SAP Project System (SAP PS) is a module within the SAP ERP system designed for comprehensive project management. It helps organizations plan, execute, and control all project-related tasks. Whether it’s a simple internal project or a complex multi-phase industrial endeavor, SAP PS integrates with other SAP modules like FI (Financial Accounting), CO (Controlling), MM (Materials Management), and SD (Sales and Distribution) to offer end-to-end visibility and control.
To use SAP PS effectively, proper configuration is essential. Configuration sets the foundation on which projects are built, monitored, and completed. This article explores the basics of SAP PS configuration, focusing on the key elements that need to be set up in a new or existing SAP environment.
¶ 1. Project Structures: WBS and Networks
The WBS is the core of project planning and represents the hierarchical decomposition of the project. To configure WBS:
- Define Project Profiles: These determine default settings like planning methods, number ranges, and budgeting options.
- Set up Number Ranges for WBS elements to uniquely identify them.
- Assign Status Profiles to control the life cycle of WBS elements (e.g., Created, Released, Locked).
¶ Network and Activities
Networks model the operational side of the project and include scheduled activities.
- Configure Network Profiles to set default behavior for scheduling, costing, and progress tracking.
- Create Activity Types for classifying work (e.g., assembly, testing).
- Link activities to Work Centers and Cost Centers for resource planning.
¶ 2. Planning and Budgeting
SAP PS allows both manual and automatic cost planning:
- Set up Planning Profiles for defining planning layouts.
- Define Cost Planning Hierarchies aligned with the WBS.
Budgeting ensures cost control within the project:
- Enable Availability Control to monitor expenditures against budgets.
- Configure Budget Profiles to define budgeting methods and tolerance limits.
SAP PS is highly integrated:
- FI/CO Integration: Map project cost elements to controlling objects and general ledger accounts.
- MM Integration: Configure procurement processes for project-related materials via Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders linked to WBS elements.
- SD Integration: Enable sales order processing for customer projects, with revenue postings linked to project structures.
Status management is essential for controlling the project phases:
- Define System Statuses (e.g., CRTD, REL, CLSD) for automatic control.
- Create User Status Profiles for customer-specific process control.
- Use Status Management Configuration to link allowed business transactions to status values.
¶ 5. Milestones and Scheduling
- Set up Milestone Usage Profiles to trigger functions such as billing or workflow steps.
- Define Scheduling Parameters in the network profile to enable automatic and manual scheduling.
- Configure Relationships (e.g., FS - Finish to Start) between activities for proper project timelines.
- Activate PS Info Structures for generating standard reports.
- Configure Early Warning Systems for alerts on deviations in cost, time, or scope.
SAP PS configuration lays the groundwork for effective project management within the SAP landscape. Proper setup of project structures, integration points, planning tools, and control mechanisms is crucial for ensuring project success. While this article provides a high-level overview, real-world implementations often require customization and alignment with business processes. Mastery of these basics is the first step toward a powerful and efficient SAP PS deployment.