FIN07 Prahkina Accelerate Time to Close

8/9/2019 FIN07 Prahkina Accelerate Time to Close

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Accelerate Time-to-

Close with the SAPClosing Cockpit

Michael PrakhinaLazar Consultants



2

What We’l l Cover …

• Accelerating period-end closing process: Overview

• Getting started with the Closing Cockpit – 10 key steps

• Wrap-up





4

Typical Period-End Closing Process (cont.)

• The person responsible for an error must be informed

Usually by telephone or by email Once the error is corrected, the person responsible is informed

so that he or she can restart the job

• Communication is very important for efficiency “ Are you finished? Then I can start.”

Such communication takes time and is prone to error

Run

transactions

Start

background

jobs

Inform other

employees

Ask other

employees

Analyze

errors

Sarbanes-

Oxley

compliance



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Needed Functionality for Period-End Close

• Uniform tool with which to:

Process all SAP and non-SAP period-end transactions

Detect, troubleshoot, and resolve errors

Restart failed tasks

• Plus a central place for:

Communication between individual employees

Storing documentation such as reports and error messages

Definit ion of dependencies between jobs



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Introducing the “ Closing Cockpit”

• The Closing Cockpit:

Provides a structured interface for executing transactions andprograms of complex processes, such as closing processes

Its structural layout supports processes within anorganizational structure (e.g., a company code), as well asscenarios affecting multiple organizational structures

• The Closing Cockpit is particularly useful when: Activities recur periodically

More than one responsible person is involved

The activities are performed within a process that has a fixedchronological sequence or is determined by dependencies

The activities need to be supported by a shared, uniforminterface

The status of all periodic activities needs to be documented and

made transparent and available for the business



Introducing the “ Closing Cockpit” (cont.)

• In the monitor, you can display detailed information about allactive or completed jobs and flows that were scheduled in the

Closing Cockpit

Task listselection

Other tasklists

Task listselection

details

Tasksscheduled in

monitor

Details andlinks per task

OrganizationalUnits

Dependenciesof tasks



Closing Cockpit – Benefits

• Enhances process definition

Corporate template for local task plans Reduces configuration effort: It’s easy to combine local

task plans with organizational unit plans

• Reduces cost – one solution for all closing activit ies

• Boosts user productivity One user interface from configuration to execution

Single point of entry for all closing activities

Perfect overview of closing status

• Enhances quality and speed

Acceleration of closing process

Compliance

Transparency



Closing Cockpit – Business Value

• Enhances process definition

Less configuration effort: Easy combination of local task planswith organizational units

• Accelerates the closing process Through automation and easy task flow functionality

• Ensures transparent and compliant process List of executed task plans

Monitor: Perfect overview of the closing status and drill -down

to all details

• Improves user productivity Easy collaboration – single source of entry for all participants

in closing process






• Wrap-up



Getting Started with the Closing Cockpit – 10 Key Steps

1. Create a template

2. Create a task list

3. Schedule tasks

4. Define end of processing – workflow

5. Detect, analyze, and resolve errors6. Set the object status

7. Repeat the processing

8. Monitor execution with the schedule manager cockpit9. Track and analyze tasks

10. Understand the Workl ist Monitor



Step 1: Create a Template

• The template only contains the relevant closing tasks and is d istributed to the

local companies. There it can be adapted accord ing to local requirements. You

don’t schedule/execute any jobs f rom a template, but f rom the task plans that

are derived from the template.

• You can also import templates from other systems, using the Remote FunctionCall (RFC) connection.

• The closing hierarchy refers to SAP’s organizational units. You can add your

own organizational units.

• The procedure for creating the template is the same as in the Schedule

Manager.



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From Corporate Template to Local Template

• Configure the corporate template for a standardized, group-wide closing process and

steps: Template CORP_TEMPL (corporate level), copied to template LOC_TEMP_1





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Step 2: Create a Task List (cont.)

• Derive a local task template and assign to

organizational units: Configuration of template LOC_TEMP_1 (local level), including

task details (e.g., name of responsible person, planned start

time, expected runt ime, critical path, etc.)

• In the task list, all tasks are scheduled Blue boxes: Jobs/reports, gray boxes: Transactions, rhombus

in cyan color: Milestone (type “ note” )

You can create, schedule, and execute tasks for all areas

of mySAP ERP!

Jobs (reports), transactions, milestones (type “ note” ),

task flows

Note



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First, Define or Customize a Flow Definition

• SAP provides a variety of predefined flow definit ions for

R/3 components that you can use as the basis for your

own flow definit ion.

• Choose “ Extras Flow Definition Administration of

Flow Definit ions” to display an overview of the flow

definitions available in the system.



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Flow Definition Management: Header Data

• All the flow definitionsdefined in the systemare displayed on theFlow DefinitionManagement screen.

• The “ Appl.”(application) column

specifies theapplication for whichthe flow definition hasbeen created andwhich programs areincluded.

• The “ Worklist”column displayswhich flow definitionuses a workl ist.



