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SAP Enterprise
Portfolio and Project
Management
A Guide to Implement, Integrate,
and Deploy EPPM Solutions
—
Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu
SAP Enterprise Portfolio
and Project Management
A Guide to Implement, Integrate,
and Deploy EPPM Solutions
Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management: A Guide to Implement, Integrate,
and Deploy EPPM Solutions
Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu
Sydney, NSW, Australia
ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-7862-8
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5
ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-7863-5
Copyright © 2022 by Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu
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Printed on acid-free paper
I dedicate this book to my late beloved father, J.SOOSAIMUTHU,
who mentored and emboldened me to lead an insightful life.
I also dedicate this book to my dear mother, NIRMALA,
who bestowed precious virtues by her infallible love.
Table of Contents
About the Author����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xi
Acknowledgments������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xiii
Chapter 1: Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management
Fundamentals����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1
Enterprise and Organizational Structure��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2
Project Work Breakdown Structure����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Project Definition��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
What Is a Project?������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
When Is a Project Created?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
Work Breakdown Structure����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7
Project Network����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7
Activities���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
Milestones������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9
Activity Elements������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10
Subnetworks������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11
Integration with Other SAP Modules������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11
Integration with Plant Maintenance�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11
Integration with Sales and Distribution��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
Integration with Material Management��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
Integration with Production Planning������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 19
Integration with Controlling��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20
Periodic Settlement vs. Full Settlement�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28
Integration with Finance�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 30
General Ledger vs. Cost Element������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Portfolio and Program Structures����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37
v
Table of Contents
Creating Portfolios����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38
Integration of Project Management with Portfolio and Program Management��������������������� 39
Synchronizing Project, Program, and Portfolio Structures���������������������������������������������������������� 40
Vertical Synchronization�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 41
Horizontal Synchronization���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 42
Prioritization Framework������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44
Activities for this Chapter������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 49
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 51
Chapter 2: SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS,
PPM, and CPM�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 53
Project Planning and Forecasting����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54
Different Planning and Forecasting Methods������������������������������������������������������������������������ 54
Guidelines Related to Planning, Actual, and Forecast����������������������������������������������������������� 63
Network Costing�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 65
Project Budgeting����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 86
Overall vs. Annual Budget������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 87
Release vs. Current Budget��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 88
SAP Project Budgeting Fundamentals����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90
Year End Budget Carry Forward������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 112
Useful Transactions in Budgeting���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 116
Project Variation Management�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 116
Project RAG Status Commentary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 121
Project Risk, Issue, and Change Request Registers������������������������������������������������������������������ 124
Project Procurement and Project Execution����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 129
Prerequisites����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 130
Network Planning and Execution����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 132
Project Resource Planning�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 133
Project Billing���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 145
Progress or Milestone Based Billing������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 146
Resource Related Billing (RRB)�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 147
Periodic Billing��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 150
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Project Delivery-Based Billing��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 152
Order-Based Billing in Assembly Processing����������������������������������������������������������������������� 159
Project Settlement and Capitalization��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 164
Project Settlement and Capitalization��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 164
Settlement Rule������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 165
Settlement Profile���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 166
Settlement Strategy������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 166
Settlement Types in the Settlement Rule���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 168
Settlement Processing Type������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 170
Settlement Processing�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 171
Settlement Scenarios���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 172
Project Closure�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 174
Activities for this Chapter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 178
Test Your Learning��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 180
Summary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 181
Chapter 3: Interface with Scheduling, Estimation, Costing, and Forecasting
Applications���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 183
Fundamentals of Scheduling���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 184
Project Calendar������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 184
Scheduling Type and Scenarios������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 187
Network Diagram���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 189
Recording Actual Work�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 192
Project Variations and Their Impact on Scheduling������������������������������������������������������������� 194
Scheduling and Its Impact on Forecasting�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 195
Detailed Date and Schedule Planning��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 197
Integration with Procurement and Production�������������������������������������������������������������������� 198
Integration with Resource Management����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 202
SAP Interface with Schedule Management Applications���������������������������������������������������������� 204
Why is the interface to third party schedule management application required?��������������� 204
Design Principles for the Interface�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 206
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Fundamentals of Estimation and Costing��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 218
Internal Labor���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 218
External Labor/Service�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 220
Subcontracting (Externally Processed Activities)���������������������������������������������������������������� 222
Internal Material������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 223
External Material����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 224
SAP Interface with Estimation and Costing Applications���������������������������������������������������������� 226
Why is the interface to the third party estimation and costing application required?��������� 231
Design Principles for the Interface�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 232
SAP Interface with Forecasting Applications or Products��������������������������������������������������������� 235
Why is the interface to the third party forecasting application required?��������������������������� 235
Design Principles for the Integration����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 236
Activities for this Chapter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 238
Test Your Learning��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 240
Summary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 241
Chapter 4: Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations������������������ 243
Industry Best Practices������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 244
Mobility and App Based Project Management Solutions (Cross Industry)��������������������������� 244
Resource-Related Billing (Professional Service)����������������������������������������������������������������� 270
Revenue Recognition via Results Analysis and Integration with Revenue Accounting
and Reporting (IFRS) (Cross Industry)��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 272
Project Management Controls��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 275
Portfolio and Program Management Controls and Decision Making����������������������������������� 286
Project Accounting and Integration with Other Modules/Third-Party Applications
(Cross Industry)������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 289
Phases and Decision Points: (Government or Public Sector; New Product
Development; Infrastructure projects of Telecom and Utilities))������������������������������������������ 291
Business Challenge: Project Structure�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 295
Work Breakdown Structure vs. Cost Breakdown Structure������������������������������������������������� 296
Recommendation on Work Breakdown Structure vs. Cost Breakdown Structure��������������� 296
Business Challenge: Level of Planning During the Lifecycle of the Project������������������������������ 297
Estimates (BoQ/BoS/BoM)��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 297
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Detailed Plan (Schedule of Quantities, Services, and Materials Against a Delivery Plan)��� 298
Recommendation About the Level of Planning�������������������������������������������������������������������� 299
Business Challenge: Remote Project Location, Offshore Work, or Work Location with
No Computer Access����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 299
Recommendation about Remote Work and Offshore Work�������������������������������������������������� 300
Business Challenge: When to Use Mass Upload����������������������������������������������������������������������� 300
Mass Upload: When to Use It and When Not to?������������������������������������������������������������������ 301
Recommendations Regarding Mass Upload������������������������������������������������������������������������ 302
Commonly Asked Questions������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 304
When a Project Involves an Internal Customer and Deliverer, Should the Internal
Customer and its Deliverers Be Housed in One Project?����������������������������������������������������� 304
Variation Management Using Claims vs. CPM Change Request vs.
Version Management (Baselining)—Which Method Is Better?������������������������������������������� 306
Network Costing vs. Easy Cost Planning—Which Is Better?����������������������������������������������� 307
How Do You Manage Narratives for a Project?�������������������������������������������������������������������� 307
Standard RICEFW List by Industry��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 308
Standard Functionality List by Industry������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 324
Activities for this Chapter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 342
Test Your Learning��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 343
Summary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 344
Chapter 5: Reporting and Analytics: Operational and Strategic��������������������������� 345
Operational Reporting��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 346
Real-Time Operational Reporting���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 347
Period End/Monthly Operational Reporting������������������������������������������������������������������������� 349
Strategic Reporting������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 351
Diagnostic and Descriptive Analytics���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 352
Long-Term Trend Analysis��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 355
Predictive Analytics������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 358
Activities for this Chapter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 361
Test Your Learning��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 363
Summary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 364
Index��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 365
ix
About the Author
Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu is a professionally certified
business process and integration expert with more than 17
years of SAP consulting experience, which includes ten endto-end project implementations in APJ, MENA, and EUR.
He has extensive solution, design, and delivery experience
and has worked in various capacities, including as a
functional expert, data migration expert, solution architect,
and roll-out manager.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from
the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (NITT) and is certified in Project
System (SAP PS), Management Accounting (SAP CO), and Business Foundation &
Integration (SAP TERP10).
xi
Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank the LORD for giving me the knowledge and health to author
this book.
Second, I want to show my deepest appreciation to my loving wife, Anne Nisha,
for her unfailing support and to my beloved children, Fiona, Shaun, and Christof Arlo,
who cooperated during the busy times of lockdown. I also want to express my sincere
gratitude to my extended family and friends, who inspired me in many ways to write
this book.
Third, I want to extend special thanks to Harikrishna, Divya, James, and Mark, my
production and editorial team, for their review and support.
Last but not least, this book would not have been possible without my clients and
colleagues, who provided me with rich experiences to write this book.
xiii
CHAPTER 1
Enterprise Project,
Program, and Portfolio
Management
Fundamentals
SAP implementations that involve enterprise project, program, and portfolio
management structures are complex and it is vital to determine the correct enterprise
and organizational structure for a successful implementation. In this chapter, you learn
what the various enterprise and organization units represent and what to look out for
when making the decision about your enterprise’s structure and organizational units.
Many enterprises fail to define when project, program, and portfolio management
structures should be created. Due to this lack of clarity, data is not standardized. This
impacts the organization’s ability to summarize and report key figures at different levels.
In this chapter, you learn at what level projects, programs, and portfolios should be
created and when to use a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) element and network.
SAP is widely known for its integration and, in this chapter, you learn how to integrate
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) with other SAP modules,
such as Plant Maintenance, Material Management, Production Planning, Procurement,
Controlling, and Finance. Within SAP EPPM, how information is synchronized between
SAP Portfolio Management and Project Management and vice versa.
Enterprise and government organizations that manage capital projects and
programs need to prioritize ideas, proposals, and concepts as part of the investment
decision. In this chapter, you learn about the prioritization framework, including how it
is used to prioritize projects for different uses, such as customer work, internal work, and
work performed for the public.
1
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5_1
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Enterprise and Organizational Structure
SAP Portfolio Program and Project Management has the following enterprise and
organization structure. All of these structures are used in SAP EPPM for financial,
management, project, program, and portfolio reporting.
2
•
Controlling area: Denotes the management control within
an enterprise. If the management control (such as the person
responsible and the reporting hierarchy) are consistent within an
enterprise, it makes sense to have one controlling area. Other aspects
to consider are the dimensions used for measuring the key figures
and the reporting currency in an enterprise. If management reporting
is performed consistently using the same dimensions, with the same
reporting and responsibility hierarchies and with one reporting
currency, it is advisable to create one controlling area. If any of these
conditions are different, multiple controlling areas are required.
•
Company code: Denotes the legal entity in an enterprise. An
enterprise can have many legal entities, such as subsidiaries, which
require a trial balance (balance sheet and profit and loss) to be
prepared based on the local generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP) of the respective country.
•
Business area: Signifies a line of business or a strategic business unit
in a company code. Using the business area, a trial balance can be
derived for internal financial reporting. This is not recommended
for external financial reporting. With the introduction of a new GL,
business areas have been replaced with profit centers.
•
Profit center: With the introduction of a new GL, a profit center
represents the area of business that require a trial balance (balance
sheet and profit and loss). This can be used only for internal financial
accounting and reporting. If a new GL is not implemented, the profit
center represents an area of business where income and expense can
be reported.
•
Plant: A physical or logical place where goods and services are rendered
within a company code. All logistic and maintenance activities within a
company code are rendered, delivered, or serviced via a plant.
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
•
Sales organization: Represents a sales organization within a
company code where goods and services are sold on specific terms
and conditions.
•
Distribution channel: Represents the sales channel within a sales
organization that is used to deliver and sell goods and services. For
example, wholesale, retail, and online direct sale can be different
channels within a sales organization.
•
Division: Represents a sales division where goods and services
are delivered and sold to the external and internal customers.
Sales divisions can service one or more sales organizations and
distribution channels. Specific information, such as pricing and
conditions, can be defined for each customer.
•
Purchasing organization: Represents a purchasing entity within
an enterprise with specific terms of procurement of goods and
services from external and internal vendors. In the case of a central
purchasing organization, multiple company code’s purchases can
be centrally managed using one purchasing organization. Central
purchasing is used to create volume and to negotiate better deals
using a central terms of procurement depending on the goods and
services procured. If your enterprise requires more specific terms of
procurement governed and controlled separately by each legal entity,
decentralized purchasing organizations can be created, with each
purchasing organization linked to the company code.
Project Work Breakdown Structure
The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) defines a project as follows:
“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result. The temporary nature of projects
indicates that a project has a beginning and an end.”
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This understanding, when systematized, gets transformed and changed for various
reasons, such as reporting, usability, and ways of working in the legacy application.
Therefore it is paramount to set business rules that are aligned to the PMBOK to describe
a project based on its business purpose and when these projects should be created. This
section also covers project structuring and its components.
Projects for the purpose of planning, execution, monitoring are broken into WBSEs
(work breakdown structure elements) in a hierarchical manner. Activities are listed in a
sequential fashion based on relationship or dependencies with each other.
Within SAP EPPM, the Project System submodule has the following elements and
components to fulfil the project management structure:
•
Project definition
•
Work breakdown structure
•
Network
•
Activity
•
Milestone
•
Activity element
•
Subnetwork or plant maintenance order
Each of these structural object is discussed in detail in the subsequent sections.
Project Definition
This is a project header, where all the critical information related to the project and its
WBS are stored. Information, such as the budget profile, planning profile, result analysis
key, investment profile, interest profile, scheduling profile, partner determination
procedure, and so on, is maintained. Other key project data such as the basic project
start and end date, as well as organizational data such as the controlling area, company
code, business area, profit center, and plant and functional area can be maintained here.
What Is a Project?
A project is a piece of work that is bound by time and resources to deliver outcomes by
managing quality and safety.
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•
The reference to time indicates definite schedules with dates and
milestones. Projects must have finite start and end date and cannot
be left indefinitely open.
•
Resources refer to human, material, tool, and equipment needed to
carry out the project.
•
Each project should have a defined set of deliverables and these
deliverables should lead to the realization of benefits and utilization
of outcomes.
•
Sometimes long-term, repeatable maintenance works or operations
are considered projects for the purpose of funding, planning, and
forecasting. In these cases, it is advisable to have annual maintenance
or operational work be created as a project instead of creating one
maintenance/operation project for multiple years without a definite
end date.
When Is a Project Created?
Each enterprise should have a set of business rules about when a project should be
created during the project lifecycle. Some enterprises choose to create projects when
actual work related to the project has commenced. This allows them to plan, forecast,
and monitor the project work to be performed. Other enterprises choose to create
projects as part of their preparation to start projects in order to capture the whole of
life (WOL) cost of the project. This can be done at the time of concept identification or
when the idea is proposed or after the project goes through specific project identification
stages and gates.
What are the types of projects?
Project types can be based on the following:
1. Project classifications: Classification based on the nature of
project, whether it is external facing or internal and based on the
treatment of the cost and revenue posted on the project. Projects can
be classified as Capital Investment (Internal), Overhead (Internal),
Production (Internal/External), Quality Assurance (Internal), Safety
(Internal), Research and Development (Internal), Public/Health/
Community Service (External), and Profitability (External)
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2. Size of the project: Based on the cost, estimate, or revenue of the
project each enterprise can set business rule to rate projects as
follows: Tier 1 (low priority), Tier 2 (medium priority), Tier 3 (high
priority ), and Tier 4 (very high priority).
3. Product or service line to which the project belongs: Depending
on the industry there could be various examples. In heavy
machinery, there could be Turbine, Engines, Pumps, Motors,
Compressors, and so on; in IT, there could be Banking and
Financial Service (BFS), Healthcare, Public Sector, Manufacturing,
and so on; in construction, there could be Transportation, Energy,
Homebuilding, Commercial Building, Ports, Airport, and so on.
4. Project type: This is the type of work performed, such as
construction (building, plants, bridges, road, rail, airports,
ports, jetties, wharfs, pylons, etc.), mining, production, and
manufacturing, HT LT transformers, motors, turbines, ship
building, oil and gas exploration upstream, midstream, and
downstream, R&D pharmaceutical, engineering design, media job
and advertisement campaigns, event management, maintenance
and overhaul, waste management and treatment project,
aerospace and space projects, engineered-to-order automobile
manufacturing projects, information technology, business process
outsourcing, communication, telecommunication, mobile,
satellites, and so on.
5. Project safety and risk rating: Based on the project safety and
risk rating, the project can be tiered and ranked as a Very High,
High, Medium, and Low risk project, or as Tier 1 to Tier 4.
6. Project categories: Projects can also be categorized based on the
revenue model, such as Time and Material, Fixed Price or Lump
Sum, Item Rate or Billing of Quantities, Progress-based Billing or
Measurement-based Billing, Time and Material with Milestones,
Value-Based Billing, Outcome-based Billing, Output-based
Billing, Rates, and so on.
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Work Breakdown Structure
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) represents the work performed in a project. The
WBS can be used to represent the functions, objects, or processes associated with the
work. A function can be defined as mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and civil
work performed in an engineering procurement and construction (EPC) project. Objects
can be drive systems, towers, roller batteries, ropes, control systems, drive electronics,
stations of a ropeway maintenance, or erection and commissioning (E&C) projects.
Processes can be searching for potential underground gas fields, drilling exploratory
wells, and operating wells in an upstream project (or exploration and production: E&P).
The SAP Project System can be used for project management purposes or for
project/management accounting purposes. In the case of the former, the WBS of a
project should be aligned to the project plan, with phases, activities, and milestones. In
the case of the latter, the project structure is used to manage financials such as forecast
and plan cost, revenue, and budgets. To do this, the WBS of a project should be aligned
to the project’s divisions (profit centers) that are delivering the project.
If the SAP PS Project is used in a customer project scenario (where revenue and
billing are involved), the WBS can be used to represent the billing schedule or bill of
quantities (BOQ), which has been agreed on with the customer. In order for the WBS
element to receive revenue posting, it has to be flagged as a billing element.
Project Network
A project network provides an overview of activities, their duration, and their
relationship with other activities. It also provides an overview of materials and
production resource tools required for the activities and its schedule. Network in
SAP PS holds key information about scheduling, costs, capacity, status management,
confirmation, collective requisitioning, and default values.
Network in SAP PS is equivalent to the project network diagram in MS Project and
Oracle Primavera software, which show activities in the precedence diagram method
(PDM). It includes a duration, early and latest dates, and float (slack) for each activity.
This helps determine the critical path for the network and project:
•
CPM: Critical Path Method
•
PDM: Precedence Diagram Method
•
PERT: Program Evaluation Review Technique
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Activities
In SAP PS, activities represent the tasks performed in the project. Activities can be
performed internally or externally within the project organization.
Internally Processed Activities
Internally processed activities are work that’s performed in the organization or by
another part of the establishment to which the project belongs. Examples of internal
activity can be preparation of drawings, finalization of design, council approvals,
finalization of sourcing agreement, preparation of rough cut estimates, preparation of
bids, preparation of environment impact assessments, land acquisition, reconnaissance
survey reports, FDA or TGA final approvals, and so on. They are performed by personnel
within the project’s organization or establishment.
Internal activities are costed based on the type of work (activity type) and the
number of hours of effort required to complete the activity. Activity type is not directly
entered into the internal activity, whereas the work center to which the activity type
(type of work) corresponds to, is entered. The work center master holds the default
activity type and cost center. For a combination of activity type and cost center, cost rate
is captured for every period (month and fiscal year) in the SAP Controlling (CO) module
using transaction code KP26. Cost rate multiplied by the effort reveals the total cost of
the activity.
Sometimes, an execution factor is entered into the internal activity if the activity is
repeatable. Examples include repetitive manufacturing (assembly-to-order or engineerto-­order scenarios) and recipe management (in the food and beverage industry). If the
execution factor is entered, the cost of the internal activity is the cost rate times the effort
and the execution factor (cost rate x effort x execution factor).
Externally Processed Activities
Externally processed activities are processed outside of the project’s organization or
establishment. Some parts of the WBS are executed by external service providers or
vendors for various reasons, such as for cost savings, reduced delivery times, business
operating models, technical knowhow and expertise, and so on. Each externally
processed activity can be delivered by one vendor or service provider.
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Externally processed activities can be subcontracted as a lump sum work with
vendor delivery ownership or can be used to list services that are required to be provided
by a service provider. Using an externally processed activity, the purchase requisition
can be raised for lump sum subcontracted work or for the list of service required. These
purchase requisitions can then be converted to purchase orders, as necessary.
Cost Activities
Cost activities can be used to capture other miscellaneous costs, such as overhead,
admin, and other indirect costs of the network or project. In some cases, the project
uses cost activities for estimation purposes only. The actual project execution, such as
scheduling and schedule management, are performed using the WBS element. The
advantage of using cost activities to estimate instead of WBS unit costing is that cost
activities show the spread of cost by time (period). In the previous explanation, at least
one cost activity has to be created for each period, when cost is likely to be incurred to
show cost estimates spread out by period and fiscal year.
Milestones
Milestones represent key events of a project. Milestones can be internal or external,
depending on their purpose or use. Internal and external milestones can be configured
in the system using agreed naming conventions for internal and external purposes so
that they can be reported separately.
Milestones are separate data objects in SAP PS and are used to enhance the
information available at the WBS element and activity level.
•
Some organizations choose to use external milestones for WBS
elements and use internal milestones for activities.
•
Some organizations choose to use the WBSE milestone alone for both
the external and internal milestones, when network and activities are
not used.
•
Some organizations choose to use activity milestones when
scheduling and confirmations are performed on a regular and
diligent basis.
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In some customer projects that are construction related, billing can be performed
based on the percentage of completion of the milestones. In such cases, the WBS can be
created to represent the different key work areas.
For example, an Induced Draft Cooling Tower (IDCT) project in a fractional
distillation plant has work areas such as the following:
1. Sump
2. IDC Tower 1
3. ICD Tower 2
4. IDC Tower 3
5. IDC Tower 4
6. Erection and Commissioning (E&C)
7. Handover
These work areas represent the agreed-upon level 1 billing schedule and can be
created as WBSE elements. Each of these work areas involves key milestone events, such
as mobilization of team, excavation with POCs 30%, 50%, 90%, and 100%, delivery of
materials at site with POCs 50% and 100%, construction of sump and IDCT with POCs
50%, 90% and 100%, Erection and Commissioning (E&C), and handover based on the
customer’s level 2 billing schedule. The same can be created as WBS milestones.
Activity Elements
Activity elements represent further breakdown of the activities. Activity elements also
have the same categories as activities—Internally Processed, Externally Processed, and
Cost Activity Elements. Material components, milestones, and production resource
tools (PRTs) cannot be attached to activity elements. Activity elements do not have
relationships of their own; they get their start and finish date by way of an offset from
the start or finish date of the activity. The project schedule is dependent on its parent
activities and its relationship to other activities. The early and latest dates of the activity
elements are determined by the parent activities’ dates.
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Subnetworks
Subnetworks can be used to refine and detail network activity as planning progresses
during the project’s lifecycle. Similar to networks, subnetworks can be used to plan
dates, capacities, costs, materials, and production resource tools (PRT). Relationships
can be established between subnetwork activities of the same project.
The next section covers project management integration with other SAP modules.
Integration with Other SAP Modules
This section explains how project management integrates with other SAP modules. It
covers fundamental and touch points on how SAP PS integrates with other SAP modules,
including Plant Maintenance (PM), Sales Distribution (SD), Materials Management
(MM), Production Planning (PP), Controlling (CO), and Finance (FI).
Integration with Plant Maintenance
When there is a major overhaul or a rejuvenation projects with a series of maintenance
activities/work to be performed, such maintenance work can be captured as follows:
•
Plant maintenance orders as a subnetwork:
When plant maintenance orders are linked to networks as
subnetworks, the following data integration is possible:
•
The dates from the superior network activity are copied into the
order for the PM order scheduling.
•
Plant maintenance orders as subnetworks can be displayed in
project planning boards and in the SAP PS structure reports such
as CN41n and CN41.
•
The cost of these subnetwork maintenance orders can be
reported in the project report. Therefore, project budget
control can have oversight of maintenance costs, in addition
to procurement and labor costs for managing the overhaul or
rejuvenation projects.
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Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Equipment and functional location as a WBS element:
A WBS element can be used to capture equipment and functional
location master data used in the plant maintenance module for
maintenance projects. These fields can then be used to report in SAP
PS to evaluate maintenance cost, budget, dates, and procurement
carried out for the equipment or functional location.
Integration with Sales and Distribution
Project management integration with sales and distribution varies with respect to the
different industries. In the following section, you read touch points about how SAP PS
interacts with SD for the purpose of quotes, revenue planning, billing, and revenue
recognition.
Milestone Billing
WBS elements and activity milestones can be referenced in a sales order when the
respective WBS element is assigned to the sales order item. When the activity is
confirmed or when the “Actual Date” is entered into the WBS element, the billing block is
removed. In the next billing run, these sales order items will be due for billing.
Quotation and Sales Pricing
Based on the sales area (sales organization, distribution channel, and division) that’s
entered in the project profile and inherited on the project definition, quotes are
generated. They are based on the sales cost estimate captured on the project. The sales
price of the quote is based on the cost plus a percentage margin or based on the revenue
rate captured in the VK11 transaction.
Revenue Recognition and Result Analysis
The unbilled quantities of work completed can be valued based on the revenue it can
generate or cost incurred to produce it using the local generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP). This can be valued using different revenue recognitions or result
analysis methods, such as percentage of completion, cost or revenue proportionality,
and so on.
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Revenue Rate Card
Revenue rate is defined using different aspects, such as the following in contract,
quotation, sales and billing request:
1. Sales area (sales organization, distribution channel, and division)
2. Sales office
3. Plant
4. Sales document (master sales agreement—contract and statement
of work—sales order)
5. Project type or category
6. Other project attributes such as location (onshore, offshore,
nearshore, or geography), and so on
7. Project or WBSE
8. Saleable material or service
These revenue rates are used in the project sales documents, such as the contract,
quotation, sales order, and billing request documents. The transaction codes to maintain
the revenue rate card are VK11 (create), VK12 (change), and VK13 (display).
Reporting Transaction for the Purpose of Integration
Sales documents can be viewed using the following reports in SAP PS:
•
CN41n and CN41: Project structure overview reports
•
CN43n and CN43; WBS element overview reports (includes the sale
document in the DB profile)
•
CN45n and CN45: Order overview reports (includes the sale
document in the DB Profile)
•
VA03 (Sales Order), VA13 (Inquiry), VA23 (Quotation), and VA43
(Contract): Display sales document with a search based on the
WBS element
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Integration with Material Management
Material Management within SAP ERP covers materials and services. Capital projects
rely heavily on procurement of materials and services. Similarly, customer projects,
whether the enterprise is managing services partially or they are fully delivered by
subcontractors, have many touch points with procurement. These touch points are
related to requests, purchase orders, scheduling agreements, pricing, requirement
grouping, and inventory (stock). In this section, these are all covered.
Purchase Requisition
If a material has to be procured externally, a purchase requisition is raised by the
project team directly so that the next steps related to the sourcing and procurement
can be actioned by the procurement team. For easy reference to the procurement team,
purchase requisition can reference a purchasing info record of a previous purchase. It
can also capture the estimated price and preferred vendor.
If the organization chooses to process all material requirements from a project as a
reservation, the material planning manager or the store manager has to action material
reservation based on the current stock level. If the stock is available, it will be issued to
the project reservation; otherwise, it will be converted to a purchase requisition and sent
to the procurement team, if the materials procurement type is external.
Based on the material master parameters, such as procurement type, planning
strategy, and individual or collective requirements, the organization can control whether
the purchase requisition is generated by the project team or by the planning or store/site
manager.
Collective Purchase Requisition
When using networks for a project, based on the network type parameters for the plant,
collective requisition can be created for every externally processed activity or non-stock
component for a network. In a collective purchase requisition, the requisition will have
multiple line items for every respective request created for each externally processed
activity or material component that has an external procurement type defined in its
material master.
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Project Commitment
When purchase requisitions or purchase orders are created against the project structural
objects such as the WBSE or network (in the case of a header assigned network)
or network activity (in the case of an activity account assigned network), project
commitments are created and can be reported via standard reports. These plan costs
are considered as commitment due to their nature, as they are going to be incurred for
the project until completion. Purchase requisition cost is an internal estimate, as no
agreement with another external party has been made, whereas the purchase orders are
a firm commitment and these monetary values have to be set aside. These costs will be
incurred if the external service provider delivers the goods and services as detailed in the
purchase order.
Purchasing Info Record
The purchasing info record stores information about the material and its supplier. This
record can be maintained at the plant level or at the purchasing organization level. It
stores information related to the material, and the vendor’s order processing time, price,
and so on. Transaction codes relevant to info records are ME11 (Create Info Record),
ME12 (Change Info Record), ME13 (Display Info Record), ME1L (Info Record List by
Vendor), and ME1M (Info Record List by Material).
Valuated and Non-Valuated Project Stock
SAP PS offers options for special stock and one of them is project stock.
In SAP, the materials are normally valued at a plant level. In some cases, a project
uses specific material (special order) or involves a special price for the project, so it is
recommended to use project stock, because the valuation of the material happens at
the individual WBS element level. The moving average price applied to the procured
material and assembly that takes place in the project happens individually on the
specific WBSE that the material requirement or request was associated with. This way,
the price of the product involved in the project is not largely altered, unlike moving
average materials managed via the general plant stock.
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At the time of creating the project, the type of stock for the project has to be chosen.
The following options are available:
•
No project stock: Project will use material stock management via
plant stock. No special stock is applicable.
•
Non-valuated project stock: In SAP MM, all stock materials go
through good receipts and good issues. As the name signifies, good
receipt is the action performed when the material is received and
goods issue is the action performed when the same material is
consumed or issued for the network activity or project. In the case of
non-valuated project stock, quantity tracking is possible until the last
step of goods issue, whereas the value of the material is posted to the
project at the time of goods receipt itself. So the impact of the cost on
the project is at the time of goods receipt and not at the time of goods
issue. At the time of goods issue, only the quantity posting happens.
No value posting happens, as it is already posted to the project at the
time of goods receipt. Table 1-1 shows how the quantity update and
value update are performed.
Table 1-1. Non-Valuated Project Stock
Non-Valuated Project Stock
Quantity Update
Value Update
Goods Receipt
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Goods Issue
✓ Yes
✓ No
•
16
Valuated project stock: As explained, the quantity and value update
happen at each material movement such as the goods receipt and
goods issue. In the case of valuated project stock, when the material
is received, the cost of the material is accounted under the stock
account and not as a project expense. At the time of goods issue,
cost is posted as an expense to the projects and quantities are
updated against the reservation for WBSE or network and project
stock. Table 1-2 shows how the quantity update and value update are
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Table 1-2. Valuated Project Stock
Valuated Project Stock
Quantity Update
Value Update
Goods Receipt
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Goods Issue
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Automatic Requirement Grouping
In SAP Project Systems, material requirements can be grouped. Automatic requirement
grouping allows you to automatically group material requirements in a project for the
purpose of planning and procurement without manual intervention. The following are
some of the key considerations for adopting automatic requirement grouping:
•
To group material requirements across projects and at the plant level,
other requirement grouping procedures should be used.
•
Automatic requirement grouping works only with valuated project
stock and not with non-valuated project stock.
•
The system uses the first WBS element on the highest level of the
WBS as the grouping WBS element. All remaining WBS elements of
the project are automatically assigned to this grouping WBS element.
•
Material requirements planning (MRP) groups the requirements and
creates procurement elements that are assigned to the account of the
WBS element.
Project-Oriented Procurement (Proman: Procurement Manager)
Project-oriented procurement is a specialized transaction (CNMM) that allows the
procurement manager to view all project materials-related information on a single
screen or console. In this transaction, the procurement manager can view information
such as the components ordered or requisitioned, stock levels, key dates, and delivery
documents, all in one place.
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Reporting
The following are the key list of procurement reports that are relevant to project
management:
ME5J: List Purchasing Requisition per Project
ME2J: List Purchasing Document per Project
CNMM: Project Oriented Procurement
ME1L: Info Record List by Vendor
ME1M: Info Record List by Material
The following are the most commonly used procurement transactions for project
management:
MBBS: Valuated Project Stock
MB52: Warehouse or Plant Stock
ME53n: Display Purchase Requisition
ME23n: Display Purchase Order
MB1A: Enter Goods Issue
MB1B: Enter Transfer Posting
MB1C: Enter Good Receipt
MIGO: Good Receipt Purchase Order
MD04: Stock/Requirement List
MD01: MRP Run
MD51: Project MRP
MIRO: Vendor Invoice Verification
ME13: Display Info Record
XK03: Display Vendor
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Integration with Production Planning
When you have engineered-to-order and made-to-order projects that involve in-house
production of goods, integration of project material requirements and its fulfilment
are very important. You read about these material reservation, material requirement
planning and bill of materials in this section.
Material Reservation
Material reservation is a document that identifies the requirements for reserving an
internally produced or externally procured stock material. Using a material reservation
number, these requirements can be tracked, monitored, and issued. When a reservation
is raised, the store manager reviews the stock and performs material issue, procures it (if
externally sourced), or produces it (if internally sourced).
Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
Material requirement planning (MRP) can be performed at the plant or project
level, depending on the organization and the business scenarios applicable to the
organization. MRP at the plant level is adopted in made-to-order or made-to-stock
business scenarios. With engineered-to-order or project-specific stock, project MRP
can be performed to plan for materials that are internally and externally sourced. MRP
can be performed on a regular basis (daily, weekly, etc.) to fulfil the requirements of the
organization.
Bill of Material (WBSE)
With engineer-to-order (ETO) business scenarios, the bill of material (BOM) is multiple
level or single level and can be created for WBSE. The components of the multiple- or
single-level BOM can be transferred to the project structure using reference points
detailed in the network activity and its mapping to the BOM components. Based on
the BOM transfer profile, these components are transferred to the respective network
activity, allowing them to be planned and managed. They can then meet the engineeredto-order target dates in a structured and sequential fashion.
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Here are the most commonly used production planning transactions for project
management:
MBBS: Valuated Project Stock
MB52: Warehouse or Plant Stock
MD04: Stock/Requirement List
MD01: MRP Run
MD51: Project MRP
I ntegration with Controlling
Cost estimation, control, and monitoring are key aspects of project management. In
this section, you see how projects are valued and costed for estimation, planning, and
forecasting purposes, as well as how they are reported and analyzed from a project
profitability or project cost accounting perspective.
C
osting Variant
Costing Variant holds information such as costing type, valuation variant, component
structure, and other miscellaneous information (such as the default costing variants for
the General Cost Activity and Material component).
V
aluation Variant
Valuation Variant provides the details on how the cost of the material components, the
internal and external activities, and overhead are computed. The Valuation Variant
provides multiple options to compute the value of a material, service, or subcontracted
work with its priority, so that the system can process the valuation when the condition
of the preceding priority is not met. Figures 1-1 and 1-2 show Valuation Variants for
materials and for externally processed activities, respectively.
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Figure 1-1. Valuation Variant for materials valuation
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Figure 1-2. Valuation Variant for an externally processed activity
Cost Component Structure
The cost component structure allows the planned and actual costs to be grouped and
shown under cost buckets in a cost breakdown structure. This structure is called the cost
component structure in SAP.
Controlling Documents
When actual costs are posted in SAP PS against network activities or a WBS element, a
CO document is created that provides the credit and debit as a single line. This is used
in management reporting. These documents are related to cost accounting and are
generated even when dealing with internal distributions and even if there is no impact
on finance. For example, time recording via Cross Application Timesheet (CATS) within
SAP creates a CO document. For the purpose of easy reconciliation in finance,
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a corresponding document is posted with credit and debit happening to the same
General Ledger Account. This is an internal reposting of the labor cost from one cost
object to another from a finance perspective.
C
ost Rates
Every product and service delivery by the organization has to be costed. To cost an
internal service delivery, such as preparation of drawing, design, estimation, and so
on, there should be a cost rate card to charge the service to the appropriate project or
network activity. In SAP Controlling, this cost rate is captured based on a combination
of activity type and cost center. Activity type defines the type of activity performed. This
type of activity can have different rates if performed by different cost centers. To capture
this in SAP, cost rates are captured based on a combination of cost center and activity
type. For example, project management is a type of activity that can be performed by
the Construction department and the IT department. The project management rates are
different for these two departments. (Transaction code KSBT Activity Type Price Report
can be used for this purpose.) Figure 1-3 shows a report of the activity type price.
Figure 1-3. Report on activity type price
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Costing Sheet and Overhead Key
The costing sheet contains information about the cost base on which the overhead
should be applied, as well as the overhead rate and the cost center that will receive the
credit of the overhead cost. The cost base is a grouping of costs based on cost elements.
Therefore, the costing sheet contains information about how the overhead should be
computed for planning and actual purposes.
The overhead rate maintained on the costing sheet is determined based on the
overhead key. This way, different overhead rates can be determined using the same
costing sheet.
For example, for a project delivery by a professional service IT company, project
implementation would have more overhead compared to the project run service
delivery. To meet this requirement, SAP provides the following:
Project Implementation (Concept to Implementation)
•
Base cost:
•
Cost Goods Sold (CoGS) + Cost of Services Sold
(CoSS) = 1 million
(CoGS in this case is the hardware and CoSS is the
consulting service)
•
•
Overhead rate – Type 1
•
Sales and administration cost for project delivery = 10% of CoGS
and CoSS
•
Sales and administration cost from COE = 5% of CoGS and CoSS
Overhead rate – Type 2
•
Corporate service cost (commercial, legal, and compliance) = 3%
of base cost + overhead rate type – 1
Project Run (Post Go Live to Annual Maintenance)
•
Base cost:
•
Cost of Goods Sold (CoGS) + Cost of Services Sold (CoSS) = 3M
(CoGS in this case is the hardware and CoSS is the
consulting service)
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•
Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Overhead rate – Type 1
•
Sales and administration cost for project delivery = 7% of CoGS
and COSS
•
Sales and administration cost from COE = 0% of CoGS and CoSS
Overhead rate – Type 2
•
Corporate service cost (commercial, legal, and compliance) = 1%
of base cost + overhead rate type – 1
If project implementation and project run are on two different WBS elements in
the project structure as detailed here, and the monetary values are planned revenue
projections spread across multiple years based on a billing schedule, then two WBS
elements can have the same costing sheet but two different overhead keys—one for
project implementation and the other for project run. This way, the requirement
related to the project implementation and run can be met with a minimum number of
costing sheets. By using two different overhead keys, the project can determine different
overhead percentages for implementation and run, for both overhead planning and
actual overhead posting to the WBS elements.
Result Analysis
Result Analysis involves customer projects that involve computation of Work In Progress
or Revenue in Excess of Billing and Revenue Surplus and Imminent Loss. Result Analysis
is used to perform these computations for the customer projects. These Results are
posted as part of the settlement process. Result Analysis values are posted using the
controlling area currency at the time of settlement.
•
Work in Progress and Revenue in Excess of Billing is computed when
more work has been performed compared to the actual billing.
•
Revenue Surplus and Imminent Loss is computed when actual billing
is more than the work or goods produced.
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Settlement
Settlement is a month-end process step in which the cost of the project is settled to
Profitability Segments (PSG) in the case of customer (Opex) projects, and Asset Under
Construction (AuC) or Fixed Asset (FXA) in the case of Capital Projects (Capex). There
are other settlement receivers, such as cost center, general ledger account, materials, and
WBS elements, that can also be used depending on the requirements.
WBS element settlement can be used when there’s settlement from lower to superior
WBS elements in a project and the top-level WBS element is settled to a PSG, AUC,
or FXA. It can also be used when cost is settled from in-house production project to a
customer project. Cost center settlement is used when the cost of the project cannot be
capitalized in a Capex project. Such operational costs are collected in a cost center for
cost center accounting (CO-CCA) purposes. Material settlement is chosen when the
cost of goods produced has to be settled to finished goods for product costing purposes.
Some project costs need a different treatment in terms of financial accounting and hence
are settled directly to the general ledger account.
Settlement happens in three steps:
1. Create the settlement rule.
2. Perform result analysis computation (applicable to customer
projects).
3. Perform the settlement.
In a settlement rule, the receiver object and the percentage of allocation of cost or
amount depending on the settlement profile is provided. This information has to be
maintained in the WBS element and network/activity. SAP PS provides options to create
automatic settlement rule generation by using the settlement strategy defined for WBS
elements and network/activity.
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Depending on the SAP modules and submodules (CO-PA, CO-CCA, FI, or PP)
implemented in an enterprise, settlement profiles require customization with reference
to the receivers. Settlement profiles also define how the project WBS element or
network/activity have to settle actual costs. Depending on the following three settings,
the WBS element or network/activity can be allowed to be closed with or without a cost
balance.
•
Must be settled in full
•
Can be settled
•
Must not be settled
The settlement profile contains information related to the following:
•
Allocation structure: Contains information about how cost
assignments (cost grouping) can be allocated as part of the
settlement. Assessment and settlement cost element to be used when
processing assessment and settlement using the allocation structure.
•
Note: Settlement cost element configuration plays an important role
in the cost model, to provide sufficient traceability of cost but also
be able to report in detail and exclude the settlement cost from the
original cost. If an enterprise wants to have the actuals posted on the
original cost object and not credited with the same cost element but
would like to have other forms of reporting such as CO-PA and FI-AA,
settlement by original cost element should not be chosen.
•
Source structure: Source of cost and revenue to be considered
for settlement is defined in the source structure. Cost/revenue
assignments (grouping) are created as a source so that settlement
can be performed on certain groupings by detailing it as part of the
settlement rule.
•
Profitability (PA) transfer structure: Contains sources of cost and
revenue that should be reported in CO-PA. In this structure, grouping
of cost and values are created and assigned to the CO-PA value fields
for reporting. Figure 1-4 shows settlement profile settings.
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Figure 1-4. Settlement profile settings
Periodic Settlement vs. Full Settlement
At the time of settlement rule creation for the WBS element or network/activity, it is
necessary to indicate if the rule is applicable to a periodic settlement or full settlement.
Periodic settlement, as the name indicates, collates the cost posted only during the
selected period and then performs the settlement posting. Whereas, a full settlement,
collates cost posted since the validity start date of the settlement rule or since creation
of the WBS element (whichever is latest) until the selected settlement period and then
performs the settlement posting.
When you have long month-end closure cycle times, WBS settlement can happen
on month-end day minus 1, such as the 29th or 30th of the month/period. If the
corresponding period is not closed and additional costs can be posted after the periodic
settlement of WBS elements or network/activity. These residual cost will be picked in the
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full settlement run. However, full settlement is reliant on the FUL settlement rule and its
validity dates. If the validity dates cover the lifespan of the WBSE or network/activity and
when full settlement is performed, all the residual costs since the inception of the project
cost object (WBS element or network/activity) are picked and posted in the current open
period, which is selected as the settlement period.
Month-End Assessment and Distribution Cycles
Enterprises that are project delivery-based want the costs posted in other non-project
based business areas/functions such as shared service, administration, and other back
offices, to be apportioned to the projects. By apportioning these cost to the project, more
reliable project profitability can be achieved. The resultant project profitability accurately
shows the project’s performance from a bottom-line perspective and allows for meaningful
decision making, future investments and future business cases, and business models.
To transfer costs of non-project-based business areas/functions without impacting
cost center reporting, planning, budgeting, and forecasting, it is necessary to apportion
indirect project overhead based on weigtage of receiver WBS Elements. These weightage
can be based on the actual postings of the receiver WBSEs or fixed weigtage as per the
agreed cost model and cost flow design for the enterprise. At the end of the month, any
residual cost in these cost centers can be assessed or distributed using the assessment
and distribution cycle to the receiver WBS elements. Transaction codes to perform the
assessment and distribution cycle are KSU5 and KSV5, respectively.
Reporting
Depending on their enterprise cost model, organizations perform month end
procedures so that traceability of cost/revenue is not lost from the original cost object.
At the same time, they do not want to undermine their enterprise’s ability to perform
reporting based on various different perspectives, such as enterprise profitability
analysis, product cost analysis, cost center, and project profitability reporting. The
following are the list of reporting transactions and other useful transactions for project
management with integration to controlling (CO).
•
KE24: Actual Profitability Analysis Line Item List
•
KE25: Plan Profitability Analysis Line Item List
•
S_ALR_87013611: Cost Centers: Actual/Plan/Variance
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•
S_ALR_87013623: Cost Centers: Quarterly Comparison
•
S_ALR_87013624: Cost Centers: Fiscal Year Comparison
•
S_ALR_87013625: Cost Centers: Actual/Target/Variance
•
S_ALR_87013542: Actual/Commitment/Total/Plan in CO Area
Currency
•
S_ALR_87013555: Project Results
•
S_ALR_87013533: Plan/Actual/Commitment/Remaining Plan/
Assigned
•
S_ALR_87013544: Actual/Plan Comparison: Periods
•
S_ALR_87099930: Results of Costing Run
•
S_ALR_87099931: Price vs Cost Estimate
•
S_ALR_87099932: Variances Between Costing Runs
•
S_P99_41000111: Analyze/Compare Material Cost Estimates
•
CJ88: Project Settlement
•
CJ8G: Project Settlement – Collective processing
•
KO88: Order/Network Settlement
•
KO8G: Order/Network Settlement – Collective Settlement
•
CJB1/CJB2: Generate Settlement Rule (Collective/Individual
processing)
•
KKA1/KKA2/KKAJ: Result Analysis for Order/Project/Project
collective processing
Integration with Finance
With any ERP, the most important thing is the ability to report on actual and planned
costs by company, strategic business units, division, portfolio, program, and projects.
SAP Finance allows most Fortune 500 enterprises to report their monthly, quarterly,
and annual balance sheet and profit and loss information at various organizational unit
levels. Enterprises that manage projects as their main stream business and organizations
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that manage projects for their internal work and for investment decisions have to comply
with this statutory requirement. In this section, you learn about the touch points with the
SAP Finance module and a seamless exchange of data.
Investment Profile and Capitalization
The investment profile in SAP IM (Investment Management) contains information
related to the asset class for actual and simulation purposes, the type of settlement
to the asset under construction (AuC) created from the investment measure (WBS
element), the settlement distribution rule when settling to the AuC, information
about how the AuC should be created (by object or based on the source structure—
the source of cost), and whether the system should allow users to change the
default class determine by the investment profile.
Based on the conceptual cost model defined for the enterprise and also on the cost
traceability requirements, line item settlement can be chosen over summary settlement.
This allows you to know the original line item of the cost postings. Line item settlement
also allows you to determine, at a line item level, the costs and revenue that can be
capitalized.
Investment profile has a default asset class defined for creation of asset under
construction (AuC) and for simulation of capitalization and depreciation using the
default asset class provided for simulation purposes. These default asset classes—one
for AuC creation and another for simulation of capitalization and depreciation—can be
fixed depending on the customization. If they are fixed, users cannot change them at the
time of creation of AuC or at the time of simulation.
Investment profile also defines whether the source cost in the WBS element is
created as one AuC or number of AuC depending on the source cost structure. This
provides the flexibility to create AuC based on the source of the cost for account
assignment element WBSEs. If the treatment for a specific grouping of cost is not known
or is different from the other types of cost, it is good to have AuCs created based on the
source cost structure. This will define the treatment for the cost later or make a provision
for a different treatment of cost. Expensing or early capitalization of certain types of cost
can be referred to different handlings (treatments) of the cost. Refer to the investment
profile settings shown in Figure 1-5.
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Figure 1-5. Investment profile settings
Full Settlement to AuC and Fixed Asset (FXA)
When asset under constructions are created at the time of releasing a WBS element
with an investment profile, FUL settlement rules are created automatically. The number
of AuCs per WBS element depends on the setting in the investment profile—you can
have one AuC per WBSE or multiple, based on the Source Cost Structure defined in the
settlement profile.
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The following settlement processing types are possible for the capital WBS
elements (WBS elements with an investment profile):
1. Automatic (#1): The system automatically determines processing
type #1 or #8 depending on the current system status of the
capital WBS element and the fixed asset (FXA) settlement rule.
If the system status of the WBS element is released, a periodic
settlement will be performed and if the WBS element status is
technically closed (TECO), it will initiate FUL settlement for the
capital WBS element.
For an Opex WBS element or network/activity with only a periodic
settlement rule, the period settlement will be performed. If the
cost object (Opex WBS element or network/activity) has both
periodic and FUL settlement rules defined, the system will
perform periodic settlement and will check if the balance is zero.
If it is not zero, it will perform FUL settlement of the cost object.
2. Periodic (#2): The system collates the cost posted during the
settlement period for the settlement.
3. Partial capitalization (#3): Partial settlement is similar to the FUL
settlement of the capital WBS element, but the status of the capital
WBS element is not taken into consideration. This allows partial
capitalization of the capital project and will not expect the full
capital cost to be settled to a Fixed Asset (FXA). FXA settlement is
necessary to perform partial capitalization.
4. Full (#8): As explained earlier, full settlement collates the sum
total of all costs during the lifespan of the Opex WBS element or
network/activity. It’s also based on the validity start date of the
FUL settlement rule until the selected settlement period. This
cumulative cost is then settled to the settlement receiver. Full
settlement allows any residual costs that are not settled to be
cleared and to keep the balance of the cost object as zero.
