SAP FICO ( EPISODE - 13 )

Nilkamal: - Now, we are about to enter the most important topic of SAP. If you can concentrate on this topic, then it will be a cake walk for you to understand the other functionalities of SAP. Now, we will learn how to configure the SAP FICO module for our clients. For configuration, we have to customize the basic settings of SAP, as per client’s requirements.

Ravi: - Basic setting means; you are talking about system settings only.

Nilkamal: - to some extent, yes. But, strictly, all are not the in-built system settings. There are 24 Basic Settings in SAP FICO, out of which 19 are compulsory settings and the other 5 are optional settings. We will learn about the 19 compulsory settings now and deal with the latter 5 at a later stage. Now, just write down the 19 compulsory settings in a notebook. The 19 compulsory basic settings are Define Company, Define Company code, Assign Company Code to Company, Define Business Areas, Edit Chart of Accounts List, Assign Company Code to Chart of Accounts, Define Account Groups, Define Retained Earnings Account, Maintain Fiscal Year Variant, Assign Company code to Fiscal Year Variant, Open and Close Posting Periods, Define Document Types and Number Ranges, Define Field Status Variant, Assign Company Code to Field Status Variant, Enter Global Parameters, Define Tolerance Groups for GL accounts and Define Tolerance Groups for Employees.

Rinky: - Uff, Sir, we will go mad to configure all these things. There are so many things to configure.

Nilkamal: - Don’t get scared by these names. Once you start configuring, it is very easy. But, you have to do a lot of practice in the computer lab. Practice will make you perfect, if you want to take up a career as SAP FICO consultant.

Chaitanya: - What are the other 5 optional settings?

Nilkamal: - Optional Settings are just for Management hierarchy. Anyway, if you want to write it down, then just write it. The 5 optional settings are Define Consolidation Business Areas, Assign Business Areas to Consolidation Business Areas, Define Functional Areas, Define Financial Management Areas and Maintain Credit Control Areas.

Suhash: - Sir, all these settings will be done by FICO Consultants only. BASIS Consultants or ABAPers have no role to play in configuring these settings.

Nilkamal: - No in some cases, they do have certain roles to play. BASIS Consultants will perform the configurations of Country and Currency Settings. See, SAP is used globally. So, before starting a project, you have to assign the country name and the currency of that country.

Dulal: - How to do this Country Setting?

Nilkamal: - Ya, just write down the path. SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG - > SAP Netweaver - > General Settings - > Set Countries -> Define Countries in mySAP system. Now, select Position Tree -> Country Name - > IN. Here IN stands for INDIA. Select ‘Details’ button on Application Toolbar, you will see that the Country setting has been completed. Let us now learn how to configure company setting. The path is: - SPRO->SAP Reference IMG -> Enterprise Structure -> Definition -> Financial Accounting - > Define Company.

Manoj: - Sir, in SAP, is the Client and the Company the same thing, because, the FICO consultants will be serving the other IT or manufacturing companies only.

Nilkamal: - No, boss, there is a difference. In SAP system, a client is that self-contained unit, which has its own set of tables with separate master records, but the company is that smallest organizational unit, for which individual financial statements can be drawn up according to the relevant commercial law.

Arindam: - Very confusing, Sir. If a client is a self-contained unit, then how will you define an organizational unit?

Nilkamal: -in case of clients, we can only have records, but no reports. Organizational unit is that structure of any management, where a financial report can be generated. I will not proceed further today. It will overload your brain. Come back tomorrow, we will discuss about it in details. Bye for today.

SAP FICO ( EPISODE - 12 )

Nilkamal: - From today onwards, whatever I will do in my computer, will get displayed on the White Board, because this PC has been attached with the slide projector. Let me double click on the SAP icon on the desktop. Can you see the first screen? It is known as SAP Login Screen. Here, you have to enter the username and the password. The language is ‘en’, which means English. The user is ‘sapuser’ and the password is ‘sapfico’. Press Enter. Now, we are redirected to a new screen. Can anyone tell me the name of the screen?

Chaitanya: - It is ‘SAP Easy Access’, Sir.

Nilkamal: - Yes, you are right. Let me explain this screen in full details. The first bar at the extreme top is known as the MENU BAR. It contains headers like Menu, Edit, Favorites, Extras, System and Help. You can also close, minimize or maximize this window. Just below the Menu Bar, there is another bar, known as STANDARD BAR. This bar is used to enter the commands. The blank space of this bar is known as command field and we will enter transaction codes here.

