Central work environment for configuring the consolidation system.

You use the workbench at the following times:

• During the implementation phase
• During live processing for sizeable or critical changes to the Customizing settings

In the workbench, you can change and display Customizing settings for:

Furthermore, mainly for testing you can do the following:

• Post manual entries
• Execute methods
• Execute tasks

• Without a selection screen (here, the task uses the current parameter settings)
• With a selection screen (this lets you restrict the task to specific consolidation units or groups, versions, and so forth)

The system checks your Customizing settings for consistency. If inconsistencies are discovered, the system issues an error message. You can then access detailed information on the errors.

The following illustration shows the layout of the workbench:

Here you can choose between two views of the Customizing objects: the process view and the technical view. Both views contain the same Customizing objects, but the objects are displayed in different layouts.

• The hierarchical structure of the process view represents a logical sequence for your Customizing steps.
• The technical view focuses on the types of Customizing objects (characteristics, methods, tasks, and so on).

In this area, the system displays the navigation hierarchy of the customizing objects in the technical or process view, depending on which view is selected. For detailed information on a Customizing object, double-click on the object (end node).

This area contains either a flat structure or a hierarchical structure with navigation targets. Double-clicking on a navigation target displays the corresponding object (such as the consolidation area) in the work area. The context menu for the screen area Detail: Customizing Objects provides functions such as Display, Change, Create, Delete, Transport Customizing, and Execute.

This area displays the Customizing object that you previously selected in the area Detail: Customizing Objects.

Here you can access detailed information on the Customizing settings, or change the settings.

This area displays messages (information messages, warning messages, and error messages) on methods.

This area displays documentation on the Customizing activities for method layouts and methods.

Screen areas 2, 3, and 4 are linked to each other. That is, what you select in screen area 2 controls what is displayed in screen area 3. Likewise, what you select in screen area 3 controls what is displayed in screen area 4.