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For capital WBS elements, the same process of collating the cumulative cost to be
settled is determined. This cost is posted as a full and final settlement to the Fixed Asset
(FXA) mentioned as a settlement rule in the capital WBSE. Figure 1-6 shows the actual
project settlement for individual processing.
Figure 1-6. Actual project settlement for individual processing
A
ccounting Documents
Accounting documents are created when a posting is made to the WBS element,
network/activity, or other cost objects such as cost center, order, and so on. In this
manner, the SAP System can keep track of all financial postings made within an
enterprise. This allows the SAP Financial module to generate balance sheets and profit
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and loss statements for all the legal entities defined in the enterprise, as detailed in
the organizational structure section of this chapter. An accounting document captures
critical information that allows bookkeeping, such as the following (see Figure 1-7):
1. Debit and credit indicator
2. General ledger (G/L) account
3. Cost object for profit and loss G/L account, such as network/
activity, WBSE, or cost center
4. Applicable tax codes
5. Amount with currency
6. Organizational units such as company code, profit center, and
business area (if applicable)
7. Document date
8. Posting date (posting period and fiscal year)
9. Reference document number
10. Document type
11. Entered by, date, and time
Figure 1-7. Accounting document
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General Ledger vs. Cost Element
General Ledger is an account used in SAP Finance to capture actual cost, revenues,
assets, and liability postings so the enterprise’s books can be managed. Profit and loss
statements cover revenue and cost accounts. Balance sheets cover assets and liabilities.
Subledgers such as asset accounting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable are
managed by using the linked reconciliation general ledger accounts in the asset, vendor,
and customer master data areas.
Cost element is a cost head that is used for management reporting. All revenue and
cost G/Ls are created as primary cost elements with a 1:1 relationship. In this way, any
posting performed in Finance is captured in Controlling.
Secondary cost elements are not represented in Finance or summarized and posted
using one G/L account (FI-CO recon account) and this account balance will be zero.
Therefore, there is no impact of secondary cost posting in Finance.
Balance sheet and asset G/L accounts are not created as cost elements. They are only
required for financial reporting and not for management reporting.
Cost element types 1-Cost and 11-Revenue represent the primary cost element.
Other cost element types are used for secondary costs.
For each G/L account, a commitment item can be assigned. This way, the actual
payments and planning can be performed based on the billing plan available per WBSE
or on the invoicing plan available from the network activity. This combined with the
terms of payment and actual invoicing allow project cost controllers to plan and forecast
actual project payments.
•
36
Reporting: The following is the list of finance reports that are
applicable to project management.
•
FAGLL03: G/L Line Item Report (G/L View)
•
S_PL0_86000030: G/L Account Balances (New)
•
F.01 - G/L: Balance Sheet
•
F.08 - G/L: Account Balances
•
F.10 - G/L: Chart of Accounts
•
F.51 - G/L: Line Items
•
F.54 – G/L: Account Balance Structure
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•
F.20 – AR: Account List
•
F.21 – AR: Open Items
•
F.23 – AR: Account Balances
•
F.40 – AP: Account List
•
F.41 – AP: Open Items
•
F.42 – AP: Account Balances
•
AR01 – AA: Asset Values
•
AR02 – AA: Asset History Sheet
•
AR03 – AA: Depreciation Values
•
GR55: Run Report Group
•
FB03: Display Document
So far you have learned about the touch points of project management with other
SAP modules. In the next section, you learn more about the program and portfolio
structures.
Portfolio and Program Structures
In this section, you learn about the different structural objects that are available in
portfolio and program structures. You learn how these objects can be used to structure
your enterprise portfolio and program structure. You also learn about the integration of
project management with portfolio and program management.
A portfolio is a group of projects/work or potential projects/work managed in a
coordinated fashion to achieve an enterprise’s strategic objectives. Project oriented
enterprises manage their projects as portfolios depending on geography, type of
project, account/delivery managers, product lines, service types, and so on. The
portfolio structure reflects how projects are grouped strategically in an enterprise.
There could be one portfolio for the overall enterprise or multiple portfolios reflecting
independently managed areas. One portfolio is a separate single entity and not related
to other portfolios. A portfolio consists of one standard hierarchy of buckets. In addition,
it can have classification hierarchies (alternative or secondary hierarchies for flexible
reporting).
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Creating Portfolios
The level at which a portfolio is created is determine differently in different enterprises
and industries. Some enterprises tend to create one portfolio and have other grouping
functionality such as review or collection for reporting and grouping purposes. To avoid
too much administration and project movement from one portfolio to another during
the lifecycle of the project, it is always good to have a portfolio structure that is more
static. Determine the portfolio structure based on the following criteria:
1. Reporting: How the organization’s core reporting needs can be
met via the creation of portfolios.
2. Sizing: Volume of projects that can be created under a portfolio.
Too many projects under a portfolio means that the projects are
not well managed from a portfolio perspective. Too few portfolios
or a single portfolio implies that portfolio management is not
performed at the appropriate level.
3. Usability: Users have to switch between portfolios to view projects
in different portfolios unless the enterprise uses cross-portfolio
classification hierarchies. Currently there are no multiple portfolio
dashboards in SAP ECC 6.0. One workaround is to use the crossportfolio classification hierarchies.
4. Access and Control: Access restrictions are cascaded or inherited
top-down from a portfolio. The portfolio level access control
list based on user or role gets cascaded from the portfolio to
the item (project). Therefore, before creating a portfolio, it is
necessary to check if the newly conceptualized portfolio level
will require additional business template roles to be created or
existing business template roles to be broken down into detailed
subordinate roles.
Other structural objects in SAP PPM include the following, which are used to further
detail the portfolio, program, and project management structure:
•
38
Bucket: Allows PPM items and initiatives to be grouped and
reported. Each portfolio can be broken down by bucket hierarchy.
Buckets not only provide the ability to group objects and report on
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them, but also to plan financial and capacity items, such as estimate,
plan, budget, and forecast for a planning horizon. Enterprises that
operate using a single portfolio will use the bucket structure to define
their subportfolio structures. In doing so, project and initiatives can
be viewed together based on buckets (sub portfolio) in the portfolio
item dashboard and initiative dashboard.
•
Initiative: Represents a program of work or projects. For the purpose
of program management, initiatives should be used. It allows
grouping of PPM items (projects) under a program to be grouped and
reported. It also provides planning, budgeting, forecasting and rollup
of financials and resource capacity. Stage gates (phases and decision
points) related to the program can be managed at the initiative.
•
Item: Represents a project or body of work performed for internal
or external customers. Items can be project, proposal, annual
maintenance plan, internal work, and concepts or proposals. These
are created for the purpose of investment prioritization, customer
proof of concepts, research and development, customer work, or
internal work. For the purpose of project management, a SAP PPM
item is created along with SAP PS Project for actual cost capture
and procurement. SAP cProject is used for scheduling and resource
management.
Integration of Project Management with Portfolio
and Program Management
The SAP Project System has multiple integration scenarios with the SAP Portfolio and
Project Management (PPM) application. Most enterprises except professional service
and new product development organizations integrate the portfolio management
structure directly into the SAP PS without invoking SAP Project Management
(collaboration Project-cProject) within the SAP PPM application. With professional
service or new product development organizations, the project management
(collaboration Project-cProject) submodule in SAP PPM can be used for project
management, resource management, and SAP PS for the purpose of actual cost capture
and procurement.
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Financials posted in SAP PS—such as actual, planned (including baseline and
forecast), commitment, and budget—can be rolled up into PPM Item, Initiative, Bucket
(Primary and Classification Buckets), and Portfolio. The SAP PPM solution can be
deployed in multiple variants on the same instance of the SAP ERP or SAP S/4 HANA
system or as separate instances to the SAP ERP or SAP S/4 HANA system. In both
scenarios, financial roll-up has to be performed in the receiver systems to view SAP PS
data in SAP PPM.
Top-down budgeting and capacity planning performed in SAP PPM can be
transferred to SAP ERP (PS Project). In the case of SAP PPM deployment with cProject,
capacity information can be transferred to cProject roles (resource type) for further
staffing and resource management via multi-resource scheduling (MRS).
In the next section, you learn more about how information is synchronized between
the different project management applications or submodules (SAP PS <-> cProject <->
Portfolio Item) within enterprise portfolio and project management.
ynchronizing Project, Program,
S
and Portfolio Structures
SAP Portfolio and Project Management provides an opportunity to synchronize statuses,
attributes, and authorization from initiative to item to PS Project or cProject and vice
versa, in the form of vertical and horizontal synchronization. Vertical synchronization
happens between initiatives to items and the respective decision points. Horizontal
synchronization happens between item and PS Project or cProject and the decision
points and the respective cProject phase or WBS elements. Figure 1-8 illustrates vertical
and horizontal synchronization.
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Initiative
cProject
Item
PS Project
Vertical Synchronisation
Horizontal Synchronisation
Figure 1-8. Vertical vs. horizontal synchronization
V
ertical Synchronization
The following table outlines objects in portfolio management that can be used
to synchronize vertically. For these objects, the direction of synchronization can
be set for attributes, statuses, and authorizations. Table 1-3 shows the vertical
synchronization pairs.
Table 1-3. Vertical Synchronization Pairs
Portfolio Management Object
Portfolio Management Object
Initiative
Item
Initiative Decision Point
Item Decision Point
Item-Leading vs. Initiative-Leading
It is possible to determine whether vertical synchronization is carried out based on
changes in the portfolio item (item-leading scenario) or changes in the portfolio
initiative (initiative-leading scenarios). In an item-leading scenario, any changes you
make in the portfolio initiative are not transferred to the portfolio item. Thus the process
is controlled only from the portfolio items.
Similarly, in an initiative-leading scenario, changes you make in the portfolio item
are not transferred to the portfolio initiative. Thus the process is controlled only from the
portfolio initiative.
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Most enterprises use initiative-leading more often and rarely use item-leading
scenarios, as the relationship between initiatives to item is 1:N. Table 1-4 shows the
direction of vertical synchronization based on the field group.
Table 1-4. Direction of Vertical Synchronization Based on Field Group
Field Group
Direction
Exceptions
Organization Units
Initiative ➤ Item
Internal Delivery Org. Units
Basic Dates
Initiative ➤ Item
Actual Dates
No Synchronization
Forecast Dates
No Synchronization
System Status (Incl. Decision Points)*
No Synchronization
User Status
No Synchronization
Program Manager
Initiative ➤ Item
Project Director (Project Definition Level)
No Synchronization
Phase Level Manager
No Synchronization
Capital or Operational
Initiative ➤ Item
Service Line
Initiative ➤ Item
Product Line
Initiative ➤ Item
Other Classifications
Initiative ➤ Item
*Automation of System Status synchronization from item to initiative to close or complete the initiative
can be achieved via enhancement or can be simply left to proactive reporting.
H
orizontal Synchronization
Table 1-5 lists which objects in portfolio management can be synchronized with
objects in cProject and PS Project. For these objects, direction of synchronization
can be set for attributes, statuses, and authorizations. Table 1-5 shows the horizontal
synchronization pairs.
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Table 1-5. Horizontal Synchronization Pairs
Portfolio Management Object
cProject or PS Project
Item
cProject Project Definition
PS Project Definition
Item Decision Point
cProject Phase
PS WBS Element
Item-Leading vs. Project-Leading
It is possible to determine whether horizontal synchronization is carried out based on
changes in the portfolio item (item-leading scenario) or changes in the cProject or PS
Project (project-leading scenarios). In an item-leading scenario, any changes you make
in PS Project or cProject are not transferred to the portfolio item. Thus, the process is
controlled only from the portfolio items.
Similarly, in a project-leading scenario, changes you make in the portfolio item are
not transferred to PS Project or cProject. Thus, the process is controlled only from PS
Project or cProject.
Most enterprises use both item-leading and project-leading scenarios at the same
time for different attributes. Table 1-6 shows the direction of horizontal synchronization
based on the field group.
Table 1-6. Direction of Horizontal Synchronization Based on Field Group
Field Group
Direction
Exceptions
Organization Units
Item ➤ PS Project or cProject
Phase WBSE or cProject Phase
Basic Dates
Item ➤ PS Project or cProject
Actual Dates
PS Project or cProject ➤ Item
Forecast Dates
PS Project or cProject ➤ Item
System Status
PS Project or cProject ➤ Item
CRTD or Created Status
User Status (Aligned to CRTD,
REL, TECO, and CLSD)
PS Project or cProject ➤ Item
CRTD or Created Status
(continued)
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Table 1-6. (continued)
Field Group
Direction
Exceptions
User Status (to control financial No Synchronization
posting: primary or secondary
cost)
Program Manager
Item ➤ PS Project or cProject
Project Director (Project
Definition Level)
Item ➤ PS Project or cProject and
Vice Versa
Phase Level Manager
Item ➤ PS Project or cProject and
Vice Versa
SAP PPM goes a step further to provide the option to synchronize authorizations
that are available in the form of Access Control Lists (ACLs). Depending on the portfolio,
program, and project maturity of your enterprise, this option can be explored further.
Most enterprises and organizations choose to inherit authorization as is from their
superior object, with no changes, and choose to define authorization not by user
but at the level of the role. This makes it is easy to maintain access and control over
your enterprise. With the flexibility provided by SAP PPM, you can determine if your
enterprise requires this kind of flexibility and agility based on your organization’s
maturity and business requirements.
So far you have learned on how information is exchanged or synchronized between
the various submodules of SAP PPM. In the next section, you learn about another
important functionality provided by SAP PPM—the prioritization framework.
Prioritization Framework
SAP Portfolio and Project Management provides questionnaires and scoring for the
purpose of prioritizing items and initiatives. Prioritization is performed differently for
different industries and project types. Some industries, especially in the public sector,
are not only driven by commercial success and technical feasibility, but also by benefit
to their citizens. Private industries are driven by commercial success and technical
feasibility of these projects and programs.
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A proper prioritization framework has to be devised and agreed-on by enterprise
management so that one set of rules can be applied to all the projects and programs
being evaluated.
Some of the common drivers that can be used for customer work are as follows:
1. Strategic fit
a. Alignment to strategic goals, missions, and visions
b. Impact on market share
c. Impact on competitive advantage
2. Solution validation
a. Technical feasibility
b. Technical complexity
c. Technical risk (resources, on time availability, and quality)
d. Safety risk
e. Environmental risk
3. Client profile and contract terms
a. Company’s credit rating
b. Payment terms
c. ISO compliance
4. Commercial success
a. Financial viability
b. Profitability
c. Commercial risk (SLA, liquidated damages, and price escalations)
Here are some of the common drivers used for investment or productivity
improvement internal work:
1. Strategic fit
a. Alignment to strategic plan
b. Organizational impact
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c. Productivity improvement
d. Statutory compliance
e. Safety improvement
f. Environmental compliance
2. Solution validation
a. Technical feasibility
b. Technical complexity
c. Technical risk (resources, on time availability, and quality)
d. Safety risk
e. Environmental risk
3. Benefit realization
a. Impact on citizens
b. Impact on quality of life
c. Utilization
4. Commercial success
a. Financial viability
b. Land acquisition
c. Import of goods and services
d. ROI - Return of Investment and NPV - Net Present Value
Prioritization is a process for comparing portfolio items or initiatives using a scoring
model based on quantitative key performance indicators. This enables decision makers
to make educated decisions about portfolio items or initiatives. The quantitative scores
of a scoring model are retrieved from the portfolio item or initiative attributes or can
be filled by results of questionnaires. Based on questionnaires, you can use qualitative
criteria to get numerical scores for risk, strategic fit, feasibility, and other types of soft
data. Questionnaires are designed with categories, questions, answer ranges, and
weights assigned to answers. Figure 1-9 shows a sample questionnaire. The total sum of
all the weights of all the questions should equal 100%.
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Figure 1-9. Sample questionnaire
The administrator selects a scoring model for a particular review. When a scoring
model is selected, all the items and initiatives participating in the review will be
defaulted with the scoring model. They become part of a set. They are the set whose
values are compared to each other to become the score values viewable in the pop-up
window. Figure 1-10 shows a sample scoring model.
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Figure 1-10. Sample scoring model
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Activities for this Chapter
1. For your enterprise, try to define the different organizational units
used for project management, such as controlling area, company
code, and plant. If possible, try to conceptualize how the profit
center, sales area, and purchasing organization units should be
defined.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. For your enterprise, try to define the level at which the portfolio
should be created and the bucket structure that suits the portfolio.
If there are multiple options, might this be an alternative
classification bucket hierarchy?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. For your enterprise, try to define the project work breakdown
structure. Determine whether network activities are required for
detailing the project in your enterprise. Decide whether a network
is needed to detail the project.
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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Test your Learning:
1. What is the type of synchronization adopted between initiatives
to item?
a. Horizontal synchronization
b. Vertical synchronization
2. ____________ and _____________provide the quantitative key
performance indicators of Portfolio Item and Initiative.
3. Valued project stock allows you to update the quantity and value
at the time goods are issued.
a. True
b. False
4. _________settlement type should be used to settle residual costs of
the previous periods.
5. Activity elements do not have relationships of their own. They get
their start and finish date by way of an offset from start or finish
date of the activity.
a. True
b. False
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Answers:
1. Vertical Synchronization
2. Questionnaire and scoring model
3. True
4. Full
5. True
Summary
In this chapter, you learned about the following fundamentals and how SAP EPPM is
structured.
•
The enterprise and organizational structure that relates to project
management in SAP
•
The Project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
•
•
•
All its structural objects
•
What a project is and when it is created
Portfolio and program management structures
•
All its structural objects
•
What a portfolio is and at what level is a portfolio created
Integration of project management with portfolio and program
management
•
Roll up of financials (bottom up)
•
Transfer of capacity and budget to project management
(top down)
•
Synchronization of attributes, status and authorization between
project management applications and program management
•
Prioritization framework
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•
Enterprise Project, Program, and Portfolio Management Fundamentals
Integration touch points with other SAP modules
•
Plant Maintenance (PM)
•
Sales and Distribution (SD)
•
Material Management (MM)
•
Production Planning (PP)
•
Controlling (CO)
•
Finance (FI)
You learn about the SAP EPPM project lifecycle functionalities and business process
flows in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio
and Project Management
Using SAP PS, PPM,
and CPM
In this chapter, you learn concepts related to project planning, forecasting, and
budgeting, and you learn how planning, forecasting, and budgeting are performed
for various industries. The chapter also provides some background on how the SAP
PS product has evolved and the reasons for some of the planning, forecasting, and
budgeting methods. Enhanced customization fills in the gaps in the standard SAP’s
planning, budgeting, and forecasting business process.
You also learn about the claims process for managing variation management. Once
the variation is approved, you learn how to track and monitor the progress of these
variations.
Project commentary is used by various industries in different ways. This chapter
focuses on project commentary requirements related to public and private sector
enterprises. The chapter covers project commentary and its relationship to project Red
Amber Green (RAG) status reports, as well as how overall project RAG status can be
computed automatically or manually so that the project teams’ view can be reflected.
Project procurement and resourcing can be performed discretely or seamlessly with
better integration with SAP PS. Depending on the enterprise and how much integration
is expected, three options are discussed.
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5_2
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Depending on the charging model applicable to the project, different billing
processes (such as resource related billing, milestones, billing plan-based billing,
delivery-based, or order-based billing) can be adopted. These different billing processes
and their applicability to different industries are discussed in this chapter.
In project capitalization, business processes such as project structure, setting up
assets under construction, settlement within the project structure, treatment of capex
and operational (opex) costs, and partial and final settlement/capitalization are covered
in this chapter.
Project Planning and Forecasting
SAP provides different ways of planning and forecasting and many times during
implementation it is difficult to choose one method over another. Therefore, the
following section discusses the different planning and forecasting methods.
Different Planning and Forecasting Methods
Project planning and forecasting can be performed in different ways in SAP PS. Some of
the common methods of cost planning include the following:
1. Hierarchy planning, with distributed and distributable cost/
revenue (CJ40/CJ41/CJ42/CJ43/CJR2)
With Overall and Annual Planning at WBS element level: A lump
sum monetary value planning at the WBSE level and overall or
annual level; is not period based.
Using Primary Cost and Activity Input at the WBS element
and Cost element levels: Primary cost planning is a lump sum
monetary value planning at the WBSE level and primary cost
element. Activity type planning is a quantity based planning for
internal labor; both are period-based planning.
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Using unit costing: This is quantity and value based planning at
the WBS element and overall or annual levels; it is not period
based. It is recorded using a cost element but not reported on cost
element in standard reports. Unit costing cannot be performed on
integrated planning WBSEs. Integrated planning WBSEs detail the
planning information not on the WBSE but on the associated cost
center. Unit costing is also available at the network activity and it
is covered under network costing.
2. Easy cost planning at the WBSE and Network activity level
(CJ20N): It is a quantity and value-based planning at WBSE/
Network activity and cost element level; it is not period based.
3. Network costing (CJ20n) - Planning of quantity and cost based
on scheduled dates: It is a quantity and value-based planning at
the network activity and cost element level and it is date based.
Hence, it can be reported as period based.
H
ierarchy Planning
Hierarchy planning plans at the WBS element, overall (all year) level or on an annual
basis. Hierarchy planning can branch into primary cost planning and secondary cost
(labor – cost center x activity type) planning with quantities and into unit costing. Unit
costing allows you to capture a bill of materials (BoM). Table 2-1 provides a comparison
of different planning methods.
When planning using hierarchy, planned values can be fully distributed to their
subordinate WBS elements or some can be held for further distribution. This is captured
in each respective WBS element, as a distributed and distributable plan.
Further to planning monetary values across the WBS element hierarchy, monetary
values can be planned based on the primary cost/revenue element (in other words, the
general ledger account—G/L account).
When planning using a primary cost element, project labor costs are not detailed.
Therefore, if labor costs have to be split by resource type (activity type) and resource
area (cost center), this can be accomplished using activity type planning (also called
secondary cost planning).
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For the purpose of planning detailed material costs, SAP provides unit costing, which
is similar to the Bill of Material (BoM), where the BoM material can be expanded with
additional overhead. Variables, subtotals, and totals can be added by using arithmetic
formulas, but still linking these additional lines of planned cost to a cost element.
Table 2-1 illustrates the first level comparison of the different hierarchical planning
methods.
Table 2-1. First Level Comparison of the Different Hierarchical Planning Methods
Quantity Value
Based
Based
Hierarchical Planning
Cost Element Overall/Annual Object Level
Based
or Period or Date
or NA
WBS Hierarchical Planning N/A
X
N/A
Overall/Annual
WBSE
WBS Hierarchy + Primary
Cost/Revenue Planning
N/A
X
X
Period
WBSE
WBS Hierarchy + Activity
Type Planning
X
X
X
Period
WBSE
WBS Hierarchy + Unit
Costing
X
X
X
Overall/Annual
WBSE
•
N/A: Not Applicable
•
X: Yes
Figure 2-1 showcases the hierarchy planning at the WBSE level on an annual basis.
You can see the project definition, overall or annual selection, and the WBSE. This is the
level of information captured in hierarchical planning.
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Figure 2-1. Hierarchical planning at the WBSE level on an annual basis
Figure 2-2 shows planning by primary cost element. The lump sum dollar entered can
be distributed by period, based on the distribution key provided or manual distribution
can be performed. Figure 2-2 shows the version, periods, fiscal year, WBSE code, currency,
and cost element. This is the kind of information captured in primary cost planning.
Figure 2-2. Cost planning for a WBSE by primary cost element and then by period
breakdown
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Figure 2-3 shows activity input planning, which is based on quantity and value.
Activity input planning requires a combination of cost center and activity type, which
then allows a cost rate and cost element to be determined. Quantities distribution
is automatically performed by the system based on the distribution key provided or
manual distribution can be performed by period. In Figure 2-3, you see the version,
period, fiscal year, WBS element, sender cost center, sender activity type, quantity, unit
of measure (UoM), and cost element being captured.
Figure 2-3. Activity input planning for a WBSE and then by period breakdown
Figure 2-4 shows the unit costing functionality for WBSE hierarchical planning. In
it, you can see the WBS element and list of items that are contained in the unit costing—
internal labor, material, external service, arithmetic formulas, totals, quantity, unit price,
monetary value, and cost element.
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Figure 2-4. Unit costing for a WBSE (it is not period based but it is overall/
annual based)
You have to weigh all of the following before finalizing the planning and
forecasting method:
•
Business requirements related to integration of the schedule,
resource, and procurement plan.
•
Benefits of maintaining and managing detailed planning and
forecasting.
•
Effort and tools needed to maintain detailed planning and
forecasting data.
•
Flexibility and agility for managing changes or variations.
The first two items are driven top-down and the last two are driven from bottom-up,
meaning project managers and coordinators should not be burdened to maintain details
at a too granular level and they should also have the flexibility in the case of overruns
and underruns by having easy variation management procedures.
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The matrix in Table 2-2 can be used to choose the right planning and forecasting
method for your organization.
Table 2-2. Second Level Comparison Based on Detailed Criteria to Choose the
Correct Planning Method
Criteria
Hierarchy Planning
Easy Cost
Planning (ECP)
Network Costing
Effort required for planning and Less
forecasting
Medium
High
Quantities can be planned or
forecasted
No*
Yes
Yes
Date/period based planning is
possible
Yes (only monetary
values)
No (requires
enhancement)
Yes
Integration with procurement
No
Yes (Execution
Service)
Yes
Integration with resource
management (MRS)
No
No
Yes (MRS add-on
is required)
Cost element based
Yes (Possible
with primary and
secondary planning)
Yes
Yes
Level of detail
At WBSEs only
At WBSE and network At network
activities only
Integration with variation
management via claims
No
No; enhancement
possible
Standard
Benefits
Low
Medium
High
*No: Partially yes, in the case of activity type planning (internal labor) and unit costing. Unit costing is
similar to ECP. Unit costing has more clicks before quantities can be entered when compared to ECP.
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To choose the right planning and forecasting method, the following questions need
to be answered:
1. What is the level at which planning or forecasting should be
performed?
–– Project level
–– Lowest level WBSE
–– Lowest level -1 or -2, and so on
2. How detailed should the planning and forecasting be?
–– Annual, monthly, or based on dates
–– As a lump sum monetary amount or as a detailed schedule of
quantities
3. Should planning and forecasting be integrated with scheduling,
resource management, and procurement?
–– Fully integrated with scheduling, resource management, and
procurement. When there is a change in date, labor effort schedule, material schedule, resource availability, in some cases effort
has to be changed.
4. Is a change in schedule of supplies (date planning) and resources
(capacity leveling and extension) expected as part of project
scheduling and capacity planning respectively or do you expect
some elements of scheduling and capacity planning as part of the
forecast?
a. Use SAP PS Cost Forecast: SAP PS allows the determination of
estimate to complete (ETC) and estimate at completion (EAC)
as part of the cost forecast based on the remaining quantities
(work and open quantities of supplies). Managing capacity
and date extension/reduction based on the remaining work
and duration (without impacting project schedule) is handled
separately as part of the capacity leveling and scheduling.
Capacity leveling, scheduling, and variation process are
prerequisites for the cost forecast (if remaining quantities are
changing), but the cost forecast in SAP PS is not dependent
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on capacity leveling, scheduling, or variation if the remaining
quantities are unaltered. SAP PS Cost Forecast will not provide
a new schedule of supplies (request) and resources (request
or demand) for future periods or for the next period, as there
is no new distribution/spread performed as part of the cost
forecast process. These requests will need leveling with
regard to capacity and allocated to the respective resources
in workforce planning or capacity allocation (equipment
and production resource tool) by resource managers and by
procurement manager for external service and materials.
b. Use Enhanced Cost Forecasting solution (custom solution):
Construction Project Forecast is driven based on quantities
and schedules of supplies and resources. Project Forecast
provides project managers with a platform to indicate
changes in spread/distribution of quantities. If there is a
change in quantity due to internal or external variation, this
has to be captured as part of the project variation process.
The new remaining quantity spread or distribution will help
in determining the ETC and then together, with actual, will
allow the EAC to be computed. The Project Forecast process
involves the management of the schedule of supplies and
resources for the future period or for the next period.
5. Is the forecast for the external work, service, and material
performed by the quantity of material/service/work being
supplied/delivered or is it based on the amount that is required to
be paid to the service provider/supplier?
a. If a dollar value is chosen, all external work including material
and services will be planned by the schedule of monetary
value being spent. Only internal work and material will be
planned by quantity times the unit rate to determine the
monetary amount. In other words, the schedule of supplies
and resources are only required for internal work. External
work and services are based on the schedule of payment to be
performed (invoicing plan).
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b. If a quantity schedule is chosen, both internal and external
work and materials will be managed via the quantity schedule
of supplies and resources.
6. What is the currency in which planning and forecasting should be
performed?
a. Transaction, object, and controlling currencies
b. Object and controlling currencies
Standard SAP PS Capability and its Limitations
SAP PS offers a cost forecast workbench that allows you to commute the ETC and EAC
for a project. At a project level, it does not provide a schedule of internal work, external
work, and material components by period. Standard SAP PS offers a schedule of internal
work at the workcenter level but not at the project level. It also does not provide a
schedule of external work and material components and these can only be captured at
the purchase order level.
SAP PS allows the determination of estimate to complete (ETC) and estimate at
completion (EAC) as part of the cost forecast. Managing capacity and date extension/
reduction based on the remaining work and duration (without impacting project
schedule) is handled separately as part of capacity leveling and scheduling. SAP
PS is also heavily reliant on the distribution keys for the automatic distribution and
provides less opportunity to perform custom or ad hoc manual distribution without
enhancement. Resource managers have to perform capacity leveling, allocation, and
workforce planning once the project forecast (request or demand) is finalized. Similarly,
procurement managers have to deal with the external service and material by providing
a revised schedule of supplies and by working on sourcing options if they are not
sourced.
Guidelines Related to Planning, Actual, and Forecast
The following guidelines provide a framework on what needs to be performed as part
of planning, actual, and forecast, so that maximum benefits can be achieved from
the system.
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Planning and Cost Plan Budget
Planning by dates (start, end, or delivery date) is a must for period breakdown of effort
and quantities.
•
Planning internal work with effort by capturing the start and end date
of each activity is required.
•
Planning external work or services with quantities and start, end, and
due dates of each activity is required.
•
Planning material component quantities with reference to an activity
with a due date for each material is required.
•
Capturing distribution profiles for the different types of effort/
quantity allocations is required for automatic allocation.
Actuals
Actuals with dates (start, end, or delivery date) is a must for period breakdown of actual
effort and quantities.
•
Actuals for internal work with effort, start, and end date for each
activity are required.
•
Actuals for external work or services with quantities, start and end
dates, and service/external work receipt dates for each activity are
required.
•
Actuals for material components with quantities and goods receipt
dates are required.
•
Distribution key chosen should be able to capture effort and
quantities based on actuals.
Forecast
Forecasting as a business process encompasses quantity forecasting, cost forecasting,
and date/schedule forecasting.
•
64
Forecasting requires user decisions for changing end dates, changing
activity relationships for scheduling, inclusion of variations, and so on.
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SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
•
Forecasting framework or workbench should propose the remaining
quantities or effort and Percentage of Completion (POC), perform
automatic distribution of effort and quantities based on the available
information, and flag items that require project managers or
coordinators’ attention.
•
The forecast workbench should also replace the previous
period planned quantities with actual quantities as part of the
distribution key.
•
If baseline plan vs. actual comparison is required, forecasting should
be performed in the current version (version 0) so that updated
forecast can be used for integration with procurement (MM) and
resource management (MRS). Once the baseline is completed,
the baseline information should be snapshotted via PS version for
comparison purposes.
•
Project managers or coordinators should review the schedule/date,
quantity, and value forecast before finalizing the same.
•
Review and approval of variation and automatic scheduling are
prerequisite processes to forecasting performed as part of the month
end pre-close business process.
•
Project forecasting process will end in the generation of request/
demand (new/update) for the resource managers and procurement
managers to feed on. Resource managers have to perform capacity
leveling, allocation, and workforce planning once the project forecast
(request or demand) is finalized. Similarly, procurement managers
have to deal with the external service and material by providing the
revised schedule of supplies and by working on sourcing options if
they are not sourced.
Network Costing
In network costing, all planning objects—such as internal work, in-house material
components, external work, external subcontracting, miscellaneous expenses, external
services, and external materials—that require detailing and planning are represented as
separate activities, activity elements, or material components and can be directly
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influenced by project scheduling, automatic distribution of effort, and quantities by
period. Other costs or miscellaneous costs can also be planned as separate cost activities.
If cost activities are linked via relationships to the direct project activities, cost planned
under the cost activity can also be influenced by scheduling and automatic distribution of
cost by period. In the case of SAP PS being interfaced with external project management
applications such as MS Project or Oracle Primavera (or any other third-party application
via Enterprise Project Connector), a 1:1 interface relationship between the external
project application object and the network costing objects such as activity, activity
element, and material, provides an easy and elegant integration option between both
applications. No information is lost in transit, if 1:1 interface relationship is followed. Any
kind of summarization will only result in loss of functionality in SAP PS. The
summarization will also result in dual data entry, when some of the procurement and
in-house material planning has to be performed in the SAP ERP central component. Any
approved variation will create additional activities and material for the project as part of
the approval process. These variations in quantities can be monitored throughout their
lifecycles, as they appear as individual objects in the project hierarchy and structure.
Although network costing is the preferred approach, standard SAP PS provides the
network planning framework but still requires some adaptation or enhancement. You
can see this as a gap or as open ended for customer-specific requirements.
Enhancement Considerations for Network Costing
1. Module pool enhancement performs a project forecast (a place to
capture quantity and value forecast for the project).
Similar to the project planning board, the project forecast
workbench shows all the network activities and material
components of the projects in a single workbench.
Figure 2-5A shows the wireframe of the project forecast
workbench’s planning horizon covering 10-years.
66
•
Periodic breakdown for current fiscal year (CFY) and next
year (CFY+1)
•
Quarterly breakdown for Current Fiscal Year +2 to 3 (CFY+2
to CFY+3)
•
Annual breakdown for Current Fiscal Year + 4 to 9 (CFY+4
to CFY+9)
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
Figure 2-5A. Wireframe of the Project Forecast Workbench’s planning horizon
Chapter 2
67
68
Figure 2-5B. Wireframe of the project forecast workbench using network costing
Figure 2-5B shows the wireframe of the project forecast workbench using network costing.
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SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
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SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
2. Enhancement to the distribution keys (determination of
remaining quantity and automatic distribution – past and future).
Internal work and in-house material: Perform the remaining
quantity distribution or allocation based on the planned start
(basic) and forecast finish dates (forecast). The distribution key
should determine closed month quantity based on the actual
quantities and the open months (for each specific item) are
used for distributing the remaining work or quantity, taking into
consideration the full capacity of the resource (workcenter, person,
and equipment), project calendar, work schedule of the individual
resource (optional), and so on. Distribution key (D2) performs
the quantity distribution or allocation starting from the next open
period to the period that belongs to the forecast finish date. If
work remains after the automatic distribution or allocation based
on the number of days available and the capacity, this residual
quantity is captured in the remaining work/quantity field for
manual distribution or extension of the forecast finish date, which
requires the user’s decision and input. Similarly to the distribution
key (D2), there can be other variants of D2 with equal distribution
between the remaining open periods (D1). Actual quantity
updates for the previous periods should happen irrespective of the
network activity, the WBSE, or the project status.
3. Optional enhancement to MRS and production planning (using
the quantity forecast for in-house material and labor): Multiresource scheduling integration with SAP PS using the network
activity should be enhanced to pick the resource demand from
the project forecast. Similarly, in-house material components
are required to be delivered based on the project schedule, due
to the critical nature of components and due to the erection
and commissioning challenges that arise, if all the material
components arrive at the site at the same time. Therefore, these
material components have to be staggered and this information
is held in the schedule of quantities. This information can be
passed to the production as part of the main reservation, which
can create separate requirements depending on the schedule of
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quantities prepared by the project manager. Alternatively, for inhouse material components that are less complex, reservations
triggered from the project will hold the latest delivery date and
the production planning should be able to handle the rest. For
any other specific scenario or material that has to be delivered in
batches, it is prudent to create separate material components, if
this enhancement is not performed.
4. Optional enhancement to procurement (using the quantity
forecast for external material and service): The delivery schedule
of external material components, external work, or services should
update the purchase requisition delivery schedule (including
project reservations that are converted into purchase requisitions
in MD04). When this purchase requisition is converted to a
purchase order, the delivery schedule should be captured as part
of the purchase order delivery schedule. Once the purchase order
is placed, if there are changes to the delivery schedule, these
changes can be passed along to the service provider using the new
project forecast schedule.
Alternate Solution
•
70
Using SAP Commercial Project management’s (CPM) analysis
office integration with SAP PS, CO, SD, MM, and HR modules,
project cost/revenue planning and forecast can be performed. This
solution is an alternative to the previous enhanced network costing
forecast workbench. Remember, this solution should also leverage
the network activity structure and include all the activities, activity
elements, and material components for seamless integration with
procurement and resource planning, as well as scheduling and
capacity leveling. This solution also involves the enhancements
related to the distribution key, so that the remaining quantity
computation and its distribution based on the distribution key can be
achieved.
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SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
This option only takes away the need for the module pool screen
development. In this option, forecasting is performed using analysis
office (Excel worksheet with an add-on) instead.
•
Other solutions, such as ECP or hierarchical planning with SKF for
quantity planning, can also be considered for various other needs
or due to other constraints related to the existing solution, change
impacts, and budget constraints. Do keep the guiding principle as a
reference before making any decision and be sure to analyze all the
pros and cons.
Easy Cost Planning with Planning Form
Easy cost planning allows you to perform estimates and forecasts using planning forms.
A planning form (costing model) is made up of a collection of questions that must be
specified for planning or forecasting based on the CO version. The planning form can be
enhanced to have a customer-specific data entry screen that contains control parameters
such as planned start and end dates, forecast start and end dates, effort or quantities,
time distribution keys, and resource types. By answering a number of questions or by
entering values for the characteristics defined in the planning form, it can be translated
to a cost estimate based on the derivation rules, the time distribution key, and the
calculation formulas stored behind it.
The system calculates the required quantities of materials and services from the
data entered by the users and determines the prices and rates based on the valuation
date/period determined via the time distribution key. The costing result is displayed
as a tree in accordance with the costing structure and period determined by the time
distribution key. The data entry screen for recording characteristics is generated as a
freely designable HTML page, which you can enhance by adding any utilities you want
to include for the users. The screen is intuitive and can, for example, be used in the web
portal to allow external partners to enter specifications for project materials and services,
which are then valuated by the system using the costing models defined.
As this method uses a 1 to N relationship between the project structural object and
the items costed for the project structural object and because it is independent of project
scheduling, it not necessary to plan at the lower-most object such as activity or material
component. Rather this planning can be performed on the planning WBSEs, which
are again not the lowest level of WBSE. If the planning and execution of the work is
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happening at two different levels (WBSE for planning and execution of work at network
activity), this approach will involve duplication of data such as start and end dates, effort,
and quantity data. A mapping of the network activity where execution of work happens
to the planning WBSE should also exist, so that the actual quantity can be summarized
as part of the automatic distribution when the remaining quantity is computed.
Constraints
•
Transferring ECP from an appropriation request to a project or WBS
element always occurs in the leading CO version.
•
You can carry out easy execution services in the leading CO
version only.
•
Sales pricing (created in easy cost planning) always reads the relevant
costs from the leading CO version.
•
If you want to copy the itemization, you must use the Copy Version
function in the Edit Costing dialog box in the Project Builder. The
following constraints apply copying in other transactions:
•
The transactions Copy WBS Plan to Plan (Collective/Individual)
(CJ9B/CJ9BS) do not copy easy cost planning.
•
The transaction Copy Project Costing (Collective/Individual)
(CJ9F/CJ9FS) copies only the CO’s total records.
Enhancement Considerations for Easy Cost Planning (ECP)
1. Easy cost planning enhancement to perform project forecasts:
ECP provides a place to capture forecasted quantities. It includes
manual redistribution of quantities by period, so each individual
item value by period is possible.
2. Enhancement to the time distribution keys (determination of the
remaining quantity and automatic distribution – past and future):
The system should be able to distribute remaining quantities
based on the planned dates provided—equally by period, all in
the next open period, or equally by the number of quarters and
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years pending for the item by allocating equal quantities in the last
period of the quarter or year. If the project is in progress, actual
quantities should be considered for the completed month.
3. Custom report to show plan vs. forecast, ETC and EAC based on
the quantities and values planned in ECP: Multiple CO versions
should have been enabled for ECP so that estimate (E01), plan, or
budget (B01) and forecast (F01) can be captured separately and
compared if required. Once the baseline plan (B01) is finalized,
the baseline ECP plan should be copied to the forecast version
F01 (Use CO Version ‘0’ for forecasting if using execution service
for actuals). Then the baseline plan (B01) should be locked.
Thereafter only the forecast version (F01) should be used for
revaluation and redistribution of the quantities and values. The
custom report should be able to fetch quantities and values
from versions B01 and F01. Based on the actual quantities
consumed until the reference period, the remaining quantities
should be computed for each of the items costed using ECP. For
each individually costed item, you can then perform remaining
quantity x unit price and this will provide the Estimate Cost to
Complete (ETC) for the item. Add the ETC to the actual cost to
get the Estimated Cost at Completion (EAC) for the item. The
sum total of the estimated cost at completion (EAC) for all the
items in the project leads to the EAC of the project. In addition
to this, plan and actual quantities can be completed for the past
period. Similarly, the forecast quantities can be used to prepare
resource and procurement schedules and this information can
be shared with the resource manager and procurement manager
for their detailed planning so that both resources and material
are available on time. This activity can only be performed if the
project manager reviews the remaining quantities and performs
the manual distribution.
Unlike network costing, capacity leveling is not part of the automatic distribution.
Scheduling the projects does influence the planned start and forecast end dates defined
in the planning form. Figure 2-6 shows the wireframe of the project forecast workbench
using Easy Cost Planning (ECP).
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Figure 2-6. Wireframe of the project forecast workbench using Easy Cost
Planning (ECP)
Based on the organization’s project management maturity and adoption levels,
the industry, and whether your organization is managing projects as a client or
delivering projects as a service provider, the following recommendations are provided.
Tables 2-3 and 2-3 show the recommended planning methods for different types of
planning, industry sectors, delivery approach (managing or delivering projects), and
project management adoption levels (innovators, early adopters, early majority, late
majority, and slow adopters).
74
hydro-electric,
power station,
regional
development
maturity level)
P90 estimates) value) at project
managed is smaller)
of persons being
contracts, number
of procurement
delivery. volume
in the project
direct involvement
level
Estimate (P50, ECP (quantity and
(mostly outsourced
level
value) at project
level
value) at project
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
Advertising,
Event
Management,
Machinery –Defense
Equipment, Turbines
and Pumps, etc.)
ECP (Quantity
project level
Value) at project level and Value) at
ECP (Quantity and
Media –
Ship Building, Heavy
etc.)
Audit Firms,
buildings, etc.)
Airplane Assembly,
Systems, Wind Farms, Management,
home and
Property
service, Legal,
(IT), IT enabled
Technology
etc.)
Projects – Sewer,
Commissioning
and Erection,
gas, electricity,
projects)
Waste Management
Managing projects
with minimum
Professional
Projects (Engineering, Services
Other Turnkey
water (Infrastructure Design, Procurement (Information
gas, electricity and
Utilities –telecom,
authorities, water, tunnels, airports,
offshore oil rig,
infrastructure,
project management
(road, rail, plant,
(councils, transport, mining
Construction and
department of
planning
adopters, and early
Public sector
majority (with higher
Type of
Innovators, early
and Project Management Adoption Levels (Innovators, Early Adopters, and Early Majority)
(continued)
at project level
ECP (Quantity and Value)
Administrations, etc.)
Therapeutic Goods
& Drug Administrations,
R&D, Pharma R&D, Food
Pharmaceutical (Paint
Chemical and
Table 2-3. Recommended Planning Methods for Different Types of Planning, Industry Sectors, Delivery Approaches (Managing or Delivering Projects)
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
75
76
value) at WBSE
level
(Baseline
versions or
value) at WBSE
level. Approved
internal and
external variation
claims should
update ECP
(quantity and
(estimate to
complete—
ETC) =
Remaining
cost +
Approved and
unapproved
level. Approved
value) at WBSE
ECP (quantity and
update ECP
claims should
external variation
ECP (Quantity
WBSE Level.
update ECP
claims should
variation
External
Value)*
Value)*
ECP (Quantity and
claims should update Internal and
and External variation Approved
Approved Internal
(Quantity and
value)*
ECP (Quantity
Value) at WBSE Level. and Value) at
ECP (Quantity and
WBSE Level
external)
value)*
ECP (quantity and (quantity and
should update
variation claims
and external
ECP (Quantity and
value) at WBSE level Value) at WBSE Level and Value) at
Approved internal internal and
WBSE level.
and value) at
ECP (quantity
level
value) at WBSE
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
(internal and
variation’s cost value)*
ECP (quantity and
Forecast
budget)
planned
approved
ECP (quantity and
Planning
Table 2-3. (continued)
Value)*
update ECP (Quantity and
variation claims should
Internal and External
at WBSE Level. Approved
ECP (Quantity and Value)
at WBSE Level
ECP (Quantity and Value)
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
WBSE level –
Approved internal
and external
variation,
internal and
value).
value).
external)
(internal and
variation’s cost
unapproved
Approved and
cost +
Remaining
level
value) at WBSE
(quantity and
value in reports
WBSE level
ECP (quantity and
ECP (quantity and
EAC) =
do not update
do not update
and value) at
variation claims
variation claims
reports (quantity
Unapproved
Unapproved
completion—
and value)*.
and value)*.
(estimate at
ECP (quantity
ECP (quantity
Computed value in Computed
should update
Forecast
variation claims
should update
variations)
and external
external scope variation claims
Actual cost +
Approved internal
at WBSE level –
Claim management
value)*. Unapproved
do not update ECP
level
and value) at WBSE
reports (quantity
Computed value in
(quantity and value)
and value)*. Unapproved
update ECP (quantity
variation claims should
Internal and External
Computed value in
value)
update ECP (quantity and
Level
value) at WBSE
(continued)
value) at WBSE Level
value in reports reports (quantity and
Computed
and value)
ECP (quantity
do not update
variation claims
Unapproved
and value)*.
ECP (quantity
should update
variation claims variation claims do not
External
value) at WBSE Level (quantity and
reports (quantity and
Computed value in
doe not update ECP (quantity and value)
variation claims
WBSE Level –
claims should update Internal and
ECP (quantity and
Claim Management at
Management at WBSE Level – Approved
Claim
and External variation Approved
Approved Internal
at WBSE Level –
Claim Management
value)*. Unapproved variation claims
ECP (quantity and
should update
variation claims
Approved internal and external
management at
WBSE level –
Claim
unapproved
Claim
(approved and management at
Variations
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
77
78
(quantity, value,
and date) at
network activity
level
(baseline
versions or
approved
planned
network activities, network activities, activities, using
using forecast
workbench.
Approved internal
and external
ETC =
Remaining
cost +
Approved and
unapproved
Approved internal
activities, using
date) of network
network (quantity, date)*
value, and date)*
(quantity, value,
and date)*
network (quantity,
create new variation
claims should
(quantity, value, and
Network Costing
at project level
ECP (quantity and value)
(quantity, value, and
Remaining work
using Forecast
activities,
of network
and date)*
(quantity, value,
network
new variation
should create
variation claims
External
Internal and
Approved
and date)*
network (quantity, value,
create new variation
variation claims should
Internal and External
workbench. Approved
activities, using forecast
value, and date) date) of network
work (quantity,
Remaining
and date)
(quantity, value, date)
Costing
Network
project level
and External variation Workbench.
Approved Internal
(quantity, value, and value, and date)*
new variation
variation network
external)
variation network
should create new
variation claims
should create new should create
variation claims
and external
Remaining work
date)
forecast workbench. forecast workbench.
Approved internal and external
workbench.
using forecast
date) of network
(internal and
variation’s cost variation claims
and date) of
complete—
managed is large)
and date) of
Network Costing
(quantity, value, and (quantity, value, and
(quantity, value,
(quantity, value,
Remaining work
Remaining work
date)
ECP (quantity
value) at project level and value) at
ECP (quantity and
(quantity, value, and (quantity, value, and
Network costing
(estimate to
Remaining work
and date)
(quantity, value,
Network costing
level
value) at project
Forecast
budget)
Network costing
Planning
level
value) at project
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
of persons being
contracts, number
procurement
Volume of
or subcontractors.
