Packt invites SAP experts to write a new set of books

Packt Publishing (www.PacktPub.com) is planning to expand its range of SAP books and is currently inviting book ideas and potential authors.

A list of some of the topics Packt will be interested in publishing includes:

SAP Business Intelligence SAP reporting with various SAP tools and crystal reports SAP ERP SAP certification guides SAP Netweaver

Packt is laso looking to develop books on specific industries like finance, fashion, medicine, law and so on.

While Packt is interested in these topics, this list is not exhaustive. If you have some interesting ideas on topics not mentioned in this list, you are welcome to send them across to the editorial team at Packt.

You don't need to have any past writing experience to write these books. If you have expert knowledge of your subject, a passion to share it with others and an ability to communicate clearly in English, you will be a perfect fit to write for Packt. Having an official recognition as SAP expert will be an advantage but not necessary.

Packt pays a royalty of 16% to its authors and an advanace against it.

So, if you love SAP and fancy writing a book, here's an opportunity for you. Contact Packt at author@packtpub.com with your book idea (if you have one). Even if you don't have a book idea and are simply interested in writing a book, Packt is keen to talk to you.

More details about this opportunity are available at: http://authors.packtpub.com/content/Packt-invites-sap-experts-write-books

SAP’s SME Solutions – A Guide to the Product Portfolio

This is an interesting article about the SAP products for the SME market.

SAP’s SME Solutions – A Guide to the Product Portfolio

How to write effective SAP functional specs

As a functional SAP consultant, sometime early in the realization phase, for each FRICE-W item identified in the blue print phase, we have to write functional specs. This is very important especially when the ABAP development team is not on the project site but somewhere 8 hours or more ahead (like India).

The functional spec document is very important document as it captures:
1) the requirements (FRICE-W scope)
2) the design or how it should work


The requirements:
Tipically a FRICE-W object is developed to cover a GAP in a standard SAP process. Therefore most often the object is require in order for a SAP process to work as the company intends to work. In the requirement section of the spec, the writer has to list all the things that the object should do. Also, sometimes is good to list what the FRICE-W object will not do just to set out the expectations.
Also each requirement should be as detail as possible.


The design or how FRICE-W object should work
In this part of the spec, the writer has to define how the FRICE-W will work. Usually a flow chart should be drawn to show how the information will flow from the SAP process to the FRICE-W and also inside the FRICE-W.
If user interface elements (such a screens, menus) will be developed these should be mocked so that the developer will have all the information to design the UI element. Usually I mock up the screens in Excel but any other tool will work. Also if some new field needs to be added to a standard SAP screen, a screen shot of that screen will be a good starting point.

When I write my specs I try to give the developer as much information as needed so usually I put the table and fields from where the data needs to be selected. The best way to find where data is stored in SAP is to press F1 on a screen field and the press the technical details button (the buttun with a hummer as the icon). In most of the cases this will show you the field name and table where that information is stored.

Other things to consider.
Most of the specs are not done from the first iteration, they have to go multiple itetation before they are signed off by all partie involved. A brief change history and versioning works very good to keep track of all the stages the spec went through.

Add test scenarios to the spec. Define a list of at least few test scenarios that both the developer and the tester should perform to test the object.

If you have other pice of advice of tips about writing effective SAP FRICE-W functional specs, please feel free to comment on this article.

SAP IS-U Presentations

Here are a few interesting presentations about SAP IS-U:

http://www.pdfgeni.com/book/What-is-SAP-ISU-CCS-pdf.html

SAP IS-U Master Data Template ebook

This ebook teaches you how to configure the SAP IS-U Master Data Template (EPRODCUST transaction) to create test data in IS-U system.

Now you can buy it for only 1.99 EUR.
Configure ISU Master Data Template to create test data
9.99 EUR

SAP ISU: Legacy Move In Date on the contract

The other day I come to know that the field Legacy Move In Date (field EVER-EINZDAT_ALT) on the contract is not just an information only field. It is used in the meter estimation procedure to determine the vacant period.

