Processing the Standard Hierarchy Using Group Maintenance (SAP Library - Master Data in Cost Center Accounting (CO-OM-CCA))

Processing the Standard Hierarchy Using Group Maintenance

Use

To create cost centers, you need to define a hierarchical cost center structure (cost center group). In Cost Center Accounting, this structure is known as the standard hierarchy.

Integration

When you create a controlling area, you specify the name for the highest node of the standard hierarchy for this controlling area.

You must assign each cost center you create to a group in the standard hierarchy. This ensures that the standard hierarchy contains all the cost centers in the controlling group. When analyzing the standard hierarchy, the R/3 System then automatically includes all cost centers.

Note

In addition, you can assign each cost center to any number of alternative groups. Note however that you cannot create any alternative groups when maintaining the standard hierarchy.

Prerequisites

In controlling area maintenance, you assigned the highest node of the standard hierarchy to the controlling area.

Note

Note that this cost center group cannot contain any individual values (cost centers).

Features

Section of a Standard Hierarchy

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

You can subdivide the individual groups again, depending on the level of detail required or the cost center structure. A group can include more groups and more cost centers.

Note

If you require representative cost centers for summarizations or reporting, allow for these when you define the standard hierarchy (see: Representative Cost Centers).

Changing and Displaying Standard Hierarchies

To change or display the standard hierarchy of the current controlling area, choose Master data ® Cost center group ® Change or Display.

You can also change the standard hierarchy when entering under the Customizing settings for Cost Center Accounting.

You create and edit the standard hierarchy in the same way as for all other master data groups (see: Creating or Changing Master Data Groups and Processing Master Data Groups).

Creating, Changing and Displaying Master Data from the Standard Hierarchy

When you create or change the standard hierarchy, you can also create or change master data at the same time. Note that when you display the standard hierarchy, you can display (but not change) the cost center master data.

Creating a cost center for an end node

To create a new cost center and assign it to an end node, position your cursor on the node and choose Insert cost center.

On the dialog box, enter the name of the cost center and a validity period.

If you are creating a cost center for the first time and you have not stored a default value for a validity period, you must enter a date from which the cost center is valid. When you create additional cost centers, the system offers this date as a default value.

Note

If the cost center already exists for one or more validity periods, the new validity period must not overlap with the existing one. If it does, the system issues an error message. You can determine existing validity periods in group maintenance by double-clicking on an existing cost center.

You can use an existing cost center as a reference.

Choose Enter and create the master data for the cost center.

To return to group maintenance, choose Back or End.

If you choose Cancel, the system does not save the master data you have entered.

Note

The cost centers are only created or changed temporarily and are only saved by the system when you save the standard hierarchy (together with the new or changed groups). To avoid losing data, you should save frequently, especially when you are creating a standard hierarchy with master data.

Changing or displaying existing cost center master data

When you create or change the standard hierarchy, you can double-click on an existing cost center to maintain its master data.
When you display the standard hierarchy, you can double-click on an existing cost center to display its master data.

If the cost center exists for multiple validity periods, select the desired validity period from the dialog box.

Note

When you process alternative cost center groups, you cannot process any cost center master data.

Changing the assignment of a cost center to a node in the standard hierarchy

To move a cost center within the standard hierarchy, select the cost center and either:

Place your cursor on the target node and choose Lower level, or
Place your cursor on the target cost center and choose Same level.

Deleting Nodes From the Standard Hierarchy

For performance reasons, you can not delete cost centers when you are processing the standard hierarchy. If in the standard hierarchy you want to delete end nodes or subgroups (nodes) to which cost centers are assigned, you must first delete the cost centers assigned to them (see: Deleting Cost Centers).

Example

The "Warehouse" node represents the end node in the "Logistics" group. You have already assigned the cost centers "Goods in control", "Inbound warehouse" and "Outbound warehouse" to this node. You cannot delete the "Warehouse" node, if it is in the standard hierarchy. First, you must assign the three cost centers to a new group. You do this by changing the hierarchy area in the master data. Only then can you delete the "Warehouse" group. However, if this is an alternative group, you can delete the node immediately.