The purpose of this development is to allow users to upload an MS Excel spreadsheet of profit center master data to create profit center master records in SAP.

Similar to the cost center upload, the purpose of the Profit Center spreadsheet upload program is for use in cases where large amounts of Profit Centers (i.e. 50 or more) are being created, such as in reorganizations. This program will NOT be used for everyday branch (Profit Center) creation in SAP.

This document includes functional requirements and some implementation details. It is possible that some implementation details might be adjusted in the technical design.

Excel spreadsheet

The spreadsheet will contain rows for all of the profit centers to be created and each column will identify a separate field on the master record which must be populated on creation. The fields contained in the spreadsheet will be:

Profit Center Number
Valid From Date
Valid To Date
Name
Description
Person Responsible
Department
Hierarchy Area

The spreadsheet should also have separate columns for company codes (ten should suffice) to identify in which company codes the profit center should be active. An appropriate company code should be placed in the column to indicate that the profit center should be active for that company code. In the successive columns, additional company codes should be populated for which the profit center should be created.

Processing within SAP

A custom transaction code, Z<T-code name>, will be created and linked to an ABAP program to import the file to SAP ECC 6.0 where Z<T-code name> follows standard custom naming conventions.

This program will have the following parameters:

File Path

The file path will determine the file location and name.

Data transfer technology used

The file will be transferred from the workstation to SAP using the GUI_UPLOAD function module.

The accounting documents will be generated using BAPI technology, in particular the BAPIs:

BAPI_PROFITCENTER_CREATE

Dependencies/Constraints

We need to ensure that the Excel template is not built with an inherent dependency on MS Excel releases, which may vary from user to user. In light of this, it is suggested to keep the functionality within Excel as simple as possible and limit use of Excel functions and VBA in preparing the file for upload to SAP. Also, the fields in the spreadsheet should be formatted defined accordingly to the field definitions in SAP and it is recommended that the listing of values be referenced where appropriate due to the lack of a BAPI to check the valid values of the fields being uploaded.

We rely strongly on good change management for the successful implementation of this technology.

In the legacy environment, accounting users made heavy use of Excel upload functionality to process journal entries which could not be otherwise processed in these systems without excessive manual data entry.

However, the user community should understand that Excel is not appropriate as a data entry mechanism for many of the types of uploads for which it has been used in the legacy system.

Assumptions

Profit center maintenance being centralized is key to this process. Upload functionality should not be provided for profit center maintenance if profit center creation/changing is a decentralized process.

Detailed Functional Requirements

Functional Specification

Source

The user prepares a sheet with the profit centers that need to be created based on the e-mail request.

File specifications

The file should contain all needed fields that are populated on the profit center master record, which are listed below:

Profit Center Number
Valid From Date
Valid To Date
Name
Description
Person Responsible
Department
Hierarchy Area

Not all fields will be mandatory.

The spreadsheet should also have separate columns for company codes (ten should suffice) to identify which in company codes the profit center should be active. An appropriate company code should be placed in the column to indicate that the profit center should be active for that company code. In the successive columns, additional company codes should be populated for which the profit center should be created.

SAP Process

The user then logs on the SAP ECC 6.0 and calls the custom transaction, which prompts the user to enter the file containing the profit centers being created.

The program then uploads the file from Excel using the GUI_UPLOAD routine.

Log

A log is then generated showing the following:

- a list of SAP profit centers created

- the number of profit centers created

- error log detailing failed profit centers, if applicable

Process Flow Diagram

Fin. Systems Communicates Profit Center Creation to Requestor

Fin. Systems Processes Remaining Errors and Re-upload, if Needed

Fin. Systems Reviews the Log

Extension Layout

None required

Input and Output

Required SAP Transactions

A custom transaction is needed that follows the defined custom naming convention.

Input Parameters

Input (Parameters) Needed	Description and Prior Dependency	Validation
File Name	File Name to be determined by User in Excel File	Run in Test Mode. Error message if the file does not exist.

Method to Retrieve Input Parameters

The file name is noted when preparing the upload file from the Excel template.

