The following information applies mainly to IDES users with knowledge of Customizing for SD and the project system. This text uses data from the process to demonstrate how the billing plan in the sales order is linked with the project. Particular attention is paid to how this applies within Customizing. Because this text refers to this IDES demo, you should read it after completing the process chain.

Material E-1001 used in the process, belongs to planning strategy group 85 (assembly processing network with project). This group contains strategy 85 (assembly processing network with project). This strategy is controlled by requirement type ZMPN (assembly with network/project). Assembly processing with network type PS04 is provided for this requirement type. This setting means that when you create a sales order item for this material, the system automatically creates a network of this category in the project system.

(see SAP Reference IMG: Production ® Production planning ® Demand Management ® Planned Independent Requirements ® Planning Strategy ® ...)

The material belongs to item category group 0008 (PS: Billing plan without configuration). This item category group causes item category TP01 (Network: Billing plan withouth configuration) to be used in the sales document type PS1 (PS: Order) that is used in this process.

(See SAP Reference IMG: Sales and Distribution ® Sales ® Sales Documents ® Sales Document Item ® Assign item categories)

In item category TP01, billing relevance I (relevant for order-related billing - billing plan) is set. Billing plan type 10 (PS partial billing) has also been assigned to this category. This configuration causes a billing plan of this type to be used for the item in the sales order.

(See SAP Reference IMG: Sales and Distribution ® Billing ® Billing plan ® Assign billing plan types to item categories)

In the sales order item, the item category configuration creates a billing plan with billing plan type 10 (PS: Milestone billing). Three date categories are defined in Customizing for this billing plan type: 01 - Milestone billing, 02: - Final invoice, 03: - Down payment request. Billing rule 1 (percentage milestone billing) is configured for date category 1. Date category 02 works with billing rule 3 (final invoice for milestone billing). This rule ensures that amounts remaining to be billed (possibly arising from price changes after the first partial invoices) are included in a final invoice. Date category 03 uses rule 4 (down payment for percentage milestone billing). This rule triggers down payment processing. Date category 03 refers to the standard billing type FAZ (down payment request) with which the down payment request should be posted.

(See SAP Reference IMG: Sales and Distribution ® Billing ® Billing plan ® Define and assign date categories ® Maintain date category for billing plan type).

As explained above, a network is also created on the basis of the requirement type for the sales order item. When it does this, the R/3 System uses the standard network E-1001 (with which material E-1001 is linked) as a reference. This standard network belongs to the project system basis data. Milestones are assigned to some of the processes in this standard network. In these milestones, the indicator "Sales document date" is set. This indicator when used with date key 01 (Date in the billing plan) controls whether the date for a milestone is copied into the billing plan for the sales order. The relevant billing percentage rate is also specified in the milestone, except for in the milestone for the final invoice.

(see application menu: Logistics ® Project System ® Basic Data ® Templates ® Network Parameters from Sales Order...).

The milestones in the standard network E-1001 also indicate the relevant milestone usage. These are the usages PS01, PS03 and PS04. Milestone usage is determined in Customizing.

Milestone usage can refer to a date category for a billing plan type in Sales and Distribution.

There is no date category specified for usage PS01. In this case the R/3 System chooses the default date category from billing plan type 10. This is date category 01 (partial billing). Activity 1150 in the network, linked to a milestone of usage PS01, issues the date and the billing percentage rate for a partial invoice to the billing plan for the sales order. Activity 2000 also contains a milestone for the same purpose. Confirming this activity triggers a second partial invoice.

A reference to date category 03, billing plan type 10 is available for usage PS03. The second milestone in activity 2000 is for usage PS03. This allows the activity to issue the date for the final invoice in the billing plan.

Milestone usage PS04 is linked to date category 04, billing plan type 10. Activity 1000 in the network contains a milestone with this usage. Activity 1000 uses it to issue the date and percentage rate for the down payment request in the billing plan for the sales order.

(See SAP Reference IMG: Project System ® Structures ® Operative Structures ® Milestones ® Define milestone usage)