Ad Hoc Cost Estimate for cProjects 

Use

This function enables you to create and edit ad hoc cost estimates in SAP ECC from within cProjects. The costing result is displayed in cProjects and saved when you save.

 

Once at least one account assignment exists, the system converts the ad hoc cost estimate to a costing whose planned costs and revenues are posted over a certain time period. This takes place for the cProjects project elements with account assignments according to the dates.

Prerequisites

●      You are using a project type to which a Controlling scenario is assigned.

●      The assigned Controlling scenario contains a costing variant that you can use for ad hoc cost estimates for cProjects. For more information, see the Implementation Guide for Collaboration Projects under Single-Object Controlling for Projects → Settings for Easy Cost Planning.

●      You have authorization for accounting and administration.

●      You have entered the data that is relevant to costing (quantities and prices).

●      If you want to use a planning form, it must exist in the system. For more information, see Editing Costing Models and Assigning Attributes.

●      If you want a planning form to be assigned to the cost estimate at the point when you start the ad hoc costing function, that planning form must be assigned to the project type being used. You make this setting in Customizing for Collaboration Projects, by choosing Single-Object Controlling for Projects → Settings for Easy Cost Planning.

Features

The cost planning function is executed by Easy Cost Planning (ECP). The cost estimate is always created at project level and is always single-level. The organizational data relevant to costing (controlling area, company code, and master cost center for the derivation of the activity type under which the allocation is reported) is derived from the HR organizational unit specified in the project definition. The costs are calculated based on the rates for the resource, project role, or task. For more information, see Costing Logic.

The revenues are calculated automatically if you have selected the option Use Cost/Revenue Rates from cProjects or Use Sales Pricing in SAP ERP as the revenue calculation type for the project type that you are using for the project. You make this selection in Customizing for Collaboration Projects, by choosing Connection to External Systems → Accounting Integration → Make General Settings. With the last option, the revenues are calculated with the dynamic item processor (DIP). For more information, see Sales Pricing for cProjects. Then you can also call up sales pricing from within the ad hoc cost estimate.

You can archive the ad hoc cost estimate in SAP ECC (archiving object CO_ECP) if the project has the status To Be Archived.

Technically, the ad hoc cost estimate is saved in SAP ECC with reference to the cProjects project number. When the project is transferred, it is recosted and the cost estimate stored for the account assignment object.

Activities

You are on the Accounting tab page, have costed the simulation or project (Cost button) and saved it.

Choose Ad Hoc Cost Estimate.

The Change <name of project>: Easy Cost Planning screen appears.

If a planning form is available for the cost estimate and additional entries are required in the form, the entry screen of the planning form appears on the right. Enter the required data and choose Transfer.

The costing result is displayed on the left side of the screen. The cost and revenue items can be seen in the item view at the lower right.

If you want to add additional costing items but no planning form has been assigned, you can assign a planning form yourself. If you want to add additional items without a planning form, or in addition to the items in the planning form, you can do this in the item view. For more information, see Use of Easy Cost Planning under “Item View Area” and “Activities.”

Costing items that were manually added to an ad hoc cost estimate can never be transferred from one project to another (for example, with reconciliation or when creating with a template). Project simulations do not support accounting integration.

Once you have saved the cost estimate in SAP ECC, you need to choose Cost in cProjects again in order to import the new costing results. Exception: If, when you call the project in cProjects again, the system displays the changed costing results automatically, you do not have to choose Cost again.