Flow Definition

In Schedule Manager, you can create flow definitions and use them as templates to execute concrete processes. A flow definition contains individual steps that can be executed in sequence or in parallel. You can create different flow definitions to map processes with different steps in the system. For example, flow definitions for year-end closing, end-of-quarter closing, or month-end closing. You can also create separate flow definitions for processing corrections or subsequent postings/reversals in accounting, which contain only those steps which are required after a correction or posting.

You can schedule a flow definition for any point in time. When you schedule a flow definition, you have to specify when it is to be executed as well as other parameters, such as the legal entity, accounting system, and period. You can use a flow definition as many times as you wish.

You can create dependencies between steps in a flow definition. For example, you can stipulate that steps X and Y have to be executed correctly before a different step can be executed. Steps that are not dependent on one another can be processed in parallel. Creating dependencies between individual steps and processing steps in parallel results in networks of steps that can fork and come together again at defined synchronization points:

Figure 1: Examples of Flow Definitions

Recursion (the same sequence being executed several times) is not possible within a flow definition. If the same steps are to be executed again, you have to schedule the flow definition again.

The following step types can be included in a flow definition:

1. Program

2. User action

A user action means that the process stops at this point and a mail is sent to a particular user. The process cannot be continued until the user confirms the action. If required, the user can cancel the process completely at this point. Inserting user actions to interrupt processes enables manual functions to be carried out, such as manual postings.

Flow Control

When you have created a flow definition with steps and dependencies, you have a template for real period-end closing activities. The next step is to schedule the flow definition. When you schedule a flow definition, you have to specify when it is to be executed as well as other parameters, such as the legal entity, accounting system, and period. The parameters you enter when you schedule the flow definition apply to all the steps in the flow definition. You do not have to enter the parameters for each step individually.

When a flow definition is executed at a set time with specific parameters, it is known as a process. The process also documents which tasks have actually been carried out.

You can schedule the start times for a process manually, or using a monthly or daily schedule with times. The start time of a process is displayed in the schedule and, if the start time is still in the future, it can still be changed.

Process Monitor

Schedule Manager not only schedules flow definitions, but also monitors the status of the complete process and each individual step. A complete process can have the following status:

During the process, you can use the graphical display to get an overview of the individual steps and their processing status:

The system automatically sets the status of the complete process and of the individual steps to "Processing completed without errors", "Processing completed, but with warning", or "Processing completed, but has errors". You can then set the status of an individual, completed step to "Processing was checked and is OK" once you have checked it (essentially “checking off” the step). The processing status "Processing was checked and is OK" is never set automatically.

You can navigate from the overview to the processing log for each individual step. The log states:

Since you call up the logs from the central Schedule Manager, they document the whole process in detail.