Refer to the following table for a mapping of monthly periods to quarterly budget periods:

  Periods in Ledger A	Budget Periods in Ledger B
  Fiscal year 2007, month 1	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 1
  Fiscal year 2007, month 2	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 1
  Fiscal year 2007, month 3	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 1
  Fiscal year 2007, month 4	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 2
  Fiscal year 2007, month 5	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 2
  Fiscal year 2007, month 6	Fiscal year 2008, quarter 2

  To map a budget ledger with an annual budget period to a budget ledger based on quarterly budget periods, the system can divide the total value for the year by four to calculate the amounts to place in each quarter by using the available multiplication factor.

  Note. The multiplication factor can also be set to 0, allowing you to use zero amounts for specific budget periods.

Understanding Scenario Types

Depending upon your business requirements for building plans and budgets, three scenario types are available that allow update in Planning and Budgeting:

• Top-down

  Typically used for single or multiyear strategic planning at higher levels, and can be used as planning targets or guidelines when you are entering detailed bottom-up budgets. You cannot define a top-down scenario as a partial year plan.

• Bottom-up

  Used for annual or multiyear detailed budget plans, which can also include areas such as asset and position budgeting. You cannot define a bottom-up scenario as a partial year budget.

• Forecast

  The forecast scenario can be used to reforecast strategic or detailed plans or budgets. It has the unique distinction of allowing partial year planning scenarios and requiring a start date for updates (Data Source page for the activity scenario), thereby locking down or closing certain periods that cannot be updated.

  See Defining Data Sources for Line Item Activities.

  See Defining Scenarios.

Budget Periods — Data Entry Grid

For all line item activities, the source or seed data populating the proposed plan or budget is referred to as the base budget (BASBUD method). The Base version of the budget contains all the base budget amounts after data staging, but the other versions (all working versions and Master) will apply any method defaults assigned by the coordinator.

For planning scenarios that are not more than 13 periods (such as a one-year monthly budget), all periods will fit into the data entry grid for line items. But if you are working with multiyear budgets that contain more than 13 periods, an additional Page field will appear above the grid so that you can toggle between the different fiscal years or groups of budget data.

For all line item activities under the forecast scenario type, the periods that are locked are unavailable for entry; that is, no updates are allowed for these closed periods. When you stage the data for closed periods, the amounts that are displayed are those from the source or seed data, as defined on the Data Source page. You are responsible for defining both the data sources and the defaults for closed periods, because no updates will be allowed for those periods in a forecast scenario.

The amounts that you see for the closed periods in the line item activity are really the base budget (BASBUD) amounts that were inserted during data staging, and they are not updatable. The amounts remain the same across all budget versions (Base, Master, and working versions).

Note. When you export data for a forecast scenario type, all periods are exported, both closed and open periods. This gives you the option of choosing the forecast as a data source for another activity, allowing all periods to be sourced and staged into the new line item activity.

Pages Used to Set Up Scenarios and Scenario Groups

Defining Scenarios

Access the Scenario page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Scenarios).

Copy Scenario

Click to copy the scenario and create a new scenario with similar properties. In the page that appears, enter a new, unique scenario ID and short description for the scenario that you want to create, and then click OK. Note. The short description of the scenario must also be unique, because the scenario ID is unique. For example, you can have two scenarios that have unique IDs, but their descriptions must also be unique and cannot have the same short description name.

Scenario Details

Note. If any change is made to existing values in this section, a warning message appears that states: Time periods in the scenario have been changed. You will have to regenerate the time hierarchy tree in all scenario groups that use this scenario.

Defining Scenario Groups

Access the Scenario Group page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Scenario Groups).

