SAP FI Integration

SAP FI is the accounting module of the SAP R/3  product. The ]po[ SAP import interface allows to import SAP cost elements into ]po[ on the level of "internal orders" (Innenauftrag).

Please note that this import is similar to the [SAP Project System (PS) integration]. The SAP PS integration is an extended version of the SAP FI integration, including information about SAP WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) elements, employe rates etc.

Scenario

The scenario for this integration consists of a project-oriented department of a large company or division (for example: the IT department) that manages projects via a number of Excel sheets or stand-alone applications for project management or timesheet management. The corporate SAP system is used for procurement on the project level. A controller manually collects data from various sources, performs budget checks and elaborates management reports.

In this scenario, ]po[ will become the main source for project management related information and handle areas including project tracking, budget tracking, timesheet management and absence management. Using this information, ]po[ will be able to perform budget checks and to create management reports.

However, ]po[ in order to deliver precise data, ]po[ is lacking information about:

  • Timesheet (SAP CATS) costs from other departments
  • Costs of external providers 
  • Project related costs of purchasing hardware or software

SAP Import Structure

The SAP FI import is designed to cover exactly this gap.

The ]po[ SAP FI import expects a flat CSV file from SAP FI with cost elements per "internal project" with the following fields:

Auftrag Belegnr BuZ Kostenartenbezeichn Bezeichnung Gegenkonto Gegenkontobezeichnung Jahr Per BuchDatum Wert/BW

  • internal_project (the ID of the internal project, SAP German: "Innenauftrag"),
  • cost_nr (an ID of the cost item, SAP German: "BelegNr"),
  • effective_date (the date of purchasing, SAP German: "BuchungsDatum),
  • sap_external_order_nr (the account of the providing service, SAP German "Gegenkonto"),
  • sap_external_order_description (the company or department providing the service related to the cost, SAP German: "Gegenkontenbezeichnung"),
  • sap_period (booking year for the cost item, SAP German: "Per"),
  • sap_year (effective year of the cost item, SAP German: "Jahr"),
  • sap_cost_type (type of cost, SAP German: "Kostenart")
  • amount + currency (amount and currency of the cost item)

These columns are available in several SAP FI reports, so they are easy to extract manually from SAP. A small ABAP program is necessary to automate the generation of the CSV file.

The manager of each project is responsible to maintain the correct internal project number in ]project-open[.

Integration Details

The entire SAP FI -> ]po[ integration link exists of the following elements:

  • An automatic SAP job extracts the specified CSV file and stores the file into a shared folder.
  • The ]project-open[ batch-importer packages periodically checks the shared folder.
  • The batch-importer starts the actual import of the data if it encounters a new CSV file.
  • Import error messages (missing or incorrect internal project number in ]po[...) are stored for reference and sent to the responsible via Email.

Further Information

The SAP FI import requires the ]project-open[ team to configure the integration link manually. This step has not yet been automated.

Please contact  us for further information about the process.


  Contact Us
  Project Open Business Solutions S.L.

Calle Aprestadora 19, 12o-2a

08902 Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona)

Spain

 Tel Europe: +34 609 953 751
 Tel US: +1 415 200 2465
 Mail: info@project-open.com