Main contractors
the project delivery.
direct involvement in
level
P90 estimates) value) at project
(Mostly delivered
in-house with higher
Estimate (P50, ECP (quantity and
Delivering projects
Table 2-3. (continued)
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
and external
variation claims
internal and
(quantity, value,
and date)
(quantity, value,
and date)
*Enhancement required
external)
(internal and
variation’s cost
unapproved
+ Approved and
Remaining cost
Actual cost +
EAC) =
and date)
(quantity, value,
value in reports
value, and date)
new networks
new networks
reports (quantity,
do not create
do not create
completion—
variation claims
variation claims
(estimate at
Unapproved
Unapproved
Computed value in Computed
and date)*.
and date)*.
Forecast
(quantity, value,
(quantity, value,
date)*. Unapproved
(quantity, value, and
variation network
claims should create
value, and Date)
reports (quantity,
Computed value in
value, and date)
network (quantity,
do not create new
variation claims
date)*. Unapproved
value, and date)
reports (quantity,
Computed value in
value, and date)
network (quantity,
do not create new
Claim Management –
variation claims do not
and date)*. Unapproved
network (quantity, value,
should create variation
(quantity, value, and
Computed value in
and date)
(quantity, value, and date)
value in reports reports (quantity, value,
Computed
and date)
(quantity, value,
new network
do not create
variation claims
Unapproved
and date)*.
(quantity, value, date)
network
create variation create new network
claims should
variation
External
Internal and
External variation claims
Management – Approved Internal and
and External variation Approved
Approved Internal
Claim Management – Claim
(quantity, value, and variation claims
variation network variation network
should create
should create
variation network
variations)
variation claims
and External
management –
external scope should create
variation claims
variation, both and external
Approved internal
Approved internal Approved Internal
Claim
management –
Claim
unapproved
Claim
(approved and management –
Variations
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
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80
Regional
maturity level)
Gas, Electricity, etc.)
Authorities, Water,
Development
Infrastructure,
management
Buildings, etc.)
Airports, Home and
Station, tunnels,
Hydro-electric, Power
offshore Oil Rig,
(Road, Rail, Plant,
Department of
Construction and
(Councils, Transport, Mining
Public Sector
(with lower project
Type of Planning
slow adopters
Late majority and
Projects
Other Turnkey
Projects)
Therapeutic Goods
Legal, Property
Advertising, Event
Management, etc.)
Management
Pumps, etc.)
Turbines and
Equipment,
–defense
Machinery
Building, Heavy
Assembly, Ship
Farms, Airplane
Systems, Wind
Firms, Media –
Sewer, Waste
Management, Audit Administrations, etc.)
Administrations,
R&D, Food and Drug
(Paint R&D, Pharma
Pharmaceutical
Chemical and
enabled service,
Technology (IT), IT
(Information
Services
Professional
Projects –
Commissioning
and Erection,
Procurement
Design,
Water (Infrastructure (Engineering,
Gas, Electricity and
Utilities –Telecom,
and Project Management Adoption Levels (Late Majority and Slow Adopters)
Table 2-4. Recommended Planning Methods for Different Types of Planning, Industry Sector, Delivery Approach (Managing or Delivering Projects)
Chapter 2
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
planning using SKF (Using standard
(Using standard
functionality
but both are not
interconnected,
giving flexibility to
project managers).
in the project
delivery. Volume
of procurement
contracts, number
of persons being
managed is small)
(Using standard
functionality
planning using SKF (Using standard
functionality
but both are not
interconnected,
giving flexibility to
project managers).
(value); Quantity
(Using standard
functionality
but both are not
interconnected,
giving flexibility to
approved
planned budget)
planning using SKF
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
planning using SKF
(value); Quantity
cost element (CE)
planning using
WBSE cost
planning using SKF
(CE) (value); Quantity
using cost element
WBSE cost planning
managers).
to project
giving flexibility
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
using SKF
planning using
(value); Quantity
planning using SKF
(CE) (value); Quantity
using cost element
WBSE cost planning
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
managers).
to project
giving flexibility
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
using SKF
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
(continued)
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
Quantity planning planning using SKF (Using standard
(CE) (value);
cost element (CE)
planning using
WBSE cost
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
Quantity planning planning using SKF (Using standard
(CE) (value);
(CE) (value); Quantity (CE) (value); Quantity cost element
using cost element
cost element (CE)
versions or
using cost element
planning using
(baseline
project managers).
planning using
WBSE cost planning WBSE cost
WBSE cost
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
planning using SKF
Planning
WBSE cost planning
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
planning using SKF
involvement
using cost element
WBSE cost planning WBSE cost
(CE) (value); Quantity (CE) (value); Quantity cost element
(value); Quantity
using cost element
WBSE cost planning
cost element (CE)
planning using
WBSE cost
minimum direct
P90 Estimates)
projects (mostly
outsourced with
Estimate (P50,
Managing
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81
82
cost element (CE)
(value); Quantity
planning using SKF (Using standard
(Using standard
functionality
but both are not
interconnected,
giving flexibility to
to complete
(ETC) =
Remaining
cost + Approved
and unapproved
Variation’s cost
(Internal and
External))
using cost element
planning using
WBSE cost Planning WBSE cost
variation claims to
update WBSE CE
value and WBSE SKF value and WBSE SKF and external
quantity
and External
variation claims to
update WBSE CE
value and WBSE
SKF quantity
and external
and external
Approved Internal
quantity
update WBSE CE
and external
Approved internal
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
quantity
WBSE SKF
CE value and
to update WBSE
variation claims
SKF quantity
value and WBSE
update WBSE CE
Approved internal variation claims to
managers).
to project
giving flexibility
Approved internal
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
using SKF
project managers).
variation claims to
(value); Quantity
cost element (CE)
planning using
WBSE cost
planning using SKF
(CE) (value); Quantity
using cost element
WBSE cost planning
WBSE SKF quantity
WBSE CE value and
claims to update
and external variation
Approved internal
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
Quantity planning planning using SKF (Using standard
(CE) (value);
project managers).
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
(Using standard
planning using SKF
project managers). Approved internal
giving flexibility to
interconnected,
but both are not
functionality
planning using SKF
(CE) (value); Quantity (CE) (value); Quantity cost element
using cost element
planning using
(Estimate
WBSE cost planning
WBSE cost
Forecast
Table 2-4. (continued)
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management –
Approved internal
and external
variation claims to
update WBSE CE
value and WBSE
(Approved and
Unapproved
Variation – both
internal and
external scope
variations)
reports
(Estimate at
external))
(internal and
Variation’s cost
and unapproved
cost + Approved
Remaining
cost +
(EAC) = Actual
Completion
Computed value in
Forecast
SKF quantity
Claim
Variations
variation claims to
and external
Approved internal
management –
reports
Computed value in
quantity
reports
Computed value in
quantity
management –
Claim
to update WBSE
variation claims
and external
in reports
Computed value
quantity
WBSE SKF
reports
Computed value in
SKF quantity
value and WBSE
update WBSE CE
variation claims to
and external
Approved internal Approved internal
management –
Claim
value and WBSE SKF CE value and
value and WBSE SKF update WBSE CE
update WBSE CE
variation claims to
and external
Approved internal
Claim management – Claim
reports
(continued)
Computed value in
WBSE SKF quantity
WBSE CE value and
claims to update
and external variation
Approved internal
Claim management –
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84
Planning
Approved
ECP (quantity and
value)*
Variation’s cost
(internal and
external))
should update
and unapproved
should update ECP
variation claims
and external
should update
variation claims
and external
value)*
value)*
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
(quantity and value)* (quantity and value)* should update
should update ECP
variation claims
variation claims
and value).
ECP (quantity
managed is large) cost + Approved
and value).
ECP (Quantity
value)
variation claims
value). Approved
ECP (Quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
value)
internal and external internal and external Approved internal Approved Internal
value). Approved
ECP (quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and ECP (quantity and
and external
and value).
ECP (quantity
value)
ECP (quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and
Approved internal
(estimate to
Forecast
Value)
value)
ECP (quantity and
contracts, number complete (ETC)
of persons being = Remaining
procurement
Volume of
or subcontractors. Planned Budget)
Main contractors
involvement in the (Baseline
project delivery – Versions or
higher direct
ECP (Quantity and
value)
P90 estimates)
(Mostly delivered
in-house with
ECP (quantity and
Delivering projects Estimate (P50,
Table 2-4. (continued)
(quantity and value)*
should update ECP
variation claims
internal and external
value). Approved
ECP (quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and
value)
ECP (quantity and
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SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Using SAP PS, PPM, and CPM
claims do not update value)*. Unapproved and value)*.
ECP (quantity and
value)
variation claims
should update
ECP (quantity
and value)*.
Unapproved
variation claims
external scope
variations)
reports (quantity
(Estimate At
*Enhancement required.
external))
(internal and
Variation’s cost
and unapproved
cost + Approved
+ Remaining
= Actual cost
Completion (EAC) and value)
Computed value in
Forecast
(quantity and value)
do not update ECP
Unapproved variation ECP (quantity and
and External
internal and
variation claims
and External
Computed value in
value)
value)
management –
Claim
do not update ECP
variation claims
Unapproved
and value)*.
ECP (quantity
should update
variation claims
and External
Computed
value)
value)
(quantity and
and value)
reports (quantity
Computed value in
ECP (quantity and (quantity and value)
do not update
variation claims
Unapproved
ECP (quantity
should update
variation claims
and External
Approved Internal Approved Internal
reports (quantity and reports (quantity and value in reports
Computed value in
(quantity and value)
do not update ECP
variation claims
(quantity and value)*. should update
should update ECP
variation claims
Approved Internal
management –
Variation - both
and External
management –
Approved Internal
Approved Internal
management –
unapproved
Claim
(approved and
Claim management – Claim
Claim
Variations
value)
reports (quantity and
Computed value in
(quantity and value)
do not update ECP
variation claims
value)*. Unapproved
ECP (quantity and
claims should update
and External variation
Approved Internal
Claim management –
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Note Recommended methods of estimating, planning, and forecasting, and
variation are interrelated and go hand in hand with other types of planning, so
that comparison of estimates, planning/planned budgets, and forecasts can be
achieved.
Definitions:
•
Estimate to complete (ETC) is a forecast of how much more money
will be needed to complete the project.
•
Estimate at completion (EAC) is the forecasted cost to deliver the
whole project, as the project progresses.
•
P50 is the project cost with sufficient contingency to provide
50% likelihood that this cost would not be exceeded.
•
P90 cost is the Project cost with sufficient contingency to provide
90% likelihood that this cost will not be exceeded.
Project Budgeting
Project budgeting in SAP PS is not based on quantity but on the lump sum value of the
WBS element. It is also not based on cost element. This determines the tolerance control
based on the cumulative values. Tolerance control can be set to 95% for a warning
and 100% for an error, depending on the enterprise’s requirements. Before this, the
enterprise has to assess its project management process maturity. This tolerance check is
a hard stop when raising a purchase requisition, a purchase order, a timesheet transfer to
project, FI journals, goods receipts, and goods issues. The tolerance control limit and its
availability control can put a hold on actual posting and commitments until the budget
supplement or budget release is provisioned.
Project budgeting is not at the level of cost elements and budgeting can be
performed at an overall level (cumulative for all years) or at an annual level. Period level
budgeting involves a lot of governance and administration. Therefore this functionality is
not available as part of budget control.If period level budgeting is required, one of the
project CO versions can be used for budgeting purposes. There won’t be any control but
reporting can be done using the CO version.
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It is always good to start with warnings for all kinds of tolerance checks. Once
all the processes and next steps are well understood and with proper change
communication, changing a tolerance check to an error is the next step.
The following SAP Project budgeting customization options are available:
•
Overall or annual budget
•
Release or current budget
SAP Project budgeting provides the following functionalities:
1. Availability control
2. Tolerance control Limit
3. Distributable and distributed budget
4. Budget return
5. Budget supplement
6. Budget transfer
7. Year End – budget carry forward
Overall vs. Annual Budget
Using Overall Budget, the budget availability control and tolerance control limit is
applicable to the overall WBSE budget value. Here, overall signifies the sum total of all
annual values for the WBS element and should also be entered as an overall budget
value for the WBS element.
The annual budget is the budget entered for the WBS element each year. The
availability control and tolerance control limit are no longer at the overall budget but
are based on the annual budget values for the respective year for the WBS element.
If there are left over budgets for a previous year, the budget has to be carried forward
to the next year (until current fiscal year), if not the leftover budget cannot be used.
Figure 2-7 shows the Budget Profile configuration settings for different project
budgeting parameters.
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Figure 2-7. Budget Profile configuration setting for different project budgeting
parameters
Release vs. Current Budget
With the current budget, any budget amount entered into annual or overall is considered
allocated and approved for the scope of the work being performed. The full amount
allocated is also approved for the execution of the work. There is no concept of partial
approval in the case of the current budget.
Table 2-5 provides an example of a current overall and annual budget. In this
example, project work is to design, procure, erect, and commission 12 concrete volute
pumps at a major dam in Australia. The overall budget for this project is AUD 450
million and the annual budget for FY2021 is AUD 335 million. These amounts are fully
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allocated and approved for the execution of the work. For the enterprise managing this
project, this budget is allocated and approved for execution of the project work by the
vendor or service provider delivering this project. There is no real need for the managing
enterprise to assess the progress and approve further funding, as it is a lump sum or
turnkey project.
Table 2-5. Concrete Volute Pump Project Showing Its Current Overall and
Annual Budget
Project Structure
Current Overall Budget
Amount in AUD
Current Annual Budget
Amount in AUD for FY 2021
C-00001 (concrete volute pumps)
450,000,000.00
335,000,000.00
C-00001.PIPN (piping work)
75,000,000.00
75,000,000.00
C-00001.ELEC (electrical work)
75,000,000.00
50,000,000.00
C-00001.CIVL (civil work)
250,000,000.00
200,000,000.00
C-00001.INST (instrumentation)
50,000,000.00
10,000,000.00
With a release budget, any budget value entered into annual or overall is considered
allocated but not yet approved for the scope of the work being performed. Only when the
budget is released (T.Code CJ32), is the released amount considered approved for the
execution of the work. When using a release budget, the release budget need not be the
full budget amount that has been allocated. A management team wanting to assess the
progress of the project before approving further money should opt for release budget.
In the following example, the project work is to design, procure, erect, and
commission 12 concrete volute pumps at a major dam in Australia. The service provider
has taken this project on a lump sum turnkey basis. State of the art technology is
being used in the project, so the service provider wants to monitor its cost and has a
contingency of 20%. The service provider has a margin of 30% of the price mentioned
in Table 2-5 for the managing enterprise. The resultant value is captured in the current
budget with an overall value as AUD 315 million and an annual budget as AUD 234.5
million for FY 2021. The service provider enterprise wants to have 20% contingency, so
the resultant value is captured as the released budget with an overall value as AUD 252
million and an annual budget as AUD 187.6 million for FY 2021. The project team has to
manage its turnkey project expenses and commitments, which includes labor, material,
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plant and equipment, IT, royalty, and so on within the released budget amounts. If
the availability control is at the annual level, their total expense and commitment is
checked for tolerance against an annual released budget for the respective WBSEs. If the
availability control is at the overall level, their total expense and commitment is checked
for tolerance against overall released budget for the respective WBSEs. Table 2-6 provides
examples of the current overall and annual budget. Table 2-7 provides an example of the
released overall and annual budget for the same project.
Table 2-6. Current Overall and Annual Budget for the Turnkey Project
Project Structure
Current Overall Budget
Amount in AUD
Current Budget Amount
in AUD for FY 2021
C-00001 (concrete volute pumps)
315,000,000.00
234,500,000.00
C-00001.PIPN (piping work)
52,500,000.00
52,500,000.00
C-00001.ELEC (electrical work)
52,500,000.00
35,000,000.00
C-00001.CIVL (civil work)
175,000,000.00
140,000,000.00
C-00001.INST (instrumentation)
35,000,000.00
7,000,000.00
Table 2-7. Released Overall and Annual Budget for the Turnkey Project
Project Structure
Released Overall Budget
Amount in AUD
Released Annual Budget
Amount in AUD for FY 2021
C-00001 (concrete volute pumps)
252,000,000.00
187,600,000.00
C-00001.PIPN (piping work)
42,000,000.00
42,000,000.00
C-00001.ELEC (electrical work)
42,000,000.00
28,000,000.00
C-00001.CIVL (civil work)
140,000,000.00
112,000,000.00
C-00001.INST (instrumentation)
28,000,000.00
5,600,000.00
SAP Project Budgeting Fundamentals
SAP Project budgeting provides the functionalities covered in the following sections.
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Availability Control
The availability control is a mechanism to check if there is budget availability for further
project expense and commitment. The availability control can be configured in the
system to check against released or current budget.
The availability control is initiated by the SAP system at the following places:
1. When actual costs are posted to WBSEs or its network or its
network activity—timesheet transfer to accounting, travel and
expenses, FI journal, Vendor posting, actual overhead, allocation,
assessment and distribution cycles, reposting, activity allocation,
goods receipt and issue, and vendor payment with differences and
settlement from maintenance orders.
2. When commitments are created against WBSEs or their network
or their network activity—purchase requisition, purchase order,
and funds commitment.
3. When orders are created that have a setting to update assigned
values for their respective account assigned WBSEs or their
network or their network activity—network and network activities,
maintenance orders, internal orders, production orders, process
orders, accrual orders, and so on
Availability control by SAP does the following: it checks the value of the transaction
being performed and the remaining budget values of the WBSE and tolerance limit
setting for the project. Based on these parameters, the availability control issues a
warning or error message to the user performing the transaction.
If the budget availability is configured to check against the released budget
(Transaction Code CJ32), then the system will use the posting WBSE or derive the WBSE
associated with the posting network or network activity to check if the transaction
posting will overrun the budget tolerance limit set under the configuration. If the
tolerance limit is violated, the system issues a warning or error depending on the
tolerance limit configuration.
Similarly, if the budget availability is configured to check against the current budget
(Transaction Code CJ30), the system will use the posting WBSE or derive the WBSE
associated with the posting network or network activity to check if the transaction
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posting will overrun the budget tolerance limit set under the configuration. If the
tolerance limit is violated, the system issues a warning or error depending on the
tolerance limit configuration.
For both released and current budget, the availability check can further be
configured to check for an overall or annual budget. The overall budget is the budget
value for all fiscal years put together, whereas the annual budget is the budget value for a
specific fiscal year.
What is the formula that availability control uses to check the remaining budget
value of a WBSE?
•
Remaining Budget Value = WBSE Budget Value* - WBSE
Assigned Value
*WBSE’s Distributable release/current or overall/annual budget value
•
WBSE Assigned Value =
{WBSE and its network** open PR commitment that are not
converted to PO
+
WBSE and its network** open PO commitment (for the open
quantities)
+
WBS’s open network** plan values (excludes open PR/PO value for
PR/PO created via the network** and already posted actual which
were planned via the network **)
+
WBSE actual cost (costs that are already posted directly on WBSE)}
**network and network activity
Table 2-8 shows how assigned values and remaining budget values are computed
for a WBSE.
92
112,000,000.00
➔C-00001.CIVL
(civil work)
10,840,000.00
28,000,000.00
➔C-00001.ELEC
(electrical work)
10000002 Detailed
Planning network for
civil work for AUD
111.5 million – N
42,000,000.00
➔C-00001.PIPN
(piping work)
0.00
187,600,000.00
C-00001 (concrete
volute pumps)
Open PR
Commitment
Assigned Value
Open PO
Open Network Actual
Commitment Plan Values
Posting
10000001 Prem.
planning network
for civil work for
AUD 112 million
Released Annual
Budget Amount in
AUD for FY 2021
Project Structure
Table 2-8. Assigned Values and Remaining Budget Values Computation for Project/WBSE
(continued)
111,500,000(55,000,000+
15,000,000+
10,000,000+
20,000,000+
100,000+560,000)
=10,840,000 =
N-(A+B+C+D+E).
Preliminary planning
network is not
considered for the
assigned values
Comments
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93
94
PR2 of value AUD
16 million (converted
to PO1 of value AUD
15 million and
no service has been
rendered) – B
PR1 (open and not
converted to PO) –A
Project Structure
Released Annual
Budget Amount in
AUD for FY 2021
Table 2-8. (continued)
55,000,000.00
Open PR
Commitment
15,000,000.00
Assigned Value
Open PO
Open Network Actual
Commitment Plan Values
Posting
Network Activity
purchase requisition
(PR) and purchase
order (PO). Although
PR commitment is
for AUD 16m and
the subsequent PO
document is created
for AUD 15m, the latest
value for that piece of
work is AUD 15m
Network activity
purchase
requisition (PR)
Comments
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560,000.00
Other overhead via
costing sheet and
overhead key
planned via network
10000002) – E
(continued)
Design work was
planned as network
internal activity and
T&E was planned as
network general cost
activity
20,000,000.00 Network activity
purchase requisition
(PR) and purchase
order (PO)
100,000.00
10,000,000.00
Other labor
timesheet and
T&E expense
(planned via
network
10000002) – D
PR3 (converted to PO2
of value AUD 30
million
and partial service
(AUD worth 20 million
has been
rendered) –C
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95
96
112,000,000.00
= 112,000,000.00 – 111,800,000.00 = 200,000.00 (200K AUD) for WBSE C-00001.CIVL
5,600,000.00
-------Total by
budget vs. assigned
value-----------
--------Remaining
value for the WBSE
--------------------
➔C-00001.INST
(instrumentation)
111,800,000.00
20,960,000.00
55,000,000.00 25,000,000.00 10,840,000.00
112,000,000.00
---------Total--------
Open PR
Commitment
Assigned Value
Open PO
Open Network Actual
Commitment Plan Values
Posting
300,000.00
Released Annual
Budget Amount in
AUD for FY 2021
Other unplanned
expenses and
overhead allocations
actual postings
performed directly
on the WBSEs
Project Structure
Table 2-8. (continued)
These costs were not
planned and hence
have to be accounted
for, separate from the
network
Comments
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These transactions are useful when working with availability control:
•
CJBN: Transaction to reconstruct availability control for projects
•
CJBW: Transaction to deactivate availability control for projects
Tolerance Control Limit
Availability control by SAP does the following: it checks the value of the transaction being
performed and the remaining budget values of the WBSE and tolerance limit setting for
the project. Based on these parameters, the availability control issues a warning or error
message to the user performing the transaction.
Tolerance limit is used to define the budget availability control tolerance. This
setting allows you to define the kind of system response when the transaction value,
together with the current WBSE’s assigned values, is more than the allocated or
approved budget value for the WBSE. The system response is defined as a percentage
of the budget value and is reported as an error or warning message. The system
response can be defined by excluding certain types of cost (cost elements) and
transaction types. This way, enterprises don’t have to wait if they choose to do
workaround postings on the excluded cost element until the budget supplements or
additional budgets are released or allocated. Figure 2-8 shows the different control
parameters for the tolerance limit.
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Figure 2-8. Tolerance limit control parameters for the project availability
control check
It is better to set the tolerance limit to warning with an email to the person
responsible for those enterprises that do not have a robust planning, budgeting, and
forecasting business processes, so that this does not stop the business process from
proceeding with actual cost posting transactions and does not create temporary blocks
in assembly lines, construction sites, and so on.
Distributable and Distributed Budget
SAP PS uses a hierarchy of WBSE elements that are linked to their superior WBSEs and to
their subordinate WBS elements. While budgets are allocated to a superior WBS element,
it is possible that a full or partial budget amount can be fully or partially distributed to
its subordinate WBS elements, leaving no budget for allocation at the superior WBS
element for direct posting in the case of fully distributed budget or partial budget for
allocation at the superior WBS element level in the case of a partial distributed budget.
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In a fully distributed budget scenario of a superior WBS element, the distributable
budget for further allocation is zero. In the following example, the superior WBS
elements (C.00001 and C.00001.0#) have no distributable budget to further allocate.
The lowest level subordinates (C.00001.0#.0#) have the full budget amount as a
distributable budget. If a budget tolerance limit is set to error at 100%, no actuals and
no commitments or network/activity can be posted or assigned to the superior WBSEs.
Actual postings and commitments/network/activity assignations are possible only to
the lowest WBS elements. Figure 2-9 shows the distributable and distributed budget
values for a fully distributed project budget scenario. The budget value in Figure 2-9 can
be interpreted as overall/annual or current/release budget amounts, depending on the
availability control check system setting for the enterprise.
Figure 2-9. Distributable and distributed budget values for a fully distributed
project budget scenario
In the case of a partially distributed budget scenario of a superior WBS element,
the distributable budget is the residual budget amount available at the superior WBS
element after distributing partial budget amounts to all its subordinate WBS elements.
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In a partially distributed budget scenario of a superior WBS element, the
distributable budget is the difference between the budget amount and minus the
distributed budget amount of the respective WBS element. The distributed amount
is computed by adding the budget values of the subordinate WBSEs. In the following
example, the superior WBS elements (C.00001 and C.00001.0#) have a distributable
budget to further allocate. The lowest-level subordinates (C.00001.0#.0#) have the
full budget amount as a distributable budget. Actual postings and commitments/
network/activity assignments are possible not only to the lowest WBS elements but also
to the superior WBS elements, as all the WBS elements in the project hierarchy have
distributable budgets.
Figure 2-10 shows the distributable and distributed budget values for a partially
distributed project budget scenario. The budget value in Figure 2-10 can be interpreted
as overall/annual or current/release budget amounts, depending on the availability
control check system setting for the enterprise.
Figure 2-10. Distributable and distributed budget values for a partially
distributed project budget scenario
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Budget Updates
In this section, you learn about budget updates—supplements, returns, and transfers
(within projects and from other project scenarios).
Budget Return
The SAP Budget return transaction codes CJ35 and CJ38 allow you to return the budget
and reduce the current budget amount. Budget return can be performed for annual
or overall budgets, depending on where the budget amount was entered—annually or
both (annual and overall)—and on where the availability control check is defined for the
project.
Budget returns can be performed in two ways, as follows.
Budget Return In Project (CJ38)
As the name signifies, this transaction is used to return a budget from a lower level WBSE
to a higher level within the project hierarchy. Budget return is performed bottom-up
in the project, from a lower-level WBS element to the next one level up and so on until
reaching the top-level WBS element. The budget return amount cannot be more than the
remaining budget amount for the respective WBS element in controlling area currency.
The remaining budget amount in controlling area currency = current distributable
budget amount in controlling area currency*(CDB) for the WBSE C.00001.01 – Assigned
Values** (AV-O) for the WBSE C.00001.01 in controlling area currency.
Where
•
Current Budget Value for WBSE C.00001.01 (A) = Original budget +
supplements + transfer in – transfer out – returns for the WBSE
•
Current Budget Value for C.00001.01’s subordinate WBSEs
(C.00001.01.01 and ”.01 .02) (B) = Original budget + supplements +
transfer in – transfer out – returns for the WBSEs
*CDB is the Current Distributable Budget value for WBSE C.00001.01 = A – B
**AV-O is Assigned Values (Optional) and is considered in the formula only if
availability control is activated
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The system determines the remaining amount in the Controlling area and object
currency, including budget line items that were entered in different currencies. The
system compares the returned budget and remaining budget amounts in the controlling
area currency before processing the transaction.
Figures 2-11 and 2-12 show the budget return in a project transaction.
Figure 2-11. Budget return in a project before capturing the budget return
Figure 2-12. Budget return in a project while performing budget return of 200K
for C.00001.02.01 and after performing the total up
Budget Return From Project (CJ35)
Budget return is submitted on a WBS element directly from the project. The hierarchical
distribution of the budget return is performed by the system, unlike the previous
transaction, where it has to be entered by the user. You submit the remaining budget on
a WBS element from the project. The system then updates the returns within the project,
meaning that the total budget is reduced accordingly.
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Figure 2-13 shows the screenshot of the budget return from a project transaction.
Figure 2-13. Budget return from a project
Budget Supplement
If the current budget is not sufficient, it can be increased by creating a budget update
document called a budget supplement. The system enables you to perform budget
supplement in two different ways or with two different transactions.
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Budget Supplement In Project (CJ37)
Budget supplements in project (within projects) are performed top-down, from a higher
level WBS element to the one below it. The budget supplement value on a WBS element
can only be equal to the remaining budget value contained in the higher level.
The remaining budget value is the difference between the distributable and assigned
values, as explained in budget returns. The system determines these values in the
Controlling area currency or object currency and includes budget line items that were
entered in different currencies.
Figures 2-14 and 2-15 show how a 50k supplement formed for WBSE C.00001.01.02
by withdrawing 50K out of 400K distributable budget for WBSE C.00001.01
Figure 2-14. Budget values before performing the budget supplement
Figure 2-15. Budget value while performing the budget supplement with no total
up (total up not to be performed before a save, otherwise it is the scenario of an
external budget)
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Budget Supplement to Project (CJ36)
Budget supplements to projects are performed when there is an external budget boost
or an increase from outside of the project. This is independent of the remaining budget
on the higher level. The system updates the supplemented budget on the WBS hierarchy
bottom up. Figure 2-16 shows a supplement to a project using Transaction Code CJ36.
If more than one currency is used for budgeting, the system always translates a
supplement with the current exchange rate into the controlling area currency or object
currency. If the exchange rate for the supplement is different from what it was when you
entered the original budget, the new current budget is determined using an average rate.
The availability check and negative current budget are always performed using
controlling area currency.
Figure 2-16. Project supplement to a project (CJ36) transaction screen
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Budget Transfer
Budget Transfer enables you to transfer a budget from one surplus project to another
deficit project if it’s being managed under the same management control. Budget
transfer can also be performed from a subtree of a project (Subtree A) that has budget
surplus to another subtree of the same project (Subtree B) that has a budget deficit, as
long as it’s being managed under the same management control.
Prerequisites
•
The currency used for the budget transfer must be permitted by
both the sender and the receiver WBSE if the transfer is happening
between projects or between subtrees of the same project.
•
The sender and the recipient WBSEs cannot belong to the same
subtree. In Figure 2-17, C.00001.01 and C.00001.01.01 or C.00001.02
are of the same subtree, whereas C.00001.01 and C.00001.02 are of
different subtrees.
The subtree for the purpose of budget transfer is a hierarchical tree with the sender
or receiver WBSE as the top node.
Figure 2-17. Project hierarchy with two subtrees—A and B
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Budget transfers can be performed if the WBSE’s status allows the
business transactions shown in Figure 2-18.
Figure 2-18. WBSE status business processes that are linked to budget transfers
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Figure 2-19 shows WBSE status business processes that are linked
to all budget updates.
Figure 2-19. WBSE status business processes that are linked to all budget updates
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The sender WBS elements must have a status that permits one of the
following business transactions.
•
Budget Transfer Sender: If the WBS element has a status that
allows this business transaction, then the WBS element can send
the budget during a transfer.
•
Budget Transfer (Transfer): If the WBS element has a status that
allows this business transaction, then the WBS element can send
and receive budget during a transfer.
The recipient WBS elements must have a status that permits one of
the following business transactions.
•
Budget Transfer Recipient: If the WBS element has a status that
allows this business transaction, the WBS element can receive the
budget during a transfer.
•
Budget Transfer (Transfer): If the WBS element has a status that
allows this business transaction, the WBS element can send and
receive the budget during a transfer.
Procedure
•
The procedure for budget transfer is the same as supplement for a
project or return from a project, except that you specify a sender or
recipient WBS element (or year).
•
The system also maps transfers between objects of lower hierarchy
levels to the objects on higher hierarchy levels.
•
The following actions can be performed using budget transfer:
•
Transfers between different WBS elements in the same year.
•
Transfers between different WBS elements in different years
•
Transfers between different WBS elements at overall/total level
•
Transfers between the same WBS element in different years (also
recourse or carry forward)
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Figure 2-20 shows a budget transfer between different WBSEs of the
same project at an overall level.
Figure 2-20. Budget transfer between different WBSEs of the same project at
overall level
•
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If budgeting is performed using object currency, the system only
includes budget line items in the relevant object currency for the
entered budget amount. Transfers performed in other currencies
are not displayed as entered values in objects from higher hierarchy
levels. The system includes all budget items in the current budget.
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The following budget values are entered in a project structure plan with two subtrees
with different object currencies.
You now make a transfer between two WBS elements of the lowest hierarchy level—
AUD 130K from WBS element C.00001.01.01 to WBS element C.00001.02.01.
The WBS elements C.00001.01 and C.00001.02 have the object currency USD. The
transferred AUD 130k is displayed in the line item report. The entered value of WBS
element C.00001.01 is still 1M USD and the entered value of WBS element C.00001.02 is
still 2M USD, as the system only includes budget items entered in USD.
The budget values in the project structure are shown in Figures 2-21 and 2-22.
Figure 2-21 shows the project before the budget transfer and Figure 2-22 shows the
project after the budget transfer.
Figure 2-21. Budget values in a project structure with two subtrees and different
object currencies before a budget transfer is performed. Exchange rate is AUD/
USD =0.75
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Figure 2-22. Budget values in a project structure with two subtrees and with
different object currencies after a budget transfer (different exchange rate at the
time of transfer AUD/USD = 0.78)
•
To display the budget line items for a WBS element, use transaction
code CJI8.
Year End Budget Carry Forward
The budget carry forward feature enables you to carry forward unused budget from a
project to the next fiscal year. Budget carried forward to the next year can also be posted
to the previous year in certain circumstances.
The unused carry forward budget is defined as the difference between the
current budget and the incurred actual costs. It does not include commitments and
planned cost.
The unused budget for a WBS element is calculated as follows:
Annual budget - Distributed value - Actual costs
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The actual costs comprise the cost of the budget-bearing WBS element, and the
actual costs of all the assigned orders, networks, and network activities, plus the actual
costs for WBS elements subordinate to it without the budget. However, actual costs
determined in this way are only included if the amount is greater than zero.
Revenues and commitments are not included in the calculation. Unlike availability
control, the planned costs for apportioned orders and networks are not included in
the carry forward calculation either. Credits from settlements are only included if the
relevant WBS element (or order, network, or network activity) was settled to another
order, WBS element, network, or network activity (elimination of internal business).
The system includes actual costs for exempt cost elements (which are defined in
customizing for availability control), if you choose activation type 1 (automatic activation
for budget allocation),or 2 (background activation) in the budget profile.
If the calculated value is negative, the program checks whether there has already
been a carry forward run. If so, it carries the existing carry forward amount back to
the previous year (same amount as the calculated value). This means that only the
budget already carried forward is retrieved. Newly allocated budget amounts cannot be
transferred in this way, so “true” negative budget carry forwards are not possible.
Prerequisites
Commitments
Commitments are not taken into account when the unused budget is calculated.
Therefore carry forward commitment is needed before carry forward of unused
budget is performed. Commitment carry forward can be performed from the following
navigation path:
Logistics or Accounting ➤ Project System ➤ Financials ➤ Year-End Closing ➤ CJCF
➤ Carry Forward Commitment
Selection Variant and Carry Forward Re-Run
As part of the year end close, unused budgets are carried forward generally by project or
project interval. To do this, selection variants are required. Selection variants are used to
specify which projects are to be selected and included in the carry forward run.
If unused budget carry forward is performed more than once because the
corresponding WBS elements were locked, each time budgets are carried forward, only
the unused budget that was not included in the previous runs is considered.
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If for some reason after a carry forward is performed, the follow-up actual postings
were posted in the current year, the system posts back the budget that was carried
forward to the next year, when the carry forward was re-run.
WBSE Status that Allow Carry Forward
Budget carry forward can be performed when the WBSE status is created, released, or
technically completed. Budget carry forward is not possible for closed WBSs or those
that have a deletion flag.
Availability Control Check and Negative Carry Forward
Carry forward cannot be performed for negative unused budget into the following year.
There is no availability control during a budget carry forward.
Budget Carry Forward Currencies
The budget is carried forward on the basis of the values in the controlling area currency
(provided that it is the budgeting currency in the budget profile or that a freely defined
transaction currency is permitted as the budgeting currency and the Object Currency as
Default indicator is not set).
The budget is carried forward on the basis of the values in the object currency
(provided that it is the budgeting currency in the budget profile or that a freely defined
transaction currency is permitted as the budgeting currency and the object currency as
default indicator is set).
The system also carries forward budget-line items that were entered in different
currencies.
Transaction CJCO: Budget Carry Forward
Transaction CJCO is used to carry unused budget from a closed fiscal year forward to
the next year. Carry budget forward can be performed more than one at a time. Each run
carries forward the differences between this run and the last.
Projects are selected using the logical database in the Project System. Dynamic
selections can be used to limit the selection criteria as appropriate. For technical
reasons, the database profile is prescribed and cannot be changed.
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Output:
If the program finds errors, it displays an error log. No values are carried forward for
WBS elements with errors.
The program can also display a detailed list, showing the following for each WBS
element with a budget (in the sender or receiver year):
1. Carry forward
2. Budget
3. Distributed budget
4. Calculated actual value
5. Amounts already carried forward to the receiver year
Example:
Table 2-9 shows the values entered for a WBS element.
Table 2-9. Budget Carry Forward for WBSE Working Example
Date
Actions Performed
Amount in USD
01.08.2020
Original annual budget for WBSE A (2020)
1250.00
31.08.2020
Actual posted on WBSE A
200.00
31.08.2020
Distributed budget to lower WBSE A.1
500.00
01.09.2020
Annual budget carry forward from 2020 to 2021 for WBSE A
250.00
01.09.2020
Current annual budget for WBSE A (2020)
available budget
1000.00
300.00
30.09.2020
Actual posted on assigned plant maintenance order – account
assigned to WBSE A
400.00
30.09.2020
Perform carry forward budget again from 2020 to 2021 for
WBSE A
-100.00
After the carry forward of budget from 2020 to 2021 performed on 30.09.2020, the
following are the budget values for WBSE A:
•
Current budget in 2020 for WBSE A = 1100 USD
•
Available budget for WBSE A in 2020 = 0 USD
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Current budget in 2021 for WBSE A = 150 USD
•
Available budget for WBSE A in 2021 = 150 USD (250-100 USD)
Useful Transactions in Budgeting
•
CJBN: Transaction to Reconstruct Availability Control for Projects
•
CJBW: Transaction to Deactivate Availability Control for Projects
•
CJBV: Transaction to Activate Availability Control for Projects
•
CJ30/31: Original Budget – Change/Display
•
CJ32/33: Release Budget - Change/Display
•
CJ35/38: Budget Return – From Project/In Project
•
CJ36/37: Budget Supplement – To Project/In Project
•
CJ34: Budget Transfer
•
CJI8: Budget Line Items
•
CJ3B: Display Budget Document
•
S_ALR_87013558: Budget/Actual/Commitment/Rem Plan/Assigned
•
S_ALR_87013557: Budget/Actual/Variance
•
S_ALR_87013559: Budget/Distributed/Plan/Distributed
•
S_ALR_87013561: Availability Control
•
S_ALR_87013560: Budget Updates
Project Variation Management
Project variation is a common concept in project management. It is considered one of
the major uncertainties that project managers need to monitor and deal with. Project
variations are used to capture external and internal variations related to scope, time,
cost, and quality.
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Project external variation can be due to a change in scope or design initiated by the
client/customer or by the vendor/service provider. Project internal variation can be due
to inadequate or incorrect detailing of the site condition or due to incorrect design or
quality issues. This requires additional effort and duration (time), resources (labor and
material), change in performance levels (quality), and cost (monetary value).
In SAP PS, the claim management process supports project variation management.
The following business process can be adopted to capture internal and external variation
claims, as shown in Figure 2-23.
Figure 2-23. Project variation process for internal and external variation/change
Figure 2-24 shows the information captured in project variation at the time of
creation of an external claim. The figure shows the different tabs, such as Subject,
Assignment, Costs, Tasks, Activities, and Document Management System (DMS).
Refer to the “Subject” tab, which provides details such as the name/description of the
variation, the cause/reason for the variation, subject, priority, and dates.
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Figure 2-24. Project variation, Subject tab
Figure 2-25 shows the assignment details, assignment of the variation to a project/
WBSE in the case of internal and external variations, and sales document/client PO
number reference, in the case of client/customer relevant external claims. It also
provides the ability to capture a purchasing document, if it is a claim raised against a
vendor/service provider. You can also capture useful information such as the responsible
person and the coordinator of the claim. Claim also allows you to capture contact
information (client/customer/vendor/service provider contact person information).
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Figure 2-25. Project variation, Assignment tab
Figure 2-26 shows the cost estimate for the project variation. On this tab, the cost
estimate relevant to the project variation is captured in the form of labor, service,
material, and variable items. An external claim for an information technology project is
raised when additional scope is requested to be delivered.
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Figure 2-26. Project Variation. Costs tab
Tasks that are required to be performed are captured on the Task tab. A task allows
you to plan the cooperation of various persons during the variation process and ensures
that the activities connected to the task are completed within a given timeframe. And
the activities associated with the task are captured in the Activities tab. The task receives
a status depending on its degree of completion. Changes to project variation are
documented in the action log. You can use the action log to track:
•
Which data or statuses were changed for selected fields
•
Who made the changes
•
When the changes were made
Any relevant document can be attached to the Document Management System (DMS)
tab for future reference.
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Project RAG Status Commentary
SAP PS provides the ability to capture textual comment in the form of name, description,
long text, PS text, and documents via the Document Management System (DMS) at
the master data (portfolio, bucket, initiative, item, PS Project or cProject, and so on). It
can also do this when the transaction data (sales document, variation, estimate, plan,
budget, forecast, and so on) are created in PPM and PS.
Textual comments are used to record the following:
1. Business rationale for the project attribute change
2. Business reason for a value or date or document entered
(variation – scope or internal)
3. To provide a quick status summary of a topic or heading based on
key figures, such as actual vs. budget or plan, actual vs. plan dates,
actual vs. plan effort and quantities, risk, issues and change/
variation management, and so on.
SAP PPM and CPM provide other capabilities to automatically determine Red,
Amber, and Green (RAG) traffic light status on topics such as financials, schedules, and
resources (staffing) as part of PPM Dashboard and CPM Project Workspace. This is also
part of the individual object header overview (refer to SPRO ➤ Define Object Header
and Portfolio Structure Graphic Attributes).
SAP BI provides a commentary application solution that works based on BW reports
and the comments can be captured at different levels, such as BW report, key figures, or
detail/line level. This solution also has different roles such as reader, editor, reviewer,
period admin, and administrator, and it uses standard authorization. This solution can
be period based and it also has workflow, comment status (new, release and approved),
change log, commentary templates, and formatting (to enhance and highlight key items
among other) capabilities. Use the following link or keywords to search the SAP BI BO
commentary solution or the SAP BI commentary application. Link
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The following commentary management solution was put in place in one of the
major Australian public sector enterprise to overcome solution complexity challenges.
The enterprise had simple business requirements but wanted to rapidly prototype a
solution in SAP so that their enterprise-wide SAP portfolio and project management was
not being compromised to other discrete (not enterprise-wide) Excel-based tools.
This enterprise had the following requirements:
1. To capture commentary at the project, item, initiative, bucket, and
portfolio level, based on five main headings that can be different
for different objects.
2. To capture Red Amber Green (RAG) traffic based on the
user’s decision.
3. Solution to be period based so that comments entered for each
period can be compared with the previous or past period.
4. Report should automatically show latest comments based
on the time line reference selected and this will allow project
managers not to repeat commentary if there are no changes to the
commentary for a particular topic or heading.
5. Operation report for reviewing and amending the
commentary captured.
6. BW report with all key figures included for c-level reporting.
7. Period locking or roll over of period by company code.
8. Standard authorization and roles.
9. Ability to review previous comments before capturing the current
period’s comment.
10. Ease of use, mass upload, and reporting.
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In addition to this, other enterprises wanted the following:
1. Automatically determine RAG status based on risk, issues,
change/variations, and key figures such as baseline plan, budget,
actual, forecast quantity (staff and other metrics), and value
(monetary value).
2. Automatic aggregation of comments from project/item, initiative,
bucket hierarchy, and portfolio.
3. Status management for the commentary review and approval
(new, for review, approved, and approved with revision).
4. Workflow approval based on the status of the RAG commentary
for the different objects.
5. This concept to be invoked in other screens where master data
changes are being invoked, variations documented, risk and
issues are documented, forecasts are being performed, and so on
for any other forms of commentary solution other than RAG status
reporting.
The solution shown in Figure 2-27 uses a standard text solution—the text type and
text ID and a screen module pool enhancement to capture commentary and RAG status.
Screen enhancement uses standard function modules such as READ_TEXT and WRITE_
TEXT to address business needs.
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Figure 2-27. Wireframe of project commentary management solution for RAG
status reporting
Project Risk, Issue, and Change Request Registers
In this section, you learn about risks, issues, and change requests. You also learn how
these three components are interconnected and how they can be captured in SAP
EPPM. Figure 2-28 illustrates the relationship between the three components at a high
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level before proceeding to discuss each topic. Figure 2-28 shows that, during the project
lifecycle, risks that are identified can end up as project issues if the risk mitigation is not
possible. This is when risks can eventuate to project issues.
Figure 2-28. Project risk, issue, and change management lifecycle
There are multiple scenarios for project issues:
•
There are many instances when project issues are identified for
which there is no risk captured in the system.
•
It is also possible that one risk can lead to multiple issues or multiple
risks can lead to one issue.
Similarly, during the issue management lifecycle, resolution of the project issue
could involve additional work or scope increase for the project team or for external
stakeholders such as the client or service provider or another interdependent project.
All the business scenarios are covered in SAP CPM’s Project Risk Management and
Project Issue and Change Management submodules within SAP EPPM.
Project Risk Management is used to address risks that occur in the area of
project management. The risk management application of SAP Commercial Project
Management allows you to identify, analyze, and respond to risks across the lifecycle
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of a project, contributing to the final goal of achieving project objectives. Project Risk
Management allows you to create, edit, analyze, and review system entries of risks on the
Risk Register screen.
Risk Matrix is used to analyze the details of the impact and probability of risks within
a master project. While creating and defining a risk impact, define impact-specific
values. For instance, when the cost impact is greater than 5%, the impact is considered as
a high impact. The matrix reflects the number of risks corresponding to a specific impact
and probability. Figure 2-29 shows the Risk Impact and Probability Matrix in SAP CPM.
Figure 2-29. Risk Impact and Probability Matrix in SAP CPM
Project Issues and Change Management (PICM) is used to identify project issues
and to evaluate and prioritize based on priority, delay (work, duration, dependency with
other activities), estimated monetary value, impact to the overall project scope, quality,
safety, and environmental impact. In SAP CPM, issues have to be tagged to a master
project irrespective of where the issues are created. SAP CPM’s PICM allows you to
identify responsible persons and other relevant business partners for these issues.
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It also allows you to create activities to these assigned partners, so that next steps
related to the issue can be progressed. Based on the progress and status update of these
activities, more accurate details can be obtained for informed decision making.
The lifecycle of project issues is managed using the issue status and progress
made on the various activities linked to it. During the Issue Management lifecycle, if
it is decided to create a change (variation) request to overcome the issue (defect, bug,
quality, safety, environment issue, and so on), a similar process to identify, document,
evaluate, and prioritize the change request will be performed in the SAP CPM PICM
submodule. For a project change request, financial planning can be used to capture the
details of the change request in the form of alternative cost estimates. The same can be
transferred to the operational project for further execution.
Figure 2-30 shows the features and functionalities available in the SAP CPM PICM
submodule and its integration with project cost and revenue planning.
Figure 2-30. Features and functionalities in SAP CPM PICM
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Figure 2-31 shows the SAP app tile for a Project Issue and Change Request.
Figure 2-31. SAP Fiori app tile for SAP CPM (including PICM)
Figure 2-32 shows the graphical representation of the project issue and change
request and its underlying data.
Figure 2-32. PICM graphical presentation and tabular view
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Figures 2-33 and 2-34 show the project issue and change request detail screens.
Figure 2-33. Reporting a project issue via PICM
Figure 2-34. Project change request detailed view
Check out this useful link about the commercial project management issue and
change request by a good friend, Ramandeep Goyal (SAP): Link
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Project Procurement and Project Execution
When easy cost planning is used for planning costs in a project/WBS/network activity,
execution services can be used to trigger the following subsequent processes:
•
Purchase requisitions
•
Purchase orders
•
Reservations
•
Goods issues
•
Backflush confirmations
•
Internal activity allocation with or without a workflow
To initiate these activities, the system utilizes the planned cost estimate data created
as part of easy cost planning. Execution services leverage application components such
as Purchasing (MM-PUR), Inventory Management (MM-IM), Cost Center Accounting
(CO-OM-CCA), Activity-Based Costing (CO-OM-ABC), and SAP Business Workflow.
P
rerequisites
Execution services work only in the leading CO version when alternate ECP versions
have been configured. Figure 2-35 shows a chevron diagram of baseline planning to
change request to execution service.
Figure 2-35. Process flow diagram from baseline planning to change request to
execution service
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Choose the leading ECP CO version to perform the execution services and then
choose Show Execution Screen. The execution services screen is shown in Figure 2-36.
