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May 31, 2009

SAP FICO-MM AFS Integration Points

As a general rule whenever there is a need to maintain master records for materials in the business there would be a need to valuate them and in the context of the SAP AFS solution this is where FICO needs to be integrated with the MM Module to be able to do this.

In SAP the main configuration setup to be done for this integration is in "OBYC". For experienced users this is a simple matter, however for newcomers it takes time to figure out the various 3 letter transaction modifiers and accout grouping that determine the underlying postings that are to be triggered whenever various business transactions related to these materials occur.

This posts intends to provide a new comer a quick insight into what the "GBB" transaction posting does.

The "GBB" transaction posting rule governs various business transactions, for example, goods issue, and scrapping, physical inventory movements etc, for this purpose in order to be able to update different accounts for different material types based on the business transaction, a list of Account Groupings have been defined in the system. The standard set of account groupings in the system are defined for the following business transactions :

- AUA : for order settlement

- AUF: for goods receipts for orders (without account assignment) and for order settlement if          AUA (mentioned above) is not maintained

- AUI: Subsequent adjustment of actual price from cost center directly to material (with account    assignment)

- BSA: for initial entry of stock balances

- INV: for expenditure/income from inventory differences

- VAX: for goods issues for sales orders without account assignment object (the account is not a      cost element)

- VAY: for goods issues for sales orders with account assignment object (account is a cost                  element)

- VBO: for consumption from stock of material provided to vendor

- VBR: for internal goods issues (for example, for cost center)

- VKA: for sales order account assignment (for example, for individual purchase order)

- VKP: for project account assignment (for example, for individual PO)

- VNG: for scrapping/destruction

- VQP: for sample withdrawals without account assignment

- VQY: for sample withdrawals with account assignment

These account grouping can be freely defined, but keep in mind that these are attached to the movement types governing the business transactions, so that the correct account can be specified in here for the relevant account groupings.

Note : In my personal opinion be very careful when defining accounts for these general modifiers since in most screen where the initial setup for these general modifiers are done, there is no available list of values to choose from, these values need to be keyed in manually. A simple spelling mistake would mean that the entire transaction relating to these account grouping will not work.

Once you have setup the above, you could simulate the business trasactions using the code : OMWB – Automatic Posting.

Hope you found this post informative. Feel free to send me any queries you may have on this area, to suren@erparena.com.

Have a nice day !!

May 13, 2009

On the other hand !!!

By S.Suren

During these times it is only likely that most of the software vendors are looking very eagerly to make sure any new clients in the market are snatched up, but on the other hand what also needs to be kept in mind is those events that are going on with the big players in this industry.

Though it is tough times and so on, the acquisitions are still ON!! Oracles acquisition of Sun Microsystems for instance is something that other ERP Vendors should keep in mind, to make sure any future opportunities and threats that come out of that deal are proactively handled.
The there is of course the other probable acquisitions that everyone was confused about, yes I’m talking about the Microsoft’s acquisition of SAP, but it’s clearly out in the open that it’s all a “random rumour”.

During this time there are other collaborations and partnerships that also need to be monitored. Things like the Global Service partnership deals with leading consulting firms and SAP and other similar partnership deals with other leading ERP Vendors all open up threats and opportunities for everyone else in the markets, it’s all about being updated and informed.

Hope this post helped shed some light on what’s happening in the ERP Arena!!

Have a nice day!!

ssurenlk@msn.com