Delta Functionalities in SAP RPM 4

Delta Functionalities in SAP RPM 4.5

Applies to: SAP RPM 4.5

Summary The aim of this article is to educate the users on the new functionalities within RPM 4.5. The prerequisite is to have working knowledge on RPM 4.0 in order to appreciate the new features within RPM 4.5

Author: Anantharam Subramanian

Company: Infosys Technologies Limited

Created on: 01 January 2009

Author Bio I am a certified SAP PP consultant. I am also a six sigma green belt certified and Sun certified Java Programmer. My SAP expertise includes Resource and Portfolio Management, cProjects and cFolders.

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Table of Contents New Features .....................................................................................................................................................3

Dashboards:....................................................................................................................................................3 Decision Flow Management:...........................................................................................................................5 Metrics Management:....................................................................................................................................13 Closed Loop Resource Management: ..........................................................................................................17 Change Documents: .....................................................................................................................................23 Financial Cockpit:..........................................................................................................................................24 Versioning: ....................................................................................................................................................24 Templates (Item & Initiative): ........................................................................................................................25 Timeline Monitor:...........................................................................................................................................25

Enhancements..................................................................................................................................................26 Financial Planning:........................................................................................................................................26

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................31 Related Content................................................................................................................................................31 Disclaimer and Liability Notice..........................................................................................................................32



New Features

Dashboards:

In addition to the JAVA based dashboard, ABAP based dashboards have been introduced. Please see the screen shot below.

Access: Portfolio Management -> My Portfolio objects

In the backend you can control, what fields you would want to display in the following IMG configuration.

Let us try to remove the “Schedule Status” as you see in the dashboard above.



After saving the above configuration and refreshing the portal you may observe that the schedule icon has gone away.

As you may also observe we have separate dashboards for review, collection and initiatives.

In addition to the above dashboards, the existing java based dashboard for items and new java based dashboard for initiative ( we will see this in detail later) and buckets are available.

Initiative dashboard (java based). It is accessed by clicking on the action “Edit My Initiatives”



Decision Flow Management:

Effective RPM 4.5, a new concept called Decision Flow Management(DFM) has been introduced.

The DFM consists of Initiative, Initiative dashboard, Vertical and Horizontal synchronization, Timeline Monitor, Key figure Monitor, Phase/Decisionpoint Dashboard and checklists

Initiative can be considered as the parent under which Portfolio items are created. The following picture depicts the DFM structure.

Synchronization includes the update of attributes from the intiative to the item and from item to project and vice versa.

Let us now see an example of synchronization from initiative to an item created underneath it.

We are going to synchronize the initiative decision point forecasted start date to the item decision point start date.

The screen shot below shows one of the decision points of an item underneath an initiative.



Now let us navigate back to one of the initiative decision points.

The forecasted start date has been fixed for 7/7/2008. Let us navigate back to the item decision point linked to the specification decision point, ie PE.

You notice in the above screen shot that the item decision point PE has the forecasted start date in line with the initiative decsion point

The initiative decision points and item decision points are mapped in the IMG configuration as highlighted below.



The synchronization related settings are done in the IMG configurations as shown below.

Let us discuss how the initiative decision point and item decision point are synchronized.

Maintain Objects for Synchronization: Here we define the source object attribute and the target object attribute. In our example it is Initiative decision point and item decision point.

Maintain attributes for synchronization scenarios: Here we assign the scenario to the source and target and method of synchronization.



Maintain field mappings: Here we map the fields for synchronization. In our example it is forecasted start date of initiative decision point and forecasted start date of item decision point.

Scrolled view of the above screen is shown below.

Now let us see a “Project Leading Scenario” wherein the status update of a project automatically updates the status of the item.

The screenshot below shows the initial status of the cProjects project related to an item. It is in “Created” status.

Now let us navigate back to the Item overview section and check the status of the item.



The status of the item is “In Preparation”.

Let us now change the status of the cProjects to “Released”.



Let us observe what happens to the item status. Over to the item now.

The item status has got changed to “In Progress” and this is made possible by the status synchronization. The related IMG activities are done in the portion as highlighted below.

Similary synchronization can be done for the authorisations too.

Now let us go into the other feature that is part of DFM. The Phase/DP dashboard.



Checklist Dashboard:

Printing Fact sheet: Effective RPM 4.5, standard adobe forms are available. Let us see the Printing fact sheet within an item.



Print form within Initiative:

We can also design our own adobe forms and attach to the items/initiative. The related settings are done in the following IMG activities as shown below.