Figure 2-36. Execution service screen in Project Builder
Different actions of “execution services,” such as the following, are offered and are
possible for the object planned:
•
Reservation
•
Purchase Requisition
•
Purchase Order
•
Goods Issue
•
Backflush confirmation
Before selecting an execution service, it is possible to obtain an overview of all the
existing purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and so on for the costing items that have
been created through the Execution Service. Click the costing item in the Costing
.
Structure screen area and choose document flow button
The items relevant to the execution service should be selected to the trigger
execution service. You can also change the items by entering a different quantity (if
needed).
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By using document overview button , you can also display a document overview
for the execution service and the object in question, enabling you to avoid a double
posting.
Once a posting is made using the execution service in the system, choose refresh
in the document overview to display the document posted.
button
Network Planning and Execution
Network planning allows you to plan activities, activity elements, and material
components based on the dates, relationships, and constraints provided. These
scheduled dates can be used for executing the following:
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•
Timesheet (CAT2 for Timesheet; CATSXT for Service Provider
Timesheet; CATS_APPR_LITE - Approve Working Times; CAT5 –
Timesheet Transfer to PS; CATM – Timesheet Transfer to MM-SRV
External Service; CATA – Timesheet Transfer to all Components
including HR)
•
Activity Confirmation (CJ20n – To perform activity confirmation and
WBSE confirmation of Dates, CN25 – Activity Confirmation, CN29 –
Reverse or Cancel, CN28 – Display Confirmation)
•
Activity Allocation (KB21n – Controlling Activity Allocation of cost)
•
Reservation (CJ20n – To create a reservation; MR21/22/23 – Create,
Change, and Display Reservation)
•
Purchase Requisition (CJ20n – To create a purchase requisition;
ME51n/52n/53n – Create, Change and Display of Purchase
Requisition)
•
Purchase Order (ME21n/22n/23n – Create, Change, and Display
Purchase Order)
•
Goods Receipt (MIRO – Good Receipt)
•
Goods Issue (MIRO – Goods Issue)
•
Service Entry (ML81n/82n/83n – Create, Change, and Display service
entry sheet)
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•
Service Acceptance (ML82n/83N – Enter and Display Service
Acceptance)
•
Invoice Verification (MIRO – Invoice Verification)
•
Material Movement (MB1B – Transfer Posting; MB1A- Goods Issue;
MB1C – Goods Receipt)
Note Some of these transactions may not be available in the latest version of
S/4 HANA.
All network planning and other execution activities can be integrated with other
applications such Material Management (MM), Material Management – External Service
(MM-­SRV), Human Resource (HR), Cross Application Timesheet (CATS), Controlling
(Activity Allocation and Controlling Documents), and Finance (FI Accounting
Document, Profit Center Document and Asset Accounting Document).
Project Resource Planning
Project resourcing allows you to perform workforce planning and any other capacity
leveling within SAP PS. Workforce planning, capacity leveling and scheduling are
performed multiple times (iteratively) along with forecast updates by scheduler, project
manager and resource managers, in order to finalise the project forecast, so that new
requests and demands can be created or updated for the forcasted future period/s.
Within SAP EPPM, SAP Project Systems and Project Management (PPM Project)
provide two different ways of performing project resource and workforce planning.
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In SAP PS, when an internal activity is created and updated with details such as
work, workcenter, and execution factor, capacity requirements are generated based
on the network profile setting and workcenter settings. Figure 2-37 shows an internal
network activity, where work and workcenter information has been captured by the user.
The other information are the default values from the network profile. When the project
is saved, it creates capacity requirements.
Figure 2-37. Project internal activity entry screen with workcenter and
effort details
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Figure 2-38 shows the network profile settings that generate capacity requirements
when the network is saved.
Figure 2-38. Network profile with flag switched on to generate capacity
requirements at save
Figure 2-39 shows the workcenter setting related to the capacity and its link to
HR. Using the HRMS link, people can be assigned to the workcenter capacity or to the
workcenter. The figure shows the assignment of persons to the labor capacity.
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Figure 2-39. Workcenter capacity header and assignment to HRMS details
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These requested capacities or demands can be evaluated and planned or leveled
using the project planning board. Leveling would allow peaks and troughs to be
ironed out, so that demand is not more than the available capacity for the planning
horizon. Due to project specific requirements, if the demand cannot be redistributed,
then additional capacities have to be hired or transferred from other workcenters/
departments, if possible. The capacity leveling functionality can be performed not only
for human resources but also for other plant and equipment capacities.
In the case of human resources, project assignments can be performed at network
activities by performing the person assignment and defining the required qualifications
and capacity category to which the required qualification applies. Figure 2-40 shows the
qualification for the internal network activity has been defined for the labor capacity
category.
Figure 2-40. Required qualification details for the network internal activity
Once requirements are generated if the workcenter has labor capacity assigned,
then the Person Assignment tab appears so that the project manager or project lead
can perform a person assignment in the network activity. Figure 2-41 shows a person
assignment at network activity, where persons from the workcenter can be listed
and selected to perform work on this network activity. If other personnel from other
workcenters or workplace are required, the “Only from w/p” flag has to be ticked in order
to select personnel from other workplaces.
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Figure 2-41. Person assignment at network activity
If a project manager or workcenter manager wants to perform workforce planning
for a list of projects and networks or using a list of workcenters they are responsible for,
it can be performed using workforce planning. Workforce planning allows the project
manager and workcenter manager to plan within a planning horizon. Figure 2-42 shows
the workforce planning profile, which provides details such as planning periods, how
information should be displayed, and exceptions for work distribution and resource
load. It also determines if resources can be assigned from other workplaces.
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Figure 2-42. Workforce planning profile for project and project management
workcenter categories
Figure 2-43 shows workforce planning being performed at the project or
network level.
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Figure 2-43. Project view of workforce planning and person assignment by
ranking individuals
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Figure 2-44 shows a screenshot of workforce planning performed at the workcenter
level. In the figure, the workcenter manager can look at all the capacity requirements or
demands for their workcenter. Then, based on the person assigned to the workcenter,
they will try to fulfill the demand. If that’s not possible, they can search for personnel
assigned to other HR organizational units.
Figure 2-44. Workcenter view of workforce planning
For professional service companies that perform workforce planning and fulfilment
with the help of a resource management team, the PPM Project Management solution
(cProjects) will suit them better. Figure 2-45 shows the process flow associated with
the resource request and its fulfilment. Once the project is set up in PPM Project
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Management with all its details such phases and tasks, the project role and its details
such as required qualification, effort or work, and start and end date will be captured
by the project manager. These resource requests will now be available to the resource
manager once endorsed and approved by the project manager. The resource manager
can perform resource searches and the system proposes suitable resources for the role
based on the required qualification. The resource manager can then initiate staffing
processes for the suitable process resources. Staffing processes include soft booking or
hard booking. Soft booking allows project managers and resource managers to book a
resource until a final decision from the client or client project manager is received. Once
confirmation from the client is received, the resource is hard-booked or staffed to the
project task and role. The resource request can be closed and the project resource can
start booking the time to the project task or role.
Figure 2-45. Workforce planning process flow for professional service industry
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Figure 2-46 shows the PPM project definition and its delivery phase details.
Figure 2-46. PPM project definition and its phases
Figure 2-47 shows the PPM Project Role with details such as dates, work (total
demand, soft booked component, hard booked component, and confirmations so far),
and a description of the role.
Figure 2-47. PPM project role detailed view
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Figure 2-48 shows details of the project role’s qualification requirement, which can
be picked from the HR qualification catalog. A resource search will be performed by the
resource manager using this role’s qualification profile.
Figure 2-48. Required qualification for the project manager role
Figure 2-49 shows the staffing performed for a project role. This figure shows the
total demand for the project manager role and how the demand has been fulfilled by the
project manager resource (Julian) over a period of the role (Sep to Dec, 2022).
Figure 2-49. Staffing overview: project manager role staffing details
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Figure 2-50 shows the detailed view of the project role once staffing is completed.
The project manager still has the opportunity to indicate that the resource is soft booked
until confirmation is received from the client side. The resource Julian has 512 hours
of availability as against the project effort requirement of 200 hours during the same
period. Julian still has a remaining availability of 312 hours during this period, which can
be allocated to another project by the resource manager.
Figure 2-50. Project role detailed view after staffing is completed
P
roject Billing
In this section of this chapter, you learn about the different project billing methods,
depending on the charging model. You also learn about intercompany billing (to bill
goods and services provided to other companies within your enterprise).
Project billing can be categorized into the following groups.
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Progress or Milestone Based Billing
Project milestones can be invoiced to the client or customer depending on the
percentage of completion (POC) of the milestone accomplished using milestone
billing. This type of billing is used in construction, professional services (IT, engineering
consultancy, and so on), and turnkey projects.
Milestones for a piping-related construction project can be site mobilization,
delivery of pumps/pipes/valves, construction of pumping station, erection of pipe in
Zone1 (canal to pumping station) and Zone 2 (pumping station to smelter plant), final
pressure testing, and handover. These milestones can be captured as WBS elements
or activity milestones. If these are captured as activity milestones, with the change in
schedule, the milestone dates also get changed without the need to manually update
them. These milestones can be cross-referenced in the sales document and therefore
inherit the invoicing percentage from the project milestone.
Depending on how the sales document has been created, one line item for
each milestone or one line item for different actual percentage of completion of
the respective milestone, the invoice percentage value will differ. In the case of the
latter, the invoice percentage will always be 100%; this model is used for construction
projects that have flexibility in the milestone or progress based billing. Sometimes
partial billing can be negotiated with the client based on the progress achieved so
far, which would necessitate splitting of the current milestone, so that current actual
progress (POC) can be invoiced for an amount that corresponds to the progress
achieved for the billing milestone.
For example, Erection of pipe (Zone 1 and 2: total of 10 KM) is one the billing
milestones with a value of 20 million AUD. Current progress as of 31st Jan 2021 is 4
KM. Milestone billing was agreed to be performed previously at 5 KM (10 million AUD)
and 10 KM (10 million USD). Based on the negotiated milestone billing plan, it has been
agreed to have milestone billing performed at 4 KM (8 million AUD), 8 KM (8 million
AUD), and 10 KM (4 million USD). Corresponding updates have to be performed to
the sales document and milestone to initiate partial billing on the milestone achieved
so far. Once the project WBSE or network activity milestone reaches the desired actual
completion (Actual POC), it can be confirmed in SAP PS. This then removes the billing
block for the sale document line item, thereby allowing this item to be picked in the
billing due list to be processed by the central billing team or the respective billing team
within your business unit.
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In SAP SD and PS, the invoice percentage holds two decimals, so it is prudent to
choose the latter approach, where the invoice percentage is 100 and the invoice amount
is entered based on the following billing schedule. If the down payment process is not
applicable, there is more control in billing the correct invoice amount.
Figure 2-51 shows the original milestone billing plan and the revised milestone
billing plan due to in situ condition changes and progress made so far.
Figure 2-51. Original and revised milestone billing plan due to in situ
condition changes
Resource Related Billing (RRB)
Another important billing method is resource related billing. It is used for billing based
on work performed by the actual resource (human resource) working in your project.
This billing method is used to recover cost (cost transfer) or bill with margin (cost plus
margin). You can also bill based on rate card for services, time, output, outcome, value
created, time, expense, and associated materials delivered. It’s also provided as part
of information technology (IT), media, other consultancy services (legal, engineering,
architectural, and so on), business process outsourcing (BPO), and professional service
work or projects.
Key characteristics are captured while human resources work in the project. Work
here refers to timesheets (time recording), travel, and expenses, statistical key figures,
material receipts, service confirmations, activity confirmations, cost allocation, and
finance journals. Key characteristics are cost elements, activity types, materials, and
statistical key figure. SAP PS has a dynamic line item processing capability, based on
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which these key characteristics can be summarized, grouped, and represented as
billable or cost transfer or cost plus item in a sales document called a billing request (it
is a sales order). This sales document has the ability to pick different billing rates based
on volume, location, billing dates, customer, service, resource type, material, expense
type, and so on.
SAP provides expenditure and sales price view to postpone, block, and allow items
to be further processed for billing. As the name denotes, the expenditure view shows
costs associated with the work performed in a structure similar to the billing request line
item with quantities, cost rates, and values for each of the postings lines when further
expanded. In the sale price, billing information, sales material determined to be shown
in the billing request, summarized quantities, billing rate, conditions applicable to the
service or material delivered are shown with a structure that of the billing request. These
billing documents can be edited using the billing request editor to update with regard to
quantity and price being billed. Additional items can be added or created on the billing
request. Additional texts can be maintained and billable items can still be moved back to
Work In Progress for later billing if it is not clear.
Similar to the billing to the end customer, the dynamic line item processing uses
additional details to identify intercompany posting (plan and actual) like the cost center
associated with the employee or resource type (activity type) of time recording and
expense. The system compare the company code linked to the resource cost centre and
the company code of the receiver WBSE or network activity and identifies intercompany
posting. These posting lines are then picked for intercompany billing by the respective
resources’ cost center organization. The customer is the company code of the project
WBSE or network activity who is receiving the services.
Resource Related Dynamic Item Processor is a functionality that is used for billing
but can also be used for the purpose of creating quotations for any future work. In
this case, the plan or estimation that was prepared to deliver the goods and services
is used by the dynamic line item processor to create line items in the quotation.
Most enterprises keep the information in the quotation (number of line items in the
quotation) to a high level (preferably single digit) so that not too much information
is shared, but at the same time relevant details that customers will be looking for
are shared.
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Figure 2-52 shows the configuration related to the Dynamic Line Item Processor (DIP
profile) that’s used for the purpose of converting actual or planned posting details or
characteristics such as activity type, cost element, material, service master, statistical key
figure, or object (WBSE or network activity), where the actual or planning has happened
into billable lines in the billing request. The details are summarized and shown as line
items in the billing request using DIP parameters like relevant characteristics, material
determination, and structuring.
Figure 2-52. Dynamic line item processor (DIP profile)
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P
eriodic Billing
Projects that involve annual maintenance contracts where periodic billing is required
can be accomplished by using SAP SD contracts with a billing plan referencing the
SAP PS WBS element. In this scenario, the project billing is expected to happen on
a periodic basis—weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually—with a requirement to
have billing performed on a particular day of the month for a defined cycle start and
end date.
Depending on the sales material captured in the contract and the contract document
type, an item category is determined. This item category determines if a billing plan is
relevant and if it’s allowed, what the billing plan type is, the date category, and the billing
rule to be used in the billing plan. Figure 2-53 shows the control parameter for periodic-,
progress-, and delivery-based billing.
In the case of periodic billing, the system will determine the billing date based on
the billing plan and date category. It will allow the billing block to be removed when
the billing date is in the past. The central billing team or your respective business
unit billing team can process the billing due list so that the end customer is billed
for the service delivered between the start and end date of the period. The billed
amount will be an equal installment of the total contract line item amount for the
contract period.
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Figure 2-53. Control parameter for periodic-, progress-, and delivery-based billing
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Project Delivery-Based Billing
In industries like aerospace, shipbuilding, heavy machinery such as pumps,
turbines, elevators, defense equipment, boilers, energy sector equipment, and so
on, engineer-to-­order (ETO) scenarios are common. Product enterprise provides the
engineering capability and the customer works with the product enterprise on the
design, manufacturing, and assembly of the product. When the project work starts,
the product enterprise is provided with high-level requirements, which the product
enterprise picks as the base. They then work out the details based on norms and
standards to come up with a design specification that is agreeable to the customer.
There is a considerable amount of engineering that goes into the process before the
design is finalized.
In the process flow diagram shown in Figure 2-54, you can see that the quotation
(proposal) put forward by the product company has been accepted by the customer.
Based on the acceptance, the sales order is created for the engineering and design work
and erection and commissioning work. These parts of the project, where the specialists
are involved, are being charged to the customer based on milestone billing. The finalized
engineering product will be billed based on the project delivery once the in-house
production and assembly is completed and delivered from the project.
In the following example, once the vertical turbine (VT) pump manufacturing
company receives a project order from the public sector power corporation, a project is
created with a detailed project WBS and network activities related to engineering design,
production, assembly, erection, commissioning, performance testing, and handover to
the client. The sales team will work with the customer to agree on the billing milestone
for the ETO project work. Based on the agreed billing schedule, a down payment request
will be sent to the customer, in this case 10% of the project value. This down payment
will be progressively adjusted when future milestone and project delivery-based billing
are performed.
In the meantime, the project manager and coordinator will progress the engineering
and design so that production can start as early as possible. The product to be delivered
to the customer is added to the project as a material component so as to plan long
lead time items from vendors and in-house production. For better planning and
design, the finished product VT pump’s Bill of Material (BoM) will be created as a WBS
element Bill of Material (BoM). Based on the evolving BoM, preliminary procurement
planning activities such as purchase requisitions and reservations for in-house
material components for long lead items will be initiated by the project or procurement
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coordinator. In ETO scenarios, vendors, production planners, and procurement
coordinators collaborate to finalize the engineering and design. In this case, the VT
pump manufacturing company, along with its vendors, will engineer and design the
various aspects of the VT pump, such as water head, water salinity, water quality,
metallurgy, controls, and so on, to finalize the production version of the BoM. Once
the engineering design is finalized, based on the milestone confirmation, progress or
milestone-based billing will be performed, as detailed earlier in this chapter. Design
finalization would trigger release of the production phase WBS element (WBSE) and
closure of the design phase WBSE. Once the production phase has commenced, the
latest version of the Bill of Material and its specifications will be converted to the final
production version.
This final production version is used as the basis for procurement and in-house
production. All the advance procurement planning activities, such as purchase
requisition, will be converted to purchase orders and reservations into planned order
and then to production order. Store managers will receive long lead time items and
other semi-finished goods into the project stock and other raw materials into the plant
stock for consumption. These material components are issued to the production order’s
reservations by the store manager based on the production plan. Once finished and
all the goods and operations related to the VT pumps have been issued, performed,
and assembled, the final product (VT pump) can be confirmed against the original
reservation. The final product is now available under the project stock to be delivered
from the project. The project coordinator will perform the delivery from the project,
which the store or shipping manager will take as reference for delivery information
purposes and then perform picking, packing, and post goods issue. The cost of goods
sold will be posted to the SAP PS project WBSE or network activity. This outbound
project delivery document will be used to invoice the customer.
Other project activities and milestones (related to goods receipt at the customer’s
construction site, erection, commissioning, performance testing, and handover)
will be captured as activity confirmation, time recording, and milestone actual date
confirmation. Progress related milestones will be used for the purpose of reporting
and other billing milestones will be used for the purpose of milestone based billing.
The project phases WBSE—such as engineering and design, production, erection,
commissioning and performance testing, and handover—will be progressively released
and then closed as work progresses from one phase to another, until project closure.
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Note: In the case of complex ETO projects where delivery of the semi-finished
assemblies happen to the construction site for erection and commissioning and in some
cases to other client’s vendor location for further assembly and fabrication, the delivery
information is captured by the project coordinator at various levels of the project
hierarchy. The most specific delivery information is picked by the system while creating
delivery from the project. If the delivery information is different at different levels of
the project hierarchy, multiple delivery documents are created based on the delivery
information held at the subordinate object level for the respective material components,
when delivery from the project is performed at a higher-level object of the project
hierarchy.
Figure 2-54 shows the delivered-based billing for an engineer-to-order scenario.
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Figure 2-54. Delivered based billing for an engineer-to-order scenario
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There are other forms of delivery-based billing that are adopted using SAP PS for the
purpose of an assembly-to-order (ATO) scenario. Assembly-to-order is used by product
manufacturing enterprises to deliver finished products by assembling subassemblies or
variants. Assembly-to-order business processes are adopted when there is a requirement
to produce products that are repeatedly ordered with limited variations (similar
constellations).
The variants are modular in nature and can be assembled and delivered, provided
the assembly line technician can get all the different subassemblies.
In assembly-to-order (ATO) business processes, design, purchasing, fabrication,
or production of the modules is performed based on sales forecasts, historic data,
and predictive analytics. Therefore the subassemblies that are widely used should
be available. Otherwise, stock for non critical subassemblies or components can be
replenished in a reasonable timeframe. If the variant is too specific or unique, the
customer order has to use the made-to-order (MTO) scenario, where the components
related to the customer order are produced, assembled, and delivered to the customer.
In the following example, one of the leading pump manufacturing companies
delivers multi-stage centrifugal pumps to its customer based on assembly-to-order
(ATO). In the process flow diagram, the sales manager knows the customer’s basic
requirements, such as the industry for which the pump is required, its use, and its
application from the customer inquiry and quotation that has been provided earlier.
The dealer’s sales manager has to create the sales order for the assembly-to-order (ATO)
based on the detailed specifications of the customer, such as the number of stages,
delivery size, capacity, head, temperature, working pressure, type of drive, mounting,
horizontal or vertical configuration, coupling, and base plate. Once this detailed
information is provided, the system will create an operational network and operational
WBSE/Project based on the sales material selected.
The SAP PS system has a mapping configuration between the sales material
and standard network/standard WBSE/Project. Using this mapping, the sales order
schedule line is linked to a network that includes activities and material components
with its link to a WBSE and project. Depending on the variant characteristic chosen
by the dealer on behalf of the customer, there can be minor changes to the material
components (subassembly) and the activities to assemble the components. In doing so,
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the requirement date entered in the sales order will be transferred to the network basic
finish date so that activities linked to the network can be scheduled backward based on
the activity dependencies and duration. This integration will allow the dealer to know if
the finished final assembly can be delivered on the promised requested date. If there are
conflicts when the order is processed, this allows the sales manager or dealer to set the
right expectation on the requirement dates.
Assembly to order process also allows the sales manager or dealer to choose
the correct product selling price (if they are working on a margin) by applying the
appropriate margin to the updated or accurate plan cost of the final finished assembly
order by the customer. Once the final finished assembly is ordered, the delivery
coordinator checks if all the required subassemblies are available and if there is capacity
on the assembly line.
If there are constraints on one or both of these variables, the assembly will be
scheduled to a different planned date. This is captured on the project network activities
as a constraint and, when scheduled, provides the revised delivery date. The sales
manager or dealer can now know the latest delivery date for the final finished assembly
in the system. This tight integration is critical to the assembly-to-order scenario, as
customers could have opted for assembly-to-order by picking most commonly used
models so that the ordered assembly (fully finished product) is available to them early,
which is crucial to their business operation, instead of the customer having to wait for
days and months before receiving the specific order (made-to-order).
On the day of the assembly, the subassemblies, such as the pumps, motor drives,
base plates, couplings, and so on, will be issued to the network. The work confirmation
will be performed by the assembly line technician and the final finished product will be
transferred to the sales order stock. This stock item will now be delivered to the shipping
address mentioned in the order by picking, packing, and dispatching the final multistage centrifugal pump with an electric motor and coupling with horizontal alignment
on the base plate. Once the delivery is completed, the WBSE will be technically
completed. Once this delivery is billed to the customer, the WBSE will be set to final
billing and both the WBSE and project will be closed. Figure 2-55 shows the process flow
diagram of the assemble-to-order example explained here.
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Figure 2-55. Assemble-to-order scenario of multistage centrifugal pump with motor drive and coupling on a
base plate
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Order-Based Billing in Assembly Processing
Some service industries also adopt assembly processing solutions offered by SAP PS as
they provide tight integration between project networks costing and scheduling with
SAP SD. Here again, SAP PS is used to plan services that are carried out several times
with limited variations (similar constellation). For example, one of the world’s leading
medicine agencies uses assembly processing to plan, service, and bill the services
rendered by them using SAP PS Assembly processing. In this case, the government
agency has a list of services that are required to be performed by their different
departments depending on the type of service requested by the pharmaceutical
companies (applicants) for marketing authorization (different application types) and
post authorization (different service product types).
The government agency was able to capture the applicant’s service requirements in a
SAP SD sales order based on which PS project and network activities were created using
standard network and standard WBSE/Project. The material used in the sales order is
linked to a standard network and WBSE/Project. The assembly processing allows the
sales order item category to determine a requirement class and a type that allows the
creation of an operational network and WBSE/project based on a mapping table.
Assembly processing is not only about the seamless creation of PS Project, but also
about its ability to transfer the requirement date from SAP SD to the network basic finish
date, thereby allowing all the activities related to the service or task requested by the
applicant to be performed by the requested date.
The system picks the network basic finish date, and relationship of different
activities for the service requested, and its duration so that backward scheduling can be
performed. If there are conflicts, it will let the person creating the order know that this
is not feasible so a revised requirement date can be chosen. In addition to the schedule
integration, the assembly processing allows you to calculate the cost of the service if
there are changes to service cost. This allows you to charge the applicant appropriately
based on the cost plus margin or standard service rates depending on the service. If
assembly processing is used for service industry, order based billing is performed. Sales
order is created for the billing value of the service with account assignment to the WBSE/
Project and invoiced (billing document) subsequently when the service is completed/
rendered. When the billing document is generated, the actual revenue will be posted to
the account assigned WBSE/project to which the service belongs.
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Bill of Service (BoS) Based Billing
In the construction industry, not all projects are delivered based on milestones. Many
contractors and subcontractors perform work based on item rate or unit price contracts.
When engineering and design are not heavily required and the construction work
is an extension (copying or mirroring) of already performed work or on the basis of
already completed work in a nearby location, item rate contracts or unit price contracts
are used. In the unit price contract, the customer defines a unit price for the different
service rendered by the service provider, in this case your enterprise. Based on the
work or service delivered and measured by the customer, billing can be performed.
In construction projects, the term M-book (M-Measurement) is widely used. These
measurements, are the basis on which the services delivered are paid to the service
provider by the customer. If there are back-­to-­back unit price contracts with your
subcontractor to provide services to the end customer, these M-book measurements will
be the basis for the billing and payment of your subcontractors.
In SAP, unit price contract billing is captured using the Bill of Services (BoS)
functionality in SAP SD. Unlike milestone billing functionality, this process is mostly
driven in SAP SD (Sales and Distribution) and MM-SRV (Materials Management External Service) and projects will be used to capture plan and actual cost and revenue.
In the following example, a reputed Indian construction company performs road
work which consists of four main components:
•
Cutting and clearing trees and earth work excavation and leveling
for 150 KM
•
Rest areas every 50 KM (three)
•
Road laying work for 150 KM, which has four lanes on each dual
carriageway
•
Mobile client site office (rental) (Three)
For the construction company to perform road laying work, heavy machineries and
equipments are required.
In the business process diagram shown in Figure 2-56, the business process starts
when the construction company responds to the customer inquiry with a quotation.
The customer reviews the quotation details—quantity, unit rate, and amount (value).
If they find it competitive, an order is placed. This customer order (unit rate contract)
is captured in the construction company’s SAP SD system as a Billing of Services (BoS)
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order with reference to the quotation. The different work packages are created in SAP PS
as Billing WBS elements of the project. Further detailing of the PS Project with activities
may not be required, as the BoS service line will capture the nuances and details that are
required for logistical purposes.
In this example of the customer’s unit rate contract, the initial scope of work did
not include the rest areas, as the customer was in the process of finalizing the details for
the rest areas and their facilities. Therefore the construction company’s Bill of Services
included all the details of three work packages except the rest area to begin with.
Since the work package related to cutting and clearing of trees and excavation
and leveling of earthwork was provided by one of their trusted subcontractors, the
construction company used the subcontractor’s Bill of Services for the purpose of
detailing the work/services at the time of quotation. Hence the customer’s unit rate
contract is aligned with the subcontractors’ Bill of Services. The work package for
laying the road will be performed by the construction company using their plant and
machinery and by procuring raw materials and other traded goods that are required.
The Bill of Service line will be detailed using internal services referenced from
the quotation and by preparing estimates for additional items. For the mobile client
office equipment, a requisitioning note will be created in ETM (Equipment and Tools
Management). In order to detail the Bill of Services for the rest area, the customer will
be involved collaboratively to provide the necessary details and specifications. Based on
the finalized details and specifications for the rest area, the construction company will
initiate their procurement process by creating purchase requisitions and RFQs (request
for quotations) for their trusted subcontractors to bid for this new Bill of Services.
Based on the review, evaluation, selection, and approval of the subcontractor’s
quote, the now agreed Bill of Services with the customer will be transferred to the
customer unit rate contract/order.
During the execution phase of the project, the subcontractors will perform their
work and make progress with reference to their work packages and Bill of Services. The
construction company, using SAP ETM, will confirm the requisitioning note created
previously. The construction company’s equipment planner or manager will review
the requirements in the planning board and create a shipping document to ship the
equipment package to the construction site (including the client’s rented mobile office).
This shipping document will include owner and recipient information. Once all the
equipment reaches the construction site, based on the equipment type (performance
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based or time based), different settlement calendars are created. The construction
company will also be performing their internal work and the same will be captured
via execution services as activity allocation, reservation for stock materials, purchase
requisition for raw material and traded goods, converting purchase requisition to
purchase order, releasing purchase order, performing goods receipt, performing goods
issue, and so on.
As part of the method end and billing process for each of the agencies involved
and to determine actual progress, the customer, the construction company, and its
subcontractor will be involved in the measurement of the services completed so far.
This information will be recorded in the measurement book (M-book). Based on the
measurement entered (work completed), the subcontractors and the construction
company will raise the service entry sheet for their respective Bill of Services. The
subcontractor will perform service entries using the Internet interface and the customer
using the same technology will be able to review, compare with M-Book values, and
approve all the service entries created by the subcontractors and the construction
company. For equipment rental and internal usage of the plant and machinery,
settlement will be performed and this will create a sales order for the purpose of
billing the mobile client office rental to the customer. For the internal usage of plant
and machinery, this mechanism will be used to perform cost transfer to the respective
project/WBSE.
This Service Entry Approval will not only trigger the billing process to the customer
but also the subcontractor’s service acceptance and payment process for their respective
services on a back-to-back basis. This seamless integration between customer billing
and subcontractor payments processes is a big advantage of Bill of Services (BoS) and
it avoids unnecessary comparison, reconciliations, and approval of the subcontractor’s
service rendered. The Service Entry Approval Process can be scaled up and down
depending on the requirements. Figure 2-56 shows the process flow diagram of Bill of
Services billing and equipment and tools management billing processes.
162
Figure 2-56. Process flow diagram of Bill of Services billing and equipment and tools management billing processes
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For the purpose of project forecasting using WBSE and statistical key figures, a few
enhancements can be considered. When the Bill of Services are captured for the Work
Package (WBSEs), the same can be transferred to the WBSE statistical key figures by
using mapping between BoS service line and statistical figure. The same mapping can be
used to update the actual quantities of the statistical key figures. Using a custom report,
the BoS service line or the work package structure can be replicated in the report with
plan and actual quantities from the SKF and BoS entry sheet approvals respectively.
Calculations can be applied to find the remaining quantity and apply it evenly over the
remaining period of Bill of Service/work package dates. The project managers can then
provide their projection based on the in situ conditions.
Project Settlement and Capitalization
In this section, you learn about settlement, including its significance and the different
components of the settlement process. You also learn about the capitalization process,
which includes how the project cost and capital expense is transferred to the Asset
Accounting module as Asset Under Construction and Fixed Asset.
Project Settlement and Capitalization
Projects are temporary collectors of costs and revenues. Therefore, they should be
settled to one or more receivers as part of month/period-end processing. Settlement
processing allows you to the transfer/allocate the results of the project, the actual
costs incurred, and the revenues generated in whole or in part to receivers such as the
Profitability Analysis Segment (CO-PA), Other Projects (WBSE), Cost Center (CO-CC),
General Ledger (G/L Account), Material (MAT), Real Estate Object (RE), Asset Under
Construction (AUC), Fixed Asset (AA), and so on.
When costs are settled from sender to receiver, the sender’s cost is credited and
debited to the receiver object. When revenues are settled from sender to receiver, the
sender’s revenue is debited and credited to the receiver object. Depending on the
settlement sender and receiver objects defined in the settlement rule, different financial
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documents are generated during settlement and they are accounting document
(FI), controlling document (CO), profitability analysis document (CO-PA), and asset
accounting document (AA). These documents can be viewed on the sender and receiver
object using the document relationship browser.
During settlement of investment projects, costs are transferred from project to Asset
Under Construction (AUC), which were posted from the concept to closure phases. Once
the project is completed and operational, the cost of the investment is settled from the
project to Asset Under Construction (AUC) to the Final Fixed Asset (FXA). This process is
called project capitalization.
S
ettlement Rule
To perform a settlement, a settlement rule has to be defined in the sender object. This
settlement rule can have multiple distribution rules for the sender object depending on
the various receivers, periods, fiscal years, source of the costs, or allocation percentages.
Users can maintain the settlement rule for WBS elements or networks and activities in an
overview screen. Use the distribution rules to specify the proportion of costs that should
be settled to the receivers. Costs can be distributed based on one of the following:
•
Percentages
•
Equivalence numbers
•
Fixed amounts
Figure 2-57 shows the WBSE settlement rule overview screen with one distribution
rule. This distribution rule mentions that the cost WBSE C-0000111 is settled to the
superior WBSE C-00011 as a whole (100%). This distribution rule is a periodic settlement
type and is valid between 01.2022 to 12.2022 to transfer or allocate costs associated with
source group 10 (cost and expense) to the superior WBSE. Figure 2-57 shows the other
settlement receivers (account assignment category) for this WBSE.
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Figure 2-57. Settlement rule overview—other possible receivers are also shown
S
ettlement Profile
In addition to the settlement distribution rule, the settlement rule contains the
settlement profile. This settlement profile defaults the other settlement parameters
such as Cost/Revenue Source Groups (structure), Allocation Groups (structure), and
Profitability Transfer Groups (structure). The settlement profile, as covered in Chapter 1,
also stores the permissible settlement receivers, treatment of actual or cost of sales (to be
settled in full, can be settled, and not for settlement), default settlement document type,
and retention period for the settlement documents.
S
ettlement Strategy
To have the settlement rules auto-created, the settlement strategy has to be defined for
WBSEs and network activities. Settlement strategies are then assigned to the WBSEs and
network activities using default project profile and network type parameters. When the
automatic generation of a settlement rule transaction (CJB1 or CJB2) is run, it checks the
WBSE and the network activity assignment to these strategies and then creates a specific
settlement rule based on the attribute of the master data. In the case of WBSE, attributes
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of WBSE, such as account assignment element, billing element, and organization unit
change (company code or profit center change within the WBS hierarchy) determine
the settlement profile, the account assignment category, the result analysis key, and the
characteristic values for the settlement.
Note that enhancements to the standard settlement rule generation program are
possible using BADIs (business add-ins).
The default settlement profile for the WBSE is determined based on the WBSE
attributes defined in the strategy. The Account Assignment Category is determined
based on the strategy and stipulates the settlement receiver to be used in the settlement
rule. The Result Analysis Key is determined based on the strategy and ensures that
the correct RA key is defaulted on the customer project’s WBSE. SD-PD relationship
determines if common characteristics should be copied to the profitability segments
(PSG) when more than one sales order item references the same WBSE. If the flag is
not ticked, no characteristics are copied based on the strategy. Figure 2-58 shows the
settlement strategy for WBSE for a customer project. This strategy will be assigned to the
project profile.
Figure 2-58. WBSE settlement strategy configuration setting
Similarly, the network settlement rule strategy defines details about automatic or
manual settlement rule creation. It also determines if the settlement rule is created to
perform settlement to the superior WBSE or root WBSE. It provides scalability in terms of
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copying settlement rules from a superior WBSE or project definition. Figure 2-59 shows
the settlement rule strategy for network; this strategy is assigned to the Network Type
parameter (for a combination of network and plant).
Figure 2-59. Network settlement rule configuration setting
In a direct settlement, each object (WBS elements, networks, orders, and activities)
in a project is settled directly to a receiver cost object that’s not included in the project,
such as a profitability segment.
In multi-level settlement, activities, orders, and WBS elements are first settled to the
top WBS element in the project. The top element then settles the costs collected.
Users have to specify which of these to use when they maintain or determine the
settlement rule.
Settlement Types in the Settlement Rule
168
•
PER (periodic settlement): Settlement rule with this settlement type
covers only the costs/revenues for the relevant settlement period.
•
FUL (full settlement): Full settlement, which settles all the costs/
revenues that have occurred for a sender object for all the periods
prior to the settlement (and are not yet settled). If PER rules exist,
they take precedence over the FUL rule.
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•
AUC (Capitalization with Asset under Construction): This settlement
rule is automatically generated at the time of the actual settlement
if you enter a capital investment profile with an AUC as its capital
investment measure in the WBSE control data. Settlement is
conducted periodically and in full to the AUC.
•
PRE (Periodic Preliminary settlement): PRE settlement rules are
used in capital investment measures (WBSE with investment profile),
so that costs/revenues are settled to the CO receivers or to a G/L
account before the periodic settlement to AUC.
Table 2-10 provides a matrix of the permissible settlement types for the settlement
rule depending on the operative indicators (billing element and account assignment
element) and settlement receivers.
Table 2-10. Permissible Settlement Type Matrix for the Settlement Rule depending
on the WBSE Operative Indicators and Settlement Receivers
Sender
Sender WBSE: Sender WBSE:
WBSE: Billing Account
Investment Measure
Element
Assignment
(Investment Profile) or
Not
X
X
Receiver Settlement Settlement
Type 1
Type 2
X
Does not have an
investment profile
FXA
PER
FUL
X
Does not have an
investment profile
GL
PER
FUL
X
Does not have an
investment profile
WBS
PER
FUL
X
Does not have an
investment profile
PSG
PER
FUL
X
Has an investment profile
FXA
NA
FUL
X
Has an investment profile
GL
PRE
FUL
X
Has an investment profile
PSG
PRE
FUL
X
Has an investment profile
WBS
PRE
FUL
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•
PRE: Preliminary Periodic Settlement
•
PER: Periodic Settlement
•
FUL: Full Settlement
Settlement Processing Type
Most enterprises use periodic and full as the main settlement processing type. There are
other settlement processing types which are as follows:
Automatic (1)
All distribution rules for a sender are selected. If a sender only has distribution rules with
PER settlement types, then only the settlement period costs are selected and settled. If
a sender has distribution rules with PER settlement types (PER rules) and distribution
rules with the FUL settlement type (FUL rules), the PER rules are used first for the costs
in the settlement period. If there are still costs leftover, the FUL rules are used.
For investment measures, the system only uses the FUL rules first if the measure
is technically completed. Settlement to assets under construction is always made
regardless of the status.
Periodic (2)
All distribution rules with the settlement type PRE, PER, and AUC are selected. The PER
rules are applied first (except for investment measures). The PRE rules are applied first
for investment measures, and the remaining amount is settled with the automatically
generated AUC rules to the asset under construction.
Partial Capitalization (3)
This processing type is used to partially capitalize an investment measure that is not
technically completed (TECO), so that part of the total cost of the investment measure is
settled to complete assets.
For investment measures, the partial capitalization and the full settlement
processing types are the same except for the TECO status of the WBSE.
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Full Settlement (8)
This type of processing type is used if a sender only contains distribution rules with
the PER settlement type, and if a balance check is to be made before settlement. The
Full Settlement (8) checks if the previous period has any residual balance. If there are
residual balances, the settlement results in an error.
If not, the FUL settlement type should be defined for the sender object for the specific
period (if a balance is shown in one period) or for all periods (blank validity periods). A
full settlement (8) or automatic settlement (1) can be processed to settle balances from
previous periods and the current period are settled/posted in the current period.
S
ettlement Processing
Settlement within SAP is performed using a separate transaction (CJ88 and CJ8G) when
the actual transfer or allocation of costs, revenue, and results of the project are performed.
Costs and revenue are posted when actual work is performed in the project via timesheet,
activity allocation, goods receipts, goods issue, assessments to WBSEs, finance journal,
vendor invoice, customer billing/invoice, settlement from order or other projects, and
so on. Results of the project are calculated as part of the result analysis process and
performed via transaction KKAJ or KKA2, where the cost of goods sold, revenue, work in
progress/inventory, reserves for imminent loss, revenue surplus, and revenue in excess of
billing are computed for customer projects. The results of the project are computed based
on the contractual obligations and actual percentage of completion and so they reflect the
actual results of the project. Hence these values will be transferred or allocated to finance
and profitability analysis. In the case of cost and investment projects, where there is no
revenue involvement, the result analysis is not performed, so the actual cost and revenue
posted on the post (as is) will be transferred or allocated to the receivers—in this case, cost
center, asset under construction, fixed asset, real estate objects, and so on.
The settlement (allocation) can be performed by using the settlement cost element
or the original cost element. If the original cost element is used, the cost element
report for the project will show a zero balance once settled in FUL. If the settlement is
performed using a settlement cost element then, by excluding these settlement cost
elements, the project profitability or project plan vs. actual variance reporting can still be
achieved via standard cost element reports. Figure 2-60 shows an A1 allocation structure
(cost/revenue allocation groups) used for the purposes of settlement cost/revenue
allocation from the sender object to the receiver objects.
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Figure 2-60. Allocation structure configuration setting—use the settlement cost
element or the original cost element
Settlement Scenarios
This section details the different settlement scenarios that are applicable to the different
type of projects—customer projects, cost/overhead projects, and investment projects.
Customer Projects
Results analysis is usually performed for billing elements in sales/customer projects. The
resulting analysis data includes the costs of sale (COS) and revenues of lower-level WBS
elements and activities/orders. For this reason, only the results analysis elements are
settled.
When the system derives settlement rules, it generates profitability segments that
contain the characteristic values of WBS elements and sales orders assigned to them.
Settlement rules and results analysis keys are only assigned to billing elements. All
other objects are assigned the settlement profile “Do Not Settle”.
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C
ost Projects
In the case of cost projects, the system can derive the settlement rule for WBS elements
from the responsible cost center or the requesting cost center. Figure 2-61 shows a WBS
element with a responsible cost center. Based on the settlement strategy for WBSE, this
cost center can be the default settlement rule receiver in the case of a cost project.
Figure 2-61. WBSE’s responsible cost center—settlement receiver in the case of cost
projects
A settlement rule can also be passed from a higher-level WBS element to its lowerlevel WBS elements. This can occur over several levels, but the rule can only be inherited
by WBS elements that do not have a settlement rule of their own.
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Investment/Capital Projects
The WBS elements with investment profiles in an investment project are settled to assets
under construction (AUC). The AUCs are created automatically when the WBS elements
are released (this is controlled by the investment profile). Rules prescribing settlement
to AUC can be generated automatically when the WBS elements are settled for the first
time. When the project is technically closed, the WBS elements are settled to an asset
master record and the values are transferred from the AUC to the asset provided the final
fixed asset is defined in the settlement distribution rule of the WBSE as a separate line.
Project Closure
The project has to be closed once all the deliverables related to the project are completed
and all financial postings related to the project are completed. Project closure should be
covered in the month end pre-close business process, as some enterprises want all the
required financial posting such as overhead, allocations, assessment cost, and so on, to
be posted. Some of the planning, forecasting, and budgeting information needs to be
reversed before closing the project.
The following project checklist provides the indicative steps to be covered in order to
successfully close the project.
Controlling and cross application:
•
Check if the actual overhead for the period has been posted for CO
receiver objects.
•
Check if the activity allocation or timesheet posting has been
transferred successfully to all CO receiver objects.
•
Check if the assessment cost for the period has been posted
successfully to all CO receiver objects.
Sales and distribution:
174
•
List sales order or sales order item that linked to the project: T.Code
CN54N or CN55N.
•
Linked sales order and items should be delivered, completed,
and invoiced.
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Linked open sale orders and items to be fully settled to the project
(FUL Settlement: both settlement rule and settlement type as FUL):
T.Code KO8G or KO88.
Plant maintenance:
•
List PM WO and PM WO operations for the project: T.Code IW38
and IW37.
•
Linked open PM work orders (WO) or PM WO operations are
technically closed (TECO): T.Code IW38 and IW37.
•
Linked open PM WO and PM WO operations to be fully settled to the
project (FUL settlement: Both settlement rule and settlement type as
FUL): T.Code KO8G or KO88.
•
Linked open PM WO to be business completion (CLSD): T.Code IW38
and IW37.
Controlling and production (process) planning:
•
List orders linked to the project: T.Code CN45N.
•
Linked open orders to be technically closed: T.Code CN45N.
•
Linked open orders to be fully settled to the project (FUL settlement:
Both settlement rule and settlement type as FUL): T.Code KO8G
or KO88.
•
Linked open orders to be closed (CLSD): T.Code CN45N.
Materials management:
•
List open purchase requisition for project: T.Code ME5J.
•
Open purchase requisition items to be closed by ticking the flag
Closed under the Quantities/Dates detailed tab. T.Code ME5J
or ME52n.
•
List purchase order (PO) for the project that have pending quantities:
T.Code ME2J.
•
Pending quantities of linked purchase orders to be delivery
completed. This is flagged in the Purchase Order Item Delivery tab.
T.Code ME2J and ME22n.
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Project system planning, forecasting, and budgeting:
•
Copy actual to forecast for past months: T.Code CJ9FS and CJ9F, or
CJ20n ECP Copy, or CJ9CS and CJ9C, or CJ9BS and CJ9B.
•
Zero or blank-out the forward estimates for the project- Budget,
revised budget and forecast: T.Code CJR2, CJ40, CJ42, CJ20n, CJ30, or
CJ32, CJ35, or CJ34.
•
Check the project actuals, baseline, and budget forecast using
S_ALR_87013542 with Cost Element Group as blank.
•
Check if the project actual = forecast (month on month):
S_ALR_87013544.
•
Check the WBSE that has the monetary balance and maintain
FUL settlement rules for the same.
Project System Workforce planning and Capacity planning (Request, Demand and
Pending Workflow Approvals for custom solutions):
•
Check for open request or demand from the project with respect
to resource request, equipment request, production resource tool
request, and workflow.
•
If Project team is used for resource assignment, delimit the
resource from the project team.
•
Zero or blank out any ad hoc forecasting solution request so that
this does not show as a request to the resource manager.
•
Check all open workflow requests that are related to the project.
Project structure:
176
•
Technically close the project structure Network Activity, Element,
WBSE, and Project Definition: T.Code CNMASSSTATUS.
•
Perform results analysis in the case of customer projects to zero out
WIP, Reserves, Revenue Surplus, and Imminent Loss: T.Code KKA2
or KKAJ.
•
Check AUC values, create pending final assets (if any), and assign the
final settlement rule in the case of investment projects.
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•
Perform full settlement of the project: T.Code CJ88 and CJ8G.
•
Check the project actuals, baseline, and budget forecast using
S_ALR_87013542 with Cost Element Group as blank.
•
•
Check if the project actual = forecast (month on month):
S_ALR_87013544.
•
Check if project structure (Network Activity, Element, WBSE,
and Project Definition) sum total is zero. If not, repeat project
planning, forecast, and budgeting checklist steps and project
structure checklist steps.
Close the project structure: Network Activity, Element, WBSE, and
Project Definition: T.Code CNMASSSTATUS.
Portfolio management structure:
•
Complete the corresponding PPM item and its decision point: T.Code
RPM_DX_ITEM (Change).
•
Complete the corresponding PPM initiative and its decision point
(if it is the only item linked to the initiative or if all items liked to the
initiative are already completed including this item; otherwise leave
the initiative as released): T.Code RPM_DX_INITIATIVE (change).
Note Each enterprise can add any additional business checks before closing
the project.
Some of the mandatory, prerequisite checklist items can be included as an
enhancement at the time of project save with status CLSD, in addition to the
checks related to PR, PO, and project balance that are already covered as part of the
standard SAP.
Other useful transactions related this chapter:
•
CJEN: Transaction to reconstruct the project info database
•
CNMASS: Transaction to perform mass change of project, WBSE,
network, and milestone fields
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•
CNMASSSTATUS: Transaction to perform mass status update for
project, WBSE, and network
•
CNSTATUS: Program to analyze and correct inconsistencies in
operational project structure
•
DPR_GUID_ANALYZE: Breadcrumb program to identify GUID in
various tables
•
DPR_GET_BY_GUID: Program to get the list entries in a table
based on GUID
•
DPR_GET_TREE: Program to get DPR tree
•
DPR_DX_PROJECT: Program to upload cProject from Excel
•
RPM_DX: Transaction for PPM upload utility
Activities for this Chapter
1. For your enterprise, try to define the process flow related to
project planning, budgeting, scheduling, forecasting, and
workforce/capacity/procurement planning as part of the
project month end when the project is active and it is in the
execution phase.
What is the sequence in which scheduling, forecasting,
workforce/capacity/procurement planning happen for the
projects in your enterprise?
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2. For your enterprise, try to choose your preferred forecasting
method based on the suggestions provided in this chapter. Also
list the current forecasting method or practice used in your
enterprise.
Why is that the current forecasting method is used? Is the current
forecasting method defined by the current practice or tools or is it
due to the nature of business and project management practices
in your organization?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Choose which of the following capabilities or functionalities your
enterprise should adopt.
•
Project Variation Management
•
Project RAG Status Reporting
•
Project Issue and Risk Management
•
Project Forecasting
•
Project Budgeting (with Control)
Test Your Learning
1. When budgeting, what are the two things that provide an error
when the budget is exceeded?
a.
