10/23/2019 Positioning ACDOCP as planning repository | SAP Blogs

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Lucas Costa
March 27, 2018 5 minute read

Positioning ACDOCP as planning repository

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The new ACDOCP table became available in the S/4HANA 1610 release without any fanfare from SAP. In fact,
ACDOCP was just the rst step to provide a full integration between planning and actuals. More than a
year after its release, this new feature still on baby steps in terms of functionality, but even now, after taking into
account a number of factors, using ACDOCP can proportionate good advantages in a S/4HANA context.

Is it for me?
In a nutshell, using ACDOCP now, is a future oriented decision. Obviously, it is not wise to base any design on a
roadmap that is not yet fully apparent, however in some special cases the reward can present itself in the short
term. What I can con rm is that for my situation it made all the di erence to use ACDOCP, short and long term:

Both options, ACDOCP or BW, would require customised development

This was not a forecasting solution. We were loading data from di erent planning platforms
My master data for plan was the same as actuals
In some situations planning customers for instance, had to be created in the customer master

My plan data was available via HANA views(SDAs)

It could be easily read via BW or ABAP layer, but it was the next point that turned the game pro-
ACDOCP

As part of a Central Finance implementation, we had already built dozens of objects to be used in master
data mappings, derivations and conversions for actuals (ABAP).

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We were looking to leverage those objects for plan as well, avoiding duplications and inconsistencies in
rules, mappings and also dual maintenance
Although, these objects could also be used in BW, it would require many additional mappings between
the BW and ABAP layer

We were also implementing RTC – Real-time Consolidation, which makes it easier to get plan data from
ACDOCP.

Advantages
If you need to summarise why you would use ACDOCP in one word – the word is consistency. Not just in terms
of master data but also in how data is structured in comparison to actuals. ACDOCP is closing the triad of
tables in S/4:

1. ACDOCA – For actuals

2. ACDOCC – For Consolidation
3. ACDOCP – For Planning

For now, you could potentially get the same result using info cube or aDSOs, but in terms of roadmap, there is
heaps of functionality to be built by SAP that will allow bringing actuals and plan closer together with reporting,
object based reporting, approvals based on budget data etc.

Maintenance
Simple question: is it easier to nd an ABAP developer or a BPC with embedded skills? Furthermore, existing
ABAP objects can be easily re-used in planning scope.

Downsides
1. BPC Features
If you setup work status in BPC, they’re not taken into consideration by the ABAP API whatsoever. The option
here is to work on a custom WS check prior to posting planning data.

Audit Log also is not supported in ACDOCP (it is in 1709)

2. Provisional Master Data

ACDOCP is an ABAP table and its elds will have master data validation checks when saving data. Example, if
you require a planning customer, this planning customer needs to exist in your customer master – KNA1.

3. Performance
While using aDSO or a Real-time info cube you could potentially leverage HANA IN-Memory Planning (PAK)
performance in some planning functions, for ACDOCP you will have ABAP classic speed, this is considering
the standard planning functions. As an upside, depending on the planning function and what you’re looking
to achieve you can certainly have options to get an even better performance using the new stu such
as CDS, HANA Views, AMDP…

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How to write data to ACDOCP

If you have installed BPC Optimised for S/4 in your system you must have noticed that, in addition to the Real-
time Info-cube /ERP/SFIN_R01 – S/4HANA Financials: InfoCube for Plan Data, there will be a second one, type
virtual: /ERP/SFIN_V20 – S/4HANA Financials: Plan Data from ACDOCP. This cube has a read interface based
on HANA view (FCO_C_IBP_ACDOCP) and already leverages a standard write interface based on ABAP Class,
that will take care of the mapping between BW info objects and ACDOCP elds.

The good thing is that this cube is already assigned to the Multi Provider used in all delivered workbooks, and to
start saving data in ACDOCP via the pre-delivered workbooks, all you need to do is to switch the default value in
the Bex Variable /ERP/P_0INFOPROV to V20.

Another way is via ABAP, well because ACDOCP is an ABAP table! And there is a standard API for that: Function
Module FINPLAN_API_POSTDATA. Be aware that, this function (at least in version 1610 FSP02) is set as “not
released”. My guess is that SAP is still improving this API, but right now it has very little documentation and it
will need to interpret the code to know what it’s doing sometimes.

There is a BAdI available in the API as well, in case you require additional mappings to the data being saved –
BADI_FINPLAN_POST. Some other options to be considered are: the class: CL_FINPLAN_API (within this FM)
and even direct update if you’re up to it.

Road map
I cannot speak for SAP but I guess the roadmap is lled with options on how you interact with actuals based on
plan. Currently, ACDOCP does not have much functionality built on top of it in S/4, but SAP already gave signs
that this is going to change.

