SCM Planning - SAP IBP

Friday, March 6, 2009

Note 495166 - Tips and Tricks for Handling Alert Monitor

Summary

Symptom

Alerts are not displayed in alert monitor although they are expected.

Alerts are displayed for instance in Interactive Demand Planning or in Product View, but they are not shown in Alert Monitor standalone (transaction /sapapo/amon1) or in SCC (transaction /sapapo/scc01);

You have created alert situation in your planning process, but when e.g. you execute the macro(s) in Interactive Planning or go in Product View, no alert is shown;

Other terms

Alerts, Alert profile, Alert monitor settings, Alert profile maintenance , /SAPAPO/AMON1, /SAPAPO/SCC01, /SAPAPO/SDP94, /SAPAPO/SNP94 ,/SAPAPO/SNPTLB, documentation, Consulting note.

Reason and Prerequisites

The lack of alerts in alert monitor may due to false maintenance of alert monitor settings/profile or certain preconditions that must be met in the individual application area (e.g. execute the macro in interactive demand planning)

Solution

Please read carefully the following consulting lines.

There are various alternatives of viewing alerts in alert monitor. Alerts can be displayed in:

Alert Monitor window as standalone component (transaction /sapapo/amon1);

Alert Monitor window accessed through SCC (transaction /sapapo/scc01);

Alert Monitor window accessed from individual applications (e.g. in Interactive Demand Planning, PP/DS Product View, Product Planning Board).

How to set up the alert monitor

There are two different levels of settings for the Alert Monitor:

1. The settings for the Alert Monitor itself (standalone) where the alert profiles for different application areas, the planning version, and the time horizon can be maintained. It is worthwhile to note down that the alert monitor settings are only used to select alerts in alert monitor standalone (transaction /sapapo/amon1);

2. The alert profiles for different application areas.

When alert monitor is called from an application, you are restricted to selecting only alert profile (e.g. in transaction /sapapo/rrp3 (Product View), only PP/DS alert profiles). This selection does not include any limitations over time, i.e. it is not possible to read the alert monitor settings. The applications hand over information available in the chosen application (e.g. horizon, products, locations, resources,etc). However, in transaction /sapapo/amon1 (Alert Monitor) the time horizon specified in alert monitor settings is considered. Therefore, if for a given product there exists an alert which appears beyond the specified time horizon in alert monitor settings, this alert will be displayed in alert monitor when it is called from Product View, but it will not be seen in alert monitor standalone. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to set correctly the horizon in alert monitor setting to meet the validity of the alerts.

1. Alert monitor standalone

To view alerts in standalone alert monitor, you must maintain the 'alert monitor settings' and the 'alert monitor profiles', i.e.:

Planning version: Alerts can be planning version dependent or independent (e.g. Forecast and SDP alerts are version dependent, i.e. you do not have to define a planning version, but if you do, then the alerts displayed are related to that version only. Otherwise, alerts for all versions are displayed; ATP alerts apply only to the active version (000); for PP/DS, VS, and TLB alerts, you must define a planning version)

Time period (Horizon): define a relative time period if you want the time horizon during which alerts should be displayed. This period must meet the validity of the alerts. Otherwise, the alerts will not be shown. For instance, if you want to see alerts for a period of 6 months beginning 1 month in the past(future) from today, activate the appropriate radio button, enter 6 months and -1(1) offset. If you don't make an offset entry, the time interval begins at the present moment and some alert can not be shown or no alert at all is displayed. As alternative, you can also use the absolute time period to define your horizon by entering the exact date and time the horizon begins and ends.

Application-specific profiles: each alert profile contains a selection of application-specific alert types. You can select the alert types, define object selection (e.g. product, location, resource, planner, planning book, data view, etc.) for which you would like to see alerts, and create the threshold values to further refine priorities (1: Error, 2: Warning, 3: Information) of alerts. If no threshold values are defined, default priorities (identified by icons displayed in the profile) or priorities defined in the macros (for macro alerts) are considered. Please note that the priorities defined in the macros overwrite the default priorities. For performance reasons, it is recommended to keep to a minimum the number of selected objects while defining your object selection.

2. Alert Monitor within SCC

In order for the alerts to be visible in the SCC work area and map, you have to:

Set an indicator in the SCC user-specific profile to activate the alert icons. If an alert of type you included in your alert profile is generated for one of the objects included in your work area, the corresponding icon is highlighted.

Maintain the alert profile and assign it to cockpit while maintaining the user-specific settings (transaction /SAPAPO/SCC_USR_PROF -> tab alert monitor -> fill in name of alert profile you want to use).

Define a suitable time period during which alerts should be displayed. If the validity of an alert is beyond the period defined in SCC, then this alert will not be shown in the Supply Chain Cockpit.