Copy Scenario Group	Click to copy the scenario group. When prompted, enter a new, unique scenario group ID. The new scenario group inherits copies of all elements, including scenario associations and period maps, and transfers you to the new group to update as necessary.
Budgeting Type	Select the desired budgeting type. Values are: Controlled Budget Ledger: The planning model uses commitment control tables and budget periods from the commitment control ledger (PS_BP_LED_KK_F00). The controlled budget ledger supports multiple currencies, statistical budgeting, and planning targets for monetary values. You can define and use the following activity types for a control budget: line item, position budgeting, and asset budgeting. Project Budget Ledger: The planning model uses the tables that contain project budgeting ChartFields (or dimensions), fiscal year, and accounting period from the Project Budget ledger (PS_BP_LED_PROJ_F00). The Project Budget ledger supports multiple currencies, statistical budgeting, and planning targets for monetary values. You can define and use only line item activity types for a project budget. Standard Budget Ledger: The planning model uses standard budget tables, fiscal year, and accounting period from the Budget ledger (PS_BP_LED_BUDG_F00). The standard Budget ledger supports multiple currencies, statistical budgeting, planning targets for monetary values, and statistical accounts. You can define and use the following activity types for a standard budget: line item, position budgeting, and asset budgeting. Note. Balance sheet planning that uses a starting balance period can be used in project and standard budgeting types, but controlled budget types do not support this starting balance period.
Time Hierarchy	Enter the time hierarchy that you want. The system filters available time hierarchies by setID as driven by the setID of the scenario group. Note. You cannot change the time hierarchy after any scenario in the group is staged nor can you select or change to a time hierarchy that does not fit the scenarios within the group. That is, the time hierarchy must be defined with calendar IDs that match those that are used by the nonhistory scenarios in the group.
Create New Time Hierarchy	Click to access the Time Hierarchy page and create a new time hierarchy if one does not already exist. The system enters the new time hierarchy that you create in the Create Time Hierarchy field. See Defining Time Hierarchies.
Generate Period Maps	Click to have the system automatically create scenario period mappings for all combinations of scenarios within the group (except history type scenarios that you can map from but can never map to, because they cannot be edited). For you to stage a scenario, the planning scenario must have all of its periods mapped by the source scenario. If you save the scenario group without mapping the periods for the scenarios therein, a warning message appears. A system algorithm creates the generated period mappings that attempt to align source and target periods. (For example, period 1 of 2004 in a source scenario maps to period 1 of 2005 in the target scenario.) However, if the number of periods in the source (from) and target (to) are not the same, the system fills in mappings for all the periods that are necessary in the target scenario as place holders. You must edit the period mappings to confirm their accuracy and to update them as needed. Note. If too many scenarios are in the scenario group, and if a problem occurs saving the scenario group, then change the time-out value parameter to provide the system sufficient time to complete the process.
Edit Period Maps	Click to access the Scenario Period Mapping page and edit the automatically generated scenario period mappings or create new ones. Note. If you have generated your period maps but later add an additional scenario to the scenario group, clicking the Generate Period Maps button does not overwrite anything you have already manually added or adjusted. The period map generation functionality creates new maps. You should verify that the maps suit your business needs, and make any necessary manual adjustments. See Defining Scenario Period Mapping.
Generate Time Hierarchy	Click to regenerate the time hierarchy when you add or remove a scenario from the scenario group or when you modify time periods in one of the scenarios. This process synchronizes the changes with the existing time hierarchy. After the generation process completes, the following confirmation message appears: Time hierarchy generation is complete.
Scenario	Enter the desired scenario. Click the Create Scenario link to add a new scenario. The system enters the new scenario in the Scenario field. You can add scenarios to scenario groups at any time; however, you cannot change or remove them if the affected scenario is staged. When you add scenarios to a scenario group, they automatically become available within any model that uses the group. All nonhistory type scenarios in a group must conform to the calendars that are included in the time hierarchy that is associated with the scenario group. See Defining Time Hierarchies.
Description	Click to access the Scenario page and review details about the scenario.

Defining Scenario Period Mapping

Access the Scenario Period Mapping page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Scenario Period Mapping).

Period Map Search	Select this link to return to the Scenario Period Mapping search page.
Start Fiscal Year and From Period	Select the fiscal year and accounting period for the source scenario that you want to map from (such as 2005 and 1 for fiscal year 2005, period 1). You can map multiple periods to a target scenario period. The system aggregates amounts in the source periods into the target period (such as aggregating months 1 through 3 from the source scenario into the first quarter of the target scenario). The nonhistory scenario (the To Scenario field) requires that all its periods have a map, but all periods in the From Scenario field do not need to be used. For balance sheet accounts, the starting balance will always be the first chronological period, because the system automatically generates it. A start and end fiscal year are associated with the starting balance, and you can map multiple periods into the starting balance (period 0), or use an existing source that may be defined as Period 0 in the ledger. Note. These drop-down list boxes are available when you select a detail calendar.
End Fiscal Year and To Period	Select the fiscal year and accounting period for the target scenario that you want to map to (such as 2006 and 1 for period 1 of fiscal year 2006). You can map a source period to multiple targets. Use the multiplication factor to divide the amount of a source period among several target periods. Or assign 0 (zero) as the multiplication factor when you want no starting amounts for the period, because all target periods require a period map. For balance sheet accounts, only the first fiscal year on the target side can have a starting balance (period 0). Although each fiscal year on the source side may have a period 0, only one fiscal year can have a period 0 on the target side. Furthermore, the end fiscal year period supports 0 only if the value for the end fiscal year is the first year (lowest value) within all the end fiscal years. You can map the same source period into multiple target periods. Note. These drop-down list boxes are available when you select a detail calendar.
From Budget Period and To Budget Period	Select the budget period for the source scenario from which you want to map and for the target scenario to which you want to map. You can map multiple source periods to a single target period. The system aggregates the source period amounts into the single target period. You can map multiple target periods from a single source period. Use the multiplication factor to divide the amount of the source period among several target periods. Note. These drop-down list boxes are available when you select a budget calendar. Note. If you map a quarterly source scenario to an annual target scenario, the PER% method will apply an incremental % to the sum of the four quarters.
Multiplication Factor	Enter the multiplication factor that you want. The stage process multiplies the amounts for the source period by the multiplication factor and inserts it into the amount of the target period. For example, to increase the amounts of last year by 5 percent, you can map the periods of last year to those of this year and use 1.05 for the multiplication factor. Similarly, you could cut the amount of a period by a percentage if you were splitting the amounts of one period across several target periods (such as splitting a quarterly amount across three monthly periods). You can also use a zero multiplication factor to have no amounts apply.