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Flow Definition Management Screen

• Some of the processing steps listed in the new flow definition, such as“ Preliminary Settlement for Co-Products” might be redundant since these arenot to be executed. To customize the flow definition, you first need to switch toEdit mode. You can delete processing steps from the flow definition by c lickingthe processing step you want to delete and choosing “ Cut Block.”



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Next, Customize the Processing Steps

• The first two processing steps arerequired by the system so that theprocess can be carried out correctly.These steps do not requi re editing andcannot be deleted.

• The job chain is started and contro lledby SAP Business Workflow –processing step “ Workflow Started”

• The next processing step is a system-internal task that the system requiresto process the job chain.

• You need the third processing step if you use worklists . When you create avariant, you specify which objects (in

this case, production orders) you wantto include in the worklist. Only theorders selected in the worklis t areprocessed in the subsequentprocessing steps.



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Next, Customize the Processing Steps (cont.)

•You use processing step “ Overhead”to actually begin processing theobjects; the overhead calculation will becarried out for the objects selected inthe worklist (production orders).

• You can also define a selection profileand a selection variable in the variant

you have created.

• The processing steps “ Work inProcess,” “ Variance Calculation,” and“ Settlement” are edited at the sametime.

• In each sub-step, you have to enter the

responsible user or user group that is tobe contacted via the workflow if anyproblems occur in this step (e.g.,distribution list).



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Next, Customize the Processing Steps (cont.)

• Once the objects have been

processed, a “workflow decision”email is sent. Double-click on thisprocessing step again to enter auser or user group that isresponsible for making this decision.

• If the user decides to renew theprocessing steps, the “Renew

Worklist Processing” step isactivated.

• In this case, processing starts againat the “ Overhead” step, and on lythe revised (incorrectly processed)objects are processed. The systemalso considers whether the object

only has to be reprocessed in thesettlement step or in the overheadcalculation step as well.

• If the user chooses “ Complete,” the“ Workflow Completed” step iscarried out.



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Processing Steps

• Authorization Check With WF-BATCH has been set as the default user. The WF-BATCH user has all the necessary

authorizations and should, therefore, be left as the entry in this field.

• If Errors, Mail To

In the event of an error occurring during background processing, for example, if the job

is canceled, the relevant user or group of users receives a mail containing information

on the error . You should, therefore, specify the relevant user.



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Finally, Include the Flow Definition in the Task List

• To carry out the flow definit ion in the Scheduler, you

have to create a task in the task list. Use the “Flow

Definit ion” task type for this purpose.



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Use Selection Variables in the Variants

• You can use selection variables to define variants for the Flow Definition that can be used to

specify predefined or default settings for specific fields. This means you do not have tocustomize the variants for each period-end clos ing step. This concerns the “ Period” and“ Fiscal Year” fields in particular. The above example illustrates how a variant is selected inthe worklist.

• To use a selection variable, you first have to create it using transaction STVARV. When youexecute the transaction, you first go to d isplay mode. To create or change a variable, switchto change mode where additional icons are displayed (e.g., “Create” and “ Change” ).

• The transaction accesses table TVARV, which is cross-client.



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Use Selection Variables in the Variants (cont.)

• You first have to assign anew name to the variant.

To make the selectionscreen ready for input,choose “ Create.”

• You can define whichfields will use theselection variables bychoosing “ Attributes.”

• You have to make theappropriate settings onthe selection screen. Thedefined selectionvariables are to be usedfor the “Period” and“ Fiscal Year” parameters.



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• You first have to assign anew name to the variant.

To make the selectionscreen ready for input,choose “ Create.”

• You can define whichfields will use theselection variables bychoosing “ Attributes” .

• You have to make theappropriate settings onthe selection screen. Thedefined selectionvariables are to be usedfor the “Period” and“ Fiscal Year” parameters.



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In this case, selectionvariables are used forthe “Period” and“Fiscal Year” fields.



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1

2



29


Choose a selectionvariable to set it as the

selection variable in

the variant

Result:

The parameter on the selection screen is locked and

can now only be maintained in transaction STVARV



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Step 3: Schedule Tasks

The period-end

closing is

scheduled in

the Scheduler.

You can drag a

task to the

Daily Overview

for scheduling

using the leftmouse button.



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Step 4: Define End of Processing – Workflow

• After the background jobs of a flow definit ion have

ended, the workflow sends an express mail to the users

in line with the definit ion in the processing step “ Check

the Objects in the Workl ist.” A workflow email is also

sent to the Office inbox.

To call up the processor’s

Business Workplace,choose the “ Inbox”pushbutton.



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Step 4: Define End of Processing – Workflow (cont.)

The mail provides a

list of alternatives foryou to decide how

processing is to

continue.

You can call up the worklist monitor by

clicking the link. The system starts a new

session for this purpose. In the worklist

monitor, a list of all the objects with errors is

generated for the task (flow definition).