Allocations
Currently you can use the pre-delivered content to integrate plan data (from ACDOCP or R01 info cube) with
CO-OM (Overheads Management) classic tables, this includes costs by cost object – cost centre, internal order
or WBS. But this involves duplication of data and can cause inconsistencies.
The ideal approach is to run the CO allocations reading and posting data straight from/to ACDOCP, similar to
what has been done for ACDOCA for actuals.

CO-PA (Pro tability Analisys) allocations it is also an old request from most clients I had. This would allow
applying the same rules used for actuals in the planning data, again, consistency… Last I heard this will be
available in 1809 release.

Object based plan

Production orders, maintenance orders.

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Consolidation
In RTC for release 1709 plan data is integrated to ACDOCC from ACDOCP for consolidation.

Central Finance
My experience with ACDOCP, as I said above, was in a Central Finance environment with Plan data being
mapped from di erent source systems with di erent master data to one global nancial environment
leveraging the same mappings used by actuals. The key thing here is that we could use the CFIN mappings and
also other S/4 mappings like BRF Rules in the planning data without having to work on the BW layer and
mapping between BW and ABAP. Bear in mind that our loading process for plan data however, was entirely
customised.

Hybrid approach
It is important to understand that the usage of ACDOCP is not a global decision. You can leverage
classic/embedded BPC with ACDOCP altogether, and in the future the inverse way as well, such as exporting
your planned production orders from ACDOCP to BPC to support nancial planning, why not?

Wrap-up
There will be bene ts and disadvantages in whatever option you chose, but the key thing is to nd a
balance between the current functionality available, the roadmap and how much you want to future-proof your
solution.

References:
2270407 – S4TWL – Pro t and Loss Planning, pro t center planning, cost center planning, order planning, and
project planning

1972819 – Setup SAP BPC optimized for S/4 HANA Finance and Embedded BW Reporting (aka Integrated
Business Planning for Finance)

2081400 – SAP BPC Optimized for S/4 HANA Finance (aka: Integrated Bursiness Planning for Finance):
Compilation of Information

2490888 – Enhance ACDOCC to Support End-User Extension

ACDOCP vs InfoCube in BPC Optimized

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SAP Business Planning and Consolidation, version for SAP NetWeaver | SAP S/4HANA | SAP S/4HANA
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Former Member

April 24, 2018 at 4:49 pm

https://blogs.sap.com/2018/03/27/positioning-acdocp-as-planning-repository/ 5/8
10/23/2019 Positioning ACDOCP as planning repository | SAP Blogs

Hi Lucas

It’s informative. We are doing a 1709 on Prem implementation and am confused with the Cost and PCA planning
options available. BPC is not an option. Though the classic planning options of CCA and PCA are available it
seems it will written to the traditional totals table and not acdocp. The Q is what to do ?

Kartik

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Lucas Costa | Post author

April 26, 2018 at 2:39 am

Although the blog was based on 1609, It hasn’t been much improvement in 1709. If BPC is not an option, you’d
have to stick with the classic tables I am afraid.

Like (0)

Sachin Prabhudesai

June 14, 2018 at 12:58 pm

Hello Lucas,

Nice blog and very informative.  A quick question I had, I am contemplating  to add a custom dimension similar
to Data Source as available in Standard version, can I add this directly to ACDOCP table and later to Planning
Virtual Provider and Aggregation level?

Do you have any other ideas to track the ow of data within BPC using ACDOCP table?

Regards,
Sachin

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Robert Mezei

January 10, 2019 at 8:16 am

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Great blog, thank you for sharing. I just wanted to add one more writing option left out. You can use Fiori
App F1711 to import plan data from a CSV le.

Like (0)

Ivan Blatnik

March 28, 2019 at 12:43 pm

Does anyone know if it is possible to write Sales Order Costing to ACDOCP?

Best regards, Ivan

Like (0)

ANKIT SHAH

September 23, 2019 at 6:58 am

Hello,

Thanks for the details.

Please guide where I am going wrong – I have been able to upload entries in ACDOCP using
FINPLAN_API_POSTDATA. We are not using BPC or BW but my understanding is that the Apps like Cost
Centers – Plan/Actual should show the Plan column with values. I am able to see the Actual but Plan column
remains blank. Is BPC mandatory?

Regards,

Ankit

Like (0)

Lucas Costa | Post author

September 29, 2019 at 10:43 pm

Hi Ankit, that’s because the CO planning features as far as I know are still reading the data from the classic CO
tables and not ACDOCP – check the session “Road Map” in this blog. Although this was in the roadmap, I am
really uncertain whether SAP is spending any time in this.

In order to see the data in CO, I recommend you using the classical CO transaction for planning. KEPM for
example.

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If you want to plan using let’s say AO with ACDOCP, you de nitely need a BPC license to do so. And is are
standard content to move the data from ACDOCP (or any planning cube for what matter) to CO-OM.

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