Remark: The work area selected in loading the SCC define your object selection for the Alert Monitor. However, if SDP or Forecast alerts have to be shown in SCC, since the SCC does not hand over the planning book to Alert Monitor in the interface, the alerts will be read exactly as in alert monitor standalone. Therefore, the objects to be
considered will be taken from the planning book and data view defined
in the profile.

3. SDP and Forecast (DP) alerts

Preconditions:

Define SNP/DP planning book / data view / selection: via transaction /SAPAPO/SDP8B, you can create your own planning book/Data view or make a copy of the SAP delivered planning book 9ASNP94 with both data views.

Define macros: via transaction /SAPAPO/ADVM, create and activate the macros in your planning book. Here, the macro(s) can be set as 'default'.

Define application-specific alert profile via the transaction /SAPAPO/AMON_SETTING. Provide all required information (e.g. Version, Horizon, Planning Book, etc)

After running CTM or Optimiser, execute the macros either interactively or in background (define and schedule a batch job for DB macros) in order to generate alerts.

3.1 Database/dynamic alerts inside interactive planning table

Database alerts show the planning situation as it was during planning run, or last executed database macro(s). When dealing with large volumes it is best to perform a batch planning run using the appropriate database macro. DB alerts are stored in /SAPAPO/AM_ALERT database table.
Remark: DB alerts must be generated and written on database (interactively or via a batch job) before you display them in alert monitor standalone. The DB macros cannot be started from alert monitor standalone.
Dynamic alerts mirror the current planning situation but are not saved in the database. This alert type is not suitable for dealing with a large volume of planning objects because large numbers slow down performance. If you want to see dynamic alerts on standalone AMON or SCC, you have to define the corresponding dynamic alert macros as 'default' macros in the macrobuilder (see note 380300 for more details).

Start SNP interactive planning table with your planning book and data view;

Assign an alert monitor profile to your planning book;

Choose your object selection, save your selection (important note: the SAP delivered resource alert macros have a check about the PLOB, so that it could happen that some selection profile settings don't able to create alerts. In this case you have to simplify the part of resource alert macros on PLOB part );

Load the data for you objects in the planning book;

Make sure that an alert situation exist for the loaded selection;

Run the alert macro(s) : doubleclick on the 'executable' macros ( you must be in the change mode in the Interactive Planning so that the DB alerts can be written on database) or define the macro(s) as 'default' inside the macrobuilder (it is recommended not to include DB macros in the default event). In this case the alert macro(s) will be executed when you load data in your planning book or make any change in interactive demand planning table;

Press the alert monitor icon (3 options in context menu are available: alerts for current planning book/version/selection ) for the display of alerts;

Please read the instructions contained in the note 416489.

3.2 Database alerts inside standalone Alert Monitor or SCC

Define your alert monitor settings: please enter valid values for version and horizon. You may leave the version blank;

Define your SDP/Forecast alert profile: select the alert types (DB) and threshold values for priorities if applicable. For Forecast alerts, refer also to note 375965. For more details on alert types, see documentation;

Define your object selection:

Planning book;

For APO 3.1 or higher, set a flag on "Cross-Agregation-Level Selection Evaluation" if required (please use F1-help functionality to read documentation on this flag);

While in SCC, please note that the work area of the SCC define your object selection for the Alert Monitor. As horizon, the period in SCC must be well defined to meet the validity of the alerts.

Remark: you have first to execute the macros (interactively or via a batch job, even after running CTM or optimiser) to generate DB alerts and write them on Database if not done prior to calling alert monitor or SCC. When you create your batch job, please take care of the instructions in the notes 390055 and 412429.

3.3 Dynamic alerts inside standalone AMON or SCC

If you want to see dynamic alerts in standalone AMON or SCC, you have to define the dynamic alert macros as 'default' macros in the macrobuilder (see note 380300 and 390055 for more details). Since it is not allowed to make any change in the SAP-delivered planning book (9ASNP94), you must make a copy of it or create your own and then perform required changes (e.g. define some macros as default).

Define your alert monitor settings: please enter valid values for version and horizon.

Define your alert monitor profile: select the alert types (dyn),

Select your object selection:

Enter the name of your planning book;

For APO 3.1 or higher, set a flag on "Cross-Aggregation-Level Selection Evaluation" if required (you can use F1-help to read documentation on this flag);

Go to the 'dynamic alerts' part of the screen and do the following:

Press 'append row' button on the button tool bar;

Select a data view of your planning book (F4-help is available);

Select a 'selection name' for your objects (F4-help is available);

Press 'enter' on you keyboard.