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Step 5: Detect, Analyze, and Resolve Errors

• The object list in the workl ist monitor displays all objects with

errors. Double-click on the object to call up the short texts for the

generated error/warning/information messages.



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Step 5: Detect, Analyze, and Resolve Errors (cont.)

• If you double-click on the short text, the system displays the long

text. Links from long texts to other transactions (such as

Customizing) are also active.



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Step 6: Set the Object Status

Set Status for the object

Repeat

Processing

Skip

Processing



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Step 7: Repeat the Processing

• Each new processing runis displayed in the monitor.

The number of objects witherrors is also updated.

S S C



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Step 8: Monitor with the Schedule Manager Cockpit

• The left-hand part of the screen contains the actual task lis t, which contains thetasks for period-end closing, for example.

• The right-hand part of the screen contains the calendar, which comprises amonthly overview (top right) and a daily overview (bottom right). The dailyoverview provides an overview for today’s date of the planned/running tasks or

the tasks that have already been carried out. The task types “ background job”and “ flow definition” can also be scheduled in the daily overview.



St 10 Th “W kli t M it ”



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Step 10: The “Workl ist Monitor”

The status column displays theprocessing status of each

processing step

St 10 Th “ W kli t M it ” ( t )



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Step 10: The “ Workl ist Monitor” (cont.)

If you double-click

the task, the system

creates an object listfor the task

The system

automatically

displays this object

list from the

workflow mail

You can show the

messages for an

object, as well as

short texts, by

double-clicking the

relevant object

W kli t M it Di l i M



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Worklist Monitor – Displaying Messages

The objects that are listed in the object lis t aredetermined by means of a filter, enabling you to

call up the objects according to processing status

Wh t W ’l l C



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• Wrap-up

L L d



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Lessons Learned

• Use the Closing Cockpit for all closing activit ies

• Schedule SAP programs to run in the background• Work with selection variables to default predefined

settings for the specific selection fields

• Use of SAP Workflow to send notifications to thebusiness

T h i l I f ti K A th i ti



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Technical Information – Key Authorizations

Task List: Create and Change

Authorization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

B_SMAN_WPL WORKPLAN Name of task list

ACTVT 02 Change03 Display16 Execute

S_BDS_DS CLASSNAME SCHEDMANTASKCLASSTYPE OTACTVT 01 Add or Generate03 Display30 Determine

S_GUI ACTVT 61 Export

S_ALV_LAYO ACTVT 23 Maintain

Execute Batch Job Authorization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

S_BTCH_ADM BTCADMIN YS_BTCH_JOB JOBGROUP space

JOBACTION RELES_ADMI_FCD S_ADMI_FCD STOR

Monitor Display Authorization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

B_SMAN_WPL WORKPLAN Name of task listACTVT 03 Display


Technical Information Ke A thori ations (cont )



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Technical Information – Key Authorizations (cont.)

Monitor Display Autho rization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

B_SMAN_WPL WORKPLAN Name of task list

ACTVT 03 DisplayS_GUI ACTVT 61 Export

Message Display Autho rization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

S_TABU_DIS ACTVT 02 ChangeDISBERCLS KKK

Flow Definition

Autho rization Object Authorization Fields Settings/ValuesPLOG PPFCODE DISP

AENDINSE

PLVAR 01OTYPE WS


Worklist Autho rization Object Authorization Fields Settings/Values

PLOG PPFCODE DISPAEND

PLVAR 01OTYPE RY, T, AC, O, S, A, P, $$, CINFOTYPE 1000, 1240, 1001, 1218SUBTYP B240, A007, B003, A008, B208, A003ISTAT 1 Active

Resources



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Resources

• http://help.sap.com

mySAP ERP > SAP ERP Central Component (choose versionand language) > SAP ERP Central Component > Financials >

Financial Accounting (FI) > General Ledger Accounting (FI-GL)

(New) > Periodic Processing > Closing Operations >

Configuring the Closing Cockpit

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2005vp/helpdata/en/42/f890

415ae3a109e10000000a155106/frameset.htm

• SAP Service Marketplace

https://websmp207.sap-ag.de/okp * https://websmp207.sap-ag.de/FI * > Fast Close > Media Library

* Requires login credentials to the SAP Service Marketplace

7 Key Points to Take Home



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7 Key Points to Take Home

• SAP Closing Cockpit accelerates the closing process

through automation and easy task flow functionality• Key benefit: Less configuration effort and easy

combination of local task plans with organizational units

• SAP Closing Cockpit supports process transparency and

compliance

• It provides easy access to a list of executed task plans

• You can view the closing status of all tasks, and dril l

down to view execution details

7 Key Points to Take Home (cont )



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7 Key Points to Take Home (cont.)

• Key feature: The Calendar view to quickly track and

analyze tasks and activit ies at-a-glance• Improves user productivity with easy collaboration and

single source of entry for all participants in closing

process

Your Turn!



Your Turn!

How to contact me:

Michael Prakhina

[email protected]

Documents

FIN07 Prahkina Accelerate Time to Close