Hi Erik - thanks for your answer!
Yes, the approach of one settlement unit per rate category does not make sense, at all.
Like you suggest, I think the best solution would be, one output profile for each rate cagtegory assigned to the settlement unit. Then one settlement step for each rate category.
The result is then an aggregation of profile values by rate category for each settlement unit.
The client had been using Excel tables for settlement and now wants a similar functionality in SAP. Therefore, he requires a break down of the overall load to subsequent levels based on various criteria - like rate category, product type, regional criteria, cost type, technology (solar, wind, cogeneration), etc.
I think, in order to meet all the requirements, I need to dedicate some time and effort to the conceptional design of the settlement unit structure.
Since an energy plant can be categorized by various criteria at the same time, e.g. rate category, technology and product, I thought of different settlement views. One Installation for each criteria assigned to the same POD. Different service types (contracts) at installation level permit assigning the POD to different setlement units with different views. So I can aggregate by each criteria into the output profiles of the settlement unit.
The next step is then, aggregating upwards into total load shapes - just like in Excel. There´s a lot of custom development, I think. Among other tasks, we have to avoid summing profile values twice during aggregation which would lead to incorrect totals.
Well, there´s still a lot to think - thanks again for your help!
Thorsten