What is the vacant period? Well, the SAP code is looking at the date when the device was installed and the validity periods of the contracts for that installation. In the case of the migration contract, it is not using the move-in date for that contract but it is using the legacy move-in date for that contract. Then if there is a vacant period which overlaps the base period the system basing the estimate on, the vacant period is subtracted from the whole base period. In other words, SAP considers that in a vacant period the consumption is zero.

So next time you cannot explain the way SAP calculated an meter reading estimate it can be worhwhile to check this side of the estimation equation.

If you are having an interest in SAP IS-U you can check out my sap-isu community at http://www.sap-isu.net .

EDM Overview videos

Here are some videos about EDM.

EDM - Create Profile, Change Profile Values


Find more videos like this on SAP-ISU


EDM - Display Profile Values


Find more videos like this on SAP-ISU

I Want To Become a SAP Consultant

Join the "I Want to Becoma a SAP Consultant" online community.

http://www.sapforall.net

This is a community for people wanting to pursue a career as SAP consultant.

SAP Training Materials - allmost FREE

I just find out a very good resource if you want to learn SAP without investing thousands and thousands of your money!

Click here to see what you can get for less money! They have a huge discount these days, you can get all their SAP materials for only 47 USD.

Almost FREE SAP Courses - click here.

SAP-ISU.net SAP ISU social network

I created a social network for SAP ISU Consultants to share knowledge and ideas.

You can find it here:

http://www.sap-isu.net

Free SAP Tip #1 - How to Use Substitutions in FI

Nice article on How to Use Substitutions in FI module.

http://techbays.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/sap-tip-how-to-use-substitutions-lakshman-tandra1.pdf

Enjoy!

To subscribe at Free SAP Tips newsletter send a mail to freesaptips at gmail dot com.

SAP IS-U Billing Tariffs

Hey guys!

Do you have problems with setting up an IS-U Billing rate or something related to EDM in your current project. Let me help you. Send me your rate structure / EDM issue and I'll help you.

You can sent me an email at danieltoba at yahoo dot com or daniel.toba at gmail dot com.

Who's gonna be the first?

Free SAP Tips

Every day I discover new things in SAP. I want to share them with you.

If you want to receive free SAP Tips when I discover them just send an e-mail to freesaptips at gmail dot com.

Here is the first one:
=============================
Free SAP Tip
by Daniel Toba @ SAP Blog

ABAP debug

You want to enter in debug mode but you are in a modal window and cannot access the T-code box to type /H. Here is what you need to do to get into debug.

Open Notepad.

copy and paste the following line:

[FUNCTION]Command=/HTitle=DebuggerType=SystemCommand

Save the document as debug.txt

Open the Windows Explorer and drag and drop the debug.txt file ontop of the SAP modal window. Voi la, you are in debug mode!

You can subscribe to Free SAP Tips newsletter by sending a mail to freesaptips at gmail dot com with subject line Free SAP Tips. Or press here:
============================

If you liked the Free SAP tip please click on any ads on the page to give me a small reward!Thanx!

What is my typical day as an SAP Consultant?

I got inspired by the previous post and wanted to share some of my daily SAP activities. I'm not doing all the bellow actions in one day, of course:
So, here they are:
1) A good day is starting with a good coffee. Back when I was working in Romania I had two ways of drinking coffee depending where I would have been. When I was going to my company office I would drink the coffee at the office while reading my emails. Sometimes I was doing the same when I was going to the client’s site. But sometimes I just drank the coffee after the breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
2) Read my emails. I start each day reading my emails and response to the ones in need of one.
3) Attend to meetings. SAP Consulting is about meetings, getting information and requirements about the client’s business processes. Interact with client’s team members or other SAP Consultants to design the SAP processes. There are a lot’s of meeting during the Blue Print phase of the project. Of course each meeting should be documented and meeting notes should be posted on the project’s document repository.
4) Design and document the business processes. Of course meeting’s results should be documented in the TO BE SAP business processes. Usually the processes are documented using plain English and Process Diagrams. Then you discover there are some gaps between the client’s processes and SAP processes so you need to think about ways to fill the gap: usually a manual step in the process, an external application which needs to be interfaced with SAP or a SAP ABAP Development (report, form, enhancement, user-exit).
5) Configuration and testing. This is what I like the most. Configuring the system and finding ways to solve client’s problems with standard SAP system. Testing is also a lot of work.
6) Writing technical specs. Once you identified a gap you need to write a technical spec about how that gap will be filled. Then the technical spec goes to a ABAP technical consultant who is creating the ABAP object to fill the gap.
7) Presentations. Design and Create PPT presentation for the client to demonstrate SAP functionalities / business process flows. Usually the presentation is created to sustain a deliverable
8) ABAP coding and debugging . Back when I was working in Romania I’ve done a lot of ABA coding and debugging. And I’m like doing it. Actually my hobby is SAP Workflow.
9) Lot’s of other stuff. List is open you can contribute. Please leave a comment.

