Introduction
SAP S/4HANA has an innovative functionality called ‘
Settlement Management’, which has been completely transformed when compared to classic rebate management. It handles the settlement of customer and supplier rebates seamlessly and provides a centralized and standard solution for managing supplier and customer conditions. Settlement management in SAP S/4HANA is tightly integrated with order to-cash processes along with the relevant finance (FI) and controlling (CO) modules.
Condition Contract allows to store all information related to an agreement, such as parent customer, eligible partner and contract conditions. It also contains important information, such as prices and the validity of the agreement.
System can be configured to manage workflows for sales rebate processing such as the approval processes for condition contracts and settlement documents and the release of condition contracts for settlement.
In this blog post I will explain how to configure the workflow for the Condition Contracts in simple steps. I will also explain the additional setting that is required for the Settlement documents workflow. The steps mentioned in this blog post contains some technical settings. If you are a functional consultant, I recommend you to work alongside technical consultants or workflow administrators to complete these steps.
Prerequisite:
Understanding of Rebate Management Process in S4 HANA is required.
Understanding of Condition Contracts and Settlement documents is required.
Some knowledge of SAP workflow will be an advantage.
List of workflows and possible steps for Sales Rebate processing:
Getting Started
The workflow functionality for Condition contracts can be achieved with few configuration steps.
Steps to configure and test the workflow:
Step 1: Identify SAP standard business objects and workflows
Step 2: Activate linkage
Step 3: Assign users to the Standard Task
Step 4: Assign users to the Workflow step
Step 5: Testing
a. Create a Condition Contract and request approval
b. Display Business Workplace
c. Execute the task
Step 1: Identify the SAP standard business objects and workflows
List of some of the relevant business objects and workflow templates:
Condition Contracts:
BUS2235 – Business object for Condition contracts
WS03100006 – Workflow template to Release Condition contract
WS03100007 – Workflow template to Release Condition contract for settlement
Settlement Documents:
BUS2100 - General Settlement document
BUS2100001 - Supplier Settlement List
BUS2100002 - Settlement document
WS20000691 - Release Settlement document
WS20000692 - Change Settlement document
WS20000694 - Correct Settlement document
Step 2: Activate Workflow
Goto tcode SWE2 and create a new entry as below:
Object category : BO BOR Object Type
Object type : BUS2235
Event : TOBEAPPROVED
Receiver Type. : WS03100006
Receiver call : Function Module
Receiver FM : SWW_WI_CREATE_VIA_EVENT_IBF
Linkage activate : Checked
This step can also be performed using the transactions PFTC/SWDD/SWUD.
Settlement documents:
For settlement documents, in addition to the above setting I need to make additional configuration change as shown below.
Tcode: WLFA
In the Settlement document type definition, I need to activate the 'Control of Event call-up' in the Special processes section. Only then the relevant events will be triggered.
Step 3: Assign users to the Standard Task
Tcode: SWDD
Open the Workflow: WS03100006
Click on ‘Agent assignment’ button for workflow step 000004 Release Condition contract
Maintain Agent assignment screen is displayed.
Click on Attributes button for the selected line. In the pop-up screen, select the option ‘General Task’ (this is for testing purpose only). In the real times scenarios other options are mostly used.
Click on Transfer button.
Now click on ‘Update Index’ button.
Press F3 to go back to SWDD Workflow builder initial screen.
Step 4: Assign users to the Workflow step
In the workflow builder screen, select the workflow step and click on the Change button as shown below
Select the Agent as Workflow initiator. This will enable the approval request will go to the person who initiated the request which will enable the testing easy. In the real-time scenarios, other options like role/rule are popularly used.
Before I exist this screen, I make sure the workflow step has the following settings
Binding exists
Agents were assigned (‘Workflow Initiator’ in this scenario)
Agent assignment is Green (I have activated this in previous step)
Click okay and go back to the previous screen.
Save
That’s it, I have successfully configured the workflow to release the Condition contracts.
Let’s test it now.
Step 5: Testing:
I will test the release Condition contract workflow setup now.
1. Create a Condition Contract and click on request approval. (Do not release it yet)
Tcode: WCOCO
In the status tab, I can find the status ‘Approval requested’ as active
Save the Condition contract. Workflow will be started automatically in the background.
For testing purpose, I do not need to create new Condition contracts every time. I can use the transaction SWUE and trigger the event as many times as I need. This will enable the workflow to start in the background.
Tcode: SWUE
Enter the Condition contract number in the Object key
Click on Show Event Receiver button which displays the active Workflows
Now click on 'Create Event' button
After the event is created, I expect a message ‘at least one receiver found’
Now workflow is started and a workflow task must be available in my business workplace.
2. Display Business Workplace
Goto tcode: SBWP
List of workflow tasks assigned to me are available in this screen. I can see that the Workflow task to release the condition contract 2000000049 is available in the inbox.
3. Execute the task
When I execute the task, the Condition contract screen will be displayed.
Click on change Condition contract button.
Goto Edit and select either Reject approval/Release document option.
I select the 'Reject Approval' option in this test.
Save and exit. With this step the workflow is completed.
Now let me check the status of the condition contract.
Tcode: WCOCO
In the status tab, I can see the status 'Approval Rejected' as active.
I can repeat the ‘Request approval’ step and can test the workflow again.
Conclusion:
SAP Business workflow can be used for approval processes for condition contracts and settlement documents and the release of condition contracts for settlement.
Users can reject, approve or edit a Condition contract using workflow
SAP Business Objects can be enhanced to create bespoke events, methods, parameters etc.,
Hope this blog post helps you in understanding how to setup workflow for Settlement management.
Thank you and wish you good luck..!!
References and Further Reading:
SAP Help - Workflows for Sales Rebate Processing
SAP Help - SAP Business Workflow
Introducing Rebate and Settlement Management with SAP S/4HANA
2481672 - Condition Contract Management - Useful Documents