Tolerance and Availability Check
b. Assigned Value and Remaining Budget
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2. In a ____________ budget scenario of a superior WBS element, the
distributable budget for further allocation is zero.
3. Execution services can only performed on the leading ECP CO version.
a.
True
b. False
4. ____settlement should be used to settle residual costs of the
previous periods.
5. An investment profile determines the Asset class of the asset
under construction.
a.
True
b. False
Answers:
1. Tolerance and Availability Check
2. Fully distributed
3. True
4. Full
5. True
Summary
In this chapter, you learned about the project lifecycle functionalities and business
process flows with detailed examples in the SAP EPPM solutions (PPM, CPM, and PS).
•
Different project planning and forecasting methods used by various
industries, depending on the planning and delivery approach
(whether the project is managed or delivered by your enterprise)
•
Guidelines for project forecasting and its integration with
procurement, production, maintenance, and resource management
•
Enhancements that are required in network costing and easy cost
planning for an integrated project forecasting experience
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Project budgeting, availability control checks, and tolerance limits
•
Project distributable and distributed budgets
•
Project release and current budget
•
Project budget updates, such as supplements, returns, and
transfer
•
Available budget and budget carry forward
•
Project variation management using SAP ECC
•
Project Red, Amber, and Green (RAG) status and commentary used
in the public sector
•
Project risk, issue, and change request (variation) using S/4
HANA CPM
•
Project procurement and execution using network activities or
execution services
•
Project resource planning (resource request to fulfilment/staffing)
•
Project billing based on resources, milestones, periods, delivery,
orders, bills of service, equipment, and tools.
•
Project process flows related to engineer-to-order (ETO), assemblyto-order (ATO), billing of services (BoS), and equipment and tools
management (ETM)
•
Project settlement and capitalization and its key components
•
•
Settlement rule for different settlement types
•
Settlement profile and strategy
•
Settlement processing types and settlement process
•
Settlement scenarios, including investment capitalization
Project closure checklist
You learn about interfacing the SAP EPPM solution with other third-party
estimation, costing, forecasting, and scheduling applications and its integration with
other SAP modules in the next chapter.
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Estimation, Costing,
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Applications
In this chapter, you learn about the critical touch points of estimating, forecasting, and
scheduling using third-party applications with EPPM. You also learn about the interface
touch point with other SAP process streams such as human resource management, plant
and equipment management, and procurement and contracts management.
Detailed date planning and its integration with procurement and resource
management is also covered in this chapter. The prerequisites for scheduling, such as
project calendars, time units, relationship between activities, offset dates for milestone
and activity elements, basic dates, constraints, and so on, are also covered in this
chapter. Scheduling scenarios are also covered. Confirmation of work, remaining work,
forecast dates, and computation of duration based on scheduling formulas in the work
center are also covered in this chapter.
When scheduling happens in third-party applications such as MS Project or Oracle
Primavera, different types of integration options can be enabled using Enterprise
Project Connector (EPC), so that the respective application performs what it is good at
and a single application is used for the different subsets of data. That way, there is no
duplication of effort or reconciliation issues in the long run.
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5_3
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Some enterprises perform scheduling and estimations in external third-party
solutions (a SAP partner application or other home grown applications). In this case,
there are important considerations to ensure that SAP can still be the enterprise resource
management application, yet allows other applications to perform certain specialized
services (such as scheduling, estimation based on design drawings, etc.).
The previous chapter discussed the gap related to forecasting and looked at the
design considerations and solution concepts for custom development. There are
other SAP modules—such as SAP Business Planning & Consolidation (BPC), Business
Intelligence (BI), Commercial Project Management (CPM), or Excel integration—that
can enable this custom development. Solution architecture related to the solution is
covered in this chapter.
Finally, this chapter also covers important design considerations when integrating
estimation and costing applications.
F undamentals of Scheduling
In this section, you learn about the project calendar, scheduling types, scheduling
scenarios, network diagrams, recording actual work, project variations, and the impact
on forecasting.
P
roject Calendar
In SAP, the project calendar is created as a factory calendar. A factory calendar is a
customizing setting that includes a factory calendar definition, which includes work
days, any special rules, and a public holiday calendar, similar to MS Project and
Oracle Primavera. All projects are linked to this calendar and it’s used for scheduling.
Figure 3-1 shows a SAP factory calendar and Figure 3-2 shows an MS Project calendar for
comparison.
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Figure 3-1. SAP factory calendar and holiday calendar
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Figure 3-2. MS Project calendar and exceptions
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Scheduling Type and Scenarios
The Critical Path Method is a project management technique that’s useful for planning,
scheduling, and controls. It allows the project manager to visualize critical tasks and
activities. If these critical activities are delayed, the overall project schedule is also
delayed. SAP PS uses the critical path method for its scheduling. Scheduling in SAP PS
depends on various parameters. One of the key parameters involves the scheduling
scenarios—Bottom Up or Top Down (whether network activities determine the dates
or projects/WBSEs determine the dates). This can be chosen depending on the project
requirements and settings based on the default WBSE/network scheduling profiles. They
can be altered before performing the scheduling function. Figure 3-3 shows the different
scheduling parameters at the network and WBS element level.
Figure 3-3. WBSE and network scheduling parameters
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The scheduling scenario should be chosen based on the project’s situation. If the
project has defined start and end dates set by the key stakeholders, choose the top-down
scheduling scenario with the backward scheduling type. If the project work is the first
of its kind and requires proof of concept and development/research, choose bottom-up
scheduling with the forward scheduling type to determine the end date of the project.
In a top-down scheduling scenario, project/superior WBSEs determine the date and
the network basic dates can be adjusted to align with the WBSE dates. These network
basic dates (start and end) along with the activity’s work, the scheduling formula
for the work center, the activity duration if not determined from the work, and the
relationship and offsets set in the system—allow the system to compute the scheduled
(early - start and finish; latest - start and finsh) dates and float for the activities. It also
allows the scheduled dates to be extrapolated to the superior WBSEs. The latest dates
are determined by backward scheduling and the early dates are determined by forward
scheduling. Both backward and forward scheduling happen for all scheduling types, but
which one happens first is decided by the scheduling type. Whether the basic dates can
be altered by the scheduling date is determined by the Adjust Basic Date setting.
In a bottom-up scenario, network/activities determine the date and network basic
dates (start and end) along with the activity’s work, the scheduling formula for the work
center, the activity duration if not determined from the work, and the relationship and
offsets set in the system—allow the system to compute the scheduled (early - start and
finish; latest - start and finsh) dates and float for the activities. This allows the scheduled
dates to be extrapolated to the superior WBSEs. The early dates are determined by
forward scheduling and the latest dates are determined by backward scheduling. Both
forward and backward scheduling happen for all scheduling types, but which one
happens first is decided by the scheduling type. Whether the basic dates can be altered
by the scheduling is determined by the Adjust Basic Date setting.
When the project uses network activity and activity elements, the user defines
the basic dates for the network in the network header. This is picked by the system to
perform scheduling.
•
188
Forward scheduling uses the Basic Start Date (mandatory) and
generates the early dates based on the activity duration/work,
relationship between activities, and offset between activities or
activity element/milestone and activity to which they belong. Once
forward scheduling is completed, the system performs backward
scheduling to determine the latest dates and uses the basic finish
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date (not mandatory for forward scheduling) if provided. If that date
is not provided, it will use the early finish date of the last activity of
the network to perform backward scheduling.
•
Backward scheduling uses the Basic Finish Date (mandatory) and
generates the latest finish dates based on the activity duration/work,
relationship between activities, and offset between activities or
activity element/milestone and activity to which they belong. Once
backward scheduling is completed, the system performs forward
scheduling to determine the early dates and uses the basic start
date (not mandatory for backward scheduling) if provided. If it’s
not provided, it will use the latest start date of the first activity of the
network to perform forward scheduling.
N
etwork Diagram
Figure 3-4 A shows a network diagram with six activities on how forward and backward
scheduling are performed when the network basic start and end dates are provided.
Figure 3-4 B shows the SAP factory calendar setting for the year 2022 and Windows
Calendar for the month of August 2022 as a reference. This network diagram is the
same for forward and backward scheduling, as it has a basic start and end date and this
network is shown in isolation (no influence of the superior WBSE/project). The diagram
also shows the critical path activities in red and the float for each activity. Note that the
floats for the critical path activities are zero. This diagram also shows how the public
holiday in India on August 15, 2022 (India’s Independence Day) is factored into the
computation of the early and latest dates when activities fall around it.
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Figure 3-4A. A network diagram with six activities: forward and backward scheduling using network basic start
and end dates
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Figure 3-4B. SAP factory calendar setting for 2022 and Windows Calendar for the month of August 2022 as a
reference
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Recording Actual Work
Actual work can be recorded in the system via timesheets, activity confirmations, or date
confirmations at WBSEs when network activities are not used. The most common way is
the timesheet in the case of service industries.
It is recommended not to capture forecast dates and remaining work as part of the
confirmation process. It is better to route these through the project manager/scheduler
or the person responsible for the work package/work package scheduler, so that the
responsible person can perform change requests or reassign additional effort where
contingency was already built in.
Timesheets only allow you to book time for the stipulated resource assignment
duration and do not allow to capture forecast dates or remaining work/effort.
The WBSE date confirmation allows you to capture the actual dates and forecast
dates, but as the WBSE date changes are managed by the project manager or the person
responsible for the work package, it is better to have the forecast dates changed or
adjusted as part of the forecasting process in the forecasting workbench with the full
view of the project.
Figures 3-5A through 3-5C show the different methods by which actual work can be
recorded in the system.
Figure 3-5A. Time Recording
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Figure 3-5B. Activity confirmation
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Figure 3-5C. WBS element date confirmation
Project Variations and Their Impact on Scheduling
Capturing actual work via timesheets or confirmations is a prerequisite for the
determination of remaining work, as well as for scheduling and forecasting remaining
work. Based on the work carried out so far and if the remaining work is more than the
original planned work, this has to be dealt with through a change request or variation
process.
The following are reasons that dates change:
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•
Additional effort is required due incorrect planning/due diligence
(internal variation)
•
Additional effort is required due to in situ conditions (internal
variation)
•
Rework and additional effort is required due to quality issues
(internal variation)
•
Rework and additional effort is required due to safety issues (internal
variation)
•
Additional effort is required due to incorrect plan/due diligence
(external variation - vendor)
•
Additional effort is required due to in situ conditions (external
variation – vendor)
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•
Rework and additional effort is required due to quality issues
(external variation – vendor)
•
Rework and additional effort is required due to safety issues (external
variation – vendor)
•
Additional effort is required due to change in scope (external
variation - client)
•
Additional effort is required due to incorrect specification/in situ
condition (external variation - client)
All of these variations have an impact on cost, schedules, and quality. In some cases,
the cost impact could be borne by the vendor/supplier or client/customer. Variations
such as these often have an impact on quality, as they are unplanned work and
sometimes can be linked to safety issues.
All external variations require more lead time before they are formally approved
and hence have to be initiated as soon as they are identified. They must also be updated
throughout their lifecycles so that these items are fully tracked and monitored until
approved or rejected.
When the external variations are approved, they (along with minor internal
variations that relate to reallocation of work/effort from other parts of the work package/
projects) should be performed before the scheduling and forecasting processes for
each period.
Scheduling and Its Impact on Forecasting
This section assumes that scheduling is performed at least once per scheduling
forecasting period in your enterprise (Few enterprise does it everyday or once a week).
Every time an external/internal change request is approved and incorporated into the
project plan, scheduling and forecasting are required.
For internal variations, based on the situation, the project manager may choose to
manage the situation by diverting any effort saved from other activities to the activities
that require additional effort or consume the contingency effort that was planned for
this work area by creating an internal transfer variation. Some enterprises, because of
the additional effort needed to manage internal transfer and administration involved
in the tracking of these internal transfer variations, fail to capture and document these.
This leads to lack of transparency and ineffective tracking and monitoring of quantities.
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Project managers (this can be work package owners or schedulers) see this as a
hassle, because more tracking and monitoring leads to more scrutiny. This is a change
management issue. As the variation process matures in the enterprise, there will be more
transparency, more accuracy, and more trust of the planned, forecasted, and delivered
(actual) numbers.
As part of the forecasting process, you should perform the following, as discussed in
the previous chapter.
1. After actual work has been recorded and after incorporating
quantity updates for the already approved external variation
and minor internal (transfer) variations, scheduling should
be performed. This scheduling will evaluate the actual work
performed and any newly approved external/internal transfer
variations. This scheduling process will reassess the remaining
work/duration to generate new schedule dates. The forecasting
workbench can then compute updated remaining work based on
the prerequisite activities.
2. Capture the forecasted remaining work based on input from the
project team.
3. Capture the forecasted finish date (based on input from
the project team) if it is different from the latest finish date
determined by scheduling. The new forecast finish date can
be earlier or later than the latest finish date determined by the
system. If it is earlier, additional resources might be required or
work is easier than expected. If it is later, the activity is expected to
hit unforeseen delays, resource availability issues, and so on.
4. Capture the new spread or distribution of quantity or effort based
on input from the project team, site conditions, previous delays or
resource constraints, and so on.
5. Check if the forecasted remaining work is in excess of the updated
planned remaining work, at an activity level and/or summarized
at a project level based on resource types, different types of
materials, services, and subcontracting services.
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a. If the forecasted remaining work is more than the updated
plan remaining work at project level (based on resource types,
different types of materials, services, and subcontracting services),
then internal variation for the excess work has to be raised for
management approval.
b. If the forecasted remaining work is more than the updated plan
remaining work at the activity level but less than or equal to it
at the project level (based on resource types, different types of
materials, services, and subcontracting services), then internal
transfer variation to drawn down excess work from surplus activity
to the deficit activity has to be performed. This process should not
involve management approval.
Note Scheduling before forecasting allows the system to indicate the latest
finish date with reference to the progress performed so far and that of the updated
remaining work. Therefore, it is recommended to have the activity’s effort or
work determine the activity’s duration and hence the scheduled dates (the latest
finish date).
Detailed Date and Schedule Planning
This section covers how forecasting (scheduled dates) impacts other project
management substreams such as procurement, production, and resource management.
It also covers how the SAP forecasting workbench should share the information with the
internal and external stakeholders.
Once scheduling and forecasting is completed, the program generates the schedule
of quantities by date/period, in the form of demand, reservation, purchase requisition,
and purchase orders. This can be fed into the respective module and submodule via
integration so that all the resources of the project can be planned, forecasted, and
requested.
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Integration with Procurement and Production
Once scheduling and forecasting is completed for the planning/forecasting cycle in your
enterprise, the distribution of quantities for external services, subcontract services, and
external materials (long lead items and engineered to-order items) will be available for
each project. This information is useful for the procurement managers, store managers,
and production managers.
For example, in the construction industry, where the enterprise is involved in
home and commercial building, this schedule of quantities will be shared as demand
forecasts with suppliers, subcontractors, and production plants. Following suppliers,
subcontractors and production plants are required in this project:
Suppliers:
1. Raw materials suppliers for bricks, tiles, timber, reinforcement bar,
steel truss and channels
2. Shuttering and scaffolding supplier
3. Labour hire agencies
4. Plant & Equipment hire agencies for construction and safety
equipment
Subcontractors:
1. Carpentor
2. Air Conditioning & Air Handling
3. Electrician & Instrumentation
4. Piping
5. Roofing specialist
Production plant:
1. Ready mix concrete plant
2. Asphalt mix plant
This is in addition to the internal resource planning for design, planning, project
management, and client/stakeholder management.
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Now, let’s see how this process can be mapped within SAP. The example of
construction and home/commercial building is used so that most readers can
relate. Within SAP, this construction of 20 homes has been defined as a project for a
development plan. This project has the following phases based on the PMP methodology
followed by its enterprise”
•
Pre-project phase (initiation)
•
Planning and design phase (planning and design)
•
Contractor selection phase (procurement)
•
Project mobilization and build phase (execution)
•
Project operations phase (operation and defect liability period)
•
Project closeout and termination phase (financial closure)
Scenario 1: Project Specific Material – External Procurement
In the procurement phase, most of the purchase requisitions and purchase orders
for the project specific components (bespoke items) will be released to the suppliers,
subcontractors, plant and equipment hires, and production plants with the overall
quantity, value, and desired delivery date (completion date). But these documents do
not provide the schedule of quantities to the suppliers and service providers.
Scenario 2: Common Materials – External Procurement
There will also be other common materials (with other concurrent construction project
happening in a construction zone/district), such as the raw material, safety equipment,
shuttering equipment, plant and equipment hires, and so on. These requirements
can be grouped and the schedule of supplies can be shared with the suppliers and
service providers on a periodic basis (weekly or monthly), based on the master contract
(quantity contracts) with a panel of suppliers.
Scenario 3: Common Materials – In-House Production
For construction projects, concrete is consumed on a regular basis at the time of
foundation, flooring, slab, and so on. If the enterprise has a ready-mix plant of their own
(in-house production), the concrete requirement should be fed to the ready-mix plant
for production.
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Scenario4: Project Specific Material – In-House Production
Some construction companies (or their subsidiaries) produce double-glazed windows
and doors which suit the various design needs of their customers. This requirement has
to be fed to their in-house production plant or subsidiaries production plant based on
the specific project.
For all these scenarios, the forecasting performed by the scheduler or project
managers is key. These requests have to be cascaded to the procurement manager, site
store manager, production plant manager, and ultimately to the suppliers and service
providers. You also need to be mindful of the fact that some service providers rely
on other software. Hence, it is very important to have a common format that can be
consumed easily by the panel of suppliers and service providers.
A few enhancements are required to the standard functionality to achieve these
desired capabilities:
1. Project Specific Materials
1.1. Scenario 1: Project Specific Material – External Procurement
1.1.1. Enhancement to purchase order (E1) to hold the schedule
of quantities by date/period once the forecasting cycle is
completed for the period or rolled over to the next cycle.
1.1.2. Workflow Email notification (W1) based on the supplier or
service provider and by project or construction zone/distric
to be triggered once the forecasting is completed/rolled
over to the next period by the scheduler/project manager
for all the project’s service and materials. The content and
format of this email notification should be compatible and
universal to most platforms (platform independent).
1.1.3. When the project-specific materials, such as kitchen
cabinets and appliances, are received from the supplier, they
are received against the purchase order as a partial quantity.
1.2. Scenario 4: Project Specific Material – In-House Production
(Long Lead Times)
1.2.1. Enhancement to reservation (E2) for network or WBSE to
hold the spread or distribution based on the forecasting
information.
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1.2.2. The reservations distribution by period should update (via
enhancement) the planned order (E3) automatically, at the
time of the next MRP run for the project, based on the lead
times defined for the material.
1.2.3. Based on the auto-generated planned order, the
production order will be created by the shop floor manager
managing in-house production of glazed window and
doors and send the finished product to the respective
project site.
1.2.4. Once the project-specific glazed windows and doors
are received by the store managers, they will perform
partial goods receipt against the reservation created after
quality checks.
2. Common Material
2.1. Scenario 2: Common Materials – External Procurement
2.1.1. Enhancement to reservation (E2) for network or WBSE to
hold the spread or distribution based on the forecasting
information.
2.1.2. This distribution should update the delivery schedule of
the scheduling agreement (via enhancement) (E4) based
on the various reservations generated from the different
projects, once the forecasting cycle for the enterprise
is done.
2.1.3. Workflow email notification (W2) based on the supplier
or service provider and by project or construction zone/
district to be triggered once the forecasting is completed/
rolled over to the next period for all the services and
materials of the enterprise. The content and format of this
email notification should be compatible and universal to
most platforms (platform independent).
2.1.4. When the common material is received at site, this is
received against the reservation as a part quantity once the
quality checks are completed.
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2.2. Scenario3: Common Materials – In-House Production (Short
Lead Times)
2.2.1. Enhancement to reservation (E2) for network or WBSE to
hold the spread or distribution based on the forecasting
information.
2.2.2. This distribution of quantity for the forecasted week/
month will allow site engineers to create planned orders
(via Enhancement) E5 manually for the in-house readymix production plant on a day-to-day basis or on an asneeded basis.
2.2.3. The in-house ready-mix concrete plant can view
reservations by period (via report) R1 for their plant so
that they can forecast their raw material quantities like
cement, aggregate, sand and additives, and so on. When
the planned order is generated by the site manager, the
plant’s production supervisor converts it into an actual
production order and fulfills the requirement.
2.2.4. When the ready-mix truck discharges concrete at the
site after the quality check (slump test), the reservation
is partially confirmed to the extent of the volume of one
ready-mix concrete truck (6.1 m3).
The total enhancements considered here are one report, two workflows, and five
enhancements.
Integration with Resource Management
In the initiation and planning phase, the baseline quantities are planned and baselined.
These quantities and their requirement dates fluctuate during the course of the project.
In the case of IT-related projects, the skill or qualification required for the resource type
varies. The specialized skills and qualification requirements may evolve during the
course of the project.
For the purpose of integration with resource management, we use an example of an
information technology project.
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Based on the scheduling and forecasting performed as part of the forecasting cycle
for an information technology project, the project manager should be able to determine
the resource type spread or distribution based on the different forecasting periods—
weeks or months. This information, along with the skill or qualification information, can
be used by the contact person or resource planner/manager via MRS to soft book or hard
book resources.
The following enhancements are required to feed the forecasting information into
the multi-resource scheduling (MRS).
1. MRS currently operates based on the start and end data and the
distribution profile key captured in the network activity. As the
project manager/scheduler has provided the detailed distribution
of effort based on the forecasting periods, this information can
be readily taken via enhancement (E1). This determines demand
instead of basing it on the normalized distribution key that the
standard SAP PS – MRS integration offers.
The total of one enhancement is applicable to the integration of SAP forecasting
workbench demand to SAP MRS.
In the case of engineering, construction, and operations projects, the enterprises
themselves use heavy machinery and heavy equipment and they can be planned for
deployment at various construction sites using SAP MRS based on the forecasting
demand generated by the scheduler or the project manager.
1. Similar enhancements to the one mentioned previously have
to be performed where the detailed distribution of number
of days based on forecasting periods can be readily taken via
enhancement (E1). This determines demand instead of basing
it on the normalized distribution key that the standard SAP PS –
MRS integration offers.
Engineering, construction, and operations project enterprises can also have light
machinery and equipment that has to be scheduled on a daily basis or partially in a
day. For these requirements, use the standard SAP PS ➤ MRS integration with date
and time. Although the project manager/scheduler might forecast the number of hours
for a forecasting period, this forecasting is high level compared to the daily or hourly
scheduling. Hence, the forecasting workbench can provide date planning and time
planning features for these items or these items can be planned based on date and time
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on the network activity after performing forecasting by period. If these date and time
intervals of equipment requirements were to be forecasted and scheduled, then the
forecasting workbench should be enhanced further.
A total of one enhancement is applicable to the integration of SAP forecasting
workbench demand to SAP MRS.
AP Interface with Schedule Management
S
Applications
SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP EHP 6.0 EHP8 and S/4 HANA) has most of the
project management capabilities you need for the effective and efficient planning and
execution of projects for all types of industries.
But more and more specialized project management products are available in the
market every day, which gives you a lot of choice. These products are specialized in a
specific area and in some cases, certain parts of an enterprise feel that these products
enable them to perform better in terms of specialized capability and with a user-friendly
interface. There are always pros and cons when integrating with third-party applications
and the perspective toward the usage of third-party applications and integration with
SAP was discouraged due to integration challenges and improper implementation.
This section assumes that many organizations want to use specialized third-party
applications for their project management capabilities, with enterprise service oriented
architecture (eSOA) features being available in SAP. Scheduling is one the capabilities in
which we see two prominent third-party applications being considered for integration
with SAP:
•
MS Project
•
Oracle Primavera
Why is the interface to third party schedule management
application required?
Project management workforce is a contingent workforce in many enterprises. Project
managers are used to prominent third-party applications such as MS Project server for IT
project management, Oracle Primavera P6 for construction project management, Jira for
Agile methodologies, as well as other cloud solutions such as Microsoft Project Online,
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ProWorkflow, monday.com, Wrike, LiquidPlanner, Mavenlink, Clarizen, and so on. Since
SAP project management applications including SAP PS, PPM, and CPM, require training
and some kind of expertise, there is additional ramp-up time before a project manager
can get up to speed and start to use these capabilities. Project managers often work in MS
Project, P6, Jira, and so on, and export key information in Excel, which are then summarized
as monetary value or by quantities and then uploaded to the SAP application for financial
reporting and baseline/variance comparison purposes. This kind of process leads to lack
of transparency, incorrect reporting, and lack of trust in the numbers being reported by
finance controllers. This will lead to additional non-value added processes to ensure these
values match and will further increase the month-end close and reporting time.
The resolution for this issue is as follows:
1. Identify projects that require schedule management application
integration:
Not all projects in SAP PS application require integration with
schedule management integration. In SAP PS, projects for the
purpose of overhead/cost management, for managing budgets
of maintenance work (routine maintenance) and service
level (operations) are also managed along with project work
(construction, research and development, engineering and
design, major overhaul maintenance, etc.). Only the project work
requires the schedule management application integration.
2. Ensure that projects are created at the same level as the schedule
management application:
Ensure SAP PS projects have a set of defined rules when a
project is created. This should also takes into consideration
the level at which the schedule management application has
its project created. Ensure that the rule is consistently followed
in the schedule management application as well. SAP PS and
PPM allows you to group the work package of projects in many
different ways, such as by using subproject labels or by using
custom grouping fields at the SAP PS project. You can also use
the PPM collection or the PPM item as the work package and
the PPM initiative as the projects/programs. Other possible
integration options include manual linking of multiple SAP PS
project as object links to PPM Item. Using this option, many useful
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functionalities such as DFM will be restricted. The best option is
to use the PPM item as a work package and a PPM initiative as the
projects/programs.
3. Interface with a schedule management application via SAP
Enterprise Project Connector (EPC):
Interface the schedule management application, so that highlevel project structures are created from SAP PS to the schedule
management application. Detailed planning objects are created
in the schedule management application, which are then created
in SAP PS. Perform regular updates of key financial/human
resource/plant and equipment master data information from SAP
PS to the schedule management application. Schedule/resource
assignment related information should be transferred from
schedule management application to the SAP PS.
Refer to the following section for the detailed design principle of the SAP PS EPC
interface. It includes an example of a concept that was used with one of the leading
public sector organizations in Australia.
Design Principles for the Interface
For any interface, it is good practice to define design principles and validate the detailed
design based on these design principles. During their lifecycles, interfaces can change
and transform. During this process of change and transformation, it is always best
practice to validate if you are meeting the original design principles of the interface.
A new factory calendar will be created only if it’s necessary to align with the project
calendar. Otherwise generic country calendars are adopted and any date-related
warnings that are generated as part of the interface will be ignored. A more detailed
schedule is managed in the schedule management application, and SAP will simply
accept the interfaced scheduled dates.
1. All costing, revenue, and effort information is captured in
SAP. Except for effort, all this information will remain only in SAP.
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2. All master data (such as employees, suppliers, service providers,
temporary staff, and equipment) will be created and maintained
in SAP. All the master data will be shared with the schedule
management application. No sensitive information will be shared
with the schedule management application.
3. Project structure:
a. Project creation: SAP PS Project will be 1:1 with the scheduling
application project. Project definition and key structural elements,
such as the key WBSEs and milestones, will be created first in SAP
PS and will be replicated in the schedule management application.
b. Detailed project structure such as the task in the schedule
management will be created. It will be replicated as an activity and
activity element depending on the detailed configuration.
4. Scheduling:
a. The Schedule Management application will perform automatic
scheduling on a daily or periodic basis (weekly or monthly) as per
the enterprise’s business requirement.
b. The schedule management application will then interface the
relationship between activities, scheduled dates (early and latest
- start and finish dates), constraints if any, effort as detailed by the
project manager or scheduler or planner, duration (if the project
calendar is not aligned to SAP factory calendar), and floats.
The scheduled dates and floats are auto-computed by the system
but it is advisable to have these dates aligned with the scheduling
application, because resourcing, procurement, production, and
forecasting scenarios are based on these dates.
5. Resource management:
a. Resource profiling, requests, and staffing by contact person/
resource manager will be performed via SAP MRS with the SAP
ECC or S/4 application.
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b. The SAP MRS Resource management application will require the
date information interfaced to the SAP PS Network activity from
the scheduling application and forecasting information captured
by the project manager/planner in the SAP forecasting workbench
once the project execution is in progress.
c. Resource assignment details will be shared with the schedule
management application, so that there is visibility of the resource
name and type of resource so that scheduling is performed
seamlessly without incorrect assumptions.
6. Procurement and production:
a. All procurement activities such as purchase requisitions/purchase
orders for the project specific items – service, subcontract, and
materials; delivery schedule for scheduling agreements for
common items (based on scheduled dates or forecasted dates,
sourced from scheduling application and forecasting workbench)
will be performed in SAP ECC or Ariba application.
b. All production activities, such as creation of reservations for network
or WBSE, creation of planned order based on scheduled dates or
forecasted dates, sourced from scheduling application and forecasting
workbench will be performed in SAP Production planning.
c. Once the procurement and production planning activities are
completed, these suppliers or service providers basic details (internal
or external) will be shared with the scheduling application so that
there is visibility of the resource name and type of resource so that
scheduling is performed seamlessly without incorrect assumptions.
7. Actual execution:
a. Timesheet recording will be performed in the SAP CATS
application via mobile or desktop apps.
b. SAP PS network confirmation of services (for example annual
maintenance service by an in-house team) will be performed in
SAP PS via mobile or desktop apps.
c. Convert planned order/reservation to production order by the
plant manager or shop manager will be performed in the SAP
Production Planning (PP) module.
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d. Good receipt, good issue, service entry, and service confirmation
by external supplier or service provider will be performed in the
SAP MM and PP module via mobile or desktop apps.
e. Perform milestone, period, resource, order, or delivery based
project billing and recognize revenue for unbilled service and
material in SAP SD module via mobile or desktop app.
f. Perform overhead posting, month-end accruals, and assessment
journals to the relevant project in the SAP FICO module using
workflow approval.
g. Once all the actual postings are performed, transfer the actual
effort, costs, and revenue to the schedule management application.
Actual effort is used for the determination of remaining effort
and to perform automatic scheduling of the remaining effort/
quantities. Other actual monetary values, such as cost and
revenue, are shared for information purposes only so that there is
visibility for the project manager while performing scheduling and
to ensure that the project manager/planner/scheduler does not
make incorrect assumptions.
8. Change request or project variation:
a. All types of variation for all categories (scope, schedule, quality,
safety, incorrect effort, etc.) will be created and approved in SAP
PS via the claim or change request process in SAP CPM. When
variations or change requests are approved, additional activities will
be created in SAP PS. These additional activities will be transferred
from SAP PS to the scheduling application. Once scheduled in the
schedule management application and interfaced back to SAP PS,
resource planning and staffing will commence in SAP PS via MRS. If
execution of the change request or variation has commenced, based
on the actual work and scheduling, forecasting will be performed in
the SAP PS forecasting workbench for the project variations.
9. Forecasting:
a. Forecasting is performed in the SAP PS forecasting workbench
custom transaction based on the planned quantity/effort and
actual quantity/effort, between the latest scheduled dates, by
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performing the distribution of the remaining quantities and to
check if the distribution of the remaining quantities as per the
project requirements and resource availability can be met within
the latest finish date, otherwise amend the forecast finish date.
b. Forecasted data, along with any forecast finish date update, has
to go back to resource schedule and Gantt from SAP PS to the
scheduling application.
10. Risk and issues:
a. Project risk will be captured in SAP CPM. When risk leads to
an issue, it will be captured as an issue in CPM and any change
request or project variation associated with the issue can be
captured in SAP CPM.
b. Only the change request and variation, when approved and
created as an additional activity, will be transferred from SAP PS to
scheduling application.
Reference SAP notes and contents:
•
2292815 - SAP EPC 3.0 Sample Integration Solutions (SIS) Document
Collection
•
2292770 - SAP EPC 3.0 Installation Modes and Solution Management
•
SAP Help for EPC on Integration of SAP ERP, SAP S/4HANA On-­
Premise, or SAP Portfolio and Project Management and Third- Party
Enterprise Schedule Management Systems
Table 3-1 is an example of SAP PS integration with MS Project server using EPC 1.0.
This table details the project management disciples and its scope to the SAP and the
Non-SAP Schedule Management applications.
The enterprise had chosen Microsoft Project Server as the schedule management
application for construction and IT project management. In this enterprise, forecasting was
performed in SAP BPC and operational planning was performed in SAP PS/ PPM (ASAP).
Resource management was covered as part of the click soft integration, initially for the
maintenance work and then for the whole of the enterprise, including project work.
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Table 3-1. Project Management Disciples and Their Scope with Reference to SAP
and Non -SAP Schedule Management Application—An Example
Discipline
Description
ASAP
Scope
Non-­ASAP
Scope
Structures
• Standard projects that can be used as
X
ASAP – high level,
templates when creating a new project, used to
organizational
standardize the basic project structures across
monitoring
the organization.
Non-ASAP - Detail • Project definition: Name of the individual
X
view, project control
project
• WBS elements are objects in the system used
to break up a project and provide a reporting
structure
X
• Network is a network of project activities
X
X
• Internal network activity is a project activity
performed by the enterprise internal staff/
contractors
• Planning for general cost includes primary
costs, labor, materials, and expenses
X
• Work order ownership is in SAP. (work orders
will not be interfaced to MS Project)
X
Scope
• Definition of the project scope and storage of
project documents (TRIM/OpenText/Objective/
eDMS)
Time
• Milestones (critical/high level reporting dates
and start and end dates: linked to MS Project
start and end dates)
• Project scheduling is setting out the project
activities in time; by planning the activity
duration and maintaining the Finish-Start
relations between the activities
X
X
X
(continued)
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Table 3-1. (continued)
Discipline
Description
ASAP
Scope
Cost/Revenue
• Overall budgets will be managed in SAP BPC
and distributed to SAP PS/PPM
X
• Planned costs will be maintained in SAP PS.
When using network costing, the inputs come
from the MS Project schedule
X
Non-­ASAP
Scope
X(exceptions
exist)
• Operational forecast costs calculation and
reporting (using an activity based structure)
• Actual costs are maintained in SAP, the SAP PS X
Project will receive costs from SAP MM, CATS,
and FICO. The actual costs will be interfaced to
SAP PPM/BPC.
• Sales revenue will be managed in SAP (using
SD and AR)
Management of
Change
Quality
X
• Contingency planning (to be included in the
planned cost)
X
• Change request process to be managed
outside of SAP (the Financial implications of the
change are updated in SAP PS)
X
• The scheduling implications of the change are
updated in MS Project
X
• Quality tasks will be integrated in the project
schedule
X
(continued)
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Table 3-1. (continued)
Discipline
Description
ASAP
Scope
Resources
• Maintain resource data is for maintaining details
for resources that will be done in SAP HR
X
• Capacity management
X
Non-­ASAP
Scope
• Resource allocation and resource leveling for
X
divisions/branches that manage their resources
using work orders and Clicksoft will be
managed in SAP
• Resource allocation and resource leveling for
divisions/branches that do not manage their
resources via work orders and Clicksoft will
manage the resources via MS Project
X
Knowledge
Management
• Knowledge management will be done in
TRIM. Some parts of the organization will use
network drives, mostly when working with
large CAD drawings
X
Communications
• Communication plans will be stored in TRIM;
distributing communications will be done
outside or using SAP and MS Project
• Communication tasks can be included in the
project schedule in MS Project
X
Risk and Issues
• Risks and issues will be maintained in lists in
MS Project
• If contingency planning is done on an individual
risk level; a cost activity can be included in SAP
PS to plan a contingency for the risks
• Activities can be scheduled that will consume
the contingency when the risk becomes an
issue, or actions taken to prevent the risk from
becoming an issue
X
(continued)
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Table 3-1. (continued)
Discipline
Description
ASAP
Scope
Sourcing and
Contracting
• Procurement of services (subcontractors) and
goods will be done in SAP
X
Performance
Management and
Reporting
• Status reporting from MS Project
Non-­ASAP
Scope
X
• Budget reporting from SAP BI (using the PPM
structures)
X
• Operational financial reporting from
SAP PS/PPM
X
Governance and
Assurance
• Project governance and assurance will be
maintained offline
Workplace health
and safety
• Incident recording, management, and reporting X
• Workplace risk assessment and management
(excludes corporate risk)
X
Figure 3-6 shows the SAP PS to MS Project integration scenario 1, where both
systems use the same structure. There are two forms of data transfer—A and B. Data
transfer A is used when the high-level project structure (project definition, division
WBSEs (Level 2), phase WBSEs (Level 3), and WBSE milestones and its dates) is set up in
SAP PS and transferred to MS Project. Data Transfer A is used for any subsequent update
of attributes related to the project definition, division WBSEs, phase WBSEs, and WBSE
milestones. The detailed project structure is developed in MS Project by the project
planner or scheduler. Detailed project structure will include tasks, duration, dates, and
relationships to other tasks. Data Transfer B is used to transfer this detailed information
from MS Project to SAP PS. In order not to overcomplicate the interface, the deletion
functionality will not be provided both in SAP PS and MS Project and this can be
accomplished via Access. Only deletion flags and indicators are allowed to be set in the
system, because there will be no deletion of the objects. There could be a few technical
structural objects created in the system for its respective reporting and these objects
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need not be transferred or exchanged between applications. These technical structural
objects can be restricted from being transferred to the other application by the use of
transfer indicator—if it is X, then a transfer is performed, but if the transfer indicator
is set to blank, the transfer will not be performed. As mentioned, this option is only
available for technical objects that do not have cost (plan and actual cost and revenue).
Figure 3-6 explains the IT project with a high-level project structure showing cost
capture and AUC structure. Only the project definition, IT division WBSE, and phase
WBSEs (Phase 1 to 5) and milestones under cost capture are transferred to MS Project.
These WBSEs and milestones are created as tasks within MS Project. Detailed tasks
(Task 1 to 7) are created in MS Project under the previously created/transferred tasks
from SAP PS, which makes the previous tasks as summary tasks in MS Project. When
these detailed tasks are transferred to SAP PS using Data Transfer B, these MS Project
tasks, their duration, their scheduled dates, and their relationships are copied to SAP
PS as activity, activity duration, activity scheduled dates (latest and earliest start and
end dates; constraint dates; etc.), and activity relationships with other activities of the
project. In this manner, project structure are synchronised from SAP PS to MS Project
and vice versa. The scheduling information from MS Project to SAP PS is seamlessly
exchanged for the successful execution and completion of the project.
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Figure 3-6. Scenario 1: Structure in SAP and in schedule management
application are the same
Figure 3-7 shows the SAP PS to MS Project Integration scenario 2, where the SAP PS
WBS element is based on the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), whereas the MS Project
structure is based on the phase and task WBS.
Similar to scenario 1, in scenario 2, there are two forms of data transfer—A and B.
Data Transfer A is used when the high-level project structure (project definition, division
WBSEs, and Milestones and its dates) is set up in SAP PS and transferred to MS Project.
Data Transfer A is used for any subsequent update of attributes related to the project
definition, division WBSEs, and WBSE milestones.
In scenario 2, SAP PS Project does not have any phase WBSEs but it only contains a
Cost Breakdown Structure element. The detailed project structure is developed in MS
Project by the project planner or scheduler. Detailed project structure includes tasks,
duration, dates, and dependency or relationship to other tasks. Data Transfer B is used
to transfer this detailed information from MS Project to SAP PS using Assignment Type
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mapping to the Cost Breakdown Structure element. In order not to overcomplicate the
interface, the deletion functionality will not be provided in SAP PS and MS Project and
this can be accomplished via Access. Only deletion flags and indicators will be allowed
to be set in both systems, as there will be no deletion of the objects. There could be a few
technical structural objects created in the system for its respective reporting and these
objects need not be transferred or exchanged between applications. These technical
structural objects can be restricted from being transferred to the other application by the
use of transfer indicator. If it is X, the transfer is performed, but if the transfer indicator
is set to blank, the transfer will not be performed. As mentioned, this option is only
available for technical objects that do not have costs (plan and actual cost and revenue).
In Scenario 2, the Cost Breakdown Structure element will have a blank transfer indicator.
Figure 3-7 explains the construction project with a high-level project structure
showing cost capture and AUC structure. Only the project definition, root PMC division
WBSE, and WBSE milestones under cost capture are transferred to MS Project. SAP PS
project definition will be transferred as Project. Root-level PMC division WBSE will be
transferred as a summary task and all the WBSE milestones are defined as tasks that are
defined as milestones, in SAP PS.
Subsequent summary tasks and detailed tasks (Task 1 to 7) are created in MS Project
under the previously created/transferred task from SAP PS. When these detailed tasks
are transferred to SAP PS using Data Transfer B, these MS Project detailed tasks, their
duration, their scheduled dates, and their relationships are copied to SAP PS as activity,
activity duration, activity scheduled dates (latest and earliest start and end dates;
constraint dates; etc.), and activity relationship, under the Cost Breakdown Structure
element using the Assignment Type mapping. In this manner, project structure from SAP
PS to MS Project and vice versa are synchronised. The scheduling information from MS
Project to SAP PS is seamlessly exchanged between SAP PS Cost Breakdown Structure
and MS Project Work Breakdown Structure.
Note The full size diagram is included in this book’s source code download.
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Figure 3-7. Scenario 2: Detailed task in MS Project mapped to a SAP Cost
Breakdown Structure
Fundamentals of Estimation and Costing
This section covers the fundamentals of costing. It goes through the SAP concepts about
how SAP stores the unit cost of the material, labor, service, and so on, that will be used by
SAP PS for the purposes of estimation and costing.
Internal Labor
Within the SAP Controlling (CO) module, for every activity type and cost center
combination, the system stores a cost rate. This rate can be different for the activity type
with another cost center. Therefore, the combination of activity type and cost center
will determine the cost rate. This cost rate is used for all internal labor and plant and
equipment work.
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The SAP Transaction where internal work-related rate is maintained is KP26. Many
enterprises create these cost rates at the level of a band of their internal staff and type
of plant and equipment based on its per hour internal hire rate. These cost rates can be
captured per period/month and fiscal year.
Figure 3-8 shows the cost rate maintained for the Senior Consultant level service
during the fiscal year 2022 (periods 1 to 12) as $100.
Figure 3-8. Activity type rates based on sender cost center
Figure 3-9 shows the cost rate periodic breakdown for Senior Consultant Level
service during Fiscal year 2022 (from periods 1 to 12) as $100. In this periodic breakdown
screen, the rates can be different for different periods. In the following example, cost
rates have been maintained the same for all periods of the fiscal year.
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Figure 3-9. Activity type rates based on sender cost center by period
E xternal Labor/Service
Within SAP Material Management (MM), for services rendered by the external service
provider, service master can be created and the cost rate is defined based on the service
measurement unit. These cost rates are recorded for the service master as service
conditions on different parameters, such as service master, vendor, plant, contract,
purchasing organization, and so on, and based on the validity dates. For different validity
dates, different cost rates can be recorded for the same parameters. Figure 3-10 shows a
list of transactions that are related to service master and service conditions. Figure 3-11
shows service condition (rate) based on validity dates.
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Figure 3-10. Transaction codes related to the service master and service
conditions
Figure 3-11. Service condition (rates) based on validity dates
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Subcontracting (Externally Processed Activities)
When subcontracting the purchasing information recorded (purchasing info record)
from similar procurement activities that have happened before can be referenced and
copied for costing purposes. Figure 3-11 shows the Subcontracting Info record selection
screen. Figure 3-12 shows the Subcontracting Info Record with price condition (rate)
based on the purchasing organization, material group, and validity dates.
Figure 3-12. Subcontracting info record selection screen
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Figure 3-13. Info record with price condition based on purchasing organization,
material group, and validity dates
The purchasing info record stores information based on the vendor/supplier and
the subcontracting work type (material group) being performed. The purchase info
record can be maintained at the plant level or at the purchasing organization level.
Subcontracting info record stores cost-related information by supplier, purchasing
organization/plant, material group (subcontracting work type), and by validity of from
and to dates.
I nternal Material
For internal material by way of the product costing that takes place in the SAP
Controlling (CO) module, a standard price is determined. All the input raw material,
activities/operations/processes and overhead by way of the costing structure allows
you to compute the cost rate of the internal materials. This price is based on the period
and fiscal year. Figure 3-14 shows the material master’s accounting view screen, where
the standard price of an in-house finished product has been maintained. This price is
updated using product costing by defining a standard cost estimate structure.
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Figure 3-14. Material Master – Accounting View – Standard Price
E xternal Material
For materials that are procured from suppliers, the cost rate can be obtained from the
purchasing info record, as seen earlier for subcontracted work, or it can be determined
based on the moving average price of the materials. The moving average price of external
materials is updated when these goods are received (at goods receipt) by averaging
the cumulative value of the same stocked material by the number of the same stocked
material in the respective plant. Figure 3-15 shows the material master’s accounting
view screen, where the moving price of traded goods has been maintained. This price
is updated when traded goods are received to the general stock as part of the goods
receipts process.
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Figure 3-15. Material Master – Accounting View – Moving Average Price
Figure 3-16 shows the material info record price condition (rate) based on
purchasing organization, material, supplier, and validity dates. When creating or
changing vendor quotations, scheduling agreements, vendor contracts, and purchase
orders, you can use the InfoUpdate field to specify that the info record is to be created or
updated.
Figure 3-16. Info record with price condition based on purchasing organization,
material, supplier, and validity dates
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AP Interface with Estimation and Costing
S
Applications
Estimation and costing is performed predominantly before the commencement of the
project scope of work and any subsequent project variation. There are different reasons
for performing cost estimates; the following are some of the major ones:
1. Cost estimate before performing an investment decision
a. Investment decision by the city corporation/council to set up a
desalination plant.
2. Cost estimate for tender or as part of the bidding/quotation process
a. Tender preparation cost estimate for design and build of 110
MWDC solar park.
b. Bid cost estimate of design and build of 110 MWDC solar park.
3. Cost estimate for solution option and approaches
a. Seawater intake pumping system with concrete volute pumps or
seawater centrifugal pumps.
4. Cost estimate for baseline preparation where no previous
estimate exists
a. R&D cost estimate of a human medicinal drug development
through various stages—Synthesis and Extraction, Biological
Screening Toxicology and Safety Testing, Pharmacological Dosage,
Clinical Evaluation, Process Development, and Regulatory and
Bioavailability.
5. Cost estimate for replan or transfer of work during execution
a. Replan of IT project as design/landscape finalization is delayed
with many open items.
b. Transfer of a subcontracted work to a new agency for the
remaining work as the previous service provider has quality and
timeline issues.
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6. Major maintenance work cost estimate to draw down allocated
budget from AMP
a. Budget drawdown cost estimate for the refurbishment of
community swimming pool from council’s annual AMP swimming
pool refurbishment budget.
7. Project cost estimate to draw down allocated budget from program
a. Budget drawdown cost estimate for the design and development of
human landing (lunar) systems (HLS) for NASA’s Artemis program.
8. Infrastructure project cost estimate at various stage gate approvals
a. Business case (one of the stage gate) cost estimate for the upgrade
of major intersections by transport and main roads.
9. Cost estimate for project variations (external and internal)
a. Customer variation to include a small pool in the existing
home build
Reference: 5-­reasons-­why-­you-­can-­t-­do-­a-­project-­without-­
cost-­estimating
Different techniques are used to perform cost estimation as described in the
reference “The 4-best-project-estimation-techniques”. These different estimation
methods and techniques are based on derivative factors, rules of thumb, orders of
magnitude, parametric models, historical databases, and unit rate costing. These
different techniques are used for various purposes during the project lifecycle as these
techniques provide different levels of estimates (estimate class) and estimate quality.
Figure 3-17 is an excerpt from the Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering
(AACE) International documentation for Engineering Procurement and Construction
for Process Industries. It shows a level of estimate (estimate class), project definition
maturity levels, purpose of estimate, estimation technique/methodology, and expected
accuracy.
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Figure 3-17. Cost estimate classification matrix for process industries
A contingency may be included in an estimate to provide for unknown costs
indicated as likely to occur by experience, but are not identifiable. When preparing
estimate to set a budget or to set aside funding, a contingency is often added to improve
the probability that the budget or funding is adequate to complete the project. The
estimate or budget contingency is not intended to compensate for poor estimate quality
and is not intended to fund design growth, client changes/variations, or anything else
unrelated to delivering the scope as defined in the estimate documentation. More
contingency is generally needed for earlier estimates due to the higher uncertainty of
estimate accuracy.
Figure 3-18 illustrates that the estimating accuracy ranges overlap the estimate
classes. It also shows that, as the project definition maturity level increases, the variation
in accuracy of the estimate becomes smaller. There are cases where a Class 5 estimate
of a particular project may be as accurate as a Class 3 estimate of a different project.
For example, similar accuracy ranges may occur if the Class 5 estimate of one project is
based on a repeat project with good cost history and data, whereas the Class 3 estimate
is for another project that involves new technology. It is for this reason that Figure 3-17
provides ranges of accuracy.