Output Parameters

Output (Parameters) Needed	Description and Post Dependency
Screen output of log	None

Method to Release Output Parameters (Output Type)

Program log may be printed or downloaded to file using standard SAP menu:

Method to Update Existing Run Parameters with Latest Run Information

The program log should be examined to ensure that the profit centers were uploaded correctly. For further details, please see the ‘Error Handling’ section.

Reporting

No special reporting is required. The standard output of the program is a log featuring any errors encountered.

Standard SAP reports, such as the Master Data Index, can be used to verify profit center creation.

Initial Data Set-Up/Conversion Requirements

The following items must be defined in order for this program to function properly:

The Company Codes must be defined and assigned to the Controlling Area
The Dummy profit center must be defined
New G/L must be configured
The standard hierarchy groups to which the profit centers are assigned should exist

Existing Sample Program(s)

No sample program is available.

Process and Operational Considerations

Network Integration

No network integration considerations.

However, care should be taken that the upload file is saved to a drive which is accessible both from the Excel application and from the SAP application.

Performance

Performance is dependent on the size of the file but should not be a consideration. Foreground processing of the file should not exceed time out setting for online processing by End Users.

Processing Type

Foreground is required for files uploaded from the presentation server.

Re-use Details

N/A

Expected Transaction Volumes

The likely maximum volume is probably around 500 profit centers. The more realistic volume probably lies around 50 profit centers.

Error Handling

The Excel template, if possible, should contain a valid listing of values for fields which contain a table validation in SAP.

Case 1: Program completes with a log

The program will produce a log detailing all accounting documents posted, together with:

- A listing of profit centers that could not be created

- An error log detailing reasons why the creation failed

This log can be compared to the source file to ensure accuracy. Where appropriate, errors should be fixed in the source file and a new file created with just these records.

Case 2: Program terminates during execution

The program could fail upon the first encounter of an error and generate a log. The first approach is preferable, however.

Security and Authorization

The transaction code should be limited to the same groups of users responsible for profit center creation and maintenance which is Financial Systems.

Purge and Archive Considerations

Multi-company, Multi-jurisdiction Considerations

Other

Change Management Requirements

Range of use

As highlighted in the ‘Dependencies’ section, users need to be trained NOT to use this tool indiscriminately for profit center upload and understand that this process cannot be undone once it is executed.

The reason for this note of caution is that a PC upload utility was used in the legacy systems for a wide range of functions.

Testing Requirements

Key Business Test Conditions

ID	Condition	Expected results	Cycle Ref.
	Check an input file	File is checked and a log is generated.
	Load a single profit center	Profit center is created successfully and log is generated
	Load multiple profit centers	Multiple profit centers created; log is generated
	Load profit center(s) with incorrect values in various fields	Depending on approach, profit centers without errors are created and profit centers with errors are not created. Log clearly displays successfully processed profit centers and errant profit centers (with reasons).
	Re-load of profit centers which resulted in errors in the previous step	Profit centers are created successfully; log is generated

Technical Test Conditions

ID	Condition	Expected results	Cycle Ref.
	Process file in foreground	Successfully processed file
	Process file in background	Successfully executed background job
	Foreground processing of a file with 66,000 lines.	No time-out. All profit centers created.
	System shuts down during processing.	No log generated of documents posted. Use of compact document journal allows user to easily reconstruct what has been posted and what has not been posted.

Testing Considerations/Dependencies

This should be tested after configuration has been loaded and after the initial profit centers have been loaded.

Outstanding Issues

Issue No	Description	Assigned To	Status	Impact	Resolution

Appendix

Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
BAPI	Business Application Programming Interface

Additional Supporting/Reference Documentation

SAP promotes the use of BAPIs for data transfer. The use of other technologies is of limited use after release 4.6. This is outlined in the following:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_bw30b/helpdata/en/4c/4c0e8a725311d396a80004ac96334b/content.htm

Solution Review Board input

Input	Comments
None

Monday, August 13, 2012

Functional Design Documents SAP ABAP

Approval/Sign-off

Existing Sample Program(s)

Solution Review Board input

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