Finance Integration on a WBS Level

The ERP Connector Solution Starter for Microsoft Office Project Server 2003 can include work breakdown structure (WBS)-level integration of cost accounting. The process flow for WBS-level integration is similar to the project-level integration. There is a two-way exchange of data. Both of the mySAP™ ERP Financials CO and PS subsystems export order and WBS data to Project Server, and Project Server sends timesheet actuals back to the mySAP ERP Financials. Figure 1 shows the following process flow.

1. Launch a program in mySAP ERP Financials that exports an XML file with the necessary WBS data from the PS subsystem and the related internal order information from the CO subsystem. mySAP ERP drops the XML file to a network share defined in the ERP Connector administration page.
2. The Service for Enterprise Data Maintenance (EDM) detects the XML file and processes it using PDS methods and extensions of the Financial WBS module to create the new projects on Project Server.
3. Use the ERP Connector administration page to launch the process to export approved timesheet actuals data from Project Server in an XML file. Transform the XML data to a CSV text file.
4. Import the timesheet actuals in mySAP ERP Financials, and update the order and WBS cost accounting in the CO and PS subsystems.

Figure 1. Process flow for WBS integration in the ERP Connector

mySAP ERP Requirements

Following are the requirements for CO integration in the ERP Connector:

• mySAP ERP, release 4.0b or later.
• Implementation of the Finance Projects module
• Definition and implementation of internal orders (transactions KO01 and KO02) in mySAP ERP Financials CO subsystem
• Definition and implementation of WBS elements in mySAP ERP Financials PS subsystem
• Assignment of the CO subsystem internal orders to WBS elements

Exporting the XML File from mySAP ERP

You need to implement some code in the proprietary ABAP™ language or in the Java or Microsoft Visual J++ programming language to export the XML file from mySAP ERP. The ERP Connector Solution Starter download provides sample ABAP code for exporting XML files. To install the code and create the export command, see Installing the Components for mySAP ERP.

You must create at least one controlling internal order in mySAP ERP. A user starts the mySAP ERP function builder (transaction SE37), opens the appropriate ABAP function, enters the project definition ID (PSPID) of the PS project, and executes the function. The function exports the WBS elements and the related CO internal orders in an XML file.

mySAP ERP exports the following fields in the XML file:

• Project ID (valid mySAP ERP project definition ID)
• Project name (short text of the project definition)
• Project start (start date of the project definition)
• Project manager (responsible person in the project definition)
• Plant (can be used in a project text field)
• WBS element IDs (tasks, or assignments)
• WBS element names
• WBS element start and finish dates
• WBS element assignments from the CO internal orders
• WBS hierarchy data, including the Project ID, WBS element ID, and IDs of the parent, child, and sibling elements.

For a complete definition of the XML file structure and fields, see ProjectCreateSAP Method.

Importing WBS Data into Project Server

The Service for EDM periodically checks for new files in the file drop location. When a file is present, the Service for EDM processes it and executes the appropriate PDS methods and extensions to update Project Server data.

When the XML file contains WBS data, the Service for EDM performs the following operations using PDS methods:

• Project existence    Determines if the project already exists in the Project Server.
• Create project    If the project does not exist, creates it.

ERP Connector performs the following operations during project creation:

• Names the new project based on the project definition in mySAP ERP Financials CO subsystem (the project name is PSPID – POST1).

• Sets the defined Enterprise Project Text field to the project definition ID (PSPID).

• Imports the WBS elements as project tasks and applies the WBS hierarchy.

• Assigns the ID values of WBS elements and internal orders to Task Text Fields in the tasks created from WBS elements.

  Note  The sample ERP Connector maps only the first internal order it finds to a project task. Additional assignments of CO internal orders to the same WBS element are ignored.

Table 1. Actions and related PDS methods for importing mySAP ERP WBS data into Project Server

Exporting Actuals from Project Server

A Project Server administrator initiates export with the ERP Connector administration page. The Service for EDM uses PDS methods and extensions to export the timesheet actuals to an XML file.

Table 2. Actions and related PDS methods and extensions for exporting actuals from Project Server

ERP Connector exports the following information:

• mySAP ERP accounting ID (controlling internal order ID)
• mySAP ERP resource ID
• Day
• Actual work
• Time unit for actuals (hours or days)

The level of detail in the exported data is based on the task (internal order ID from the CO subsystem). The GetActualsSAP PDS extension (part of the Finance WBS module of the ERP Connector) loops through the approved timephased data of assignments and retrieves the CO internal order ID of the related task. If the task has no order ID, the PDS extension tries to get the ID of the parent task. If it finds no order ID through the first level summary task, it ignores the timesheet actuals.

The Finance WBS module summarizes actuals from all assignments by their internal order IDs and resource IDs from the mySAP ERP Financials CO subsystem and exports the summary values in an XML file. For more information, see GetActualsSAP and GetEnterpriseTaskFieldValue Methods.

Importing Actuals into mySAP ERP

The ERP Connector uses RFC and BAPI® methods to send the XML file with the timesheet actuals to mySAP ERP. A Project Server administrator must initiate sending the file, using the ERP Connector administration page. The Service for EDM uses RFC and BAPI methods to update the controlling orders in mySAP ERP. The ERP Connector logs all results as well as booking IDs.

The ERP Connector ensures that the XML file is valid for correctly booking actuals in mySAP ERP Financials and transforms the file into a CSV value file for uploading to mySAP ERP.

Table 3. Input data (sent to mySAP ERP) and output data (received from mySAP ERP)

Administrative Settings

The administration page provides the following settings that are specific to the Finance Projects module:

• Definitions for actuals export: all projects or one specified project.
• Settings that launch the actuals export process.
• Settings that launch the actuals upload to mySAP ERP.

For more information, see Finance WBS Module in the topic Using the Administration Page.