What does an SAP Consultant do?

This is an interview with an SAP Consultant working for IBM.

The IS-U house / Business Partner

The IS-U House is a famous picture among IS-U Consultants as it depicts a real house and how it is modeled in IS-U as IS-U Master Data.
Here is the IS-U House.


As you can see real life objects has been modeled as IS-U Master Data.
Connection Object = building
Premise = Apartment
Device Location = The location where a device is installed (e.g. Hall, Basement)
Meters = Meters
Installation = this is an object without real life correspondence and it is used for billing purposes
Contract = a contract for a specific type of utility
Contract Account = grouping of one or more contracts under the same umbrella for financial transactions
Business Partner = the customer


Let’s see what kind of data are stored at each master data level.

Business Partner
A business partner can have multiple roles within the SAP IS-U:
- Contract partner
- Installer
- Prospect
- Contact person

At the Business Partner Level we can store the following data:
General:
- Name
- Address
- Legal Form
- Group
- Search Term


Addresses
- Standard addresses
- P.O Box addresses
- Other addresses

Communication
- Telephone
- Fax
- Extension
- Internet
- E-mail

Payment Transaction
- Bank
- Bank Account

Biller Direct

Relationships
- Hierarchical
- Equal
- Connected

Additional Data
- Status
- Identification Number
- Register entry

Free e-book: How to write your SAP Consultant CV

I have wrote an e-book on how to write your SAP Consultant CV. If you want to receive a free copy you must subsctibe to my SAP Blog feed. You can subscribe either by email or if you are using a reader you can subscribe in that reader.
Here you can subscribe by email:

Updates via email:

Here you can subscribe in a reader:

Subscribe in a reader
If you subscribe in a reader send me an email at danieltoba at yahoo dot com to send the e-book.

SAP IS-U FAQ

SAP IS-U FAQ

I get a lot of IS-U questions and I'll use this post to start group them in some way.

Billing:

1) Can we use Payment scheme with DPC back billing ?

A: As far as I know you can use DPC with Budgetbilling ( I guess with payments plans as well because they are a type of budgetbilling) starting with version 4.7.2

2) In DPC should estimate consumption during billing ? If yes, then what is the advantage?


A: If you estimate the consumption durring billing then you will not have any Meter Reading Result in the system (no entry in EABL, EABLG table). The system is estimating a consumption and then based on the consumption it is determining a reading. If you need to print estimated readings on your invoice that would lead to inconcistencies from one billing perioad to another. The advantage is that you do not store the Meter Reading Result in the database.

3) Is UTILIT98 starting a workflow!
Yes it is starting an workflow. Actually it is triggering the event BillingEvent01 of BILLDOCAUT business object. Then you can link your workflow to this event. You can use it to send alerts or to start a business process as an action to a billing result.

SAP Solution Manager 7.0

Today I was browing the SAP Portal and I found out some cool Ramp up Knowleadge Transfer documents for SAP Solution Manager.
For the ones who don't know yer, SAP Solution Manager is a product used to drive an SAP implementation project or to support an already implemented SAP Solution.

This is what SAP has to say about Solution Manager on it's Portal:
"Managing your entire SAP solution landscape is a challenging task, but SAP has the answer: the SAP Solution Manager.

The SAP Solution Manager is a platform that provides the integrated content, tools, and methodologies that you need to implement, support, operate and monitor your enterprise's solutions from SAP.

