Integration
Below is a brief overview of the primary integration points for PS – there are others, such as Fixed Assets and Human Resources but they do not play as substantial a part as the ones shown below.
Controlling (CO) – Substantial integration exists between PS and CO. This is because PS relies on so many objects that belong to CO for Integrated Cost Planning, Settlement, Results Analysis, Resource Planning and any reporting that involves Cost Elements. Controlling Area is the most obvious connection, without which PS could not function. In Workforce Planning via Work Centres/Activity Types, there is integration with Human Resources (HR) to register personnel who are assigned to projects.
Materials Management (MM) – Based on Materials and BOMs, PS has the ability to create Reservations, Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders via Easy Cost Planning Execution Services and Networks in general. This powerful integration makes PS a key player in the logistics cycle, including the ability to handle Services via Service Masters. Further, the ability of Networks to work with Catalogues takes PS into SRM (Supply Relationship Management), where the internet plays a large part in sourcing materials. Additionally, PS can help manage the MRP (Material Requirements Planning) cycle with its MRP Grouping functionality. PS is the ‘owner’ of the ProMan facility which tracks and helps manage all the Procurement document flows.
Sales and Distribution (SD) – PS has a fairly straight-forward integration with SD via Order Numbers. All SD Orders (Quotations, Sales Orders, Consignment Orders etc) can be assigned to a project for the purpose of planning revenue, creating Billing Plans and attracting costs. DIP Profiles (Dynamic Item Processors) assist in the process of simulating and automatically creating Sales Documents, plus providing a means to bill customers based on activity within a project (Resource-Related Billing). Additionally,
Assembly Processing provides the means for a Sales Order or Quotation to automatically generate a Project using Configurable Materials.
Finance (FI) – As PS is primarily a Cost Planner and Cost Collector and therefore a slave to FI/CO, its primary objects (WBS and Network) rely on actual expenditure to manage Account Determination, which is really the Chart of Accounts. Ultimately, all costs end up somewhere in Finance. Cash-flow management is also a feature that PS can be used for, via Funding Areas in Treasury.
Production Planning (PP) – Though not a major player in the PS side of integration, it is via MM that PP is informed of Production Orders using special settings in the Material Master.
Plant Maintenance (PM) – At the heart of this integration is Maintenance Orders, which like most external orders can connect to PS for Planning and Settlement purposes. Generally, Maintenance and Service Orders apply to Capital or Customer-based projects, where equipment serviced on-site can be managed in a Project.
Investment Management (IM) – Quite a substantial amount of integration here. IM seamlessly integrates with PS to manage Assets Under Construction (AUCs). Cost Planning can be managed in PS, sent to Investment Programs and returned to the project as a managed Budget. AUCs are automatically generated when a project is released, so there is relatively important connection to Fixed Assets.
Below is a brief overview of the primary integration points for PS – there are others, such as Fixed Assets and Human Resources but they do not play as substantial a part as the ones shown below.
Controlling (CO) – Substantial integration exists between PS and CO. This is because PS relies on so many objects that belong to CO for Integrated Cost Planning, Settlement, Results Analysis, Resource Planning and any reporting that involves Cost Elements. Controlling Area is the most obvious connection, without which PS could not function. In Workforce Planning via Work Centres/Activity Types, there is integration with Human Resources (HR) to register personnel who are assigned to projects.
Materials Management (MM) – Based on Materials and BOMs, PS has the ability to create Reservations, Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders via Easy Cost Planning Execution Services and Networks in general. This powerful integration makes PS a key player in the logistics cycle, including the ability to handle Services via Service Masters. Further, the ability of Networks to work with Catalogues takes PS into SRM (Supply Relationship Management), where the internet plays a large part in sourcing materials. Additionally, PS can help manage the MRP (Material Requirements Planning) cycle with its MRP Grouping functionality. PS is the ‘owner’ of the ProMan facility which tracks and helps manage all the Procurement document flows.
Sales and Distribution (SD) – PS has a fairly straight-forward integration with SD via Order Numbers. All SD Orders (Quotations, Sales Orders, Consignment Orders etc) can be assigned to a project for the purpose of planning revenue, creating Billing Plans and attracting costs. DIP Profiles (Dynamic Item Processors) assist in the process of simulating and automatically creating Sales Documents, plus providing a means to bill customers based on activity within a project (Resource-Related Billing). Additionally,
Assembly Processing provides the means for a Sales Order or Quotation to automatically generate a Project using Configurable Materials.
Finance (FI) – As PS is primarily a Cost Planner and Cost Collector and therefore a slave to FI/CO, its primary objects (WBS and Network) rely on actual expenditure to manage Account Determination, which is really the Chart of Accounts. Ultimately, all costs end up somewhere in Finance. Cash-flow management is also a feature that PS can be used for, via Funding Areas in Treasury.
Production Planning (PP) – Though not a major player in the PS side of integration, it is via MM that PP is informed of Production Orders using special settings in the Material Master.
Plant Maintenance (PM) – At the heart of this integration is Maintenance Orders, which like most external orders can connect to PS for Planning and Settlement purposes. Generally, Maintenance and Service Orders apply to Capital or Customer-based projects, where equipment serviced on-site can be managed in a Project.
Investment Management (IM) – Quite a substantial amount of integration here. IM seamlessly integrates with PS to manage Assets Under Construction (AUCs). Cost Planning can be managed in PS, sent to Investment Programs and returned to the project as a managed Budget. AUCs are automatically generated when a project is released, so there is relatively important connection to Fixed Assets.
