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Articles for June, 2010
Basic ALE connection when using separate instances for FI/HCM
Monday, June 28th, 2010
Have you ever arrived at a project and been given the news that HCM will be implemented as a standalone system? The FI team is long gone, the HCM team is there and the client wants to use their own IT team to perform Basis and ABAP work. This is not unusual nor is it a problem, until something needs to be done that did not happen when other SAP modules were implemented. One of those common instances is when FI/CO and HCM will not be in the same system. When the decision has been made to have your FI/CO and HCM components in separate systems you may not have instant access to an experienced IT member that knows how to help an inexperienced IT team make this work. These basic steps on how to set up an ALE connection between FI/CO and HCM modules will help you work with the IT team to accomplish your objective. Some common transfers of information examples from HCM to FI/CO are data for General Ledger Postings, Travel & Expense, and 3rd Party Remittance.
Step 1: Create users for ALE transfer in both the receiving and sending client/systems.
· Create users giving them the same user name and authorizations. This will allow logon through the remote connection and perform the IDOC transfers.
Step 2: Create logical systems in both the receiving and sending systems.
a. Log on to Sending client and go to transaction “SALE”
b. Expand both the Sending and Receiving systems
c. Expand logical systems and click on Define Logical System
d. Click on New Entries and use a naming convention identified by your IT/Basis group. Example - “system name + CLNT + client number. Save and “go back” (sending = HCMCLNT105/ receiving = FICCLNT800)
e. Save and go back. Now click on Assign client 105 to logical system HCMCLNT105
f. Now log onto receiving system and repeat a-c
g. Save and go back. Now click on Assign client 800 to logical system FICCLNT800
Step 3: Create the RFCs
a. In your sending client go to transaction code SM59 and expand the R/3 connections
b. Enter RFC name as HCMCLNT105 (use the same name as the logical name created in step 1 so that the ports are automatically created)
c. Enter Connection Type as “3” and Language as “EN”
d. Give the logon details for client 800 (it is best to create a new user with proper authorizations for this ALE data transfer).
e. Click on Remote long on button to test the RFC
f. Now go to the receiving client and repeat a-e and give logon credentials to client 105
Step 4: Create customer distribution Model.
· This is usually created in the sending system and then is distributed to the other system. The actual creation of the model requests that you mention a technical name for the model (this needs to be a unique identifier in the systems landscape), a sender system, a receiver system, and message types to exchange between those systems.
a. In the sending client go to transaction code BD64 and client on Change and Create model view button
b. Enter the short text and technical name as ZHCM_FIC
c. Select the model and click on Add Message Type button
d. Give the sender as HCMCLNT105 and receiver as FICCLNT800
e. Give Message type as required. Example- “HRMD_A” for HR Module. This is usually the message types given by SAP are available for a particular module, see using transaction code WE81, if not create a message type first (See step 7).
f. Select the above model view and click on Environment >Generate Partner Profiles
g. Select Transfer IDOC Immediately and Trigger Immediately radio buttons
h. Click on Execute. You should get a list in green which means it executed successfully.
i. Now back on the main screen you should select the model view
j. Click Edit> Model view> Distribute
k. Click on Continue. You should get a list saying model view is distributed successfully.
Step 5: Checking the Port
a. In the sending client go to transaction code WE21
b. Expand the transactional RFC
c. Find the port from the list which is created using BD64 for FICCLNT800 (the receiving system) RFC destination
Step 6: Checking the Partner Profiles
a. In the sending client go to transaction code WE20
b. Expand Partner Type LS
c. Select the partner profile FICCLNT800
d. Double click on the Message Type. Example- In HR Module, HRMD_A in Outbound parameters
e. Check Receiver Port is assigned correctly
f. Check the Basic type as your Basic IDOC object.
g. In the sending system, select the option to transfer IDOCs Immediately
h. By default in the receiving system IDOCs are bunched together and received.
Step 7: Creating the message type
a. Message type defines the meaning of data. It is just a logical entity that gets connected to the IDOC type, in transaction WE82, or gets connected to the distribution model, in transaction code BD64. If necessary create a new message type.
b. In the sending client go to transaction code WE81
c. Click on Change > Continue
d. Select the New Entries button
e. Give message type in customer namespace “Z” and description
f. Save and go back
Posted in Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
Creating job tasks/functions in SAP
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Question
How can I create a job task/functions in SAP?
