1. Scheduled Processes for SCM
  2. Build Plan Archive

Build Plan Archive

Use the Build Plan Archive scheduled process to store a copy of current measure values so that you can retrieve them later.

You then can use these archived values to compare values and track changes. Archiving future forecast values enables you to calculate the accuracy of the forecast by comparing these values to the actual demand once it is available.

When to Use

Run the Build Plan Archive scheduled process whenever you want to create archives for measures, which you can use for future data analysis and comparison.

You can create archives for these plans:

  • Demand
  • Supply
  • Demand and Supply
  • Sales and Operations

MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) statistics calculations require Shipments or Bookings measures in the archive, based on the measure used to create the forecast in the forecasting profile.

Privileges Required

  • Manage Rolling Archives (MSC_MANAGE_ROLLING_ARCHIVES_PRIV)
    Note: Required for running Build Plan archive with Enable for MAPE calculations.
  • Save Plan Extract (MSC_SAVE_PLAN_EXTRACT_PRIV)

Specifications

Before you can archive plan measures, you must enable the archiving options in Edit Plan Options > Scope > Advance Options > Enable for archiving.

To use the archives in a waterfall analysis or trend analysis, select Use MAPE calculations in the Selector Tool Comparison Options tab.

Review these specifications before setting up this scheduled process:

Specification Description
Job Type Can be run at any time or scheduled to run on a regular basis, such as before plan run.
Frequency Can be scheduled to run. For example, after the run to create archives for the interested forecast measures as defined in Measure Catalog for Archival, and to create MAPE rolling archives for use in waterfall and trend analyses.
Time of Day Typically run during off-hours, such as overnight or during the weekend.
Duration Varies, based on the number of measures in Measure Catalog for Archival.
Compatibility It's recommended that you not run the Build Plan Archive and Plan Run scheduled processes simultaneously for the same plan.

Parameters

Parameter Optional or Required Description Parameter Value Special Combinations Required Notes
Plan Required The plan for which you want to create archives for. List of existing plans that have the Archive enabled in plan options. None NA
Don't delete archives Optional Keep the previous archives, if any. Select the radio button. None NA
Delete archives automatically Optional If you select this option, enter a number in the Most Recent Days to Keep field. The archive process automatically deletes older archives based on this parameter. Select the radio button. None NA
Most Recent Days to Keep Optional Enter the number of days for which to retain archives. Archives older than this number of days are automatically deleted. Enter number of days to keep archives. None NA
Enable for MAPE calculations Optional

If you don't select this option, only archives for the measures in the archive measure catalog are created.

To calculate predefined measures for Demand and Sales and Operations plans that use archived data, you must use a MAPE archive. The statistics calculated for the MAPE archive are used to generate the Waterfall Analysis and Trend Analysis tables and graphs.

 Select the check box. None If you select this parameter, you also must select options for these parameters:
  • Archive Time Hierarchy
  • Archive Time Level
  • Measure Catalog for Archival
  • Use default archive name
  • Use user-defined archive name
Archive Time Hierarchy Required if you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option. Otherwise, it's optional.

Select the time hierarchy to use to archive the measure data for the plan, such as the Gregorian calendar.

For a Demand Plan that uses a hybrid time hierarchy, the field value defaults to the hybrid time hierarchy that you selected as the planning calendar and can't be changed.

 Select the required calendar. None NA
Archive Time Level Required if you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option. Otherwise, it's optional.

Select the time level for which to archive measure data for the plan. For example, day or week. The time level is based on the selection you made for the archive time hierarchy.

For a Demand Plan that uses a hybrid time hierarchy, the field value defaults to the hybrid time hierarchy that you selected as the planning calendar and can't be changed.

 Select the required time level. None NA
Measure Catalog for Archival Required if you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option. Otherwise, it's optional.

Select the measure catalog you want to use when you archive.

It's recommended that you create a measure catalog for archived measures instead of archiving every measure in the plan.

 List of measure catalogs. None NA
Use default archive name Required if you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option. Otherwise, it's optional. Select to use the default archive name. Select the radio button. None NA
Use user-defined archive name Required if you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option. Otherwise, it's optional.

Select to overwrite the default name with a user-defined name.

Select the radio button.

Enter user-defined archive name in the text box.

 None NA

Troubleshooting Information

  • You can view the status of the Build Plan Archive process in the Scheduled Processes work area.
  • After you submit the scheduled process, you can perform any of these tasks in the Scheduled Processes work area:
    • Resubmit it
    • Put it on hold
    • Cancel the process
    • Release the process
  • When the process completes, verify in the log that these child processes have also completed successfully:
    • Archive Plan
    • Archive Plan Data
    • Archive Plan Data for Granularity
  • If you want to use MAPE calculations for waterfall or trend analysis, or if existing archives aren't available for these analyses in the pivot table, ensure that you select the Enable for MAPE calculations option when you create those archives.

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