Below are different types of SAP project :
Sap project : Implementation:
SAP is being implemented for the first time in the organization.
Below shows activities performed at each stage of an implementation project.
Sap project : Roll out project
SAP is already implemented but does not cover entire organization e.g. implemented in US & Europe but not implemented in Asia. Now organization has decided to extend SAP to Asia as well.
Since global template is available for implementation in Asia but each country may have different business process and hence unique requirement. One solution may not fit for all and customization may be required to fulfil local needs.
Overall roll out project is rolling out standard/ global template and making country specific changes.
Question: Is there any difference between roll out and up-gradation project?
Sap project : Up-gradation project
SAP Company keeps launching new version of SAP software with enhanced features. Earlier it was SAP ECC 4.7 (old version of SAP) which was succeeded by SAP ECC 6.0 (new version of SAP).Suppose an organization has SAP ECC 4.7 implemented but decides to go for SAP ECC 6.0 then this project will be called an up-gradation project.
Sap project : Support
Consider scenario when SAP is implemented in the organization, various activities are being performed on SAP daily. Now due to some reason business personnel is not able to perform a particular activity on SAP. Business personnel understands his business but has limited knowledge of SAP hence they need help from SAP experts who can fix the issue.
Hence organization/business gives contract to vendor who can provide daily needed support and ensure business does not loses due to SAP related issues.
Below explains how teams are structured in a support project.
L1 –> When end user faces SAP issue which is not resolved by super user, then issue is registered with L1 team. Responsibility of L1 team is to take down the essential details, log the issue in the ticketing tool and share the ticket number for tracking the issue.
Since L1 team is the first point of contact for the business individuals hence L1 team member has to be well versed with language of client. L1 team members need not be expert in SAP but they are expected to have very good communication skills.
Some of the ticketing tools are:
HPQC: HP Quality center
SNOW: Service Now
A ticket can have various statuses: Not assigned, WIP, Resolved and Closed.
L2 –> When L1 team is not able to resolve the issue then L1 team escalates the issue to L2 team. L2 team members have better knowledge of SAP and are expected to resolve the issue. If L2 team is not able to find the root cause of the issue or issue resolution requires any change in existing system then L2 team escalates the issue to L3 team.
L3 –> When L2 team is not able to resolve the issue then L2 team escalates the issue to L3 team. L3 team members are expected to be SAP experts. Since an individual cannot be expert in all the modules hence L3 team is composed of individuals who are expert in one or multiple modules e.g. SAP FI expert, SAP SD expert, SAP MM expert etc.
Only L3 team is authorized to do any changes in existing SAP system.
Sap project : Advisory & Audit
Organizations need unbiased advice from someone who understands business and has expertise on SAP to overcome challenges. Advisory services can be provided before SAP implementation, during implementation and after implementation.
Consider a scenario where SAP is implemented in the organization. Business is not getting desired results from SAP and hence not happy with existing SAP system. Reason for not getting desired result may be improper mapping of business processes on to SAP system.
Business wants someone who has vast knowledge of business (industry) with expertise on SAP to find out gaps between actual business process and existing SAP system, provide sustainable solution to bridge the gap.
Since organizations prepare financial reports using data from SAP hence a financial auditor also has to have knowledge of SAP. If financial auditor is not having required knowledge then help is taken from SAP experts. Hence, often financial auditor and SAP expert work together in audit projects.
In an organization, Segregation of duties is done to avoid any conflict of interest/ unauthorized access. SAP enables segregation of duties by providing limited access to each individual based on their duties. System audit is done to check if any individual has access which he/she should not have given his/her duties in the organization.
GL ACCOUNTING
- What is SAP FICO ?What business requirement is fulfilled in this module?
- What is enterprise structure in sap fico?
- What is GL account? What is account group? What is operational chart of accounts?
- What is the need of country chart of account or alternate chart of account? How country chart of account helps fulfill a business requirement?
- What is the need for group chart of account? How group chart of account helps in consolidation of financial data?
- What is non leading ledger in sap fico?
- What is company code global settings? What global parameter is assigned to company code?
- What is fiscal year variant? Why fiscal year variant is assigned to company code?
- What is posting period variant? Why posting period variant is assigned to company code?
- What is field status variant? What is field status group?
- What is document type in sap? Explain the purpose of document type?
- Document date vs Posting date vs Entry date vs Translation date. Explain
- What is posting key? what is the use of posting key?
- Document header & line items capture information of business transaction.
- Everything about currency & exchange rate in sap.
- Foreign currency valuation in sap. Explain with example
- Retained earnings account helps in year end balance carry forward. Explain
- What is the significance of tolerance groups in sap?
- What parameters are maintained in GL master and how does it impact in document posting?
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
- What is meant by accounts payable in sap?
- Understanding procure to pay (PTP) cycle and accounting document at each step.
- Understanding MM FI integration in very simple terms.
- Purchase order price determination in SAP. Explained in very simple words.
- House bank, Bank key, Account ID in SAP
- What configuration (FBZP) needed for executing F110 in sap ?
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
- How sap overcomes challenges in accounts receivable process?
- What is customer reconciliation account?
- Understanding order to cash cycle in sap.
- Understanding SD FI integration in very simple terms.
- What is lock box? How lockbox helps in collection from customers?
TAX ACCOUNTING
- How sap helps in tax accounting?
- Tax configuration in sap: Tax procedure, Tax code & Tax jurisdiction code
- Concept of tax jurisdiction code & tax jurisdiction structure
- Significance of “Tax category & Posting without tax allowed” in GL master.
- Tax base amount and Discount base amount
- Assigning tax code V0 & A0 for non taxable transaction?
- Deductible input tax vs non deductible input tax
WITHHOLDING TAX
- Withholding tax in sap explained with example.
- How sap overcomes challenges in managing withholding tax?
- Withholding at the time of invoice or payment
- Withholding tax configuration in sap
- Business place & Section code in sap
- Withholding tax certificate numbering in sap
- Withholding tax report for filling tax returns
ASSET ACCOUNTING
- How sap helps in asset accounting?
- What is meant by asset accounting?
- What is the use of asset class?
- What is the use of depreciation key in asset accounting?
- Depreciation area and Chart of depreciation in sap.
- Derived depreciation area VS real depreciation area?
- Understanding asset accounting configuration needed in sap
- GL account determination for posting asset transaction
- Asset transaction and corresponding accounting document?
- How depreciation is posted in sap?
SAP CONTROLLING