Answer
Utilizing transaction PP01 you can create a task. The object type would be a ‘T’ for Task. First create the Object Info type with both the short and long description. Complete any remaining info types as required per your requirements. The next step would be to tie the task to the job via a relationship. In PP01 enter the job object number, with an object type of ‘C’ and then choose the relationship info type. Enter B 007 as the relationship for the task to the job. The type of related object would be a ‘T’ and then enter the object number.
Posted in Ask the Experts | No Comments »
Symphony co-hosts upcoming webinar with Symmetry
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Wednesday, June, 16 2010 at 2:00 pm EST
Register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/750333336
Many organizations struggle with decisions on how to best incorporate SAP HCM into their technical environment. The question that often arises is whether or not to implement HCM on a separate landscape. This consideration is a key concern for smaller organizations that cannot afford the financial burden of an additional landscape. In the end, many companies do choose to maintain a separate HCM landscape however, issues such as data security and privacy concerns do not have to be the driving factors in making this decision.
Let Symmetry - the SAP security experts; and Symphony - the SAP HCM experts, walk you through some of the most common misconceptions about HCM security before you make that critical decision and spend money on a new environment.
In this free session Kellie Fitzpatrick (Symphony) and Scott Goolik (Symmetry) will discuss the pros and cons of implementing HCM on a separate instance and why data security and privacy issues should not be the only deciding factors when implementing HCM.
Attendees at this expert led session will be able to:
-Review general concepts of SAP HCM authorizations; how they are used, how they are different, and some of the critical “gotchas.”
-Learn methods to effectively manage HCM security in a shared environment.
-Determine when you should consider a separate landscape and when you should consider a combined landscape.
-Understand the limitations of implementing on a separate instance and the level of maintenance required.
-See real-life examples of companies that have implemented on separate landscapes, those that have implemented on the same landscape, and why that decision was right for them.
-Take home action-items to follow up on in your environment:
- Details of specific Authorization Objects that require restrictions.
- Techniques to protect data in non-Production systems.
- Review of available Authorization Model monitoring tools that
guarantee against security breaches.
Date: Wednesday, June 16
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm Central / 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Cost: Free
Posted in SAP HCM News | No Comments »
How to translate your Organizational Structure into a foreign language
Monday, June 14th, 2010
After creating your organizational structure in your native language, there are a few steps that you need to perform to be able to show the structure in a foreign language.
To start, begin with translation. Have someone in your organization translate all of the objects that are shown in the structure. Organizational units and positions are critical. You may also want to consider translating jobs and any other objects you are using. Be sure to translate both the short and long description so each will be available for reporting purposes.
Once that is complete, run transaction RE_RHTRANS0 or follow menu path Human Resources –> Organizational Management –> Tools –> Infotype –> Translate.
Select your plan version and then the object type that you wish to translate. Enter the target language at the bottom of the screen and execute.
A list of your objects will appear with a blank field below each one for you to enter the translated text. Feel free to cut and paste into these fields. Save your data when finished.
Now you can modify tabs on your organization and staffing screen. You will need to add the names tab in order to display the description in different languages.
Posted in Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
Advanced Vacation Payout
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Question
Our Company is three weeks from go-live SAP HCM. We have a union rule that requires us to pay union members in advance for vacation. Many of them take five weeks all at once. We have a weekly payroll. It appears that the way to do this in SAP is to process each vacation request manually through each of the next 5 payrolls (for each employee requesting vacation). This is a huge pain for our payroll department in our legacy environment, and soon to be in SAP. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer
Step 1 - In Time Management, enter the Vacation hours for the five weeks, then run Time Evaluation for the five weeks.
Step 2 - In Payroll, there is an Off-cycle/On-Demand Payroll run option, where it can be run for the next five pay periods for the employee, so their taxes, etc. , will be calculated and taken correctly. (On the actual production payroll for the next 5 pay periods, Payroll will know and exclude the employee from the Regular Production run).
An enhancement that may be explored post go-live would involve a custom solution utilizing a combination of forms, workflow, and custom programming to automate the entry part of the process. The Time Evaluation and Off-cycle steps will already be a part of your new SAP Payroll procedure and not require any further adjustments.
Either way, we recommend you move forward with go-live and only consider a custom solution after go-live and stabilization. Waiting until after you are stabilized will allow you to have a better understanding of your new system and help you to be better prepared when you begin to make adjustments or expand your HCM solution.
Posted in Ask the Experts | No Comments »
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