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Figure 3-18. Example of the variability in accuracy ranges for a process industry
estimate
Reference:
•
Wiki Cost Estimate
•
The 4-­best-­project-­estimation-­techniques
•
how-­does-­cost-­estimating-­work-­6-­steps-­to-­learn
•
AACE on EPC Project of Process Industry
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During the different stages and phases of the project’s lifecycle, changes evolve and
design certainties are available and finalized. Certain components that were initially
present in the estimate’s constructs are either removed or reduced and this happens with
the contingency and factors that were initially estimated. Therefore, you must version/
snapshot/baseline these cost estimates during the different stages of the project’s
lifecycle.
Any solution used by the enterprise should allow you to snapshot these cost
estimates and should be able to capture the following cost estimate components:
1. Quantity-based variable lines (based on rules of thumb for cost
components that do not have master data in the database)
2. Lump sum variable lines (contingencies)
3. Text lines (unstructured cost estimate lines)
4. Subtotal and arithmetic rules cost lines (based on factors/
parametric model, factor for logistics and insurance, contingency,
and overhead)
5. Internal and external labor (structured cost estimate lines)
6. Internal and external material (structured cost estimate lines)
7. Internal and external plant and equipment (structured cost
estimate lines)
8. External service and subcontracting work (structured cost
estimate lines)
SAP PS Easy Cost Planning provides the framework to capture, record, and estimate
multiple versions of the cost estimates for different purposes, such as the phases of the
project and to estimate alternative solutions and options.
Unlike many other estimation and costing applications, SAP PS Easy Cost Planning
does not allow recording the best case (BC), most likely (ML), and worst case (WC)
estimates or quantities in one single version or snapshot. As a workaround, this has to
be performed by preparing the worst case (WC) estimate and then copy it to create most
likely (ML), and best case (BC) estimates as two other ECP versions. Using a custom
report show all 3 estimates along with the P50 and P90 estimates for the project using the
formula shown in Figure 3-19.
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Figure 3-19. Formula for P50 and P90 estimates in a public sector enterprise
Why is the interface to the third party estimation and
costing application required?
There are many specialized cost estimation tools available in the market for various
different industries, such as capital projects (utilities, oil and gas, etc.), engineering and
construction, manufacturing (engineered-to-order and made-to-order), professional
services, aerospace, defense, government/public sector contractors, high tech, telecom
(solution business case), and so on.
In capital projects (utilities, oil and gas, etc.), engineering and construction,
manufacturing, aerospace, and defense, the estimates are prepared based on drawings.
There is specialized software in the market—such as ARES PRISM Estimating, Autodesk
(BIM 360), RIB iTWO, InEight—that convert these drawings into Bill of Quantities (BoQ)
and have an interface to SAP so that these cost estimates (BoQ) can be recorded in the
SAP Project System.
For professional services (IT, legal, advertising, event management, engineering
services, etc.), Integrated Project Pricing and Estimating (iPE) byTwenty5 uses three
point estimates, parametric, and factor estimation. This software provides an interface
to SAP so that cost estimates (BoQ) that involve labor, material, travel, and so on, can be
recorded in the SAP Project System.
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In addition to these costing applications, the most common cost estimate
applications are MS Excel files, MS Access databases, and home grown applications. In
one of Australia’s major telecom providers, there were about 60-70 different applications
used by various parts of the business for the purpose of cost estimation, where the value
of the quotes ranged from a few thousands to a few hundred million dollars. The most
important challenge with this enterprise was to make them use one common pricing
model based on the SAP System, as the vendor material’s price changed frequently and
vendor catalog items were numerous.
SAP provides web services for the creation of cost estimates in the Project Systems
module. Other third-party applications should leverage these web services to transfer
the bill of quantities and cost estimates.
Reference:
•
InEight
•
ARES Prism
•
iPE
•
Autodesk BIM360
•
RIB iTWO
Design Principles for the Interface
For any interface, it is good practice to define design principles and validate the detailed
design based on these principles. During their lifecycles, interfaces can change.
During this process of change and transformation, it is always best to determine if you
are meeting the design principles of the original interface. The following are design
principles for the cost estimation interface with SAP PS Easy Cost Planning (ECP):
1. All items and their quantities should be recorded in the SAP PS
ECP cost estimate at the root level WBSE.
2. All items should be mapped to the different master data in the
system—internal labor, material, service, subcontracting, plant
and equipment, and so on.
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3. All items that cannot be mapped to SAP master data should be
created using the variable items category for the cost estimate line
relating to contingency, overhead, cost associated with the risk,
and so on.
4. All costing-relevant master data should be shared with the
costing application so that relevant master data can be picked.
The frequency of updates has to be decided depending on the
business requirements. The best option is a batch job that extracts
the master information once every eight hours to the third-party
application or its database. This could vary based on specific
business needs.
5. If, for some reason, the new cost estimate lines are added to a
third-party costing application for which no SAP master data
exists, at the time of transfer, these should be created as variable
item categories.
6. The project cost planner or estimator must review the cost
estimate and create a new material or service master in the
system. Once created, the master data can be updated in the SAP
PS ECP cost estimate, which will then get cascaded to the third-­
party application for future reference.
7. Multiple versions should be allowed in SAP PS Easy Cost Planning
so that different versions can be created for the following
purposes:
a. Alternate solution options or approaches
b. Revised cost estimate of each stage gate
c. Original baseline of the approved cost estimate for comparison
d. Updated or revised baseline of the approved cost estimate for comparison
8. The project cost planner or estimator should reference the
approved cost estimate, prepare the detailed cost plan, and
schedule it before the actual commencement of the project
execution phase.
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9. Project structures, including network activities, should be
interfaced to the third-­party application so that future project
variations/change requests can be recorded accordingly.
10. Some third-party applications have the ability to record and store
bills of quantities (BoQ)/cost estimates for the best case, worst
case, and most likely scenarios in one document. When interfaced
to SAP PS ECP, only the most likely quantity and monetary value
will be transferred as part of the standard SAP solution. If the best
case and worst case scenario need to be recorded in the same
version, the standard SAP solution has to be enhanced to interface
and store best and worst case quantities and monetary values
(some items are planned by dollar value and not by quantity).
11. Cost estimates prepared for project variations follow the same
process as the initial scope of work, except for the fact that this
project variation estimate is interfaced and recorded to SAP to
update the project variation claim or CPM change request against
the respective network activities.
12. When it is approved, similar to the initial scope of work, the
project variation claim should update the respective network
activities-both network costing for actual execution and revised
baseline ECP/CO/Project version. The newly approved change
request/project variation updates the cost estimate at the root
WBSE in SAP PS ECP as a separate cost estimate.
13. As mentioned, the most important challenge is the maintenance
of vendor catalog items as material in the SAP system. For this
purpose, you can use the Vendor Part Number (VPN) in the
vendor info record and the Manufacturer Part Number (MPN)
in the purchasing view of the material master for the original
equipment manufacturer (OEM).
14. When the cost estimates are transferred from the third-party
application, the system defaults to a unit price if not provided by
the interface. Otherwise, the price of the material or service as
sent by the third-party application can be captured and used to
compute cost estimates.
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AP Interface with Forecasting Applications
S
or Products
This section covers the SAP PS interface with third-party forecasting applications. As
discussed in Chapter 2, the forecasting functionality in SAP PS has many gaps. For
this reason, many enterprises and project managers prefer to work with other project
management applications for the purpose of forecasting, such as MS Project or Oracle
P6. Other project managers prefer to use Excel spreadsheets to update the cost forecast.
Why is the interface to the third party forecasting
application required?
Once project forecasting is performed on an external third-party application, there are
many side effects to the project management solution within SAP PS:
1. When forecasting is performed outside of SAP, the need to send
the project quantities to SAP PS will appear as not essential.
By sending quantities to SAP PS, there will be additional
reconciliation issues. If the quantity does not match due to the
frequency of the update, this impacts the ability to perform
changes during period end close.
2. If the forecasted item’s quantities and distribution are not sent
back to SAP PS but a lump sum value by period/FY is sent, this
causes all the schedules (including the resource schedule, the
procurement schedule, and the in-house production schedule) to
stop working.
3. If this happens, the project and WBSE will be used purely for costcapturing and asset-capitalization purposes.
4. This will slowly lead to the project structure being created as a
Cost Breakdown Structure and not as a project schedule.
Keeping this in mind, the decision to keep forecasting outside of SAP should
certainly be backed up by interfacing both the quantity and monetary value of the
forecasted item back to SAP PS.
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Design Principles for the Integration
For any interface, it is good practice to define design principles and validate the
detailed design based on these design principles. Interfaces during its lifecycle have the
potential to get changed and transformed. Therefore, during this process of change and
transformation, it is always a best practice to determine if you are meeting the design
principles of the interface.
External forecasting applications, such as MS Project, Oracle P6, and Excel, should
follow the following design principles when their forecasting data is interfaced to SAP PS:
1. Forecasting information should be shared by the third-party
application at the level of network activity, activity element,
material, and milestone to SAP PS.
2. Forecasting line items should provide quantity, monetary values,
and spread or distribution of the remaining quantities by period/
fiscal year.
3. The forecast application should take into consideration actual
work information from the timesheet application and activity
confirmation application. All actual project information, such
as the receipt or service entry sheet/acceptance of service from
SAP MM, should be taken into consideration to determine the
remaining work. It is only the remaining work that should be
distributed to the latest finish date.
4. Any approved change request or project variation claim against
the respective project network activity should be taken into
consideration before scheduling and forecasting are performed in
the third-party application.
5. If scheduling is performed by the third-party application in
the case of MS Project or Oracle Primavera P6, this should be
completed before the forecast finish date is updated and the
remaining quantity spread is updated. This will ensure that
correct remaining quantities and correct scheduled dates are
reflected for the forecasting item before the commencement of
forecasting.
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6. Forecasting (forecast finish date update and remaining quantity
distribution) is performed by the project manager, work package
manager, or scheduler based on the project requirements and the
current situation.
7. For any items for which additional effort or quantity is required,
compared to the remaining quantity, a change request/project
variation should be raised in the SAP PS Claim or CPM Change
Request.
8. Based on the frequency of forecast updates to the SAP PS system,
the forecast line items’ quantity and monetary value at the level of
network activity, activity elements, milestones, and material will
all be interfaced back into SAP PS by period and fiscal year.
9. The forecasting application requires the following master and
transaction information:
a. Project structure: WBS, activities, activity elements, milestones,
and material components
b. Actual work and quantities from SAP CATS, SAP PS Confirmation,
SAP MM (including External Service MM-SRV)
c. Project/factory calendar if the forecasting application is not the
scheduling application
d. Scheduled dates for the project objects listed before if the
forecasting application is not the scheduling application
e. Revised baseline quantities from SAP network costing structures
f. Costing information, such as internal labor rates, material rates,
external service rates, and so on
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10. For excel spreadsheet based forecast, the SAP PS system can
compute the remaining work (revised baseline − actual quantities)
and provide the unit rate and scheduled dates (latest finish date).
The project manager, work package manager, or scheduler should
send back the quantities and the monetary amount by period/
fiscal year. If the finish dates are changed then the forecasted
finish date should also be provided.
Activities for this Chapter
1. For your enterprise, try to define the process flow related to
project estimation, planning, budgeting, scheduling, forecasting,
and workforce/capacity/procurement planning as part of the
project period end process. Do this for, when the project is active
and when it is in the execution phase.
What is the sequence in which estimation, scheduling,
forecasting, and workforce/capacity/procurement planning
happen for the projects in your enterprise?
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Test Your Learning
1. What’s the formula for remaining quantities during forecasting?
Remaining Quantity = (________________- Actual Quantity).
2. If free float = total float = 0 for an activity, is the activity in the
critical path?
3. Activity type (AT0001) rates can be different for different cost
centers belonging to the same Controlling area.
a. True
b. False
4. SAP PS Easy Cost Planning allows periodic breakdown of cost and
quantities.
a. True
b. False
5. Performing forecasts by quantity and by monetary amount by
date/period and fiscal year supports resource management,
procurement, and in-house production management schedules.
a. True
b. False
Answers:
1. Revised Baseline Quantity
2. Yes
3. True
4. False
5. True
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Summary
In this chapter, you learned about the critical touch points of estimating, forecasting,
and scheduling functionalities with third-party applications and with other SAP process
streams such as human resource management, plant and equipment management, and
procurement and contracts management.
•
•
•
SAP Interface with Schedule Management Applications
•
Fundamentals of scheduling
•
Detailed planning of dates and schedule
•
Integration with procurement and production
•
Integration with resource management
•
Background on why an interface to third-party scheduling
application is required
•
Design principles for the scheduling interface
SAP Interface with Estimation and Costing Applications
•
Fundamentals of estimation and costing
•
Background on why an interface to third-party estimation and
costing application is required
•
Design principles for the estimation and costing interface
SAP Interface with Forecasting Applications or Products
•
Background and why an interface to a third-party forecasting
application is required
•
Design principles for the forecasting interface
In the next chapter, you learn about the industry best practices, business challenges,
solution options, recommendations, and commonly asked questions related to EPPM.
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CHAPTER 4
Industry Best Practices
and Business
Recommendations
This chapter discusses industry best practices, business challenges, solutions,
recommendations, and commonly asked questions related to Project, Program, and
Portfolio Management (PPM).
Unlike SAP’s best practices, which are software version and functionality specific,
these industry best practices are based on PPM’s business practices and capabilities
(which are outcome based). Only the top seven industry best practices are discussed in
this chapter, but that does not mean these are the only ones that SAP offers. There are
many more that are not covered because they are relatively less significant than the ones
detailed in this chapter.
This chapter covers four important business challenges faced by SAP Consultants
and Business Partners during the implementation of the SAP solution and its application
lifecycle. Again, this does not mean that there won’t be other business challenges. These
four business challenges have been picked for discussion, as they have a large impact
and bring significant benefit when they are dealt with correctly.
In this chapter, business challenges are cross-examined and different solutions
and recommendations are provided. In some cases, the recommendation is as
simple as choosing one correct option. In other cases, the recommendations are
situational and they therefore have to be interpreted based on the organization’s
project management maturity, whether the organization is managing, delivering, or
performing both, applications used for scheduling and forecasting, and so on.
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5_4
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In terms of commonly asked questions, four questions have been picked for
discussion. They resonate with the topics discussed so far in this book and with respect
to the SAP solution roadmap. These questions are functionality and capability focused
and have been picked based on their business impact and the benefits they can provide
to business. In this section, the different solution options that are available for respective
business needs are detailed with perspective.
This chapter also provides a standard development object list and functionality list
by industry as ready references for solution and application consultants and for business
partners engaged in SAP implementations and maintenance (independent of the SAP
versions, whether it’s S/4 HANA or an existing business suite).
Industry Best Practices
Best practices are a set of guidelines, ethics, or ideas. They can be commercial or
professional procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most
effective. They represent the most efficient or prudent course of action in a given
business situation.
Best practices may be established by authorities, such as regulators or governing
bodies, or they may be internally decreed by a company’s management team.
This section covers industry-specific best practices. Industry best practices
are commonly used practices or procedures in the project, program, and portfolio
management stream for a particular Industry.
Mobility and App Based Project Management Solutions
(Cross Industry)
Most project management activities are performed in construction sites, mines, plants,
and remote areas that lack connectivity to the enterprise resource planning tool. Even if
there is a connection to the ERP tool, it is usually stationed at a construction site office
(container buildings). This means that field engineers and service staff often have to
perform offline recording/capturing of data and then transfer it to the SAP or ERP tool.
In this age of 4G and 5G mobile technologies, smartphones and tablets, businesses
and enterprises want their construction engineers, managers, supervisors, and service
staff to perform this activity in real-time and only once.
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This is where SAP Fiori apps come in handy, by providing the perfect solution
for the construction, mining, field engineers, and other field -related staff, to record
information on their smartphones and tablets as soon as the measurements or
activities are confirmed. This provides real-time updates on progress, inventory,
costs, control, quality, and safety.
SAP’s Portfolio, Program and Project Management (which comprises SAP
Commercial Project Management (CPM), Portfolio and Project Management (PPM),
and Project Systems (PS)) has around 250 Fiori-based apps that are related to
project, program, and portfolio management solutions.
Fiori is more than just a new user interface and the Fiori framework is designed in
such a way that the applications can be used on different device types—desktop, tablets,
and smartphones—using the standard browsers available within each system.
Fiori is a set of cross-device applications called apps that, among other things, allow
users to start a process on their desktop and continue it on a tablet or smartphone. SAP is
developing its Fiori apps on its latest user interface framework, SAPUI5.
SAP lists three types of Fiori apps:
•
Transactional apps
•
Factsheet apps
•
Analytical apps
These apps are role based and are ready to use. Transactional apps allow users to
perform SAP transactions on mobile devices as well as on desktops. For instance, there
is a transactional app called “Confirm Network Activity,” as shown in Figure 4-1 for the
confirmation of activities of different projects that are assigned to you.
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Figure 4-1. Confirm Network Activity transactional app
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Fact sheets display information about key business objects in SAP. For example,
there is a fact sheet app called “Project Definition Overview,” as shown in Figure 4-2. It
allows users to display the master data details for a project definition.
Figure 4-2. Project Definition Overview fact sheet app
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Analytical apps allow users to display key performance measures and other aggregate
information about the business. For example, there is an analytics app called “Procurement
Overview,” as shown in Figure 4-3, which provides information related to the procurement
of resources for commercial projects relevant to you. You can also perform PR and PO
release, Goods Receipt & Service Entry, and Convert PR ➤ PO using this app.
Figure 4-3. Procurement Overview Analytical app
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Table 4-1 lists the top 50 Fiori apps for easy reference from various project
management applications, such as Commercial Project Management (CPM), Portfolio
and Project Management (PPM), and Project Systems (PS) for S/4 HANA on-premise
and cloud versions. Information in this table has been enriched so that users can easily
make sense out of the list. If a native Fiori app is not available from the from SAP Fiori
library, custom apps can be developed based on your organization’s requirements and
are then accessible through mobile/tablet/desktop.
249
250
CPM
CPM
1
2
F2314
F2367
change requests, risks,
related to the procurement order value,
Overview
open
Entry, and convert PR➤ PO
Goods Receipt & Service
perform PR and PO release, amounts, etc.
PO and PR information and quantities,
to you. You can also view
projects (projects) relevant quantities,
of resources for commercial unit price, total
You can view information
Procurement
commercial projects.
planning or execution of
Purchase net
Items
originate from issues,
or checklists during the
and checklist
process activities that
Activities
manager
Project
management)
project
(commercial
request, issues member
You can manage and
Project team
Role
Project
No. of change
KPI
Supported
tablet
HANA
SAP S/4
HANA
Transactional SAP S/4
Category
Type of App Product
Desktop and Analytical
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Types
App Description
Appln.
App Name
Device
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
Component
Application
Table 4-1. Top 50 Critical Fiori Apps in the Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Solution Area (SAP PS,
PPM, and CPM)
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
CPM
CPM
3
4
F2134
F2182
related to billing and
invoices for commercial
projects (projects) relevant amount,
and
Receivables
Overview
received, etc.
summary and act on
Invoice
Debit Memo Request, and
Receivables, Billing Plan,
information such as: Aged
amount
to you. You can view a
outstanding
billed amount
You can view information
Billing
people on the projects
and dates, and contact
members, update statuses
and assign key project
general information, view
and attachments, view
You can also view alerts
Net value,
etc.
viewing and drilling down
to KPIs - ETC, EAC, etc.
revenue, EVA,
check on your project by
Overview
manager
Project
manager
ETC, EAC, cost, Project
Single-Project You can run a health
factsheet
Analytical/
HANA
SAP S/4
tablet
HANA
Desktop and Transactional SAP S/4
smartphone
tablet, and
desktop,
(continued)
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
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Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
251
252
CPM
CPM
CPM
CPM
5
6
7
Role
8
issue, and
(projects) relevant to you.
projects
Financial Plan plans for commercial
PLANNING_APPL
You can create financial
Create
/CPD/WDA_FIN_
commercial project.
change request for a
Request
CHANGE_
REQUEST
Create Change You can create a new
(commercial
management)
project
(commercial
manager
etc.
management)
project
(commercial
commitments, manager
Cost, revenue, Project
request
No. of Change Project
management)
project
manager
Project
the project
No. of issues
manager
process issues related to
Report Issues You can manage and
interested in
or projects you are
which you are responsible
These could be projects for change request
EVA, no. of
for commercial projects
Overview
Cost, revenue, Project
You can view information
Multi-project
/PICM/OVP_
OVP_ISSUE_APPL
/PICM/
F2133
KPI
Supported
Desktop
Desktop
Desktop
tablet
Web Dynpro
Web Dynpro
Web Dynpro
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
transactional HANA
SAP S/4
Category
Type of App Product
Desktop and Analytical/
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
CPM
CPM
PPM
9
10
11
Currency
WS_
for information displayed in
You define personal settings Currency
F3859
finally decide the entire set
(scope) of all the projects
Project
Rankings
your regular review process
decision-making basis in
rankings that you use as a
create one or more project
scope or out of scope, you
which projects will be in
for an upcoming period
planning period. To define
execute within a certain
you definitely want to
You can simulate and
Manage
operations (EC&O)
controller
financial
Cost, date, etc. Project
management)
(commercial
project
EVA, etc.
Cost, Revenue, manager
construction, and
such as professional
Project
Project
management)
project
(commercial
manager
Project
services or engineering,
projects for businesses
Commercial
MP_CFG_APPL
You can create commercial ETC, EAC,
Create
/CPD/PWS_WS_
PERSONALIZATION Personalization the cross-project view app
Alert and
/CPD/PWS_
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Desktop
Desktop
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
Cloud
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Web Dynpro
Web Dynpro
(continued)
RANKING_SRV
PROJECT_
PPM_PRO_
CA-CPD-WS
CA-CPD-WS
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Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
253
254
PPM
PPM
PPM
PPM
PPM
12
13
14
15
16
F2090
F2150
F2165
F2166
F3215
checklist items for which
Items
controller
financial
Project
You can display all active
Date, cost,
completed nor cancelled.
been released but neither
A project is active if it has
is assigned as a substitute.
As a Substitute projects to which your user revenue, etc.
My Projects -
manager or as a substitute
etc.
projects to which your user and duration,
(PPM)
is assigned as a project
You can display all planned Date, effort,
My Tasks
Checklist Items app
manager
Project
member
Project team
member
have selected in the My
of a checklist item that you
Object Page
member
Project team
duration, etc.
Date, effort and Project team
revenue, etc.
Date, cost,
Role
Checklist Item You can display the details No. of objects
you are responsible
You can display the
My Checklist
Project Control app
header details using the
create and maintain project
financial controller can
Project Control With this feature, a project
KPI
Supported
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Category
Type of App Product
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
PPM_PROtha
PPM_PRO
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PPM
PPM
PPM
17
18
19
F2086
F2087
F2088
severities of the active
Critical
completed nor cancelled
been released but neither
A project is active if it has
manager or as a substitute.
is assigned as a project
projects to which your user
You can display the
My Projects -
not currently locked
not yet been released and is
A project is planned if it has
manager or as a substitute.
revenue, etc.
Date, cost,
projects to which your user revenue, etc.
Planned
is assigned as a project
You can display all planned Date, cost,
My Projects -
cancelled
but neither completed nor
if it has been released
manager. A project is active
is assigned as a project
projects to which your user revenue, etc.
Active
Date, cost,
You can display all active
My Projects -
manager
Project
Manager
project
manager
Project
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
(continued)
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
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Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
255
256
PPM
PPM
PPM
20
21
22
F2031
F2084
F2085
Role
milestones of the active
Milestones
You can display the 20
completed nor cancelled
been released but neither
A project is active if it has
manager or as a substitute.
is assigned as a project
manager
issues
the most important project
events, and to focus on
or in response to certain
either on a regular basis
duration, etc.
Progress
and progress of a project,
Project
manager
No. of projects Project
manager
Monitor Project You can track the schedule Date, effort,
called up most recently
Used Projects projects that your user has
Display Last
upcoming and overdue
Upcoming
projects to which your user
You can display the
My Projects Date and POC Project
KPI
Supported
Desktop
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Category
Type of App Product
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
PPM_PRO
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PPM
PPM
23
24
F0284
F1876
your user is assigned as
Manager
member
(portfolio
and project
management)
effort and
They can also confirm the
progress of their work
view a list of all project
Project Tasks
Project team
manager
Project
tasks they are assigned to. Duration
Project team members can No. of tasks,
Confirm
called up most recently
the projects that you have
In addition, you can see
yet completed or cancelled.
have been released but not
and active projects, which
have not yet been released,
planned projects, which
substitute. This includes
a project manager or as a
of all the projects to which revenue, etc.
Project
Date, cost,
You can get an overview
My Projects -
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Analytical
(continued)
PPM-PFM
PPM_PRO
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
257
258
PPM
PPM
PPM
25
26
27
F0281
F0282
F0283
manager can send it to start
You can change portfolio
You can approve decision
Decision Points points
Approve
Portfolio Items items
Dates
revenue, etc.
Date, cost,
management)
completed, the program
Change
and project
items. Once a proposal is
Proposals
the reviewing process
(portfolio
proposals for new portfolio revenue, etc.
Portfolio Item
Supported
Suite
(portfolio
management)
and project
Business
Transactional SAP
manager
Program
management)
Desktop
Suite
and project
(portfolio
Transactional SAP
Suite
Business
Transactional SAP
Business
Desktop
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Category
Type of App Product
manager
Program
manager
Managers can create
Program
Role
Create
Date, cost,
KPI
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
PPM-PFM
PPM-PFM
PPM-PFM
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PS
PS
28
29
F3216
F5130
You can use this app to
definition. A structured
Overview
monitoring tasks
planning, execution, and
project is the basis for all
data details for a project
revenue, etc.
You can display the master Date, cost,
Definition
duration
Date and
Project
for selected objects
display detailed information
confirmation status, and
their dependencies, and
identify critical activities,
The app allows you to
as an interactive graph.
and their relationships
Network Graph display network activities
Project
controller
financial
Project
controller
logistics
Project
tablet
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Desktop and Factsheet
Desktop
(continued)
OVERV_SRV
PROJECT_
PS_
PS-ST-PB
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
259
260
30
PS
F3088
Role
Supported
closing
collection or period end
steps, such as actual cost
control subsequent process
well as parameters that
of a work package as
the essential characteristics
SRV *
& PS_
SMMRY_SRV
This app enables you to edit
Cloud
S/4HANA
PREDICT_
tablet
smartphone,
PS_PROJFIN_
PROJCOST_
a work package. A work
Transactional SAP
Component
Application
element of a specific project.
controller
detailed master data for
Projects
Desktop,
Category
Type of App Product
package is a structure
financial
You can display and edit
Monitor
Cost, date, etc. Project
KPI
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
31
PS
F3078
easily monitor aggregated
and non-aggregated project
costs by allowing you to
Financial
Controller
Overview
projects and hierarchies
WBS elements from different
details of multiple projects or
be expanded and view cost
which a project tree has to
can also enter the level to
calculate variance. You
and use one category to
cost planning categories,
item level, configure two
costs at an individual line
monitor the variance and
actual costs. You can also
compare plan costs with
This feature enables you to
Project
controller
financial
Cost, date, etc. Project
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Analytical
Cloud
S/4HANA
SAP
(continued)
OVPS1
PS_PFC_
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
261
262
32
PS
F2538
KPI
Role
Supported
and non-aggregated project
Items
hierarchies
from different projects and
projects or WBS elements
cost details of multiple
to be expanded and view
which a project tree has
can also enter the level to
calculate variance. You
and use one category to
cost planning categories,
item level, configure two
costs at an individual line
monitor the variance and
actual costs. You can also
compare plan costs with
costs by allowing you to
easily monitor aggregated
Report - Line
controller
financial
This feature enables you to Cost, date, etc. Project
Project Cost
Desktop
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Category
Type of App Product
PROJCLIS1 *
PS_
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
33
PS
F2513
and non-aggregated project
Overview
hierarchies
from different projects and
projects or WBS elements
cost details of multiple
to be expanded and view
which a project tree has
can also enter the level to
calculate variance. You
and use one category to
cost planning categories,
item level, configure two
costs at an individual line
monitor the variance and
actual costs. You can also
compare plan costs with
costs by allowing you to
easily monitor aggregated
Report controller
financial
This feature enables you to Cost, date, etc. Project
Project Cost
Desktop
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
(continued)
& PS_PFRS1
PROJCLIS1 *
PS_
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
263
264
PS
PS
PS
34
35
36
F1971
F1974
F1975
KPI
Role
Supported
financial
controller
data details for a milestone.
A milestone can be used
Overview
financial
process
material procurement
used in the project-based
material component is
to network activities. A
component that is assigned price, amount, controller
Overview
etc.
logistics
data details of a material
Component
qty, date, unit
You can display the master No. of material, Project
Material
certain hierarchy
various project tasks in a
elements. A WBS organizes
breakdown structure (WBS)
controller
Project
revenue, etc.
Overview
data details for work
WBS Element You can display the master Date, cost,
project
during various phases of a
to track events that occur
You can display the master Dates and POC Project
Milestone
Factsheet
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
Factsheet
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
Category
Type of App Product
Desktop and Factsheet
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
SRV
COMPONENT_
MAT_
PS_PROJ_
OVW_SRV
MENT_
WBSELE
PS_
OVW_SRV
MILESTONE_
PS_
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PS
PS
37
38
F1761
F1970
activity. A network activity
Overview
services
billing requests 2. Edit a
request
requests 4. Reject a billing
blocked 3. Release billing
billing request that was
commercial
manager -
etc.
display a list of blocked
features: 1. Filter and
Requests
controller
Revenue, date, Project
etc.
Release Billing Provides the following
within a project
and execution processes
for further logistics planning
network. It forms the basis
task within the flow of a
is used to represent a
data details of a network
Activity
Project
duration, cost, logistics
You can display the master Date, effort,
Network
Desktop
tablet
S/4HANA
SAP
HANA
Transactional SAP S/4
Desktop and Factsheet
(continued)
CDS
REQUEST_
BILLING
C_OPEN
OVW_SRV
NTWKACTY_
PS_
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
265
266
PS
PS
39
40
F0930A
F0965A
apps for management
Plan/Actual
report on actual and plan
apps for management
accounting, you can
report on actual and plan
Plan/Actual
YTD (Design
Studio)
Projects – Plan/Actual
of data, for example,
entity as well as the type
of the app indicates the
accounting. The name
relevant to management
data for different entities
With all analytical
Projects –
Projects – Plan/Actual
of data, for example,
entity as well as the type
of the app indicates the
accounting. The name
relevant to management
(Design Studio) data for different entities
Translation
with Currency accounting, you can
With all analytical
Projects –
revenue, etc.
Date, cost,
revenue, etc.
Date, cost,
KPI
overhead
accountant –
Cost
overhead
accountant –
Cost
Role
Supported
Desktop
Desktop
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
and factsheet S/4HANA
BW query app SAP
and factsheet S/4HANA
BW query app SAP
Category
Type of App Product
CO-OM-IS
CO-OM-IS
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PS
PS
PS
PS
41
42
43
44
F0295
F0296
F0539
F0540A
milestones defined in a
project
Project
Milestone
within a network
Activity
You can confirm the
processing of an activity
Network
Confirm
You can confirm the
Confirm
Activity Status network activity
and user status of a
Network
controller
logistics
Project
controller
logistics
Project
controller
logistics
Project
controller
financial
Date and POC Project
duration
Date and
effort, etc.
You can change the system Date,
Change
process
material procurement
used in the project-based
A material component is
a material component.
qty, etc.
data and related object
Component
details associated with
You can display the master Unit price,
Material
Factsheet
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
tablet
S/4HANA
Desktop and Transactional SAP
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
tablet
Desktop and Factsheet
and tablet
Desktop
(continued)
CONFIRM
MILESTONE_
PS_
CONFIRM
PS_ACTIVITY_
SRV
STATCHG_
ACTVT
PS_NTWK
NENT_SRV
COMPO
MAT_
PS_PROJ_
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
267
268
PS
PS
PS
45
46
47
F0290A
F0291A
F0292
details associated with
(S/4HANA)
tasks
execution, and monitoring
basis for all planning,
structured project is the
a project definition. A
data and related object
Definition
revenue, etc.
You can display the master Date, cost,
Project
tasks in a certain hierarchy
organizes various project
a WBS element. A WBS
details associated with
controller
financial
Project
controller
Financial
revenue, etc.
Project
data and related object
(S/4HANA)
controller
financial
Project
Role
WBS Element You can display the master Date, cost,
element
breakdown structure
Duration
You can change the system Date and
Element Status and user status of a work
Change WBS
KPI
Supported
tablet
Desktop and Factsheet
tablet
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
Transactional SAP
Category
Type of App Product
Desktop and Factsheet
tablet
smartphone,
Desktop,
Types
App Description
Device
App Name
Appln.
App ID
Mgmt.
App Proj.
Table 4-1. (continued)
PS-FIO-STR
PS-FIO-STR
CHANGE_SRV
STATUS
SELEMENT
PS_WB
Component
Application
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PS
PS
PS
48
49
50
F0288A
F0286A
F0289A
and duration
details associated with
project
project or task within a
represents the flow of a
control
effort, material, logistics
data and related object
a network. A network
You can display the master No. of tasks,
(S/4HANA)
of a project
occur during various phases
be used to track events that
tablet
Desktop and Factsheet
controller
details associated with a
Project
tablet
milestone. A milestone can
Desktop and Factsheet
financial
tablet
data and related object
control
Desktop and Factsheet
You can display the master Dates and POC Project
within a project
and execution processes
for further logistics planning
network. It forms the basis
a task within the flow of a
activity is used to represent
and duration
Network
Milestone
details associated with a
(S/4HANA)
network activity. A network
data and related object
Activity
Project
effort, material, logistics
You can display the master No. of tasks,
Network
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
S/4HANA
SAP
PS-FIO-STR
PS-FIO-STR
PS-FIO-STR
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
269
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
A complete list of current Fiori apps is available on SAP’s website.
•
Fiori App Library:
https://fioriappslibrary.hana.ondemand.com/sap/fix/externalViewer/#/
https://sapfioriapps.com/
•
SAP PPM Fiori App Library:
https://help.sap.com/doc/b75cf8a90d7b44ae95001ccf333db3b7/1.0%202016-07/
en-US/frameset.htm?8cab525269c1097de10000000a445394.html
•
SAP CPM Fiori App Library:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/0f7d6745e28b4059b7d6c2acee84e67a/2020.002/
en-US/fb8ef35723a6bc12e10000000a4450e5.html
•
SAP PS Fiori App Library
https://help.sap.com/doc/0f1a0a56d448792de10000000a44538d/1610%20002/
en-US/frameset.htm?frameset.htm
Resource-Related Billing (Professional Service)
Profession Service includes information technology, business process outsourcing,
legal, engineering and design consulting, media/advertising, and public sectors (all
government).
SAP Project Systems, with integration with other SAP modules such as Sales and
Distribution (SD) and Controlling (CO), provide a capability which works on the
principle that any effort or output/outcome quantity or material or expense toward a
billable statement of work (SOW) or contract should be reviewed against SOW/contract
and billed back to the customer.
All the actual made to a project, such as statistical key figure posting toward the
business process outsourcing outputs/outcome (no. of calls; service level agreement
(SLAs), actual timesheet posting (engineering and design effort in consulting project),
expenses incurred during travel/trips to the client, materials purchased toward the
service provided for the client work (server in IT project; props/costume for a photo
shoot), and so on, have to be billed to the client based on the agreed selling price. This
price is based on agreed billing rates, cost plus rates, volume based pricing agreements,
service level agreements, or value provided to the client (outcome based).
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Chapter 4
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SAP uses dynamic line item processing for resource related billing, where each
posting is summarized and shown as an item to be billed based on the dynamic line
item characteristics. The system then shows the summarized items based on the
characteristics of the posting for review and the “Billing Editor” provides an ability to
edit the information (postpone billing, accept quantities for billing, accept rates applied,
etc.) so that a billing request can be created for further review and acceptance by the
relevant stakeholder. This billing request when accepted, billing document (invoice) can
be created against the customer.
For all the following charging modes, resource related billing can be used:
•
Time and materials
•
Time and materials with cap
•
Output/volume/quantity based billing
•
Outcome/value/service level based billing
•
Cost plus billing
In industries such as IT, BPO, and Engineering & Design, billing rates can depend on
the following parameters:
•
Location of the resource (onsite, offshore, nearshore, etc.)
•
Overtime or on call, weekday or weekend, public holiday, and so on
•
Type of resource (level of support or service or resource qualification
or named resource)
•
Volume (telescopic rates or number of hours of effort)
•
Validity dates (price rise or price escalations)
•
Service level (incentives based on Key Performance Indicators)
SAP provides a lot of enhancement opportunities in the Dynamic Line Item
Processor (DIP) to make it relevant to the industry and business processes of the
enterprise.
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Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
evenue Recognition via Results Analysis and Integration
R
with Revenue Accounting and Reporting (IFRS)
(Cross Industry)
Revenue recognition within SAP is performed in a number of ways. Revenue recognition
using SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) module is performed using the following
transactions:
•
VF44 – Revenue Recognition – Post Revenue
•
VF46 – Cancel Revenue Recognition
•
VF45 – Revenue Recognition Overview
In addition to the SD revenue recognition, for projects, revenue recognition is
performed using results analysis. Results of the projects are only computed as part of
the results analysis functionality. Posting them to Financial and Controlling happens
only at the time of project settlement. Results analysis computed are only posted in the
controlling area currency as part of the project settlement.
•
KKA0 – Results Analysis – Cut-off Period
•
KKA2 – Results Analysis – Individual Processing
•
KKAJ – Results Analysis – Collective Processing
•
KKA8 - Results Analysis – Delete Data
•
CJ88 – Project Settlement - Individual Processing
•
CJ8G - Project Settlement - Collective Processing
What’s different with results analysis?
Results analysis provides 15 different methods for the computation of the results of the
project. These methods cuts across industries—Professional Service (IT, BPO, engineering
and design), Media (advertising), Engineering Construction and Operation (ECO),
272
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Discrete Industries (Manufacturing - Engineer-To-Order and Made-To-Order scenarios),
Telecom (customer projects), and so on. The most widely used valuation methods are as
follows:
1. Revenue Proportionality Method (Method 1): Percentage
of completion for the computation of the results analysis is
calculated based on the revenue proportionality.
2. Cost Proportionality Percentage of Completion (POC) Method
(Method 3): Percentage of completion for the computation of the
results analysis is calculated based on the cost proportionality.
3. Percentage of Completion (POC) Method (Method 7): Percentage
of completion for the computation of the results analysis is
calculated based on the actual percentage of progress of the
project recorded in the system using progress analysis.
4. Contract Completion Method (Method 9): Cost of sale and
revenue is recognized only if the work has been completed
(technically completed). Until such time, actual cost and revenue
will be deferred.
5. Resource Related Billing Method –COS Recognition (Method 14):
This method uses the dynamic item processor (DIP) line item x
Cost Rate (cost) as the revenue to be recognized for the project
based on the statement of work (sales document) linked to the
project.
6. Resource Related Billing Method – Derive Revenue (Method 15):
This method uses the dynamic item processor (DIP) line item x
billing rate as the revenue to be recognized for the project based
on the statement of work (sales document) linked to the project.
Figure 4-4 shows a detailed list of valuation methods that are available via project
results analysis.
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Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Figure 4-4. Detailed list of valuation methods in Results Analysis (PS)
As we all know, revenue recognition applies only to customer projects and not to
capital work. Using results analysis, the following key figures are computed:
•
Work In progress (WIP) or inventory
•
Reserve for imminent loss (reserve for unrealized cost)
•
Revenue in excess of billing (unbilled receivables)
•
Revenue surplus (deferred revenue)
With the introduction of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS),
all global enterprises have to adhere to the international financial standard. Therefore
parallel accounting is enabled, in addition to the local Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP) as more than 166 jurisdictions (mostly countries) follow IFRS for
their financial reporting. IFRS is based on the following objectives—transparency,
accountability, and economic efficiency.
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Within IFRS, revenue recognition is covered under standard “IFRS 15 - Revenue from
Contracts with Customers,” which was issued by the IASB on May 28, 2014 and applies
to an entity’s first annual IFRS financial statements for a period beginning on or after
January 1, 2018. The IFRS 15 standard states that revenue is to be recognized based on
performance obligations of the contract.
For this reason, SAP introduced an add-on solution called “Revenue Accounting and
Reporting” (RAR) to meet these IFRS requirements. There are two ways in which project
results analysis integrates with RAR for the following valuation methods. RAR is the
driver that influences the revenue that gets posted to the Finance module via settlement
in both integration types.
1. Percentage of Completion methods (Methods 3, 7, and 9): Results
analysis is performed in ECC and then the calculated values (POC
and Revenue) are shared to the RAR application. Posting run is
performed in RAR based on the contract performance obligation
and the resultant adjustment revenue is sent to ECC. Calculated
values along with adjustment posting are then settled to Finance
(only COS; posting run updates FI with actual revenue values) and
COPA (both Cost of Sale and Revenue).
2. Revenue based valuation methods (Methods 1 and 2): Posting run
is performed in RAR and the actual revenue is posted to FI.
Adjusted revenue is sent to ECC. With the adjustment revenue,
calculated values are computed. These values are settled to FI as
part of the project settlement.
Note If parallel accounting (IFRS and local GAAP) is adopted in your enterprise,
multiple RA versions can be used for this purpose.
Project Management Controls
Earned Value Analysis (EVA) (Public Sector, Engineering,
Construction and Operation and Infrastructure Projects of
Utilities and Telecom)
EVA is applicable to public sector (defense and government—local, state, and federal),
engineering, construction and operation, and utilities and telecom.
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Chapter 4
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Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is an industry standard method of measuring a
project’s progress at any given point in time, forecasting its completion date and final
cost—Estimate at Completion (EAC) and Estimate to Complete (ETC)—and analyzing
variances in the schedule (Schedule Variance and Schedule Performance Index) and
budget (Cost Variance and Cost Performance Index) as the project proceeds.
What Is Earned Value Analysis?
Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is a method that allows the project managers and controllers
to measure the amount of work actually performed on a project beyond the basic review
of cost and schedule reports. EVA provides a method that permits the project to be
measured by progress achieved. The project manager is then able, using the progress
measured, to forecast a project’s total cost (EAC and ETC) and date of completion, based
on trend analysis or by applying the project’s burn rate or earned value.
The term earned value is defined as the budgeted cost of work performed or
BCWP. This budgeted cost of work performed measure enables the project manager and
the controllers to compute performance indices for cost and schedule performance,
which provides information on how well the project is doing or performing relative to
its original plans. These indices, when applied to future work, allow the project manager
and controllers to forecast how the project will do in the future, assuming the earned
value will not fluctuate, which often is a large assumption.
Reference:
Above paragraph is an extract from PMI Library; refer to the following link for more
information:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/earned-value-management-systemsanalysis-8026
Earned Value Analysis can be applied to projects where the budgeted cost is well
detailed based on the project scope and deliverables. EVA provides a method that
permits the project to be measured by progress achieved. Following are the key figures
and its definitions that are related to EVA and its computation.
Planned POC
The planned POC expresses the planned work as a percentage up to a particular point.
In SAP PS, the planned POC is determined based on the following parameters:
276
•
Weighting provided for the POC aggregation.
•
Set of dates to determine the planned POC; planned POC with
respect to the project timeline.
Chapter 4
•
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Default plan measurement method for determining the planned POC
on WBSEs and network activity.
A simple example of measurement method is “estimate,” where the planned POC
can be entered by the project manager or determined by the project controller/planner
and updated when baselines are updated.
The following are the list of measurement methods provided within SAP PS for the
purpose of calculating percentage of completion (POC): Plan and Actual.
•
Start - Finish Rule: This is a quick and easy measurement technique
to get an initial rough picture of the project’s progress. This
measuring technique is based on scheduling and is adopted on work
packages where the duration is longer than three months.
•
Milestone Technique: This technique is date-related and works on
the basis of WBSE or network activity milestones. It is preferred on
projects that last longer than three months. The milestone technique
is typically used in development, design, engineering, engineer-toorder (ETO), or made-to-order (MTO) productions and assembleto-order (ATO) assemblies and customer order scenarios where the
customer prescribes milestones as the basis for billing.
•
Estimates: This method involves making an assessment of the
project progress and it is schedule based. This method is used more
often when interfacing schedule-related information from thirdparty scheduling applications. The work package duration for this
technique should be more than three months.
•
Degree of Processing: This measurement method is used to
determine actual progress of internal activities where degree of
processing is entered during confirmation.
•
Time Proportionality: This measurement technique is suitable for
work packages where internal work is performed and there is an
even distribution of effort based on the dates. This technique is used
during the blueprint or realization phase WBSE, where effort per
day is the same for the entire duration of work but not for the final
preparation phase WBSE, where resource ramp down starts.
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•
Cost Proportionality: This measurement technique is suitable for
work packages where costs and progress have a constant relationship.
The system does not take into account hierarchical costs when this
technique is adopted on a WBS element.
•
Quantity Proportionality: This measurement technique is used when
countable events occurring during the life of a work package are
planned and confirmed using Statistical Key Figures (SKF).
•
Secondary Proportionality: This technique is used when progress of
one work package is dependent on another reference work package.
Successful Earned Value Analysis is dependent on the determination of the planned
POC during the project lifecycle:
•
Correct planning method and weightage should be adopted to the
different activities (based on material, labor, and equipment cost
ratio to the project cost).
•
Sometimes high-price materials have to be bought at the start of the
project. If cost proportionality is adopted for the determination of the
planned POC, it will be inflated and hence appropriate measurement
method and weightage should be adopted.
Actual POC
The actual POC expresses the work actually performed as a percentage up to a
particular point.
In SAP PS, the actual POC is determined based on the following parameters:
•
Weighting provided for the POC aggregation (same weighting applied
to plan and actual).
•
Set of dates to determine the actual POC; actual POC with respect to
the project timeline.
•
Default actual measurement method for determining the actual POC
on WBSEs and network activity.
A simple example of measurement method is “estimate,” where the actual
POC can be entered by the project manager or as determined at the project
site by the site supervisor or field engineer at different time intervals.
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Successful Earned Value Analysis is dependent on the determination of the actual
POC during the project lifecycle:
•
Correct planning method and weightage should be adopted to the
different activities (based on material, labor, and equipment cost
ratio to the project cost).
•
Heavy reliance on the input from site or field may lead to
inaccuracies if methods such as estimate are adopted.
•
It is recommended to keep the plan and actual methods mostly the
same so that the basis of comparison is the same. In some cases, these
rules will have to be changed for the reason of accuracy of information.
Planned Costs
Planned costs are the cumulated planned costs for a CO version. You can use the
planned costs as the base to evaluate the work. The total planned costs reflect the
planned costs on completion.
EVA recommendations:
•
EVA cannot be adopted if there is less maturity in the planned cost.
•
EVA is adopted for repeated project work where there are historic
references.
Planned Earned Value (BCWS)
The planned earned value is the value of the planned work at a particular point. The
planned earned value is computed from the planned POC in relation to the planned
total value of the work to be performed (base).
BCWS = Planned POC X Total Planned Cost
Actual Earned Value (BCWP)
The actual earned value is the value of the work actually performed up to a
particular point.
BCWP = Actual POC X Total Planned Cost
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Actual Costs (ACWP)
The actual costs are the costs incurred up to a cut-off date.
Work or Schedule Variance (SV)
Schedule variance helps to figure out if you are ahead of or behind schedule, and
by how much. Project Managers use the schedule variance formula when they are
figuring out their remaining resources, so they can best utilize them. Specifically,
Schedule Variance (SV) is the difference between the cost of work performed (BCWP)
and the cost of work scheduled (BCWS); the Earned Value (EV) minus the Planned
Value (PV). If you calculate SV and the value is positive, you are ahead of schedule.
If you calculate SV and the value is negative, you are behind schedule. If you calculate
schedule variance and the value is zero, you are on schedule. Schedule variance is zero
at the completion of a project because all of the planned value has been earned.
SV = BCWP - BCWS
Value or Cost Variance (CV)
The value or Cost variance (CV), also known as budget variance, is the difference
between the budgeted cost (BCWP) and, the actual cost (ACWP) or what you expected to
spend versus what you actually spent. This formula helps project managers figure out if
they are over or under budget. A positive CV shows that the project is under budget, and
a negative CV shows that the project is over budget. If the calculated cost variance is zero
(or very close to zero), you are on budget.
CV = BCWP - ACWP
Value Index (CPI)
The key value that represents the relationship between the value flow and the actual
costs as a percentage. The value index shows the extent to which project execution has
deviated from the plan. Using the value index, you can forecast future costs.
CPI = BCWP/ACWP
Estimated Costs-To-Complete (ETC)
The estimated costs-to-complete is an estimate of the residual costs up to completion
based on the project earned value.