Note. If your source has a period 0 (starting balance) that you want to ignore for purposes of mapping to the target, you can map the period 0 to any other period in the target, or you can apply a multiplication factor of 0.0. For example, you may want to do this when working with a Commitment Control budget, because it does not recognize period 0.

Defining Account Type Options

This section provides an overview of account type options and discusses how to assign signs and calculation rules for account types.

Understanding Account Type Options

Use account type options to specify how the system handles the mathematical operator that is associated with certain ledger amounts during the data staging and export processes. You can also specify the rules that the system uses for data analysis and reporting calculations.

For example, if your organization stores monetary values for the Revenue account type as negative numbers in the ledger but you want to view revenues as positive numbers during line item budgeting and analysis, you can specify that the system reverse the sign for revenues during the data staging process. The system reverses the sign again when you export the budgeting data from the model back to the budget ledger tables to ensure that the signs are consistent within the ledger for the account type.

Note. For analysis purposes—processes that you run from the Variance Analysis and Version Analysis pages—you can specify the calculation rules that are used for account types. For example, to view a net total of accounts that include both revenue and expense accounts, define the calculation rules that the system uses to deduct expenses from revenues to calculate a net total.

The Version Analysis, Scenario Comparison, Summary of Methods, and Budget Comparison Structured Query Report (SQR) reports use the add or deduct indicator for account types when displaying amounts on reports.

Page Used to Define Account Type Options

Assigning Signs and Calculation Rules for Account Types

Access the Account Type Options page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Account Type Options).

Define the options by account type for a Standard Budget Type or Control Budget Type, depending on the budgeting type that you use.

Note. Use the Standard Budget Type grid to set up account type options for both the Standard Budget type and the Project Budget Ledger budget type.

See Reporting and Analyzing Results.

Defining Account Categories

This section provides an overview of account categories and discusses how to specify account categories.

Understanding Account Categories

Account categories are ranges or related categories of accounts that you group together in a tree for budgeting and inquiry purposes. Define account categories that facilitate line item budgeting and analysis. To define account categories, you need a tree because account categories use a single level on an account tree. To minimize tree maintenance, use the same account tree that defines the account dimension for your planning model.

A line item activity scenario can use the account categories that you define when setting up your planning model. During budget preparation, all budget users can work with and view line-item activity-scenario data by account groups by using the account category as a data filter. Defining and using account categories is optional for all line-item activity scenarios.

Page Used to Define Account Categories

Specifying Account Categories

Access the Account Category page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Account Categories).

See Also

PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Tree Manager

Using Planning and Budgeting Email Templates

This section provides an overview of Planning and Budgeting email templates and discusses how to define email templates.

See Also

Working with Planning and Budgeting Activities

Understanding Planning and Budgeting Email Templates

Create email templates to communicate with budget users about specific events that take place during the budgeting process. Use email templates when you stage, submit, or reject budgets and when budgets are submitted that are outside of planning targets.

Use the Email Template Definitions page to define the template, and then use the Assign Email Templates page to assign the templates to the specific events within a line-item activity scenario for a planning model. The system sends the assigned email after the event occurs.

See Assigning Email Templates.

Page Used to Define Email Templates

Defining Email Templates

Access the Email Template Definitions page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Email Templates).

Email Template	Select the email template that you want. Values are: Budget Reject Budget Submit Model Stage Planning Target After you select a template, the Text Bind Variable Legend list box displays content that is relevant to the selected template.
Subject	Enter the default subject description that is used for the email template.
Email Text	Enter text bind variables from the Text Bind Variable Legend list box to define the default text for the template and indicate the data that you want the system to find and insert in the completed email message. For example, if you want specific users to receive emails each time a model stages, create the following default message: The %B (Planning Model) staged by %H (Current User) completed on %E (Date/Time).
Select	Select the check box next to each budget user to whom you want to send the email. If you select Budget Reject, Budget Submit, or Planning Target from the Email Template drop-down list box, the system sends a copy of the email to the selected users in addition to those who receive the email as defined by the event, role, and position in the planning center tree. Only users whom you define as budget users appear as available options. If you select Model Stage from the Email Template dropdown list box, select the users to whom you want to send the email. The system uses the selected users as the email distribution list.

Attaching Documentation and Guidelines

This section discusses how to attach planning documentation and guidelines.

Page Used to Attach Documentation and Guidelines

Attaching Planning Documentation and Guidelines

Access the Documentation and Guidelines page (Planning and Budgeting, Planning and Budgeting Setup, Define Parameters, Documentation and Guidelines).

Note. To attach files, set up file transfer protocol using the URL Maintenance page.

See Also

Setting Up File Transfer Protocols