With SAP Solution Manager, companies can minimize risk and increase the reliability of their IT solutions.

SAP Solution Manager helps reduce TCO throughout the solution life cycle.
SAP Solution Manager helps companies manage their core business processes and link business processes to the underlying IT infrastructure.

SAP Solution Manager supports both SAP and non-SAP software and helps companies get more from their existing IT investments.

Current release of the SAP Solution Manager is: SAP Solution Manager 7.0, SP15. "



I haven't yet been in a project where the Soltution Manager would be used as a implementation tool but I cant wait to land such a project. Until that time I can go through almost 40 hours of SAP Solution online training.

Here is a pic of all the topics covered:

Here is the link:
https://websmp202.sap-ag.de/~form/sapnet?_SHORTKEY=01100035870000633637&

Of couse you need to have a user with the right authorization on SAP Portal to access it.

SAP IS-U Overview II

SAP R/3 and IS-U can be implemented under the SAP IS-U Client or in different clients.

Implementing SAP IS-U and SAP R/3 in the same client:

This is the best solution as the interfaces between SAP R/3 and SAP IS-U is native. IS-U practically extend some of the R/3 functionalities.

Examples:

- an IS-U device is a serial number of a device category. In R/3 a device category is a material in the Logistics Material Master.

- FI-CA posts closed reconciliation keys in the General Ledger.

- a device location and connection object is a functional location in PM

- a work management order is a PM order.


Implementing SAP IS-U in a different client than SAP R/3:

This is a solution suitable for large implementations with large number of customers. The interfaces are kept at minimum.

For example:

FI-CA posts reconciliation keys in the local General Ledger. Then the posting in the local General Ledger needs to be transferred in the R/3 General Ledger using an interface usually ALE.

The utility company buys new meters. This are managed in SAP R/3 from the logistic and accounting point of view: purchase order, goods receipt and invoice. But in the same time a interface (manual / automatic) needs to be established to make the meters available in IS-U for the device installation process.


There could be other examples as well but these are the ones are most common.


IS-U and R/3 Integration.

Let’s see the integration of IS-U and R/3 in depth detail.

As I already told you, the IS-U is sometimes extending existing R/3 functionalities to cover the need of the utility business. But of course other functionalities were newly developed.

Device Management is fully integrated with the PM and MM and AM modules. A device (e.g.: meter, transformer) is a serial number of a device category and in the same time a piece of equipment. The device category is defined as a material in the material master.

Work Management is fully integrated with MM, SD, PM/CS and Controlling modules. Here the utility company can implement a broad range of billed or non-billed services offered to the customers. For example a work management order is an extension of a PM/CS order and can be linked to IS-U objects such as Business Partner, Contract Account, Connection Object.

Billing & Invoicing is fully integrated with SD. For example we can implement a process where some services are billed in SD and Invoiced in IS-U.

Contract Accounts is fully integrated with Financial Accounting. CA is a sub-ledger of General Ledger.



IS-U and external applications integration.

IS-U can be integrated with external applications such as: GIS, SCADA, External Billing Systems, Automatic Meter Reading Systems, other CRM Systems.

IS-U in deregulation markets.

IS-U has evolved along with the utility market. In the last 10 years the European market but other markets as well has adopted a new business model. That is the unbundling of a classic utility company into: generation, transmission, distribution and supply. The unbundled utility market had several stages such as:

- accounting unbundling – the utility company would present different P&L accounts for Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Supply

- informational unbundling – accounting unbundling + the prevention of sales (supply) users to access the distribution data of customers supplied by other supplier

- legal unbundling – splitting of the utility company in separated legal entities responsible with generation, transmission, distribution and supply.

The deregulation market model leaded to a lots of changed in a utility company processes. The most important change was about the data exchange process between the utility companies. Because a customer has the right to change it’s utility supplier lead to a process called “Change of Supplier” where the suppliers and distributor need to exchange data about that customer such as: Billing Tariffs, Meter Readings, Unpaid bills.

In order to support such processes SAP developed a new module for this called SAP IDE which supports the following processes:

Change of supplier

Billing of Distribution Services to Supplier

Sending Meter Readings to Distributor / Supplier