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Function documentationAd Hoc Cost Estimate for Project Management

 

This function enables you to create and edit ad hoc cost estimates (see ad hoc cost estimate) in SAP ECC from within Project Management. The costing result is displayed in Project Management and saved when you save.

Note Note

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 Project Management project elements with account assignments according to the dates.

End of the note.

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 Project Management. For more information, see Customizing for Project Management under Start of the navigation path Single-Object Controlling for Projects Next navigation step Settings for Easy Cost Planning End of the navigation path.

  • 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 Project Management, by choosing Start of the navigation path Single-Object Controlling for Projects Next navigation step Settings for Easy Cost Planning End of the navigation path.

Features

The cost planning function is executed by Easy Cost Planning (ECP). For more information, see Easy Cost Planning. 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, 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 Project Management 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 Project Management, by choosing Start of the navigation path Connection to External Systems Next navigation step Accounting Integration Next navigation step Make General Settings End of the navigation path. With the last option, the revenues are calculated with the dynamic item processor (DIP). Then you can also call up sales pricing from within the ad hoc cost estimate.

For more information, see dynamic item processor and Sales Pricing for Project Management.

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

Note Note

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

End of the note.

Activities

You are on the Accounting tab, 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."

Caution Caution

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 (see Reconciliation and Comparison of Versions) or when creating with a template). Project simulations do not support accounting integration.

End of the caution.

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