Correspondence Framework
The correspondence framework is available as of SAPECC 6.0, Enterprise Extension Financial Services, Enhancement Package 4 (EA-FINSERV 604)
, business function TRM, Correspondence
Framework (FIN_TRM_CORR_FW). This feature enables you to manage your correspondence, standardize your correspondence processes, and create uniform correspondence and results.
You can create correspondence relating to individual requests and mass requests to be sent to your business partners. You can generate correspondence objects both automatically and manually for financial transactions and securities accounts. You can do this with the correspondence monitor (transaction FTR_COMONI) which enables you to manage correspondence objects. As well as providing you with a status management function, the correspondence function provides you with an automatic matching process to automatically set the status of a financial transaction to be settled, based on the product type.
Correspondence is an enhancement of the standard ERP 6.0 system and can have integrated relationships with other components of ERP 6.0. The components that are integrated depend on the specific requirements of your organization.
If you have been using the previous correspondence function in the Transaction Manager
, you can migrate your current system settings and application data relating to correspondence from the old tables into the new tables. You need to perform the migration before
activating the business function TRM, Correspondence Framework (FIN_TRM_CORR_FW). For information on migrating the existing system settings, see Migration of Correspondence Data.
You need to match the settings for the business attributes and the technical attributes. The technical attributes are found under Correspondence Messaging Interface
and are settings related to the recipient type and the correspondence format and channels of communication.
The business attributes are found under General Settings
and are related to the business partners, counter confirmation and roles.
You can make the required settings in Customizing under .
Under Correspondence Messaging Interface
:
Define the correspondence recipient type, for example, business partner, 3rd party, internal recipient etc.
Define and assign the correspondence format. Each correspondence message has a specific format and attributes. These can be defined and the format is then assigned to the profiles based on correspondence class, recipient type and communication channel.
Define the channels of communication and the communication profiles, for example, fax, email, file system, print etc. The profile contains all technical attributes which control the creation, sending, and receiving of messages.
correspondence class and recipient/sender type
Under General Settings
:
Define business partner groups. The business partner group enables the system to differentiate between business attributes and technical attributes.
Assign business attributes to the business partner groups. This activity assigns business attributes to the business partner, correspondence class and recipient/sender type. You can assign whether:
automatic correspondence is required
counter confirmation from the counter party is required
the correspondence object is deal status relevant
release is required before sending the correspondence (the release flag determines that the release tool has to be called before sending the correspondence object)
reconciliation is required
a correspondence can be automatically marked as completed
the information about the external reference and contact person in the deal has to be updated with the information received in a status-relevant incoming correspondence
Under Correspondence Activities
:
Define the correspondence activities, for example, Money Market, Securities, Foreign Exchange, Derivatives. You assign each correspondence function code to a product type for an activity and also for a recipient type.
Under Match Correspondence Objects
:
Define rules for matching correspondence objects. For example, you can determine which correspondence class of the incoming correspondence has to be matched with which correspondence class of the outgoing correspondence.
Under Release
:
Define settings for the release of a particular release object. Since the release of release objects is regulated by the SAP Business Workflow
, in the Run Release Workflow
group box, you must define if and when the system
places a release object in the release process.
Assign a rule to the release steps of the release procedure for a particular release object. The system uses the rule to find the processors responsible and forwards the release object as a work item to them for further processing with the SAP Business Workflow
.
.
Correspondence classes are delivered by SAP, but can be enhanced. New correspondence classes should be added if any new transaction type (with new format, partner settings, status relevance etc) was defined.
The Correspondence solution now offers the following features:
The Correspondence Monitor enables you to perform the following functions:
Create new correspondence objects
Display correspondence object details
Attach documents to correspondence objects
View the underlying deals
View correspondence object attachments
Create and view notes associated with the correspondence object
Show all related correspondences
Show matched and linked correspondence objects
Assign or unassign correspondence objects to or from a deal
View and update correspondence object statuses
View the correspondence objects history log
View and send alerts for selected correspondence objects
Individual Functions enable you to:
Create correspondence objects
Send correspondence objects
Match correspondence objects
Import incoming messages
You are able to monitor and send correspondence alerts:
The Alert Monitor collects Correspondence Alerts and enables you to send an alert notification for a pending transaction activity such as a settlement, posting or correspondence confirmation.
You can Assign Business Partner Group and Profiles in order to assign attributes to the:
Business partner
Correspondence class
Recipient/sender type
Use Assign BIC and External Securities Acc. ID to Business Partner to:
Assign a Bank Identifier Code (BIC) and an external security account ID to your business partner
When you create a financial transaction (FTR_CREATE) with a business partner, the correspondence settings associated with the business partner will trigger any required outgoing correspondence.
The system will sort incoming correspondence by checking:
the channel by which it was received
the format, for example, MT300
the sender and type
the purpose of the correspondence.
The system then calls the relevant BAdI to check the correspondence object and matches it with another correspondence object. The correspondence object can be assigned to a deal.
For an explanation of key terms used in the correspondence function, see Correspondence: Terms.