Suhash: - What are transaction codes?

Nilkamal: - Hmm, good question. See, in the SAP, there are so many modules and you have to remember the step-by-step paths for entering into the different forms in it. For every transaction, there are certain codes. Like for Ledger Entry, there is a transaction code. For defining a company, there is another transaction code. We will deal with these transaction codes later. But, at present, just understand that we have to enter transaction codes in this command field. So, where were we?

Rinky: - Sir, you were telling about the standard bar.

Nilkamal: - Ok. Just below the Standard Bar, there is a TITLE BAR, followed by APPLICATION TOOL BAR, WORKING AREA and STATUS BAR. Application Tool Bar changes with the type of screen. Status Bar gives you the current status of the screen. Now, these statuses are displayed in various colors. The RED color, as usual signals the Error. YELLOW color means that there is a WARNING, but still the transaction can be done. The color GREEN means that everything is ok in the transaction.

Dulal: - Sir, is there any concept of sessions, during these transactions?

Nilkamal: - Of course, boss. There has to be a session. Each and every activity is a session and they are managed by a SESSION MANAGER. Wait, let me just show you the screen of SESSION MANAGER. Can you see the screen of Session Manager? Just have a look, what it actually contains. It displays the System Name, Client Number, Username, Program Name, Transaction, Response Time, Interpretation Time and Round Trip/Flushes. There can be three types of Client Numbers. They are 800, 000 and 001. Generally, the Client Number 800 is used. You can open 6 sessions at a time. Oh! I forgot to tell that the Working Area is the main area of this screen. It is in this space where the Functional Consultants do the configurations, the ABAPers do the Programming and the BASIS people do the Server Maintenance.

Ravi: - Sir, you are saying that, every time, a functional consultant needs to configure the FI module, as per the client’s specifications. But, how are we doing these customizations?

Nilkamal: - You are bang on target. I am just coming to that. Always remember that the project execution is done in the configuration area only. From this SAP Easy Access screen, let us go to Tools. Now, these Tools section is classified into three parts. They are ABAP Workbench, Customization and Administration. ABAP Workbench is for the ABAPers and Administration is for the BASIS people. FICO consultants are interested only with the Customization part. Click on Customization and follow the path: - IMG -> Execute Project ->SAP Reference. In this SAP Reference, select only the modules of FI and CO. The IMG (Implementation Guide) is the guide book for configurations. Guys, just take a short break and come back.

SAP FICO ( EPISODE - 11 )

Rinky: - Hey Arindam, come on; let us eat Dahi Vada from this Tiffin center. I am feeling very hungry.

Arindam: - Dahi Vada is very costly here. It takes 18 bucks.

Rinky: - So what? It is a branded Tiffin Center, which is why, it charges more. The Dahi vada of this canteen is very tasty. Ok, babah, I will give you a treat. The next day, you will give me a treat.

Arindam: - Suddenly, why are you eager to give me a treat? There are so many girls and boys out here. And I am not feeling hungry that I will eat Dahi Vada now.

Rinky: - Uff, in every little matters, you start interrogating like a cop. Ok, babah, galti ho gayee mujhse. I will eat Dahi Vada alone. You don’t have to come with me.

Arindam: - aah…gussa kyon karti ho….how can I ignore your treat? Chalo, Dahi Vada kha hee lete hain.

*****************

Suhash: - Arrey, yeh Arindam aur Rinky ke beech kuch chal raha hain kya? Sinking sinking, drinking drinking and doing something something, he he he….

Dulal: - ha ha ha…arrey bhai, both of them are single and are ready to mingle. Aab miya bibi raaji, toh kya karega padosi…he he he…

Sarita: - oho, just stop talking this nonsense. Unh dono ke beech kuch nahi hain. They are just friends. By the way, Rinky is not single. She has a boyfriend, whose name is Govinda.

Paul: - ho ho ho…ei Govinda, Govinda, Govindaa….dheek dheek dheek. Kya naam hain Rinky ke boyfriend ka, baah, Govinda, baah. By the way, Sarita ji, why are you getting so hyper? Bahut jwalan ho rahi hain kya?

Chaitanya: - I think that we should gift Sarita a pack of Savlon antiseptic lotion in her coming birthday.

Sarita: - Uff, you people are something. I would have also gone to eat Dahi Vada now. But, I have to reach Kacheguda within 15 minutes. I have an interview there.