If you work with APO 3.0, perform also the following two steps:

Doubleclick on the blank 'grouping' field in the 'Choose views and selections' part;

Go to the 'grouping and aggregation by characteristics' part (on the bottom of the profile settings screen). Put a flag on the 'charact. aggregations' of your object selection. Please note that you could get the necessary flags from the object selection (interactive planning table, go to your selection name, press right mouse button, select 'display selection'). You should select the characteristics corresponding to those defined in your selection profile to ensure that the alerts will be displayed in alert monitor;

Go to your data view row and doubleclick on the field 'grouping' again. This field should be now populated with the grouping information marked with the flags on the lower part;

Save the new settings.

3.4 Delete DB alerts

In order to delete the DB alerts, the following alternatives are available:
1. From the alert monitor display structure, choose the alerts to be deleted and click on the icon 'Delete alerts';

2. For macro alerts, in defining the activities of the responsible macro in macrobuilder, set the 'Delete in context' activity before the 'update in context' activity for alerts;

3. Use the report '/SAPAPO/AMON_REORG'. In this case, remove the flag 'Simulation run' to let the alerts be deleted. Please be sure that the corrections in the note 433082 are implemented in the system. For performance reasons, please apply the note 513553.

3.5 Create your own SDP alerts

From Alert Monitor Settings(transaction /SAPAPO/AMON_SETTING, go to menu 'Environment', choose SDP database or dynamic alerts;

On the 'change view' select an existing (recommend) alert and enter 'copy' button. You get a new view for maintenance of the new alert type. Enter a new alert type number, the priority, alert description and threshold/relational operator (optional);

Make sure that your own alert types are in customer names space (8*,9*) to protect them from SAP overwrite;

Save your new alert types.

Note: You can use your new alert types inside the SDP macrobuilder to create your own alert macros.

4. PP/DS, TLB, VS alerts
4.1 Alerts in the individual applications

If you want to see the alerts from the applications (e.g. Product view, DS planning board, TLB interactive planning, etc), you must:

Define and maintain the related alert monitor profile: select the relevant alert types and, if you like, define the threshold values for these selected alert types to further refine the priority of the alerts;

Assign the alert profile to the application in which you are working.

Some remarks:

If you access alert monitor from product view screen and you want to see network alert, go to 'Settings' -> 'User settings' -> tab 'Orders' -> put a flag on 'Display network alerts';

The Fair-share alerts from deployment are only shown in the alert monitor standalone. The cause is, that this alerts are data base alerts, while alerts from TLB are dynamical alerts. Because of design of interactive planning screen it isn't possible to show data base alerts in the grid.

For PP/DS alerts, you should also read the consulting notes 374624 and 366076

4.2 Alerts in Alert Monitor Standalone

Maintain the alert profile settings (see above under Alert Monitor standalone);

Select the alert types and define the threshold values

Maintain your object selection:

PP/DS alert profile:

If network alerts are required, set a flag on 'Display demand with problems in order net' or on 'Display receipts with problems in order net';

Fill in the criteria for product selection by selecting the products, locations, planners, and/or ATP categories you want to maintain alerts for. For performance raisons, your selection should contain the minimum required objects;

Fill in (optional) days' supply types, orders in past, planned delivery date in case of shortage. Please use F1-help to read documentation related to each field if you are not used to fill them.

If you want to select by resource, fill in the 'Selection of resources' area: in this case, please take care of the instructions in thenote 367757 and read related documentation: you can press F1-help for more details about the relevant fields;

Save your PP/DS alert profile.

ATP alert profile.

Select the products, locations, allocation groups, and/or vehicule scheduling optimization profile you want to maintain alert for;

Save your ATP alert profile;

Please refer also to the note 500889 if you deal with shortage alerts.

TLB alert profile.

Select the products, start locations, target locations and/or planners you want to maintain alerts for;

You can also specify which means of transport should meet the alerts;

Save your TLB alert profile.

VS alert profile.

Define your optimization profile;

Save your VS alert profile.

Header Data


Release Status:	Released for Customer
Released on:	21.12.2004 12:12:42
Master Language:	English
Priority:	Correction with medium priority
Category:	Consulting
Primary Component:	SCM-APO-AMO Alert Monitor
Secondary Components:	SCM-APO-ATP Global Available-to-Promise
	SCM-APO-SNP Supply Network Planning (SNP)
	SCM-APO-PPS Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling
	SCM-APO-SCC Supply Chain Cockpit (SCC)
	SCM-APO-FCS Demand Planning
	SCM-APO-VS Vehicle Scheduling

Affected Releases

Software Component	Release	From Release	To Release	And subsequent
SAP_APO	30	30A	30A
SAP_APO	310	310	310

Related Notes

SCM Planning - SAP IBP

Friday, March 6, 2009

Note 495166 - Tips and Tricks for Handling Alert Monitor

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Note 607428 - Product planning table - FAQs

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