You perform integrated maintenance of this information in the IMG section Consolidation ® Consolidation of Investments ® Set up consolidation methods.

All C/I methods already defined are listed in a catalog, including their description and information on their validation and activation status. You can create new methods if required. By selecting a method, you can go to an overview screen to maintain basic method characteristics. On the following detail screens, you can enter information concerning:

• the handling of differentials resulting from the consolidation of investments

You can print the method definition in the Consolidation menu in the step Info system ® Control parameters or in directly from Method Definition.

Not all selected items required for consolidating investments are displayed on the detail maintenance screens. You can define certain selected items that have not been allocated (by context) to the detail screens in the Implementation Guide in the step Consolidation ® Consolidation of Investments ® Maintain selected items.

You assign the methods to each company in the subgroup master record. You do this in the Implementation Guide in the step Consolidation ® Consolidation of Investments ® Assign methods. Method assignments are both company- and subgroup-dependent. For simulation purposes, you can choose a different method in another version (see Versions). If the company is consolidated proportionally, you also have to enter the proportion for this company.

Furthermore, you should define the date of first consolidation for every company by year and period in the company master record, and also the start date for any amortization or proportional elimination of goodwill. You do this in the Implementation Guide in the step Consolidation ® Consolidation of Investments ® Assign date of first consolidation to the companies. If a company is included in multiple subgroups, you can specify these dates again for each subgroup within Subgroup Maintenance.