Integration Configuration:
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The integration of the SAP modules is sometimes an area where design and configuration
is weakest. Project teams are often divided into subteams by modules and sometimes
inadequate attention is paid to the way that the modules need to work together.
Problems occur for a number of reasons:
- SAP analysts sometimes lack at least a big picture view of the total business
requirements
- there is an inadequate understanding of the
- impacts that decisions in their modules may have on other modules, and
- the demands that requirements in their area may make on other areas
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This section addresses the key integration areas between the SAP modules:
- Organisation structure:
the representation of the enterprise in the SAP modules and definition of relationships
between elements in the various modules
- Periodic Processing and Integration: (Yes! - relationships or
integration can also be defined here!)
- Automatic Account Determination: the definition of how and to
what level of detail the modules should post through to the GL accounts
- Account assignments in daily or adhoc transactions - primarily FI to CO.
If you are not familiar with the organisation
elements and master data, then you should review those sections first. This
section focuses purely on the relationships between the organisation elements.
It is not just the elements that SAP defines as organisation elements (in the
IMG...Enterprise Structure / Definition section) that we use to represent our
organisation, but also master data. This means that although the "IMG...Enterprise
Structure /Assignment" section is our first point of call, when considering
integration, there is more to it..
- Direct assignment of Relationships (ie via
"IMG...Enterprise Structure /Assignment"):
- Indirect Assignment by Substitution or by Master
Data (Not all organisation element fields shown on master data control
relationship integration - for example orders have requesting costs centres
primarily for grouping and reporting purposes.)
- See also Periodic Integration under the broader
integration heading. This may seem like a strange reference for this
chapter, because people expect to see up front definition or assignment of
relationships. However some mappings are actually done in SAP under
the 'Periodic Processing' menus or configuration. In the Periodic
Integration chapter I point out the possibilities, however you will need to
spend some time understanding the process functionality to determine whether
it will address your requirements.
23 October, 2002
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