Project systems

Workshop Objectives Define a project in the SAP Project System Define the structure of the project using a Work Breakdown Structure WBS Specify the activities that make up each element

Project Systems

Workshop Objectives

Define a project in the SAP Project System

Define the structure of the project using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Specify the activities that make up each element of the WBS

Define the relationships between each activity in the project

Schedule the project to determine the start and end dates of each activity

Introduction

Projects are generally part of the internal processes of a company To be able to control all the tasks in the project, you need a definition that is specific to the project and which is shared by all departments involved Before you carry out a project in its entirety, the project goals must be precisely described, and the project activities to be carried out must be structured

The project is structured using a work breakdown structure (WBS) and by individual activities within each WBS element

We are going to specify the project plan for a the development of an ultra light racing bike

This project has four WBS elements :

- Engineering

- Prototype

- Production

- Testing

Each of these WBS elements is further broken down into a number of activities

NB The screens that you see may vary slightly from those shown below

Project and WBS Definition

1 From the SAP main menu, choose

Accounting Project System Project Project Builder

2 The first time you execute this transaction, a user-options dialog box may be displayed

3 If so, select the “Preview last project” option and press <ENTER>

The Project Builder screen will be displayed

4 From the System Menu bar, choose Project New Project

5 Enter the following data in the Identification and view selection panel :

Project def E-5### where ### is the last three digits of

your user id

Description Ultra light bike development

Project profile Standard project profile (on the Control tab)

Press <Enter>

Company Code US00

Business Area BI00

Project Currency USD

Press <Enter>

6 Now click on the WBS element overview button

The screen now looks like:

7 We are going to initially define the WBS as follows :

8 Type in the following data into the Basic data tab (Make sure you enter the correct

level numbers) :

1 E-5###-1 Ultra Light Bike Development

9 Click to save the project

10 When the project has been saved, the panels on the right side of the Project Builder are

cleared Double-click on the project name in the Last projects processed list and all panels will be displayed again You may have to click on the WBS element overview

button again to see the list of elements

Ultra Light Bike Development

Engineering Level 1

Level 2

11 You will now use the Hierarchy Graphics tool to continue the definition of your project

structure

From the Menu bar, choose GoTo Hierarchy Graphics

The hierarchy graphic will be displayed as follows :

12 You will now create an additional WBS element called “Testing”

Click on the Create button on the Application tool bar

The graphic in the insertion area at the bottom of the screen changes

13 Click once on this WBS element in the insertion area

14 Now click on the free space to the right of the WBS

15 Enter the following data on the “Create WBS Element” dialog box:

WBS Element: E-5###-5 Description: Testing

16 Click on the button

Insertion Area

17 The new WBS element is still isolated from the others in the structure Click on the

Connect icon on the Application tool bar for this The cursor changes to a pencil

18 Using the mouse, draw a line from E-5###-1 to E-5###-5

Your WBS should now look like:

19 Click outside the WBS to change the cursor back to an arrow

20 Exit back to the Project Builder main screen Note that the new WBS element has

been added to the list

21 Click to save the project and refresh the panels as before

Defining the Activities

22 In the Project Builder, expand the Project Structure to see all the WBS elements by

You will then see all the WBS elements of the project:

23 Select the first WBS element, Engineering

24 In the Identification and view selection panel on the right of the screen, click on the Activity

overview button This will display the Activity List for this WBS element

25 Enter the following activities for the Engineering WBS element :

(You may need to press the Enter key after typing the first description to allow entry into

the Normal duration field)

If prompted for the MRP controller, enter 000

If prompted for the Network type, enter PS01 (Internal activity)

Note: If the Maintain Settlement Rule : Overview screen is displayed (Rules for

assigning cost to cost centres), press the button You may have to do this several

times (once for each activity you have entered) before returning to the main screen

26 In the same way, enter the activities for the other WBS elements

Make sure you select the correct WBS element before entering the activities

Prototype

duration (Days)

Work (Hrs) Work

Centre

Production

duration (Days)

Work (Hrs) Work

Centre

Testing

duration (Days)

