Reviewing and adjusting variables
If you have never worked with Knowledge Model variables before, you can find the documentation here. Currently, the app comes with:
Mandatory variables that must be adjusted and reviewed.
Optional variables that may need to be adjusted and reviewed.
To Validate | Type | Mandatory / Optional | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
FORMULA_SCOPE_PR_OPTIMIZER | KPI | Mandatory | This acts as a global filter on the entire app. Sets the scope of requisitions displayed on the app. For instance, requisitions not yet approved, without a deletion indicator. |
VARIABLE_LIST_OF_EXECUTION_GAPS | Variable | Mandatory | The list of inefficiencies that are within the scope of the app. This works as a filter, where the remaining requisition not included on this list will fall under ‘Requisition without Inefficiency’. |
VARIABLE_CONTRACT_LEAKAGE | Variable | Mandatory | Provides a contract recommendation for those requisitions where EBAN.KONNR is null if found. This defines the filter for the smart sensor. |
VARIABLE_UNUSUAL_HIGH_PRICE | Variable | Optional if included on VARIABLE_LIST_OF_EXECUTION_GAPS | Calculates a standard deviation of the price of the requisition. If current PR exceeds that price, it displays the maximum recommended price. |
VARIABLE_UNCERTAIN_SUPPLIER | Variable | Optional if included on VARIABLE_LIST_OF_EXECUTION_GAPS | Find another supplier to use on the requisition, based on the company code, material group and plant. |
VARIABLE_CATALOG_FUZZY | Variable | Optional if included on VARIABLE_LIST_OF_EXECUTION_GAPS and ML Enabled | Works with the Machine Learning Script to propose a catalog recommendation to a free-text requisition. |
Before publishing for the first time, you must review this variable with the customer’s SAP IT Business Partner and Process Owner.
FORMULA_SCOPE_PR_OPTIMIZER Scope
As a best practice, the App Dev Guild has agreed that KPIs should be used as variable containers whenever possible as it is the best way to encapsulate the information and re-use it across other filters, records, or other KPI.
We suggest reviewing the FORMULA_SCOPE_PR_OPTIMIZER for the Open Purchase Requisition Processing as this will determine what the purchase requisition will be on the scope for releasing the PRs, and seek for inefficiencies.
Remember that the user persona is the operational buyer, so this variable should help to display only the task for which that user persona will be responsible.
As you can see on the screenshot below, the variable FORMULA_SCOPE_PR_OPTIMIZER by default contains all the PRs that have not become PO, with Status ‘N’, and without deletion indicator.
Before publishing for the first time, it is a must to review this variable with the customer’s SAP IT Business Partner and Process Owner.
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List of created inefficiencies
Another important variable to consider is the VARIABLE_LIST_OF_EXECUTION_GAPS. This variable contains all the inefficiencies created and is used to exclude the inefficiencies from the rest of the available PRs on the scope. If you create another use case, the name of the task created on the Smart Sensor would need to be added here.
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Hint 1: You can validate the syntax of the PQL code in your Knowledge Model by either:
clicking on the pen icon next to the code in the visual editor or;
by highlighting the code, right-clicking your selection, and selecting ‘Validate PQL’ in the YAML editor.
Hint 2: You can deactivate definitions in the Knowledge Model by setting the Scope field to “Disabled”.
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Hint 3: You can see which other objects refer to a variable by pasting the Variable ID in the search bar and browsing the KM objects where it is used.