ETC = (BCWS - BCWP)/CPI
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Estimated Costs at Completion (EAC)
The estimated costs-at-completion is an estimate of the total costs upon completion
based on the project earned value.
EAC = ACWP + ETC
Figure 4-5 shows the Earned Value Analysis in the form of an S curve, with a view of
the EAC and expected end date of the project.
Figure 4-5. Earned value analysis (S curve) with EAC and expected end date of
the project
Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) (Construction, Information
Technology, and New Product Development)
Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) is used in construction, information technology, and
new product development areas.
Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) is another simple and elegant way of performing
project control using dates/schedule, in addition to the Earned Value Analysis and
Variance Analysis. MTA is not widely adopted in projects due to lack of understanding it,
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its usage as project control in their industry, and due to the fact that not many thirdparty project management applications support it without having to have a bolt solution
to their existing applications.
MTA requires the following to be performed to successfully use the Milestone Trend
Analysis:
1. Identification of a key milestone for a project.
2. Dependencies of project activities to the milestone and
interdependence between project milestones.
3. Update plan (basic), forecast, and actual dates on a regular basis
or as per the reporting date/period (including future milestones).
4. Snapshot milestone/project dates (basic, forecast, and actual) for
each reporting date/period.
5. Frequency of snapshot for reporting purpose depends on the
duration of the project. For shorter projects, if this method were
to be applied, the reporting snapshot should be performed more
frequently for meaningful results.
6. Define corrective activities, if there are delays.
Following are the important items to note for Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) to
be used:
1. Snapshot (SAP PS version) helps use the date references (basic,
forecast, and actual) to report milestone dates by reporting date
(snapshot date).
2. MTA is a trend analysis tool and does not take into consideration
any defects or issues arising after the completion of previous
milestones for predictive analysis of inter-dependent subsequent
milestones.
3. If MTA is performed rigorously, it can be used to determine any
delays earlier on in the project.
4. MTA only indicates the deviations but does not provide root
cause analysis. So narrative or commentary for the dates will help
support or justify deviations.
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Prepare a Milestone Trend Analysis chart by entering the reporting periods on
the x-axis (starting left and progressing to recent/future reporting period on the right)
and the milestone dates on the y-axis (future/most recent to oldest milestone date
downward). If the corresponding points are connected, the result is a line, which shows
the progress.
•
If that line is horizontal, that means the project is on schedule.
•
If the line is trending upward, that means the project is
experiencing delays.
•
If the line is trending downward, that means the project is ahead of
schedule.
Reference:
https://rolandwanner.com/how-to-use-the-milestone-trend-analysis/
Figure 4-6 is an example of a home building (construction) project that shows the
significance of the foundation (M1) and ground floor (M2) slab milestones. Any delays in
the foundation and ground floor slab milestone have a knock-on impact on the first floor
slab and handing over the home to the client. The following milestone trend analysis
shows how the project was delivered ahead of schedule in spite of serious delays to the
first two key milestones. This also shows that the project controllers have been tracking
the project based on the initial two key milestones and because of the corrective actions
taken, the project got on schedule and later went ahead of schedule.
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Figure 4-6. Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA) of home building (construction)
project with its critical milestones
Variance Analysis (VA) (Cross Industry)
Variance analysis or cause of change analysis (as some companies refer to it) is one of
the important activities that gets done in any organization on a monthly basis. This is a
project control exercise to review the project and understand the reasons that the actual
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performance varies from budgets or plan, in financial terms. The project managers and
project finance controllers always like to understand root causes for the variances.
Variances are measured for the various key performance indicators (cost, revenue,
and budget) and this is done at a very detailed level, analyzing each and every aspect
of the financial results. Let’s take an example of analyzing the variance between actual
and plan cost. The project manager wants to explore the huge variance in cost. As the
project manager explores the variance, they would get mixed reasons (both positive and
negative) contributing to variances. This could be on account of the following:
1. Early receipt of high value material at the project site.
2. Incorrect cost accrual being posted.
3. Rework due to a quality issue.
4. Change in site condition compared to what was planned,
and so on.
SAP PS, PPM, and CPM provide a long list of variance analysis reports that show
absolute and percentage variance between the actual and plan (cost/budget/revenue).
These reports allow the project manager and project finance controllers to compare and
determine corrective actions to bring the project back on course with respect to cost,
budget, and revenue.
Standard SAP PS variance reports that are widely used for variance analysis are as
follows:
1. S_ALR_87013543 - Actual/Plan/Variance Absolute/Variance %
(Cost Element Based*)
2. S_ALR_87013532 - Plan/Actual/Variance (Hierarchical
Cost Report)
3. S_ALR_87100190 - Plan/Actual/Variance for Each Project and
Person Responsible (Hierarchical Cost Report)
4. S_ALR_87013557 - Budget/Actual/Variance (Hierarchical
Budget Report)
5. S_ALR_87013570 - Act/Plan/Variance Abs./% Var. (Revenue
Element Based*)
6. S_ALR_87013564 - Plan/Actual/Variance (Hierarchical
Revenue Based)
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7. S_ALR_87013503 - Actual/Plan/Variance (Summarization*)
8. S_ALR_87013512 - Actual/Plan/Variance (Summarization*)
*Available in S/4 HANA.
Standard SAP PPM Variance Analysis Report:
1. Actual vs. Planned Cost by Portfolio Item (Query: 0RPM_
C03_Q0202)
a. Variance Actual/Plan
b. Variance Actual/Budget
Standard CPM Variance Report:
1. Variance Analysis of the Project (Query:/CPD/AVR_VP14_Q001;
Info-Provider/CPD/AVR_MP07)
a. Variance Plan vs. EAC (Variance)
ortfolio and Program Management Controls
P
and Decision Making
Investment Prioritization Framework (Cross Industry,
Government Organizations, and Private Enterprises that Are
Capital Intensive)
In Chapter 1, the same topic is covered under the prioritization framework. Therefore,
in this section of the book, we restrict to the best practices and don’t cover the
capability itself.
Most private enterprises and government organizations that are capital intensive
have huge CAPEX budgets and have to go through the investment prioritization
framework.
These government organizations operate on an annual budget cycle, where the need
for new investment is considered, potential investments are identified, and decisions are
made as to how the budget will be spent. These decisions are sometimes made without
a clear understanding of the challenges to the organization or the benefit criteria to
evaluate competing bids. In the absence of such criteria, investment decisions are often
determined by the loudest voices.
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Therefore it is important for the government organization to review the investment
decision based on the following questions and capture metrics associated with it for the
purpose of comparison.
1. What will the economic return be (NPV and cost benefit ratio)?
2. Are all the risks associated with the investment decision
understood and managed? What’s the risk profile of the
investment decision?
3. What would happen to infrastructure assets if investment
decisions got through? Will the infrastructure asset be
sustainable?
4. Is the investment decision already part of government
commitment? Is the investment decision aligned to the strategic
goals of the agency?
5. Will there be equity in the expenditure from other government
agencies?
6. Does this investment benefit rural and disadvantaged areas?
Should this proposal be prioritized?
Private enterprises that are expanding their infrastructure—for example, a
telecom major expanding their optical fiber network or a mobile service provider
changing from 4G to 5G technology infrastructure—would also have to prioritize their
investment decision so that their strategic objectives and market share or leadership and
competitive edge can be maintained. For these reasons, these private enterprises have to
go through an investment prioritization framework.
This framework and governance allows all investment proposals to be analyzed with
the same yardstick so that all the investment proposals are evaluated based on their risk
profile, strategic advantage, return of investment (ROI), and payback period.
SAP Portfolio and Project Management (PPM) offers questionnaire capability to
perform evaluation and profiling of the risk associated with the investment decision. It
also provides risk scoring based on the scoring model. Within SAP PPM, key figures and
metrics can be used to capture benefits, and financial and resource information coming
from financial and capacity planning. This information can be reviewed within PPM by
creating a review cycle (reviews) and then ranked, prioritized, and approved for further
processing.
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Decision Flow Management (Cross Industry)
As the name depicts, Decision Flow Management (DFM) is about how decisions related
to work being delivered are being made at a point in time and how this influences other
or next parts of the work being performed. It also considers what the knock-on impacts
are to the program of work and other projects it is related to or dependent on.
In SAP PPM, the decision being made at a point in time is referred to as the Decision
Point (DP). These decision points allow the project or program manager to move from
one phase to another and act as the stage gate. Therefore, at the time of decision point, a
decision is made to go ahead and move to the next phase or to hold back in the current
phase. The decision to move to the next phase is performed objectively based on a certain
list of checks that need to be performed and confirmed. But for these confirmation of
checks, the project manager or program manager cannot move to the next phase. Once
moved into the next phase, work execution commences for the next phase. This goes on
until the last phase is completed, in order to fully complete the work being delivered.
In this explanation, the phases are represented in SAP PPM as cProject Phases or PS
Project WBSE (representing phase). The checks and the confirmation of these checks
represent checklists and confirmation of checklist items, respectively. The work being
performed or delivered is represented by item or initiative. Items can be a proposal
(proposed work/idea/concept) or project work or major maintenance work. Initiatives
can be a program of work or projects.
Items and initiatives both have decision points. These decision points are then
linked to phases (cProject phase) or PS WBSE, depending on the integration scenario.
When the decision point approval happens, the subsequent or linked phase or WBSE
should be allowed to commence work execution. This process of moving through the
stages and gates is referred to in SAP PPM as phases and decision points.
As part of the decision flow, the following might not be required to be
synchronized from one part of the work to another (top-down, bottom-up, or
laterally if there is more than one object representing the same work in different
applications—Portfolio Management, Project Management, and Project
Systems), depending on your enterprise requirements:
1. Attributes (how the change to one attribute should be
synchronized to another object with the same value)
2. Status (how the change to one status can impact another change
of status in another object)
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3. Authorization (how the change of access to one object can impact
access in another object)
4. Workflow task to the extent to update the status of subsequent
decision point status, program decision point status, item status,
and so on
Decision flow management is a capability that can be customized to suit varied
business requirements from various industries. This functionality is a widely used
common practice within project and program management. SAP PPM provides this best
practice capability with additional special features, such as the synchronization and
workflow, as part of its native solution.
roject Accounting and Integration with Other
P
Modules/Third-Party Applications (Cross Industry)
The most featured functionality of SAP is its integration. Integration has been
highlighted as a best practice, as it is the most important and paramount functionality
that differentiates SAP Portfolio, Program, and Project Management/systems capability
from other ERP products.
SAP Project System is a highly integrated solution from an actuals perspective with
other modules such as Sales and Distribution (SD), Customer Service (CS), Materials
Management (MM), Production Planning (PP), Production Planning – Process
Industries (PP-PI), Cross Application Timesheet (CATS), Controlling (CO), Revenue
Accounting and Reporting (RAR), and Financial Accounting (FI).
SAP PPM and CPM solutions also integrate with SAP PS from an actuals perspective
but to summarize group and report actuals posted on the network activity/element and
WBS Elements in SAP PS.
SAP Project System is a highly integrated solution from a planning perspective
with other modules such as Sales and Distribution (SD), Customer Service (CS),
Materials Management (MM), Production Planning (PP), Production Planning –
Process Industries (PP-PI), Controlling (CO), Business Planning and Consolidation
(BPC), Investment Management (IM), Human Resource (HR), Portfolio and Project
Management (PPM), and Commercial Project Management (CPM).
Data flow is so seamless that when a WBSE is account assigned (Ref. Tab Page:
Account Assignment) in SD sales document (sales order/contract) or when a WBSE
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or network activity is account assigned in an MM purchasing document (PR/PO),
the actual, plan/commitment can be posted or captured against the WBSE (cost and
revenue) and network activity (cost only).
Similarly for other order types such as internal order, plant maintenance order, and
so on, depending on the Order Value update setting (appended and apportioned), when
assigned (Tab Page: Assignment) to a WBSE or network activity, planned values can be
updated on the WBSE and can be considered a commitment. Actuals posted on these
objects can also be viewed using standard reports by correctly choosing the database
profile that includes these order types without having to wait for the actual settlement
run of these orders, to show these actuals on the project.
The SAP Portfolio, Program, and Project Management system is very well integrated
with operational and strategic analytics with pre-built queries, extractors, analytic
apps* (embedded analytics*), embedded BW*, standalone BW or BW on HANA or BW/4
HANA. The * indicates possible with S/4 HANA versions.
Some useful links related to Portfolio, Program, and Project Management system
analytics are as follows:
CPM: Embedded Analytics:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/d6c1ceb7e0074cd1a8f28dad8a1a649c/2020.002/
en-US/8db66d56211d421d9b6be4418cb33252.html
CPM: BI Content:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/43d46b9a01bf4f10af638de441ec90d9/2020.002/
en-US/c2d3ae1f2bc44078a29138b1d650e29a.html
CPM: Apps (including Analytics/Transactional Apps)
https://help.sap.com/viewer/0f7d6745e28b4059b7d6c2acee84e67a/2020.002/
en-US/fb8ef35723a6bc12e10000000a4450e5.html
PPM S/4 HANA Analytics:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/db719753e69f4e8eb9902aaea0fd8471/2020.002/
en-US/8949a751cfd66472e10000000a423f68.html
PPM: BCV Reporting Cockpit:
https://help.sap.com/viewer/db719753e69f4e8eb9902aaea0fd8471/2020.002/
en-US/4ab7f26d5a8c37b1e10000000a421138.html
PPM: BI Content
https://help.sap.com/viewer/9c73d7ba21854ef6be678402913647c3/7.57.30/
en-US/90820352f816bb64e10000000a423f68.html
PS: BI Content
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https://help.sap.com/viewer/9c73d7ba21854ef6be678402913647c3/7.57.30/
en-US/36028653aa9a6159e10000000a174cb4.html
PS: Fiori Apps (including Analytics/Transactional Apps)
https://help.sap.com/viewer/4dd8cb7b1c484b4b93af84d00f60fdb8/2020.002/
en-US/30190a56d448792de10000000a44538d.html
SAP Notes relevant to S/4 HANA on Analytics:
•
2500202 - S4TWL - BW Extractors in SAP S/4HANA
From https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2500202
•
2267286 - S4TWL - Project Reporting
From https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2267286
•
2496759 - Restrictions for BW extractors relevant to S/4HANA in the
area of Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management
From https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2496759
•
2716026 - Usage of BW content for PPM in SAP S/4HANA
From https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2716026
hases and Decision Points: (Government
P
or Public Sector; New Product Development;
Infrastructure projects of Telecom and Utilities))
SAP Portfolio, Program, and Project Management system capabilities within SAP
provides a framework to manage phases and their respective decision points.
•
SAP PPM provides the ability to manage phases or stages using
Project Management (cProject) Phase or PS Project WBSEs.
•
Decision points are the gates or the gateway approval processes for
the successful completion of the phase and approval to step into the
next phase of the project/proposal lifecycle.
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Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
During the gateway review process, the following are submitted:
•
Mandatory and Optional Gateway Review Documentation and
Deliverables.
•
Checklist of items to be assessed for gateway or decision point
approval.
•
Performance with reference to exit criterions and Target Key
Figures which are based on strategic objectives, focus areas and
themes, risk and issues, readiness for the next stage or phase, and
closure of previous recommendations and comments.
•
Decision approval or stage gate approval should allow the
commencement or release of the next phase but should still allow
residual cost or pending time to be allocated to the previous stage
or phases.
•
Plan and forecast dates to be captured based on the initial timeline
planned and forecasted in the business case. During the course of
the project or proposal, dates from the project management/systems
should determine the forecast and actual dates.
•
Depending on the lifecycle of the project or proposal, these work
related objects/items can change the decision-making process
based on the risk profile, financial, resource, or schedule related key
performance figures.
The SAP Portfolio, Program, and Project Management system provides the following
capabilities to meet these requirements:
292
•
Document and Notes to capture mandatory and optional documents
or links to documents.
•
Checklist and Checklist items to capture status of a checklist item, its
results, and dates.
•
Key Figure to capture and monitor key performance figures. Key
Figures are tagged to metrics to review and monitor deliverables of
the project/proposal.
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•
“What if” scenarios to simulate target values based on the original
and simulation versions, with or without initial costs and sponsors.
•
Process change capability allows the portfolio item to change
the decision approval process during the course of the project or
proposal without having to lose the original item details. During
process change, versions such as snapshot (non-editable version)
and simulation (editable version) can be created for reference or be a
simulation of key performance indicators.
•
Decision points status change can trigger the following
workflows (WF):
•
Item/Initiative Deletion Workflow (to be used with caution after
analyzing business impact related to BW and reporting)
•
Item/Initiative Attribute Change workflow (this WF change field
value of an item or initiative)
•
Item/Initiative Decision Point Attribute Change Workflow (this
WF change field value of an item or initiative DP)
•
Item/Initiative Decision Point Status Change Workflow (this WF
is for the approval or rejection of a decision point)
•
Item/Initiative Status Change Workflow (this WF is for
changing the status of item/initiative based on a decision point
status change)
•
Decision Flow Management (DFM) provides the functionality to
synchronize attributes (at the time of creation/default and as part of
change), statuses, and authorization synchronizations between the
decision making application (portfolio management) and the project
management application (cProject or PS Project).
•
Commercial Project Management (CPM) with the recent S/4 HANA
roadmaps allow you to link and navigate to the commercial project
(refer to Figures 4-7 and 4-8) and to link CPM risk management
to the portfolio item (refer to Figures 4-7 and 4-9) using the Risk
Management button on the Item menu bar.
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Figure 4-7. Roadmap item: Link PPM item and CPM project via the project
navigation drop-down
Figure 4-8. Roadmap item: Link PPM item and CPM project via decision flow
management
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Figure 4-9. Roadmap item: Link PPM item to CPM risk management application
Reference to SAP S/4 HANA EPPM Q1/2021 and Q2/2021 Functionalities:
https://roadmaps.sap.com/board?BC=6EAE8B27FCC11ED892E91C2A1E0220CC&SC=6E
AE8B27FCC11ED892E9269E46EFA0CC&range=2021Q1-LAST#Q1%202021;INNO=40F2E9281A6
31EDA9CD839CB3A39A0F5
https://roadmaps.sap.com/board?BC=6EAE8B27FCC11ED892E91C2A1E0220CC&SC=6E
AE8B27FCC11ED892E9269E46EFA0CC&range=2021Q1-LAST#Q1%202021;INNO=6EAE8B28C5D
91EDA9CD844ADC35B20E5
Business Challenge: Project Structure
Project structure plays a critical role in terms of how the project is detailed for planning
and forecasting purposes and for the purpose of monitoring progress and performance.
Project structure also plays an important role in reporting when the structures are
standardized and key data structure for the project attributes are well defined. Many
organizations and enterprises use project structure to capture the reporting requirement
and this leads to constraints in the way projects are detailed, planned, and managed.
This section goes through the different solutions adopted by the enterprises, their
reasoning, and the recommended solutions in order to achieve the best outcomes.
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Work Breakdown Structure vs. Cost Breakdown Structure
During the course of the SAP Project Management system implementation, many
organizations and enterprises make important decisions about the project structure. As
the ERP implementation is driven by finance stakeholders, especially the Chief Financial
Officer, there is a tendency to have more key stakeholders from the finance stream who
are related to the projects. This influences the way the project is structured.
Most project managers use MS Project or Primavera as their legacy project
management application or continue to use it as the scheduling application. If the
project manager continues to use these applications for their schedule management
application, the ownership of the ERP project system is vested in the hands of the
finance controller. Hence, the approach is to have it created to reflect a budget book or
budget paper or reflect the financial reporting requirements.
Although cost breakdown structures provide the ability to report on actual, plans,
budgets, and commitments, its ability to report based on phase, tasks, activities,
milestones, and dates becomes limited. What this means is that the ability for the project
manager/planner/scheduler to plan and forecast based on these cost breakdowns will
be a difficult exercise, as this structure does not relate or follow the natural flow of project
activities or tasks. This also leads to dual maintenance—detailed project schedules,
dates, and quantities in the schedule management application and the summarized
cost-by-cost element in the ERP project systems.
As time progresses, this cost planning in ERP will be further summarized and will be
captured at the root level WBSE. Then the phasing details (cost plan by period) will be
evenly distributed without the details of when the cost is likely to go up or down. All of
these impact project controls such as earned value analysis, percentage of completion,
revenue recognition, and so on. Due to these knock-on impacts, it is wise to have the ERP
project structure in line with the natural flow of project activities based on the different
work packages delivered at different stages of the project.
ecommendation on Work Breakdown Structure vs. Cost
R
Breakdown Structure
When the project is structured based on project phases, work packages, and on the
activities performed within these work packages, this allows reporting of actual, plan,
budget, and commitments in addition to reporting by phases, dates, quantities, and cost
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distribution based on the project activity planning. Financial reporting requirements
based on the budget book/budget paper, the responsibility requirements (internal
customer and service provider), or the Final Assets (FXA) created can be performed via the
portfolio management application, by using buckets (primary and classification buckets),
collection, and initiative. Others using commercial project management’s master project,
and Project system’s profit centre/cost centre information, and settlement of Asset Under
Construction to the Final Fixed Assets via grouping of posted actual cost.
In the case of a cost project, where there is no project or schedule management involved,
it makes sense to have the project created based on the cost breakdown structure.
usiness Challenge: Level of Planning During
B
the Lifecycle of the Project
Level of planning, to some extent, was covered in Chapter 2 under the forecasting topic.
In Chapter 2, you learned how the project and schedule management maturity of the
enterprise determines the forecasting methods. This section covers the level of planning
during the lifecycle of the project for the purposes of estimation—Bills of Quantities
(BoQ), Bills of Service (BoS), and Bills of Material (BoM)—as well as detailed planning,
scheduling, and forecasting.
E stimates (BoQ/BoS/BoM)
Depending on your industry, estimates are prepared before the actual commencement of
work/job/project or as part of the bidding/quotation/proposal process. These estimates
are rough cut planning documents in order to come up with best and worst case estimates.
These estimates serve as references or baselines when the actual work commences.
In this type of planning, although timelines have been considered for major or long
duration projects to plan human/equipment resource estimates, it may not be possible
to have absolute clarity on when these resources will be required at the time of bid
estimate or change request estimate. In other words, the effort is known but the phasing
for these efforts is not. Therefore, planning methods should capture the type of resource
with their characteristics, quantities, unit prices, and total value in the form of a list of
quantities, prices, and value. These estimates can also be summarized or grouped based
on the different costing groups—design labour, material, freight, civil work, mechanical
work, electrical work, instrumentation work, and erection and commissioning work
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depending on bid proposal structure or for better visualisation of complex estimates. In
new product development and product manufacturing enterprises, the design drawing is
the basis for estimation and bid planning.
When project cost mostly comes from material supply and logistics compared to
design, erection, and commissioning services, in order to consider cost differences arising
due to price escalation, inaccuracies related to lack of detailed planning, and changes to
in situ conditions with reference to time, contingencies must be factored into the estimation.
With turnkey projects, where large contracts are managed as design and construct,
plus operate, or plus operate and maintain, comprises of work packages such as design,
procurement, construct, operate and maintain. It is better to have estimates based on
these work packages, as the project delivery approaches can change during the course of
the project lifecycle.
etailed Plan (Schedule of Quantities, Services, and
D
Materials Against a Delivery Plan)
In the detailed plan (delivery plan), the bill of quantities, materials, and services
are tagged against the tasks to which the material or service is related. In the case of
materials and services that are recurrently required, the quantities are planned as a
lump sum and then distributed over a period of task duration based on the distribution
profile. This allows the cost to be phased over the project timeline. Based on the billing
milestones and revenue schedule (billing plan) agreed-on with the customer, revenue
can be phased over the project timeline.
There are many benefits when project cost and revenue are phased over the project
timeline based on the project task, activity, or milestone progress. This enables more accurate
earned value analysis, milestone trend analysis, and variance analysis. These project controls
are driven based on a detailed project plan. In this planning method, when task/activity plan
dates change, the corresponding labor, material, and equipment costs associated with the
task move as well. This is reflected on the project revenue (milestone-based billing) and can
be reflected in the budget, commitment, and revenue as well (other than milestone billing).
Sometimes, depending on the size and type of project, the transition from rough cut
planning (bill of quantities) to detailed plan is a time-consuming process. This is where
the expertise of a project scheduler or planner and any reference to similar size/type
projects helps build the project structure and detailed plan. The transition from one
planning method to another is very important in the context of the project control,
governance, and readiness.
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Recommendation About the Level of Planning
Most enterprises and organizations adopt the appropriate level of planning mentioned
previously for estimation and detailed planning.
Some enterprises and organizations, due to lack of project management maturity
or due to gaps in the project structuring, cost reporting, and scheduling requirements
(or for the purpose of simplification) prefer to continue to use the bill of quantities
approach based on work or cost packages (including responsibility view and function/
object view).
If your enterprise or organization wants to use the project management capability
offered by SAP Portfolio and Project Management systems (EPPM), the recommended
approach is to use the bill of quantity approach for each major task and activity of the
project/work/job. Then maintain a schedule of quantities (broken down on the basis
of period and if not by date) for these major tasks/activities, which are one or two levels
lower than the work package or phase WBSEs. This allows the enterprise to benefit
from project structure simplification and also provide a framework to integrate with
the schedule management application such as MS Project or P6. This approach allows
reporting and forecast based on the project timeline (period) with better accuracy
from project controls such as EVA, milestone trend analysis, and variance analysis. The
success of this approach hinges on the ability of the project planner or scheduler to
manage and forecast the change of resource (labor/material/service) quantities based
on the project timeline (based on periods at the major task/activities level) and having to
interface date movement from the schedule management application. Refer to Chapter 3
for more about integration with estimation and schedule management third-party
applications.
usiness Challenge: Remote Project Location,
B
Offshore Work, or Work Location with No
Computer Access
Many times the project sites are located in remote or offshore locations where access to
computers is limited. In the 21st century, with the advent of advanced mobile technology
and 4G/5G network, access to handheld devices such as tablets and smartphones, has
increased multiple folds.
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The need for supervisors or field staff to go back to their desks in order to retrieve
information or perform job-related tasks in the ERP system means leaving the project
site. This has led to workaround requirements such as an ERP system being able to
perform offline data entry or offline data retrial of information that are not real-time or
outdated. This relatively outdated information can lead to accumulated inaccuracies and
misinformation on material availability, stock, duplicate work, lack of safety, and quality
at the project site. Needless to say, at times site offices are not located close enough to
the actual place of work. It can be counterproductive if project managers have to access
up-to-date, critical project design or status or stock information via a desktop connected
to wired or WiFi Internet.
As a matter of convenience, in this age of Internet and mobility, project managers,
planners, and schedulers want to access critical project information and they don’t
always have the luxury of opening a laptop to access their ERP system.
Therefore, SAP provides approximately 28 smartphone-based Fiori based apps
and approximately 171 tablet-based Fiori based apps of various application versions to
perform these day-to-day transactions, factsheets, and analytics. These numbers are
constantly changing, as more and more S/4 HANA on-premise and cloud-based apps are
being created and a few old apps are being deprecated when they do not align with the
S/4 HANA simplification roadmap.
Recommendation about Remote Work and Offshore Work
A BBC article entitled “The Last Places on Earth Without the Internet” by Rachel Nuwer
mentions that “assuming you had the right device, is there anywhere left on Earth where
the labyrinth of cable and wireless signals does not reach?”. This article discusses the
challenges related to availability of internet and wireless communication in difficult
locations, such as offshore oil rigs, deep underwater submarines, Eurotunnels, and so
on. Considering mobility is a game changer for all kinds of work that we do, SAP’s Fiori
and mobility capability are in many ways ahead of the curve and should be something
that enterprises and organizations take advantage of.
Business Challenge: When to Use Mass Upload
During the SAP implementation lifecycle, there will be many instances when business
users request mass upload tools. These requests could be due to change management
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issues. Most of the business users are used to working in Excel spreadsheets and would
like to have the data entered in that Excel spreadsheet be transferred to SAP ERP
systems.
Mass Upload: When to Use It and When Not to?
When a request for mass upload is made, it is important to review this objectively based
on strategic outcomes rather than tactical benefits. Each upload program needs to be
evaluated for the following:
1. By providing the upload capability, will the business user be
limited from using the ERP application? Will it make the ERP
application a reporting database (record to report), instead of
using the ERP application for the project/program/portfolio
management capability and functionality it offers?
2. Is the mass upload functionality required to create/change/
update master data, reference data, or transaction data?
3. How much process efficiency can be achieved by providing the
mass upload capability?
4. What will happen to these uploads when new functionality or
enhancements are performed to the ERP application?
5. What happens if the key data structure in an ERP application is
appended or deleted and how does this impact the upload and its
templates?
6. How frequently are enhancements performed? How stable is the
business process to perform a mass upload?
Sometimes mass uploads are requested to such an extent that the SAP Project,
Program, and Portfolio Management, in its entirety, is expected to be managed out of
Excel spreadsheet, leaving superusers (or process administrators, finance controllers,
or cost object controllers) the main consumer of the project, program, and portfolio
management capability. This leads to accumulation of process issues and pseudoproject management (offline project management) happening external to the SAP
application. It turns SAP into a reporting database. Slowly the usage of project
management will be minimized to such an extent that only the data required for
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reporting is captured at the highest level, without detailing it to the lower level. This
situation, in turn, leads to many other homegrown applications (MS Access or .Net
applications) or other third-party products with competing priorities and is a perfect
recipe for disaster. Heterogeneous architecture is good when applications complement
each other’s capability, functionality, and usability.
Root cause analysis shows that, if more and more Enterprise Portfolio and Project
Management (EPPM) business users use the SAP applications, the quality of data
will be better than working out of an Excel spreadsheet and then using mass upload
functionalities to record data back into SAP. There could be a lot of useful information
or messages that business users can have first hand access to, that are related to date
relationships with other interlinked activities, status of other interlinked objects that
have been initiated or commenced, and so on, when interacting with the SAP project,
program, and portfolio management application.
More direct interaction with SAP EPPM applications leads to better data quality,
governance, and monitoring, as it is proven that mass upload functionalities adds
multiple layers with respect to data capture and response to the upload log or messages
generated by the SAP EPPM application.
So does this mean that mass upload should not be made available to business users?
The simple answer is it can be used. Refer to the recommendation section for more details.
Recommendations Regarding Mass Upload
When the enterprise’s business processes are stable and the likelihood of having change
in the business processes is small, it is okay to consider new development request for
mass update of attributes/status and not creation of documents/master/reference data
functionality, for project management business. Consider mass update requests (new
development request) from project management business if and only they bring process
efficiencies.
Creation of master/reference data objects has many onscreen functionalities and
it will be prudent to use master data transactions in the SAP EPPM area. SAP EPPM
solution areas with the latest version also provide options to create multiple items,
initiatives, reviews, what if scenarios, and so on, and to perform collective processing of
results analysis, settlement, network activity confirmation, and so on. SAP EPPM also
provides mass update capabilities to update attributes of item, initiative, decision points,
project definition, WBSE, network, activity, project definition, WBSE, network/activity
status, milestone, and so on.
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However, if your enterprise chooses to create a mass upload transaction due to
a pressing business demand, ensure that these mass uploads are restricted only to
superusers or process/solution area admins.
Mass update capability in SAP EPPM:
1. CNMASS – Mass Change in PS (Project Definition, WBSE,
Network/Activity/Element, Milestone and Relationship)
2. CNMASSSTATUS – Mass Status Change in PS(Project Definition,
WBSE, Network/Activity – System and User Status)
3. CJ8G - Collective Settlement Processing (Project/WBSE)
4. KO8G – Collective Settlement Processing (Orders – Network,
Sales Order, Service Order, Plant Maintenance Order, Internal
Order, etc.)
5. KKAJ – Collective Results Analysis Processing
6. CJ45 – Collective Actual Overhead Processing
7. CJR2 – Cost and Activity Input Planning – With Excel Integration
8. CN27- Collective Confirmation
9. Create Multiple What If Scenarios (On screen)
10. Create Multiple Review (On screen)
11. Create Multiple Initiative (On screen)
12. Create Multiple Initiative (On screen)
13. Mass Update of Item
14. Mass Update of Initiative
15. Item and Initiative: Mass Update of Decision Point
16. Item and Initiative: Move to Primary Bucket
For initial data transfer/migration purposes, SAP Portfolio and Project Management
systems provide the following initial data transfer tool, which can import data from Excel
spreadsheets. These tools should not be exposed to end users for data maintenance,
as they lack delta functionality and the message logs provided by these tools are not
intuitive and are rudimentary.
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1. CNMASSCREATE – Mass Creation of Project/WBSE
2. RPM_DX_ITEM – Transfer/Import Excel Data to PPM Item/
Authorization/Decision Point/DP Authorization
3. RPM_DX_INITIATIVE – Transfer/Import Excel Data to PPM
Initiative/Authorization/Decision Point/DP Authorization/Phase/
Phase Authorization
4. RPM_DX_BUCKET- Transfer/Import Excel Data to PPM Bucket/
Authorization
5. RPM_DX_PORTFOLIO - Transfer/Import Excel Data to PPM
Portfolio/Authorization
6. DPR_DX_PROJECT - Transfer/Import Excel Data to cProject
Project/Phase/Checklist/Chk. Item/Task/Role/Staffing
Commonly Asked Questions
Four questions are included in this discussion. They resonate with the topics discussed
so far in this book and with respect to the SAP solution roadmap. These questions are
functionality and capability focused and have been picked based on their business
impact and the benefits they can provide to business.
hen a Project Involves an Internal Customer and
W
Deliverer, Should the Internal Customer and its Deliverers
Be Housed in One Project?
If your enterprise uses Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) based on the work performed
and not based on cost breakdown and has integration with scheduling applications, it
is better to have the project created with respect to each scheduling project. This allows
seamless data exchange and provides better visibility, as projects are “like for like,” both
in scheduling applications and in enterprise project management tools (SAP).
In most cases, scheduling projects in P6 or MS Project are created individually for
each delivery business unit for the purpose of ease of use, less interference from client/
customer, and to be discrete but share the correct/right level of details with the client/
customer.
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In order to have an overarching view of the projects delivered to the customer, these
PS project/PPM items created by individual departments (including project for customer
work) for delivering parts of the main project (in this case, program of work) can be
grouped under the PPM initiative.
Business rules should be defined when a project should be created and at what
level. This has to be consistently followed, both in the scheduling application and the
enterprise portfolio and project management application (SAP EPPM).
Some enterprises and organizations—ones that do not use initiatives or use
initiatives to represent some other reporting requirement and do not integrate with
third-party scheduling applications—can consider creating one project for customer
and its respective delivery partners. This will require more process maturity with respect
to phases and decision point approvals, estimation, and planning (bottom up to the
customer), budget allocations (top down to delivery area), and forecasting (bottom
up to the customer). The customer also has to identify the delivery partners (internal
or external) upfront or may make changes to the delivery approach/partners during
the project lifecycle. Structuring projects based on phases should include a provision
for these variations in identifying the delivery partners upfront or during the project
lifecycle. Without maturity in these process areas, it is not recommended to have one
project structure.
The requirements related to the customer and delivery partner are called slightly
different terms:
1. Asset owner and asset deliverer
2. Client and deliverer
3. Customer and delivery partner
4. Client and service provider
5. Responsible and requesting division/business unit/business
area/department
The requirements related to these terms are mostly the same.
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ariation Management Using Claims vs. CPM Change
V
Request vs. Version Management (Baselining)—Which
Method Is Better?
Variation or change request management is an important topic for project management.
Within the SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) solution, there are
multiple ways in which this solution can be realized. Some enterprises and organizations
use the Claim functionality with a few enhancements and are very happy with the
solution offered via the Claim process for variation or change request management.
With the introduction of S/4 HANA, claim management is not available in the
perpetual scope. It is only made available in the compatible scope, which is deemed to
expire by 2025 (as of now) for business continuity for the SAP business suite customer.
Therefore, it is better to transition to the CPM Project Issue and Change Request
management solution.
PS version management, for the purpose of change requests, is a very basic and
rudimentary way of capturing monetary changes in the project. This change request
event can happen any time during the project lifecycle. Managing and tracking variation
or change requests via snapshot or version management is cumbersome if you choose
to create a PS version every time a variation or change request is approved and the cost
plan is updated with the variation or change request monetary value. This method also
does not provide a document view or a lifecycle of the change request. It simply provides
a cumulative monetary value change once the change request is approved and the cost
plans are updated.
CO version provides similar capability as PS version does, and does not provide
the document view, flow, or lifecycle of the change request. But it does provide the
cumulative monetary value change once the variation or change request is approved
and the cost plans are updated. Unlike PS version, it is not advisable to have CO version
created for project variation or change requests. With two versions, original baseline
and revised/updated baseline CO, the reporting requirements related to original and
variation can be obtained. If further details are required, they can be obtained from the
PS version created for every change request or variation.
PS and CO versions are both very basic workaround solutions to be used only if
reporting outcomes are expected.
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etwork Costing vs. Easy Cost Planning—Which
N
Is Better?
This topic was covered in Chapter 2 as part of the forecasting solution. From an overall
project management perspective, network costing provides the structure and capability
to plan, schedule, and forecast in an integrated manner. Network costing requires
additional enhancements in its current form to plan or schedule quantities/forecast
remaining quantities by period, as the SAP provided distribution keys are pretty basic.
This planning method takes more time and effort to prepare and maintain plan, as is the
case with any integrated planning method.
Easy cost planning provides the bill of quantity, service, or material that’s required
for the work package or high-level task. If ECP is adopted at the network activity level
with no enhancements, it does not provide the period-based breakdown of quantities.
Rather, the distribution key at the network activity will perform even distribution or
any other basic level distribution based on the total ECP cost of the respective network
activity. This method does move the cost based on the network dates, but does not move
detailed resource requirements based on the scheduling and forecasting functionalities
or network dates. This method is less integrated with scheduling and requires high
maintenance if it’s used with no enhancements to ECP and execution service solutions.
Enhancement options discussed in Chapter 2 can be explored.
If scheduling plays a key role in your organization and you plan on integrating SAP
resource management applications such as SAP Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) and
Portfolio and Project Management (PPM), it makes more sense to adopt network costing
instead of easy cost planning. For more details on recommended planning methods by
different types/levels of planning, by industry for managing or delivering projects, and
based on project management maturity level, refer to Tables 2-2 and 2-3 in Chapter 2.
How Do You Manage Narratives for a Project?
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management provides an ability to capture notes at
different levels—Item, Item Decision Point, Initiative, Initiative Decision Point, Reviews,
What Ifs, and Collections. Additional long text functionality for Item and Initiative is
also available. By using this functionality, you can configure multiple custom long text
options. SAP PS also offers single long text functionality as part of its project hierarchy
at each individual object—Project Definition, WBSE, Activity/Element, and Material
Components.
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Although this capability is available in the SAP Enterprise Portfolio Project
Management (EPPM) solution area, there is a requirement to record comments
or narrative based on the fiscal year period, so that project and program financial,
schedule, scope, risk and overall status related comments can be reported for project,
initiative, bucket, and portfolio management.
This periodic commentary or narrative, along with Red, Amber, and Green (RAG)
statuses for each of the commentary headings, is derived based on the key performance
indicators such as financial, schedule, risk, issue, and change requests. This capability
can be built with workflow approvals, as detailed in Chapter 2, under the section titled
“Project Commentary.” There is also a SAP delivered BI BO commentary solution, which
offers comparable capability within the SAP landscape.
Standard RICEFW List by Industry
Table 4-2 provides the list of RICEFW (R- Report, I-Interface, C-Conversion, F-Form, and
W – Workflow) by industry as a ready reference for solution and application consultants
and for business partners engaged in SAP implementations and maintenance (this list is
independent of SAP versions, whether they be S/4 HANA or existing business suite).
308
Custom Fields at Item Decision
Points/WBSE and Other WBSEs
Custom Fields at Initiative and
Initiative DP
Custom Fields at Network
Activity (Integration with MRS)
Project Forecasting Workbench
Using Network Planning
(Chapter 2)
Enhancement to the Distribution Enhancement
Keys – Network Planning
(Chapter 2)
2
3
4
5
6
Enhancement
Enhancement
Enhancement
Enhancement
Enhancement
Custom Fields at Project
Definition/Item/Cproject
1
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. Standard RICEFW List by Industry
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Profession Service and Telecom
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Industry
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
• Project Progress
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
(continued)
• Project Delivery
• Project Planning
• Project Forecast
• Project Resource Management
• Program Initiation and Set Up
• Program Delivery
• Project Delivery
• Project Delivery
• Project Initiation and Set Up
• Project Delivery
Process Area
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
309
310
Enhancement to Procurement
via PFWB Using Network
Planning (Chapter 2)
• Refer to Items 13 to 20 on
Enhancements Related to
Procurement and Production
Planning
Easy Costing Planning Form and Enhancement
Costing Structure Enhancement
to Perform Project Forecast
8
9
Enhancement
Enhancement
Enhancement to MRS and
Production Planning via PFWB
Using Network Planning
(Chapter 2)
• Refer to Item 21 on MRS
Development
7
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing– Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public Sector,
Other Turnkey Projects (Aerospace
and Shipbuilding), Heavy Machinery
and Discrete Manufacturing – Pumps,
Turbines, etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D,
Pharma, Chemical, Professional
Services, etc.
Profession Service and Telecom
Industry
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
• Project Materials
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
• Integration with Procurement
• Project Forecast
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
• Project Resource Management
• Integration with MRS
Process Area
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Enhancement to the Time
Distribution Keys for ECP
(Chapter 2)
Custom Report to Report Plan
vs. Forecast, ETC, and EAC
based on the Quantities and
values Planned in ECP
(Chapter 2)
Enhancement for Project
Commentary Management and
RAG Status (Chapter 2)
10
11
12
Enhancement
Report
Enhancement
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
• Project Forecast
• Project Planning
(continued)
Public Sector, Engineering, Construction • Project Reporting
and Operation, Other Turnkey
• Project Commentary
projects, Utilities, R&D- New Product
Development (NPD) and Information
Communication and Technology
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing – Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing – Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
311
312
Project Specific Material –
Enhancement
External Procurement Enhancement to Purchase Order
(E1) to Hold the Schedule of
Quantities by Date/Period Once
Forecasting Cycle Is Completed
for the Period or Rolled Over to
the Next Cycle (Chapter 3)
Project Specific Material –
Workflow
External Procurement Workflow Email Notification (W1)
by Supplier or Service Provider
by Project or Construction Zone/
District to be Triggered Once The
Forecasting Is Completed/Rolled
Over to the Next Period by the
Scheduler/Project Manager for
all the Service and Materials of
the Project (Chapter 3)
13
14
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing – Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Engineering, Construction, and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing – Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Industry
• Project Materials
• Project Forecast
• Integration with Procurement
• Project Materials
• Project Forecast
• Integration with Procurement
Process Area
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Project Specific Material – Inhouse Production (Long Lead
times) - Enhancement to
Reservation (E2) for Network
or WBSE to Hold the Spread
or Distribution Based on
the Forecasting Information
(Chapter 3)
Project Specific Material – Inhouse Production (Long lead
times) – Enhancement to
Update Planned Order (E3)
Automatically by Distributing
Reservation Evenly by Period,
at the Time of the Next MRP
Run for the Project Based on
the Lead Times Defined for the
Material (Chapter 3)
15
16
Enhancement
Enhancement
Engineering, Construction and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey projects
(Aerospace and shipbuilding),
heavy machinery and discrete
manufacturing – pumps, turbines,
etc., Telecom, mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
Engineering, Construction and
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
Sector, Other Turnkey projects
(Aerospace and Shipbuilding),
Heavy machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing – Pumps, Turbines,
etc., Telecom, Mining, R&D, Pharma,
Chemical, Professional Services, etc.
(continued)
• Project Materials
• Integration with Production
Planning
• Project Materials
• Project Forecast
• Integration with Production
Planning
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
313
314
Common Materials – External
Workflow
Procurement - Workflow Email
Notification (W2) by Supplier or
Service Provider by Project or
Construction Zone/District to be
Triggered Once the Forecasting
Is Completed/Rolled Over to the
Next Period for All the Service
and Materials of the Enterprise
(Chapter 3)
18
Enhancement
Common Materials – External
Procurement - Enhancement
to update Schedule Agreement
(E4) Based on the Various
Reservations Generated
from Different Projects, Once
the Forecasting Cycle when
the Enterprise Is Completed
(Chapter 3)
17
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Process Area
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Materials
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
• Project Forecast
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
• Integration with Procurement
(Aerospace, Shipbuilding,
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing, Telecom, Mining, R&D,
Pharma, Chemical, etc.
Engineering, Construction and
• Project Materials
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
• Project Forecast
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
• Integration with Procurement
(Aerospace, Shipbuilding,
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing, Telecom, Mining, R&D,
Pharma, Chemical, etc.
Industry
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Common Materials – In-House Enhancement
Production (Short Lead Times) –
Enhancement to Manually
Create Planned Order Using the
Distribution of Quantity for the
Forecasted Week/Month by Site
Engineers (E5) for the In-House
Ready-Mix Production Plant on
a Day-to-Day Basis or on an AsNeeded Basis (Chapter 3)
Common Materials – In-House Report
Production (Short Lead Times) –
In-House Ready-Mix Concrete
Plants Can View Reservations by
Period (via Report) R1 for Their
Plant So That They Can Forecast
Their Raw Material Quantities
like Cement, Aggregate, Sand,
and Additives, etc. (Chapter 3)
19
20
(continued)
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Materials
Operation, Homebuilding, Public Sector • Project Forecast
(Councils with Quarry), etc.
• Integration with Production
Planning
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Materials
Operation, Homebuilding, Public Sector • Project Forecast
(Councils with Quarry), etc.
• Integration with Production
Planning
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
315
316
Forecasting Information to Multi Enhancement
Resource Scheduling (MRS) –
Standard MRS Integration Is
Based on Start and End Data
and Distribution Profile/Key
Captured in the Network
Activity. As the project
manager / scheduler has
provided the detailed
distribution of effort based on
the forecasting periods, this
information can be readily
taken via enhancement (E6)
for the determination of
demand instead based on the
normalised distribution key that
the standard SAP PS – MRS
integration offers (Chapter 3)
21
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Profession Service and Telecom
Industry
• Project Forecast
• Project Resource Management
• Integration with MRS
Process Area
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
PS Project Validations (Using
Form Routines)
PPM Item cProject Validations
(BADI Enhancements)
PPM Initiative Validations (BADI
Enhancements)
Advance Search and Match
Code Enhancements
Period Lock for PPM Financial
Views and Access and Control
for Financial Views
22
23
24
Enhancement
Enhancement
Enhancement
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
(continued)
• Project Period End Close
• Project Planning
• Project Budgeting
• Project Forecast
• Project Initiation and Set Up
• Project Delivery
• Project Execution
• Project Initiation and Set Up
• Project Delivery
• Project Closure
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
317
318
Fiscal Period Roll Over for
Enhancement
Projects and Programs with
Checklist Items by Company
Code or Profit Center (Business
Units)
• Change Request Approval
• Activity and Milestone
Confirmation
• Timesheet Approval
• Scheduling Updates
• Forecasting Automatic Run
and Forecast Updates
• KPI and Deliverables updates
• Statistical Key Figure Updates
• Overhead Run
• Results Analysis and
Settlement
25
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Cross Industry
Industry
• Project Period End Close
• Project Planning
• Project Budgeting
• Project Forecast
Process Area
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Project and Program Factsheet
and Status Reports
• Project and Program
Performance Report
• Project and Program
Profitability Report
Proposal/Project Identification,
Set Up and Approval workflow
(To Cover Project/Proposal
Identification, PS Project
Creation, and Release Approval
to Commence Execution)
Change Request Identification,
Set Up and Approval Workflow
(To Cover Change Request
Approval Workflow)
• Timesheet Submission and
Approval
• Work Confirmation and
Completion
• Financial Closure of WBSE
and Project Closure
26
27
28
29
Workflow
Workflow
Workflow
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
(continued)
• Project Progress
• Project Time Recording
• Project Closure
• Project Variation Management
• Project Initiation and Set Up
• Project Release
Adobe Forms and Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Reporting
Reports
Operation, Homebuilding, Other
Turnkey Customer projects (Aerospace,
Shipbuilding, Heavy Machinery and
Discrete Manufacturing, Telecom,
Pumps, Turbine, Power Station, etc.),
Professional Services (ICT, etc.)
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
319
320
• Revenue Recognition Request Workflow
Approval
• Billing Request to Invoice
Approval
Decision Point Approval
Workflow
Workflow – Project and Program
• Project and Program Status
Update
• Project and Program and its
DP Status Update
• Project and Program Attribute
Update
• Project and Program and its
DP Attribute Update
30
31
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Process Area
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Execution
Operation, Homebuilding, Public
• Project and Program Stage
Sector, Other Turnkey Projects
Gate
(Aerospace, Shipbuilding,
Heavy Machinery and Discrete
Manufacturing, Telecom, Mining, R&D,
Pharma, Chemical, etc.
