Cutoff Task 

Use

This function enables a user (or a role) to have a restricted view of a task group. When you designate a cutoff task, the task group in the consolidation monitor only shows the tasks of the task sequence from the first task to the cutoff task. The system then executes only these tasks.

This kind of restricted (or personalized) view of the task group can be useful for staff, such as the accountants of the group’s subsidiaries.

While the tasks data collection and currency translation are often performed at the subsidiaries of a corporate group, the group itself performs consolidation tasks such as elimination of interunit profit/loss in inventory and consolidation of investments.

You may want subsidiary staff to see only a range of the tasks that are relevant and for which they are responsible.

You can select the respective subsidiary in the permanent parameters.

In addition, you can define which tasks are relevant by designating a cutoff task.

Integration

The following factors influence how tasks and organizational units are displayed in the consolidation monitor:

·        To perform consolidation, you need two types of hierarchies: (a) hierarchies of your organizational units (that is, hierarchies of consolidation units and consolidation groups), and (b) a task hierarchy. The task hierarchy contains all of the tasks needed for the consolidation process.

·        The hierarchies are dependent on time and version. If not all tasks need to be executed in each consolidation period, you can define which tasks are displayed in each period by assigning consolidation frequencies to each task.

·        You can set the permanent parameters to have the system only show a specific consolidation group or consolidation unit along with its respective tasks.

·        A cutoff task further restricts the view of the tasks according to a user or role. The consolidation monitor shows a limited task group, as determined by the cutoff task.

Prerequisites

Before you can define a cutoff task in Customizing, you need to have:

·        Defined one or more hierarchies of consolidation units and consolidation groups

·        Defined a task hierarchy and the task sequence

·        Assigned a consolidation frequency to each task

·        Specified the permanent parameters

Features

You use a cutoff task to define a subset of tasks from the task hierarchy that is based on a user or a role; this is called a limited task group. When this is done, the user only sees the limited task group in the consolidation monitor.

Since a task sequence is required and this sequence cannot have any gaps, a limited task group contains all of the tasks of the task sequence from the first task up to (and including) the cutoff task.

Suppose the task sequence is defined as T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7.

You want the limited task group to look like this: T1, T2, T3.

In this case, you designate T3 as the cutoff task.

To be able to personalize Role Maintenance (PFCG) or User Maintenance (SU01), you can employ the personalization object R_BCS_LIMITED_TASKGROUP.

Activities

Limited task groups can be user-specific or role-specific:

·        To make them user-specific, make the Customizing settings in User Maintenance or in the Consolidation Workbench.

·        To make them role-specific, make the Customizing settings in Role Maintenance.

User-specific Customizing in User Maintenance (transaction SU01) or in the Workbench

...

       1.      Start User Maintenance in your local system.

       2.      Specify an existing user or create a new one.

       3.      In the maintenance screen, go to the Personalization tab.

       4.      From the list of personalization objects, select R_BCS_LIMITED_TASKGROUP.

       5.      In the detail screen of the personalization object, specify a cutoff task for each consolidation area and task hierarchy.

       6.      Save the cutoff task(s).

       7.      Save the user.

You can display the cutoff task in the Workbench by going to Consolidation Monitor ® Cutoff Task ® Personal Cutoff Task. There you can change the cutoff task for the current consolidation area.

Role-specific Customizing in Role Maintenance (transaction PFCG)

...

       1.      In your local system, start Role Maintenance in the SAP menu by choosing Tools ®  System Administration ®  User Maintenance ®  Roles.

       2.      Specify an existing role or create a new one.

       3.      In the maintenance screen, go to the Personalization tab.

       4.      From the list of personalization objects, select R_BCS_LIMITED_TASKGROUP.

       5.      In the detail screen of the personalization object, specify a cutoff task for each consolidation area and task hierarchy.

       6.      Save the cutoff task(s).

       7.      Save the role.

You can display the cutoff task in the Workbench by going to Consolidation Monitor ® Cutoff Task ® Cutoff Task of Role. The cutoff task cannot be changed here.

User-specific settings take precedence over role-specific settings.