Manoj: - I also have an interview in Kacheguda. Are you talking about the walk-in interview of Amdocs?

Sarita: - Yeah, yeah, but how do you know? Are you also attending the same?

Manoj: - of course. Just sit on my bike. I will take you there.

Sarita: - Ok. Thanks a lot, Manoj. Accha, have you studied anything for the interview?

Manoj: - There is no point in studying before the interview, because no matter how much you study, they will never ask you any questions on your domain knowledge. They will give you a case –study or situation and you have to tell them the probable feasible solution. So, why should you study? Just relax and give them practical answers.

Paul: - Manoj bhaya, I think that you should start your bike now, instead of giving lectures. Already, Sarita is looking tensed by thinking about the fact that whether she can report at the venue on time or not.

Manoj: - Arrey, yeh Manoj ka Pulsar hain. It never compromises with speed. Sarita, are you comfortable? So, can I start? Ok. Well, guys, see you tomorrow, bye.

Suhash: - Ya, sure. Best of luck to both of you.

SAP FICO ( EPISODE - 10 )

Nilkamal: - What is ASAP?

Dulal: - ASAP is the short form of as soon as possible. We use ASAP, while writing mails to anyone.

Nilkamal: - No, boss. ASAP stands for ACCELERATED SAP METHODOLOGIES. There are four stages in this ASAP methodologies. They are Preparatory stage, Blue-Print stage, Realization stage and Finalization stage. The Preparatory and the Blue-Print stages are called ‘AS-IS’ stage. The Realization and the Finalization stages are called ‘TO-BE’ stage.

Ravi: - Is it similar to the System Analysis & Design for our IT projects?

Nilkamal: - to some extent, yes, but it abides by the waterfall model rather than spiral model. That is why, 75% of the time is spend in understanding the client’s requirements with minute details. See, SAP is not open-source software like Java. Here, the implementation cost is higher and everything has its own copyright under SAP AG. Once, if you have customized and implemented a module for your client and then again if you want to change the system settings in the next week because of the client’s requirements change, is not at all feasible. It incurs a huge expense. Time is wasted and so is the money, then where is the efficiency of that project? If spiral model cannot reduce my expense, then it’s better to follow waterfall model after spending quality time in understanding the client’s requirements, with the signed agreement that the client cannot change his specifications till a stipulated time. And remember one thing that the Mapping Activity takes place in the ‘To-Be’ stage only.

Manoj: - Sir, we are not getting a clear picture about these stages. It will be better if you can explain us with some real-life examples.

Nilkamal: - Ok, I will try to explain it. Take a real life example, say; you are working in a manufacturing company. Now, in a manufacturing company, there has to be a purchase process. Let us draw the entire purchase process on this whiteboard. The process follows like this:- Purchase Requisition, Call for Quotations, Analysis of quotations, Purchase Order, Preparing Goods Receipt Notes (GRN), Confirmation from Quality Department & Stores Department, Invoice Verification, Entry of Raw Materials to the Inventory, Agreement to the Terms of Payment and then the money is paid to the Sundry Debtors. This is the clear cut picture of a purchase process. Now, you people tell me that at which point of this entire process, the concept of ‘AS-IS’ study comes into play.

Rinky: - No idea, Sir. Please explain it.

Nilkamal: - It is very easy. Just think it in a practical manner. Suppose that you have ordered for 1296 goods to me. I have loaded 1296 goods in a truck. The truck reached at your factory after 2 days. Now, at the gate, you found that only 1250 goods are ok, but the remaining goods are having defects. Now, what amounts of goods will you entry in the books of accounts? Is it 1296 or 1250?

Chaitanya: - of course, 1296, because the order agreement was for 1296 goods only.

Nilkamal: - No, the things have changed now. As per the ‘AS-IS’ study, accept only the goods which are in good conditions and the invoicing will be done against those goods only. Now, let us move on to the SAP Documentation and Reporting part.

Sarita: - Is it related to Project Report?

Nilkamal: - Yes, you always need to create a project report, so that everyone can understand about the project, by going through it. In project documentation, there should be the Project Name, Project Manager Name, Project Leader Name, Team Leader Name and the Consultants name. What will a project report contain? It should describe in details the Configuration, Navigation, Screen, Rationality and the Signing of the Project. At least 2 Project Leaders and 4 SAP Consultants should sign the Project Report to get it approved or sanctioned. Let us stop here today. In the next class, we will learn how to login to a SAP Server.