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Billing
Operation, Homebuilding, Other
• Project Revenue Recognition
Turnkey Customer Projects (Aerospace,
Shipbuilding, Heavy Machinery and
Discrete Manufacturing, Telecom,
Pumps, Turbine, Power Station, etc.),
Professional Services (ICT, etc.),
Pharmaceutical (FDA, TGA for Drug
Approval)
Industry
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Project Procurement workflow
• Shopping Request or
Purchase Requisition
Approval
• Purchase Order Approval
• Purchase Order Change of
Value or Quantity Approval
• Invoice Verification Approval
Resource Management
workflow
• Resource Request and
Fulfilment Workflow
Project Travel and Expense
Workflow
• Claim to approval
Project Leave Request Workflow Workflow
• Request for approval
33
34
35
36
Workflow
Workflow
Workflow
Change Request (via Claim
Enhancement
or CPM Change Request) to
Transfer and Update the Project
Structure (if Network Planning Is
Used) and Costing Structure (if
ECP Is Used)
32
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
Profession Service and Telecom
Cross Industry
Cross Industry
(continued)
• Project Resource Management
• Project Resource Management
• Project Resource Management
• Project Procurement
• Project Variation Management
• Project Forecast
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
321
322
Project and Program Factsheet Report/
and Status Reports
Enhancement
• Project and Program
Performance Report
• Project, Program, and Portfolio
Balancing Report – Target vs.
Actual vs. Forecast vs. Forecast
Simulation vs. Budget/Plan
• Investment Decision: Cost
Benefit and NPV Reports
• Investment Ranking and
Prioritization Report/Framework
38
Report
Project Site Inventory Analysis
Report
• Ageing Analysis of Inventory
(A&B Types)
• Inventory Consumption
Analysis (B&C Types)
• Forecast Prediction for
Reorder (B&C Types)
37
RICEFW
Classification
Development Object Name
No.
Table 4-2. (continued)
Process Area
Public Sector, Other Turnkey Capital
Projects, Engineering, Construction
and Operation, Utilities, R&D- New
Product Development (NPD) and
Information Communication and
Technology)
• Project Reporting
Engineering, Construction, and
• Project Procurement
Operation, Homebuilding, Public Sector
(Council, etc.)
Industry
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Project Work Health and Safety Report
Dashboard
• Incidents, Accidents, Injuries,
Illness, Exposures, etc. by
Project Site
• Surveillance Protocol, Test,
Examination, Risk Assessment,
etc. by Project Site
40
Report
Product Portfolio Performance
Reports
• Key Performance Report –
Target vs. Actual by Product
or by Proposal
39
Cross Industry
R&D- New Product Development
(NPD), Pharma R&D, Chemical R&D,
Discrete Manufacturing Industries
R&D, etc.
• Project Work, Health, and
Safety
• Project Reporting
• Project Reporting
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
323
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Standard Functionality List by Industry
Table 4-3 provides the list of functionality by industry as a ready reference for solution
and application consultants and for business partners engaged in SAP implementations
and maintenance (this list is independent of the SAP versions, whether they be new S/4
HANA or existing business suites).
324
or Business Case
Investment Briefs
Documentation
and Project
Collaboration
Project
Y
Y
Project)
Y; N (Customer
Y
Y
wind farms,
advertising,
firms, media –
agement, audit
Project)
Y; N (Customer
pumps, etc.)
ment, turbines and
Project)
Y; N (Customer
Y
ment, etc.)
defense equip-
etc.)
authorities,
ment systems,
waste manage-
property man-
service, legal,
electricity, etc.)
and buildings,
development
projects – sewer,
commissioning
heavy machinery –
airports, Home
ture, regional
projects)
ship building,
station, tunnels,
of infrastruc-
technology
water, gas,
electric, power
department
design, procure-
large customer ment and erection, (IT), IT enabled
projects and
(Information
Services
Professional
department,
oil rig, hydro-
eral, transport,
(Engineering,
Projects
Other Turnkey
Airplane assembly, event manage-
plant, offshore
state, fed-
Classifications
(Infrastructure
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
public works
(Road, rail,
(Councils,
Further
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. Standard Functionality List by Industry
Project)
Y; N (Customer
etc.)
drug approvals,
Administrations–
Therapeutic Goods
administrations,
Food and Drug
pharma R&D,
(Paint R&D,
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Works)
Programs/
(Major Periodic
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
(continued)
Y and N
Y
projects, etc.)
development
ect, training and
restructure proj-
Organization
TQM projects,
projects,
(6 Sigma
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
325
326
Y
Stakeholder and
Y
Testing and
Resource Calendar
Project and
Scheduling
Y
Y
Project Date
Planning or
Y
Meeting Minutes
Documentation
Handover
Y
Bill of Quantities
Managements
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Specification
with Version
Y
Y
Y
Design Documents Y
RACI Matrix
Y
Project Charter
Y
Y
Schedule and plan
High Level Project
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Services
Professional
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Y
Y
Gantt Chart
Connection with
Based Billing
Project Delivery
N
N
Project Milestone
Based Billing
work)
Related Billing
Y
Y
Y (Intercompany Y
Y
Y
Project Resource
Recognition
and Revenue
Project Billing
Application
Scheduling
N
(Managing)
Network Diagram
Third-Party
and N
CPM or PERT -
Y
Y
Y (Deliverer)
Task Planning -
Y
Y
Y
Milestone Planning Y
Planning
(Stage Gate)
Decision Point
Phases and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N (Managing)
Y (Deliverer) and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
work)
(Intercompany
Y
N
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
(continued)
N
N
work)
Y (Intercompany
N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
327
328
Y
Project Funding
Funds
Management of
Request and
Y
N
N
N
Project Grant
and 15)
Item Method s14
(Dynamic Line
Recognition
Project Revenue
9)
Completion Method
(Contract
Recognition
Project Revenue
and 7)
methods - 1, 3,
Recognition (POC
Project Revenue
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Billing
Project Periodic
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Services
Professional
Y (R&D)
Y
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
Y; N (NPD; R&D)
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
N
N
N
N
N
N
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
N
N
N
N
N
N
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Y (Deliverer)
Y and N
Travel and Expense Y
Timesheet
Allocations
Overhead
and Receipts
Y
Y
Cash flow
Planning: Payment
(Managing)
Value
Quantity and Dollar and N
Forecasting:
Down)
and Current (Top
Budgeting: Original Y
Up)
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Planning (Bottom
Estimation and
N
Y
Y
Project Financials Y
Other Grants
State, Federal, and
Funding Reporting-
Project Grant
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y and N
Y
Y
N (Managing)
Y (Deliverer) and
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y (R&D)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
(continued)
Y
Y
N
N
Y and N
Y
Y and N
Y
N
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
329
330
Y
Booking
Soft and Hard
N
Work)
Management
Resource Request: N
Y (Maintenance Y
Y
Y
Project Resource
Payment
to Delivery to
Agreement
Scheduling
Purchase Order/
M&S Procurement: Y
Request
Shopping Cart to
Procurement:
Service (M&S)
Material and
Procurement
Y
Y
Project
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
N
Y
Y
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
N
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Services
Professional
N
Y
Y
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Y
and N
(Managing)
Y (Deliverer)
and N
Books and Actual
POC
Earned Value
Analysis
(Managing)
Y (Deliverer)
Measurement
Updated
and Deliverables
indicator Updates
Key Performance
Work Confirmation, Y
Tracking
Project Progress
Completion
after Project Work
Management
to Talent
Integration
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
(Manual)
Y and N
(Manual)
with Recruitment
Y and N
N
Y and N
N
Request Integration (Manual)
Project Resource
Demand
Rank, and Fulfil
Fulfilment: Qualify,
Resource
Y
Y (POC) and N
Y
Y
(Manual)
Y and N
(Manual)
Y and N
N
N (Managing)
Y (Deliverer) and
N (Managing)
Y (Deliverer) and
Y
Y
Y and N (Manual)
Y and N (Manual)
N
Y
Y (POC) and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y (POC) and N
Y
Y
Y and N (Manual)
Y and N (Manual)
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(continued)
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
331
332
Register by Site
and Safety Issue
Work, Health,
Customer
Internal and
(Variation Register):
Change Request
Y
Y
Y
Issue and Action
Register
Y
Y
Y
Y
Risk Register
Management
Project Risk
Variance Analysis
Plan vs. Actual -
Analysis
Milestone Trend
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Realized
Confirm Benefits
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Projects
Other Turnkey
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Services
Professional
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Dashboard
Manager
Commercial
Finance, and
Procurement,
Resource,
Dashboard
Manager
Y
Y
Y
Y
and Portfolio
Project, Program,
Y
N
Y
Benefit Realization Y
Reporting
Regulatory
Statutory and
Reporting
and Milestone
Schedule,
Y
Y
Stage Gate,
Y
Y
Y
Y
Financial Reporting Y
Reports
RAG Status
Reports, Including
Health Check
and Dashboard
Project Reporting Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(continued)
Y and N
Y and N
Y
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y and N
Y
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
333
334
(Maintenance
Work)
Workflow and
Delegations
N; Y
Request Approval
Y
Y
Y
Y
Resource Booking
Delegations
Workflow and
Variation Approval
and Delegations
Approval Workflow
RAG Reporting
and Delegations
Approval Workflow
Purchase Order
and Delegations
Approval Workflow
Purchase Request
Delegations
Workflows and
Approval
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Project Related
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Services
Professional
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
Y and N
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
and Delegations
Request Workflows
Request and Billing
Recognition
Revenue
Delegations
Workflows and
Approval
(Stage Gate)
Decision Point
Phases and
Up
Initiation and Set
Project/Proposal
and Delegations
Request Workflow
Member Leave
Project Team
Delegations
Workflows and
Approval
Vendor Invoice
and Delegations
Approval Workflow
Timesheet
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
(continued)
N
Y and N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
335
336
Y
Y
Y
App
Work Confirmation Y
Approval App
Timesheet
Mobile
Management on
Project
Delegations
Workflows and
Financial Closure
Delegations
Workflows and
Work Completion
Delegations
Workflows and
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Claim Approval
Travel and Expense Y
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Services
Professional
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Commuting
or Offshore or
Working Remote
Information When
Ability to Capture
Accessibility
Application
Community
Management
Project
View App
and Single Project
Multi Project View
App
Project Reporting
Commentary App
Project
Approval App
and Invoice
Request, Order,
Procurement
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
(continued)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
337
338
Types).
Employment
Employees (All
Worker and
Planner, Field
Maintenance
Members, Project/
Project Team
Managers,
Resource
Procurement,
Commercial,
Cost Controller,
Controller, Project
Admin, Finance
PMO, Support
Managers,
and Portfolio
Project, Program,
Y
Y
Availability to
Application
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
Y
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
Y
Services
Professional
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
Y
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
Y
Portfolio
intercompany
Distribution
Logistic Execution
Management, and
Materials
Logistic General,
N; Y (any
Sales and
Y
work)
Y
Project Systems
Management
and Project
and CR)
Management
Commercial Project Y (Risk, Issue,
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Enterprise Project
Connector
work)
Scheduling (MRS)
Y
Y (Maintenance Y
N
Y
Multi-Resource
Reporting (RAR)
Accounting and
Revenue
Other Applications
SAP Add-ons/
Integration with
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
and CR)
Y (Risk, Issue,
Y
Y
N
(continued)
Y
N
Y
Y
and CR)
Y (Risk, Issue,
N
N
N
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
339
340
Y
Interface to InEight Y
Project (MSP)
Interface to MS
Primavera (P6)
Interface to Oracle
Products
Y
Y
Interface with
Third-Party
Y
Y
Human Resources
Management
Health, and Safety
Environment,
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
nance work)
nance work)
Y
Y; N (mainte-
Y
Plant Maintenance Y; N (mainte-
Management
Quality
ready-mix
Planning
plant)
Y
Y (quarry or
Production
Construction
and Mining
Public Sector
Industry
Functionality \
Table 4-3. (continued)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
nance work)
Y; N (mainte-
Y
N
Water
Electricity, and
Telecom, Gas,
Utilities:
N
N
Services
Professional
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
work)
N
Y
N
Y
Y
Y and N
Y; N (maintenance N
Y
Y
Projects
Other Turnkey
N
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
NPD and R&D
Pharmaceutical:
Chemical and
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
(MRO) Projects
Operations
Repair, and
Maintenance,
N
Y
N
Y
Y
Y and N
N
N
N
Projects
Internal
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
iTWO
Interface to RIB
Autodesk BIM360
Interface to
Estimating)
Pricing and
(Integrated Project
Interface to iPE
Prism
Interface to ARES
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y (Aerospace)
Y
N
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
N
ECP)
Y; N (Use PS
N
Chapter 4
Industry Best Practices and Business Recommendations
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Legend:
•
Y – Yes
•
N – No
•
ECP – Easy Cost Planning
•
NPD – New Product Development
•
R&D – Research and Development
•
CR – Change Request (Variation Management)
Activities for this Chapter
1. For your enterprise, list the detailed list of best practices that
are currently in place. List other industry best practices that you
think are being used by your enterprise and the reason that you
consider them industry best practices.
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2. What are the business challenges faced by your enterprise
from the list discussed in this chapter? List any other business
challenges faced by your enterprise that you think are across
industry or are specific to your industry.
Test Your Learning
1. How is the milestone trend analysis performed? Are milestone
dates reported on the y-axis shown oldest to most recent (at the
top) or most recent to oldest (at the top)?
2. EAC = ACWP (Actual Cost) + ________
3. A WBS structure based on work or cost offers better outcomes?
4. Percentage of Completion (POC) and revenue based valuation
methods integrate with revenue accounting and reporting.
a. True
b. False
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5. Earned Value Analysis can be applied to projects where the
budgeted cost is well detailed based on the project scope and
deliverables. EVA provides a method that permits the project to be
measured by progress achieved.
Is this statement correct?
a. True
b. False
Answer:
1. Oldest to most recent (at the top)
2. ETC (Estimate to Complete)
3. Work
4. True
5. True
Summary
In this chapter, you learned about the following:
•
Industry best practices
•
Business challenges and recommended solutions
•
Commonly asked questions during SAP EPPM deployment
•
List of development objects by industry
•
List of EPPM capabilities by industry
In the next chapter, you learn about SAP EPPM’s operational and strategic reporting
features.
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Reporting and Analytics:
Operational and Strategic
This chapter covers project, program, and portfolio management reporting needs for
operational planning as well as executing and completing projects and programs. It also
covers strategic analytics for the purpose of continuous improvement, corrective actions,
decision making, and alignment to strategic objectives.
This chapter covers in detail operational reports that are required for real-time
reporting and are used on a day-to-day basis for successful project, program, and
portfolio management. Along with these, period end/monthly operational reports
are covered, including exception reports, progress reports, performance reports, and
variance reports.
This chapter also covers, under strategic reporting, different forms of descriptive and
diagnostic analytics that measure and report on current project, program, and portfolio
key performance figures, metrics, deliverables, and benefits. These analytics provide
greater control over projects, programs, and portfolios and help identify projects and
programs that are performing well and poorly.
Predictive analytics provide insight into future performance of projects, programs,
and portfolios and allow the enterprise to take corrective actions. Predictive analysis
allows enterprises to establish common themes among historic and current successful
projects and programs based on location, solution area, products, project/program
portfolios, project teams, divisions, and so on. Similarly it provides insights on the
common issues that caused historic and current projects and programs to fail.
This chapter is structured in this fashion so that solution consultants and business
subject matter experts (SMEs) can use it as a reference for documenting their reporting
needs. They can use these structured benchmarks to validate operational and strategic
reporting and analytics.
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5_5
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The SAP Portfolio, Program, and Project Management (PPM) system is very well
integrated with operational and strategic reports and analytics. It has prebuilt queries,
extractors, analytic apps* (embedded analytics*), embedded BW*, standalone BW, and
BW on HANA or BW/4 HANA.
*Possible with S/4 HANA versions
Operational Reporting
Operational reports and basic analytics are used for the following purposes:
1. To view and list to-do activities, milestones, and tasks.
2. To view and list checks to be performed (safety and quality
checks).
3. To review stock and daily requirements and perform reorders, as
appropriate.
4. To review and okay approvals, workflows, and other requests.
5. To review daily performance of tasks and checks performed on the
previous day or today.
6. To review and update project and program data (attributes and
statuses).
7. To perform operational analysis so that action can be taken
immediately.
8. To review and analyze periodic performance at a detailed level/
area for summarized periodic reporting.
9. To save time and money by improving efficiency in a number of
key operational areas.
10. To report production, construction, and productivity performance
trends and prepare corrective actions to improve the day-to-day
running of the business.
SAP provides the following forms of operational reports:
1. Factsheet apps
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2. Other basic analytics apps
3. Transactional apps (to perform actions)
4. ALV (ABAP list view) list views
5. ALV grid views
6. Adobe forms
These operational reports are available on a real-time basis for the day-to-day
functioning of business functions/areas. Period-end close/monthly operational
reporting is used to review and measure periodic or monthly performances of projects,
programs, and portfolios.
These reports sometimes provide drill-down capability to perform additional actions
such as releasing a project, changing the status of the WBSE, approving timesheets,
updating attributes of the master data objects, reviewing planned vs. actual period
variances, and so on.
Real-Time Operational Reporting
Real-time operational reporting refers to reports that are used on a day-to-day basis and
are timely, without any delay in the reported information. These reports and apps can be
classified into the following groups:
1. Structure overview and other overview apps and reports
a. Project definition (app and report)
b. WBS element (app and report)
c. Order/network activity (app and report)
d. Milestone (app and report)
e. Material component (app and report)
f. Partner overview
g. Project settlement rule overview
2. Dashboard reporting
a. Risk, Issue, and Change Request Report
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b. Proposal/Project (Item) Dashboard Report
c. Program (Initiative) Dashboard Report
d. Phases and Decision Point Report ( Project and Program)
e. Checklist Dashboard Report
f. Task Dashboard Report
g. Resource and Staffing Dashboard
3. To-do apps
a. My Checklist Items
b. My Tasks (PPM)
c. My Projects: Active/Planned/Critical/Project Manager/As a Substitute
d. My Projects: Upcoming Milestones/Project Task Confirmations
e. Confirm Project Tasks
f. Report Issues
g. My Timesheet
4. Approval and release apps:
a. Approve Decision Points
b. Release Billing Requests
c. Approve Timesheets (Version 2)
d. Approve Leave Requests (Version 2)
5. Audit trail reports:
a. Change Log Reports
6. Variance and other comparison reports
a. Plan vs. Budget vs. Actual: Dollar value and quantity
b. Project Version Comparison
7. Line item report with detailed drill-down capability
a. Actual
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b. Plan
c. Commitment
d. Payments
8. Procurement and inventory related reports:
a. Purchase Requisition Report by Project
b. Purchase Order Report by Project
c. Project Oriented Procurement Report
d. Stock/Requirement List Report
Period End/Monthly Operational Reporting
Period end/monthly reporting refers to reports that are used at the time of period end
or on a monthly basis to review and report the performance of projects, programs,
and portfolios at the end of the reporting period, once roll over to the next period has
happened, or as part of the roll over to the next period. These reports are operational
because reporting can be performed at the smallest business unit or business entity level
by the responsible person with an ability to drill down for more details and analysis.
These reports are mostly related to financials, schedules, progress, status, and other
key performance indicators that the enterprise has to report on, at a business unit level,
at the end/close of the reporting period or on a monthly or weekly basis.
Some of the real-time operational reports used for reporting daily progress or point-­
in-­time progress can be used for period end/monthly/weekly reporting.
Operational performance reporting does not only allow you to measure the
performance of project, programs, and portfolios, but it also allows you to measure
the performance of people and organizations. In addition to using these reports at
period end, they are also used at year end to determine performance and performance
benefits (such as bonuses) for people and organizations involved in delivering these
performance key figures.
These reports can be classified into the following groups:
1. Variance and comparison reporting (project, program and
portfolio):
a. Variance Report: Plan vs. Budget vs. Forecast vs. Actual: Cost and Revenue
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b. Variance Report: Plan vs. Forecast Vs. Actual: Schedule
c. Period Comparison Report
d. Version Comparison Report
2. Progress and status reporting:
a. RAG Status Report (project, program, and portfolio)
b. Descriptive Reports
c. Progress Analysis Report (Project, Program and Portfolio)
d. Project and Program Status Report
3. Profitability reporting:
a. Profitability Analysis Report by Project and Program
b. Profitability Analysis Report by Portfolio
c. Profitability Analysis Report by Product
d. Profitability Analysis (PA) Report by Service Line or Line of Business
e. PA Report by other dimensions such as Geography, Country, State,
and so on
4. Performance reporting (people and organization structure):
a. Project billing/revenue recognition account executive, industry vertical,
delivery horizontal, sales/delivery team, head of department, and so on:
target vs. actual
b. Number of billable days by resource, resource manager, vertical, horizontal,
and so on: target vs. actual
c. Success ratio of change request claim for project and program
d. Performance achieved by activity (concreting in m3, scaffolding in m2, etc.
at a construction site) or by department (design priority open items closed)
by period
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Strategic Reporting
This section discusses non-operational reports and analytics that are used for diagnostic
purposes. Diagnostic analysis has to be descriptive to provide more context for further
interpretation and tactical analysis.
Senior management and statutory authorities require insight into the enterprise,
business and strategic projects, programs, and portfolios. Therefore, enterprises and
organizations should have analytics and reporting capabilities that provide future
insights to measure, analyze, and predict project, program, and portfolio outcomes
based on their strategic objectives (mission and vision) and outcomes. These
measurement, analysis, and predictions are performed on certain criteria that directly or
indirectly deliver strategic outcomes and align to the strategic objective.
Therefore, in this section, tactical (non-operational) and strategic reports and
analytics are discussed that are related to projects, programs, and portfolios.
To summarize, strategic reporting is performed for the following major reasons:
1. To report, review, and analyze projects, programs, and portfolios
based on their strategic objectives (market share, customer
satisfaction index, benefit to citizens, etc.).
2. To report, review, and analyze key operational efficiencies (high
priority safety incidents, timely completion, zero rework, etc.) that
are important to the bottom line of the enterprise.
3. To report, review, and analyze key indicators (baseline and
forecast accuracies) that are indirectly related to the overall
performance and alignment to the strategic outcomes. Evaluating
these key indicators brings transparency and allows you to
predict/forecast outcomes of ongoing and future projects and
programs.
4. To perform diagnosing analysis of the inter-departmental
functioning (incorrect estimates, design defects, no. of drawing
revisions, quality issues, erection and commissioning errors,
etc.) to determine future operating model which is aligned with
the strategic outcome. To determine the tactical (equipment
modernisation - Autonomous Paver/Dozer, Automated
Construction - Slip Formwork, Prefabrication/Modular
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Construction) and strategic measures (adoption of state of the
art construction technologies such as 3D printing, Augmented
Reality/Visualisation, Wireless Safety Monitoring Equipment,
etc.) to be adopted to align with the future operating model.
Measures relating to optimisation & synergy of resources and
headcount are reviewed to determine how they could improve
internal operational efficiencies and bottom line and also bring
more business due to the usage & adoption of cutting edge
technologies.
5. To perform predictive analysis of project, program, and portfolio
performances.
6. To determine and predict the worst and best possible outcomes
of projects, programs, and portfolios during their lifecycle.
Using this information, you can prepare road to recovery plan,
by considering possible synergies and optimizations of the
involved teams.
7. To save time and unnecessary investment through intelligent
insight and benchmarking.
Reference:
­https://www.ecosys.net/blog/project-­analytics-­benefits-­challenges-­and-­
first-­steps/
https://www.datapine.com/blog/strategic-­operational-­analytical-­tactical-­
dashboards/
https://gocontractor.com/blog/construction-­industry-­technology/
Diagnostic and Descriptive Analytics
As the name denotes, these analytics are used for diagnostic purposes (root cause
analysis). In many cases, diagnostic analytics need to be supplemented by descriptive
narratives and commentaries in order to provide reasons or justification for the changes.
The narratives can be used to describe financials, schedule, safety, quality, benefits,
progress, key achievements, and so on. Unlike period end/monthly operational reports,
these reports are summarized at the responsible area (departments of government,
divisions, service lines, etc.), strategic unit, statutory reporting hierarchy level, and
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so on. These narratives sometimes have to be scrutinized and endorsed before they
are published for senior management or statutory reporting. These diagnostic and
descriptive reports allow senior management and other statutory organizations and
sponsors to review projects, programs, and portfolios that are performing well and see
those that are performing badly.
Most of the time, diagnostic and descriptive analytics are extracted from different
data sources, such as project, program, and portfolio data, their phases and decision
points, financials, schedules and dates, deliverables, key figures (benefits), change
requests, issues, risks, reviews, collections, snapshots, notes, custom long text, and so on.
•
Since this information is recorded separately in different individual
transactions and has to be collated and summarized, these diagnoses
may not be real-time.
•
If it involves descriptive analytics, these reports are expected to be
reviewed, scrutinized, and endorsed before being reported and this
also makes them not real-time.
•
The volume of data that is processed in a comprehensive diagnostic
and descriptive analytics by summarising and cumulating key figure
does require specialised warehousing and intelligence tools, so it
may not be a good idea to use embedded analytics or BW.
The following use cases for diagnostic and descriptive analytics are considered by
enterprises and organizations:
1. Profitability analysis reporting: Every enterprise and
organization is keen to know how profitable their projects,
programs, and portfolios are. If the enterprise is a project delivery
organization, all other indirect costs associated with project
management are allocated and apportioned to the project as
part of the month-end close, so that accurate profitability can
be analyzed by project, program, portfolio, industry vertical,
delivery team, sales team account executive, and so on. Project/
WBSE or SAP PPM item holds all stakeholder or responsibility
attributes based on which project revenue, cost and profitability
can be sliced and diced. In addition to profitability, many
organizations also measure customer satisfaction indexes and net
promoter scores.
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2. Contingency management reporting: Contingencies are
managed at the project level and the same can be reviewed
(remaining amount) using operational PS Cost Element based
reports. Most enterprises want to know the contingency position
based on the current project base. This allows the enterprise to
decide on the index used for the contingency management that
should be used for future project proposals and bids, depending
on the project type/category and project location. Contingency
index can be used as a key figure for the purpose of trend analysis,
in order to track and monitor its position based on region,
geography, and type of project work.
3. Project RAG status reporting: As part of the gateway review
and during the different phases of the project lifecycle, senior
management want to know the Red (R), Amber (A), and Green
status of the projects and programs with descriptive commentary
to support the numbers and key figures provided in the status
report. Sometimes explanations have to be provided about risks,
delays, and the next steps being taken to overcome them. Different
organizations perform similar sorts of narrative-based reports
for the following. The commentary/narrative and heading/
topics provided to the stakeholders can be different and have
to be reviewed and endorsed before they are consumed by the
stakeholders.
a. Strategic Project Reporting
b. High Risk High Profile Project/Program Reporting
c. Special Project of Lord Mayor/Chief Minister/Premier Reporting
d. Statutory Reporting (Treasury Reporting ) or Gateway Review (Sponsor)
Reporting
4. Cash flow reporting: Cash flow reporting at the project level is
covered under operational reporting and can also be accessed
under PS payments. Cash flow reporting at the enterprise level
or at the level of strategic business unit or division level can be
performed based on cumulative invoices, receipts and expenses
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at these organization unit levels, along with the payment terms of
each of these transactions, thereby providing an accurate level of
information.
5. Resource management reporting: At the enterprise level or
at the level of strategic business unit or resource management
organization level, project human resource demands can be
cross-examined based on qualifications. This diagnosis provides
insight on the next steps related to training and development,
emerging technologies, and deficiencies in knowledge base. Key
figures related to skill, adaptability, and qualification quotient
can be measured by using this analytic, which can be tracked and
monitored by performing trend analysis.
Long-Term Trend Analysis
Trend analysis is the process of comparing project, program, and portfolio data over time
to identify consistent results or trends, so that strategies can be developed to respond
to these trends in line with the enterprise’s goals and objectives. Trend analysis helps
the enterprise understand how it has performed in managing projects, programs, and
portfolios and predict where current or ongoing projects, programs, and portfolios will
go. This analysis gives the decision makers ideas about how they might change things to
move the enterprise’s projects and programs in the right direction.
Trend analysis helps improve the enterprise in the following ways:
•
Identify areas where projects, programs, and portfolios are
performing well so that the success can be mirrored.
•
Identify areas where projects, programs, and portfolios are
underperforming.
•
Provide evidence to inform decision making.
Trend analysis is aimed at projecting current and future movement of events of
projects and programs through the use of time series data analysis, which involves
comparing data over a sequential period of time to spot a pattern or trend. Milestone
trend analysis is an operational form of the trend analysis and it is performed at the
project or program level. The following use cases are applicable at the enterprise level
or organization-wide, across regions, project phases, geography, project types, and
categories.
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1. Based on historical project data, trend analysis can be performed
to determine unit cost of activity types by region, geography,
project type and category, work package, activity type (civil –
excavation, civil-shuttering, civil – concreting), and so on.
Historical data can be used to extrapolate (to determine pattern
or trend or year-on-year growth rate) costing information for the
next ten years when working on estimations or when forecasting
ongoing project or project proposals for construction, operation,
and maintenance. This trend analysis of the unit cost of work
(maintenance), job (media), and activity type (cross industry) can
be performed across industries.
2. Price trends of raw construction material such as steel,
reinforcement bar (rebar), cement, asphalt, bitumen, aggregates,
and so on, by region and country based on historic data and
external local commodity price sources. Using historic and
external data, home building and construction enterprises can
operate strategic long duration projects in a specific region and
use trend analysis to extrapolate commodity prices. This enables
them to predict seasonal variations for optimal bulk purchases.
3. Trend analysis of cost performance index by project phase based
on the number of months into that specific project phase and
using weighted average of historic project data by size, location
(region and country), project type and category, technology,
and so on. With this trend analysis as a basis, future predictions
can be performed for ongoing projects based on the respective
project phase and number of months into the phase. This allows
enterprises to extrapolate cost variance and Estimate to Complete
(ETC), and compare it to the Earned Value (EV) analysis.
4. Trend analysis of schedule performance index by project phase
based on the number of months into that specific project
phase and using weighted average of historic project data by
size, location (region and country), project type and category,
technology, and so on. With this trend analysis as the basis, future
predictions can be performed for ongoing projects based on the
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respective project phase and the number of months into that
specific phase. This is used to extrapolate schedule variance and
compare it to the Earned Value (EV) analysis.
5. Trend analysis of project warranty defects by defect type, project
type, category, and component within the system (power plant,
fractional distillation, cooling tower, boiler, coal feeder, etc.).
This is based on the number of months in operation. Enterprises
can extrapolate the defect occurrence pattern, frequency, and
periodicity in the future based on the trend. This trend analysis is
based on historical data of warranty defects of similar size projects
that belong to the project category, group, and technology.
6. Growth trends in projects, programs, portfolios, and
products based on region, country, project type, project
category, and team. This also helps senior leadership and the
management team in setting strategic targets and objectives
for the enterprise and to cascade it down to different teams.
7. Trend analysis of operational efficiency in estimation and
forecasting. Trend analysis is performed based on when during
the project lifecycle (timeline), the project forecast was able to
determine the final project total cost, based on historic completed
projects. This point in time in the project lifecycle can be captured
for different projects based on size, location, project type, and
category. A trend analysis can be prepared to determine when
more accurate estimates and forecasts are developed. This
trend analysis information can be used in predictive analytics to
determine the accurate final project total cost.
8. Benchmark price and quality trends with competitor projects,
products, and technologies. To know how competitive projects,
programs, and products are delivered by the enterprise,
benchmarking them with the competitor’s projects, programs,
and product is the right way. This requires information about the
competitor’s projects and products that is available externally.
These external inputs can be used to perform benchmarking
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exercises. By performing trend analysis of the benchmarked
data, the enterprise can periodically see how they are performing
against their competitors.
Reference:
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-­business/growing-­business/trendanalysis/analysing-­trends
P
redictive Analytics
The Project Management Institute (PMI), in its eighth project management survey
(with the report titled “Pulse of the Profession – 2016,” under the heading “The High
Cost of Low Performance”), mentions that fewer projects are meeting original goals and
business intent or are being completed within budget. More projects are failing and
creating substantial monetary loss for their organizations. More critical is that the money
continues to be wasted when projects aren’t managed well. Approximately US$122
million is wasted for every US$1 billion invested due to poor project performance (a 12%
increase in one year). It also mentions the following in the project performance statistics:
•
62% of projects met their original goals/business intent
•
53% were completed within the original budget
•
49% were completed on time
•
45% experienced scope creep
•
32% of failed project’s budget were lost (reallocated to other
successful projects)
•
16% projects were deemed failures
Another survey and report from PMI mentioned that “44% of high-performing
organizations use predictive approaches.”
High-performance enterprises that manage projects, programs, and portfolios can
use some of the following use cases for predictive analytics:
1. Predictive analytics to determine the estimate at completion
(EAC) by performing weighted costing of risks and issue and
change requests and adding this to the original estimate at
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the WBS element level. Using worst and best case estimates
for initial and additional scope (including ongoing issues and
risks), it predicts the worst and best case project plan and budget
throughout the lifecycle of the project.
This will provide the enterprise with intelligent insight on the
project budget overrun and allow better control of strategic
projects and programs by managing its risk, issue, and change
request better.
2. Perform earned value (EV) analysis to predict estimate at
completion (EAC) and estimate to complete (ETC). This predictive
approach allows you to determine the schedule variance (SV), the
cost variance (CV), and the indices such as the cost performance
index (CPI = 1, the cost and performance are in line with the plan;
CPI < 1, the project has a cost overrun compared to the plan; CPI
> 1, the project has incurred less cost than planned), and schedule
performance index (SPI = 1, the project is on schedule; SPI < 1,
the project is behind schedule; SPI > 1, the project is ahead of
schedule) at the level of WBS element.
3. Predictive analytics based on trend analysis and diagnostic
analysis performed on process efficiency. Based on the diagnostic
and trend analysis, planning, budgeting, and forecasting process
efficiency quotients can be determined. These depend on the
different project types, categories, geography, regions, and so
on, for different work packages (land acquisition, excavation,
construction, etc.). Based on historic data and trends, process
efficiency quotients and standard deviation can be determined
during the different lifecycles of the projects and programs. Using
these accuracy quotients, standard deviations, and weightages
(cost and schedule), enterprises can predict and determine
cost overruns, estimate to complete (ETC), and determine the
remaining duration to complete the project.
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4. Simulation of benefits, NPV, ROI, and BCR based on predictive
analytics. Based on these three predictive analytics use cases,
estimate at completion (EAC) can be determined. In the case
of non-profit projects and programs, based on historical data,
predictive analytics can provide simulations of the benefit that
the project or program can realize over the period of its operation.
Using these key figures, further predictive analytics can determine
the Net Present Value (NPV), Return of Investment (ROI), Benefit
Cost Ratio (BCR), and profitability analyses by product, service
line, business unit, or division, as appropriate.
5. Project and program related procurement insights. Tracking
delivery progress of high value material components by overlaying
their lead times and delivery date enables enterprises to predict
delays contributed to the projects. These predictions can be
supported with other possible alternative procurement options.
6. Project and program related resource management insights. Based on
the remaining effort and percentage of completion by resource type
and phase, comparisons can be performed to predict schedule delays
and additional staffing requirements. During the testing phase of new
product development or IT project, comparisons can be performed to
determine remaining testing efforts by overlaying testing efforts until
test phase completion date and the current cumulative test resource
type assigned to the project. Schedule delays and additional staffing
request can be predicted well in advance. Predictive analytics use
insight from similar historical projects as a reference to predict delays
and provide insights on whether to ramp up resourcing or maintain
the status quo.
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Reporting and Analytics: Operational and Strategic
7. Project and program related quality and safety insights. Based on
the defects, issues, and incidents reported on strategic projects
and programs, comparisons can be performed with reference to
resource qualification weighted averages, requested qualification
weighted averages, safety indexes, and calculated quality indexes
to determine safety and quality concerns with respect to highrisk and high-priority strategic projects and programs. Predictive
analytics use insight from similar historical projects as a reference
to predict worst and best case predictions about forecasted total
number of safety and quality issues and cost and schedule delays
due to quality and safety defects and incidents.
8. Insights on investment decisions to maximize citizen benefits.
Predictive analytics can be used by government organizations to
prioritize assets—bridges, council roads, community swimming
pools, parks, bicycle paths, and so on—that have to be prioritized
within the asset type and across asset types. They are prioritized
based on the current condition of the asset, sustainability, cost of
no action, benefit to the citizens and community, utilization rates,
and so on.
Reference:
https://www.quora.com/What-­are-­the-­best-­examples-­of-­predictiveanalytics-in-­project-­management-­for-­large-­projects
PMI: The High Cost of Low Performance
PMI: Success Rates Rise
Activities for this Chapter
1. What are the different forms of operational and strategic reporting
that are used by your enterprise? List any reporting requirements
not covered in this chapter and try to classify them as operational
or strategic reports.
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Chapter 5
Reporting and Analytics: Operational and Strategic
2. From the list of use cases for project, program, and portfolio
management predictive analytics, which one is most relevant to
your enterprise?
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Chapter 5
Reporting and Analytics: Operational and Strategic
Test Your Learning
1. Long text and other forms of commentary and narratives cannot
be reported in SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) or SAP BW or SAP BW
for HANA.
a. True
b. False
2. If SPI is greater than 1, it means that the project is ___________ of
schedule.
3. Long-term trends use historic project and program data.
a. True
b. False
4. Period end/monthly operational reports are not real time.
a. True
b. False
5. Predictive analytics is used to provide future prediction of project
performance, costs, and schedule.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
1. False
2. Ahead
3. True
4. False. Period end/monthly operational reports are real time.
Because certain business process steps related to the month/
period end would not have happened, more meaningful results
are shown post month/period end.
5. True
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Chapter 5
Reporting and Analytics: Operational and Strategic
Summary
In this chapter, you learned the following:
364
•
Different operational reports for the purpose of evaluating project
and program costs, commitments, budgets, forecasts, dates, and
payments within SAP EPPM.
•
Use case of strategic reports, to perform diagnostics, trend analysis,
and predictive analytics, in order to control and minimize cost/
budget overrun and delays, so that preventive and corrective actions
can be taken.
•
Strategic reports to perform description analytics based on the
captured narratives and Red, Amber, and Green (RAG) indicators,
so that factsheets and status reports can be generated for various
portfolio, program, and project management topics.
Index
A
Access control lists (ACLs), 44
Accounting documents, 34, 35, 133
Activity elements, 4, 10, 50, 65
Activity input planning, 58
Actual costs, 113, 280
Actual earned value, 279
Annual budget, 87–89
Assembly processing, 159
Automatic requirement grouping, 17
Availability control, 87, 91–97
B
Balance sheet, 2, 34, 36, 39
Bill of material (BoM), 19, 56, 152,
160–162, 164
Backward scheduling, 159, 188, 189
Budget carry forward
commitments, 113
selection variant/carry forward
re-run, 113
WBSE status, 114–116
Budgeting, project
functionalities, 87
overall vs. annual budget, 87
release vs. current budget, 88–90
SAP project functionalities
availability control, 91–97
budget return, 101–103
budget supplement, 103–105
budget transfer, 106–112
carry forward (see Budget carry
forward)
distributable and distributed
budget, 98–100
tolerance control limit, 97, 98
tolerance control, 86
transactions, 116
Budget return, 87, 101–103
Budget supplement, 103–105
Budget transfer, 87, 106–112
Business challenge
level of planning
detailed plan, 298
estimates (BoQ/BoS/BoM), 297
recommendation, 299
mass upload, 300–304
remote work/offshore
work, 299, 300
work breakdown structure vs. cost
breakdown structure, 296, 297
C
Capitalization, 164, 165, 169
Cash flow reporting, 354
Change management lifecycle, 125
Change request management, 306
Collective purchase requisition, 14
Commonly asked questions
internal customer/
deliverer, 304, 305
narratives management, 307, 308
© Joseph Alexander Soosaimuthu 2022
J. A. Soosaimuthu, SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7863-5
365
INDEX
Commonly asked questions (cont.)
network costing vs. easy cost
planning, 307
variation/change request
management, 306
Confirm Network Activity
transactional app, 246
Controlling (CO), 8, 11, 29, 270
Cost component structure, 22
Cost element, 36, 54–57
Costing variant, 20
Cost plan budget, 64
Cost variance, 276, 280, 356, 359
Cross application timesheet
(CATS), 22, 133, 289
Current budget, 88–91
D
Decision flow management (DFM), 288,
289, 293, 294
Detailed date planning, 183
Detailed plan, 59, 73, 93, 298
Diagnostic and descriptive
analytics, 352, 353
Distributable budget, 99–101, 104
Distributed budget, 99, 100
Document management system (DMS),
117, 121
Dynamic line item processor (DIP), 149, 271
E
Earned value analysis (EVA)
actual costs, 280
actual earned value, 279
actual POC, 278, 279
definition, 276
366
ETC and EAC, 281
industry standard method, 276
planned costs, 279
planned earned value, 279
planned POC, 276, 278
value index, 280
value/cost variance, 280
work/schedule variance, 280
Easy cost planning
constraints, 72
enhancement considerations, 72–86
with planning form, 71, 72
Engineering procurement and
construction (EPC) project, 7, 227
Engineer-to-order (ETO) business
scenarios, 19
Enterprise and organization structure, 2
Enterprise project connector (EPC),
183, 206
Enterprise service oriented architecture
(eSOA), 204
Estimated costs at completion (EAC), 281
Estimated costs-to-complete (ETC), 280
Estimation and costing
fundamentals
external labor/service, 220, 221
external material, 224, 225
internal labor, 218–220
internal material, 223, 224
subcontracting, 222, 223
SAP interface
classification matrix, 228
components, 230
design principles, 232–234
performing reasons, 226, 227
process industry estimate, 229
techniques, 227
tools, 231
INDEX
Execution services, 130–132
Externally processed activities, 8, 9, 20, 222
F
Fiori apps, 250–270
Fixed asset (FXA), 26, 34
Forecasting applications
design principles, 236–238
SAP interface, project management
solution, 235
Functionality list by industry, 325–343
G
General ledger, 23, 26, 35, 36, 55
Generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP), 2, 12, 274
H
Hierarchy planning, 54–63
Horizontal synchronization
field group, 43, 44
item-leading vs. project-leading, 43, 44
pairs, 42
vs. vertical synchronization, 41
I, J, K, L
Industry best practices
decision flow management, 288, 289
integration with modules/third-party
applications, 289–291
investment prioritization
framework, 286, 287
management controls (see Project
management controls)
phases and decision points,
291, 293, 294
resource-related billing, 270, 271
revenue recognition, 272–275
Integration with controlling
cost component structure, 22
costing sheet and overhead
key, 24, 25
costing variant, 20
cost rates, 23
documents, 22
result analysis, 25
settlement, 26–28
valuation variant, 20–22
Integration with finance
accounting documents, 34, 35
FUL settlement, 32
investment profile and
capitalization, 31, 32
settlement processing types, 33
Integration with material management
automatic requirement grouping, 17
collective purchase requisition, 14
project commitment, 15
project-oriented procurement, 17
purchase requisition, 14
purchasing info record stores
information, 15
reporting, 18
valuated and non-valuated project
stock, 15, 17
Integration with sales and distribution
milestone billing, 12
quotation and sales pricing, 12
reporting transaction, 13
revenue rate card, 13
revenue recognition and
result analysis, 12
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INDEX
Internally processed activities, 8
Investment prioritization framework,
286, 287
Investment profile, 4, 31, 32, 169
Investment proposals, 287
Issue management lifecycle, 125, 127
M
Material requirement planning (MRP), 19
Material reservation, 19
Materials management (MM), 11
Milestones, 9, 10, 146
Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA), 281–284
N
Network costing
alternate solution, 70
easy cost planning
constraints, 72
enhancement considerations, 72–86
with planning form, 71, 72
enhancement considerations, 66–70
standard SAP PS, 66
wireframe of project forecast
workbench, 68
Network diagram, 16, 189, 191
Network planning, 132, 133
Non-valuated project stock, 15–17
O
Operational reporting
forms, 346
period end/monthly, 349, 350
purposes, 346
real-time, 347–349
368
Order-based billing, 159
Overall budget, 87–89
P, Q
Partially distributed budget
scenario, 99, 100
Percentage of completion (POC), 146, 273
Period end/monthly reporting, 349, 350
Periodic billing, 150, 151
Periodic settlement vs. full settlement
month-end assessment and
distribution cycles, 29
reporting, 29, 30
Period level budgeting, 86
Planned earned value (BCWS), 279
Planning and forecasting
guidelines, 63, 65
hierarchy planning, 55–63
methods, 54, 55
network costing (see Network costing)
standard SAP PS capability and
limitations, 63
Plant maintenance (PM), 11, 290
Portfolio
creation, 38
group of projects/work, 37
integration of project
management, 39, 40
structure, 37, 38
Precedence diagram method (PDM), 7
Predictive analytics, 358–361
Prioritization framework, 44–48, 51
Procurement and production
integration, 198–202
Procurement Overview
Analytical app, 248
Production planning (PP), 11
INDEX
BOM, 19
material requirement planning, 19
material reservation, 19
Production resource tools (PRTs), 7, 10, 11
Profitability analysis reporting, 353
Profitability segments (PSG), 26
Project
categories, 6
creation, 5
definition, 4
quality and safety, 4
types, 5
WPS, 7
Project billing
BoS, 160–162, 164
delivery-based billing, 152, 153, 155,
156, 158
order-based billing, 159
periodic billing, 150, 151
progress/milestone based billing,
146, 147
RRB, 147–149
Project calendar, 184, 186
Project closure, 174–178
Project commitments, 15
Project Definition Overview fact
sheet app, 247
Project delivery-based billing, 152, 153,
155, 156, 158
Project issues and change management
(PICM), 125–127
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK), 3
Project management controls
EVA (see Earned value analysis (EVA))
milestone trend analysis, 281–284
variance analysis, 284, 286
Project management workforce, 204
Project oriented enterprises, 37
Project-oriented procurement, 17
Project RAG status commentary, 121–124
Project RAG status reporting, 354
Project resource planning
internal activity entry screen, 134
network profile with flag, 135
person assignment, 138
PPM project definition, 143
PPM project role detailed view, 143
professional service industry, 142
project role detailed view, 145
required qualification, 137, 144
staffing overview, 144
view, 140
workcenter capacity header and
assignment, 136
workcenter view, 141
workforce planning profile, 139
Project risk, 124–126
Project System submodule, 4
activities, 8, 9
activity elements, 10
milestones, 9, 10
project definition, 4
project network, 7
subnetworks, 11
work breakdown structure, 7
Project variation management,
116–120, 180
Purchase requisition, 14, 197, 199
Purchasing info record stores
information, 15, 223
R
Real-time operational reporting, 347–349
Recording actual work, 192, 193
369
INDEX
Red Amber Green (RAG) status reports, 53
Release budget, 89, 99
Resource management integration,
202, 204
Resource management reporting, 355
Resource related billing (RRB),
147–149, 270
Results analysis, 25, 172, 272–274
Revenue accounting and reporting
(RAR), 275
Revenue recognition, 272–275
RICEFW list by industry, 309–324
Risk matrix, 126
S
Sales distribution (SD), 11
SAP Enterprise Portfolio Project
Management (EPPM), 308
SAP Portfolio and Project Management
(PPM), 287
Scheduling
fundamentals
forecasting, 195, 196
network diagram, 189, 191
project calendar, 186
project variations, 194, 195
recording actual work, 192, 193
type and scenarios, 187, 188
SAP interface
design principles, 206–218
management applications, 204–206
project calendar, 184
Secondary cost elements, 36
Selection variants, 113
Settlement, 26–28
processing type, 170, 171
profile, 166
370
rule, 165, 166
scenarios
cost projects, 173
customer projects, 172
investment/capital projects, 174
strategy, 166–168
types in settlement rule, 168–170
Settlement processing types, 33
Strategic reporting
diagnostic and descriptive analytics,
352, 354, 355
long-term trend analysis, 355–358
predictive analytics, 358–361
reasons, 351
Subledgers, 36
Subnetworks, 11
T
Textual comments, 121
Timesheet recording, 192
Tolerance control, 86, 87
Tolerance control limit, 97, 98
Transactional apps, 245
Trend analysis, 355–358
U
Unit costing, 55, 56, 58, 59
Unit of measure (UoM), 58
Unused budget carry forward, 113
Unused carry forward budget, 112
V
Valuated project stock, 17
Valuation methods, 273, 274
Valuation variant, 20–22
Variance analysis (VA), 284, 286
INDEX
Vertical synchronization
field group, 42
vs. horizontal synchronization, 41
item-leading vs. initiative-­
leading, 41, 42
pairs, 41
W, X, Y, Z
Whole of life (WOL) cost, 5
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS),
7, 296, 304
Work/schedule variance (SV), 280
371
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