Workbench for Customizing

Definition

Central work environment for configuring the consolidation system.

Use

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:

The permanent parameters
The databases and consolidation areas with the characteristics and key figures provided
The master data version
The master data that can have hierarchies
- Organizational units ( consolidation groups and consolidation units )
- Financial statement items and consolidation charts of accounts
- Subassignments and their default values
The breakdown categories
The tasks in the consolidation monitor
The method layouts and the methods themselves
The document types

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)

By contrast, when consolidation is run live (in a production environment) you use the Consolidation Monitor to execute tasks.

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.

Structure

Layout of the Workbench Interface

The following illustration shows the layout of the workbench:

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text.

Customizing Views: Process View, Technical View, and Tools (where applicable) (1)

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).

The third view is Tools . In this view you can take care of special Customizing duties such as transporting Customizing data or analyzing and repairing data streams. By default, the Tools view does not appear on the screen. To have it appear, do the following:

Choose Edit Settings .
A dialog box appears.Under Settings choose Workbench Main Navigation Views .
Select the indicator for Tools and save your settings.

For more information, see Tools .

Navigation Hierarchy: Customizing Objects (2)

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).

Example Example

To display all consolidation areas in the technical view, double-click the Consolidation Areas end node. The system then lists all available consolidation areas in the lower left-hand area of the screen.

End of the example.

Detail: Customizing Objects (3)

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 Detail: Customizing Objects screen area provides functions such as Display, Change, Create, Delete, Transport Customizing, and Execute .

Work Area (4)

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

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

Messages (5)

This screen area displays messages (informational messages, warning messages, and error messages).

Documentation (6)

This screen area displays documentation for the Customizing activities for method layouts, methods, and more.

Dependencies Between the Screen Areas of the Workbench

Screen areas 2, 3, and 4 interrelate, which means 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.

Note Note

The Customizing object displayed in the work area does not necessarily always match what is displayed in screen areas 2 and 3. For example, if you display an object in the work area (4) and then you select a different Customizing object in screen area 2, the two areas will no longer match.

End of the note.

Settings for the Workbench

You can make settings for the Workbench itself (for example, for the Customizing views) at Start of the navigation path Edit Next navigation step Settings End of the navigation path .