Work (Hrs) Work

Centre

The Project Structure should now look like:

27 From the Project Builder main screen, select the Ultra light bike development project

(E-5###) and click on the Project Planning Board button on the Application tool bar

This will show a Gantt Chart with each of the WBS elements and activities Note that all

activities start on the same day (today)

28 Click to save the project and then refresh the panels as before

Defining the relationships between Activities

Relationships determine the chronological sequence of activities in a project network There is usually a reason for a specific sequence of activities Activities may be related in the following ways :

Finish-to-start (FS)

Finish-to-finish (FF)

Start-to-finish (SF)

Start-to-start (SS)

29 On the Project Builder main screen make sure that all activities are displayed in the

structure panel If not, click on the Expand all button

30 In the structure tree click on any activity

31 Click on the Network graphic button on the Application tool bar

The Change Network – Basic Dates screen is displayed This shows all the activities you

have created

32 To see all the activities on the screen, click on the Complete view button

You can also use the Zoom in and Zoom out buttons to enlarge the diagram

33 We are now going to create relationships between each of the activities Click on the

Connect button The cursor changes to a pencil

34 Use the pencil to draw the following relationships; all are Finish-to-start (FS) (To draw a

FS relationship, make sure you draw from the end of the first activity to the start of the second activity)

100 110 110 120

35 To align the graphic, choose the Align button

Select Adjust complete graph, then choose

Your network should now look something like :

36 Return to the Project Builder and save the project

Scheduling the Project

We can now calculate the planned start and finish dates for each of the activities, as well as the expected finish date of the project

37 From the Project Builder select the Ultra light bike development project (E-5###), expand the project to see all activities, and then go to the Project Planning board by clicking on the button

38 Choose Select all to select all the activities

39 Choose Schedule to calculate the start and finish dates

40 Save the project

Reporting

41 From the SAP main menu, choose:

Accounting Project System Information System Structures

Structure Overview

42 If a „PS Info Profile‟ dialog box is displayed, enter „1‟ and press Enter

43 On the Structure Initial Screen enter your project number and click on the Execute button

(F8)

The Project Information Screen will be displayed

44 Select the project and click on to expand the project structure

Your screen should now look like :

The shows the links (relationships) for each activity

What is the end date of the project ? _

45 Click on the „Select all‟ button and then the „Graphic‟ button on the Application Tool Bar

Investigate the Structure Graphic and WBS graphical reports for your project

Budgeting

While project costs are estimated as accurately as possible during project cost planning, it is in the approval phase that funds are actually allocated in the form of a budget

We will now enter a budget for each of the WBS elements of the project

46 Choose: Accounting Project System Financials Budgeting Original

Budget Change

47 If the Set controlling area dialog box is displayed, type NA00 and press Enter

The Change Original Budget: Initial Screen is displayed

48 Enter your project number and click on the button

49 Enter the budgets for each WBS element as shown below Note that the total of the level

2 elements should be equal to the level 1 WBS element Enter each number without the decimal points and commas eg 100000

50 Save the budget figures

Releasing the project :

You use the Project Planning Board to confirm activities in the project The confirmation

transaction is used to enter actual dates and actual costs for the activities Before actual data

can be entered, the project must be released

51 Choose : Accounting Project System Project Project Planning Board

Change Project

52 Enter your project number in the Project def field and click on the

button The Project Change screen is displayed

53 Select all activities

If not all activities are displayed, click on the “Show all dependent objects” button on the Applications tool bar and select all activities again

54 From the Menu bar, choose Edit Status Release

55 Exit back to the Project Planning Board and save the project

56 Go back to the Structure Overview Report (see Step 41, Txn: CN41N)

57 Execute the report as before and expand the project structure

58 Click on the small arrow on the Select Layout button, and choose Change Layout

59 Remove the Actual start date and Actual finish date fields

60 Include the following fields: Work

END OF WORKSHOP - RETURN TO SAP MENU

Useful Transaction Codes

CN41 Structure Overview Report

CJ2B Change Project Planning Board