Metrics Management:

In RPM 4.5, a new concept called metrics management has been introduced. This consists of capturing some of the key parameters like costs, probabilities of success or any other six sigma parameter.

Total costs, Detailed costs, Key figures and Probabilities are the Metric groups. The metric groups are highlighted in the screen shot above.

Metrics are indicated in the screen shot above.



Metrics value types are indicated in the screen shot above.

The metric groups, metrics and metrics value types are defined in the IMG configuration as indicated below.

The metrics page in the front end (portal) could be updated with the values based on the settings. For example let us consider that we have to update the development cost in the metrics page (key figure monitor) with the development cost entered in the financial overview screen of the item.

In the screen shot above please note 100000 has been entered against Launch cost. After saving let us enter the metrics page.



Please note how the launch cost in the key figure monitor has been updated. Let us see how this has been made possible. Back to IMG.

First we have to define the key figures.

Let us define a key figure by name COST_LAUNCH



The screen below shows the detailed view of COST_LAUNCH key figure.

The report shown above is a standard report.

Key figure direction has been indicated negative because lower the launch cost the better. Alert has been set one the value becomes red.



Now the key figure has to be linked to a metric and a metric value type. It is done in the following IMG activity.

The screen shot below is the scrolled view of the one above.

Closed Loop Resource Management:

In 4.5, it is possible to transfer demand from the capacity planning section of the item to cProjects. The prerequisite is checking of the “cProjects download” checkbox in the capacity view setting.



Now let us see how demand is transferred from Item to cProjects. Demand can be transferred either to an existing role or we could create a new role and transfer. And also you may notice that the display could be changed for the capacity planning. Even if the project time scale is different we can change the capacity planning timescale display.

We have entered a capacity of 1 for one of the capacity categories.

Now let us initiate the transfer.

Click on “Transfer Demand” under actions.



You may notice that it gives an option of both creating and transferring to an existing role. Let us create a role.

Press “Transfer” and then “Save Transfer”

A new role gets created in the cProjects along with the demand.



Let us check the scenario for transferring to an existing role.For that let us create a new role inside cProjects. Role “Project Manager” created.

Now perform transfer of demand to the existing role.

After transfer, see the results in the cProjects.



Changes to the fast entry screens:

The above are the roles that we had just created for the project in question. Now let us allocate resources to one of the roles.



Summary line in Fast entry screen: This is a new feature that gives the summary of demands and assignments. Also we can do “Advanced Distribution” for resources.



Change Documents:

Effective 4.5, it is possible to track the changes made to an object (ex. Initiative, Item etc.). We have to activate this feature in the backend.

In the front end the following needs to be checked under user settings.

The screen shot below shows the change document page of an item.



Financial Cockpit:

This is a reporting feature for the costs transferred from Fi/CO system. Once completing the financial integration to the RPM system, the user could go into this page to find out the trend of the costs transferred.

Versioning:

It is possible to create a version of all the items present in a bucket.



Templates (Item & Initiative):

In similar lines to cProjects Project template, we would be able to create a template for an item or an initiative and use them while creating items/initiatives. You create templates under “Administration”.

Timeline Monitor:

This is another new feature introduced in 4.5.



Enhancements

Financial Planning:

It is possible to transfer the costs related to labor from the Capacity planning view to the financial planning view. This is done by mapping the financial planning views to the capacity planning views and the cProject roles.

The cost/revenue rate for the junior consultant is maitained in the cProjects configuration.



Now let us check the scenarios one by one.

You observe that the costs have been automatically updated in the financial planning section based on the mapping you did in the IMG



Let us consider the second scenario of updating from the cProjects side. A role has been created in the cProjects and required capacity entered.

Costing is done for Junior consultant role.

You observe that the costs get updated. This is after running the report /rpm/fin_plan_int.



The other enhancement is in the additional fields. As you might be aware that it is possible to create additional fields within objects. For details you may refer to the earlier article I have published in the SDN. In 4.5, we are moving from tray based item overview section to “tab” based. It is possible to distribute the additional fields to various tabs. We have to do additional configuration in the back end to achieve this.

In the example below I have created additional fields and assigned them to general and to financial overview sections.





Conclusion In the last few pages I have made an attempt to cover the delta functionalities in RPM 4.5. I have tried my best to be accurate as much as possible on the details. There might be certain areas that you feel might not have been covered. Please feel free to write to me. I hope you have enjoyed the lessons.

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