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From decarbonization to decentralization, energy companies are facing an unprecedented number of new challenges – and opportunities. Running more efficiently and interacting with customers in real-time can optimize operation and management. See how the new features in SAP S/4HANA can help to support the Energy & Natural Resources Industries about the digital revolution for improving productivity and efficiency.
In this blog series, I will give you an expert view, from product experts to product experts, of some selected highlights for Industries of our SAP S/4HANA 2021 release. All these innovations will also be available for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition.
The blog is built as a series of 6 parts and present the key highlights for:
In this fifth blog, you can find information on functions that are used by Energy & Natural Resources Industries.
With this feature, you are able to use the harmonized version of the contract account with the business agreement. The additional customizing of the business agreement is no longer necessary. You are now able to select a contract account category during the creation process of the contract account.
Additional Details
With the new harmonization, the old business agreement object including customizing is obsolete. It can still be used, but it has been largely replaced by the new utilities contract account, which (almost) completely represents the FI-CA contract account.
Two new objects are introduced:
Picture 1: Increase flexibility during the creation process by selecting different contract account categories
With this feature you are able to use one-click actions at the IS-U contract item from the identification screen, to execute the processes "Change Move-In Date" and "Change Move-Out Date" as well as "Cancel Move-In" and "Cancel Move-Out".
Key features
Interaction center agents can use the utilities sales contract management to display a list of utility sales contracts for a business partner and to access details such as contract data and product information.
The utility sales contract is available in the Interaction Center of SAP S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement and contains information, that applies specifically to the utility industry. This contract is created by the interaction center agent by choosing the entry Utility Sales Contract in the drop-down list on the left side of the Identification page.
Due to contract integration between SAP S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement and SAP for Utilities, an IS-U contract is also created automatically when a utility sales contract is created. This does not automatically work the other way around. The IS-U contract is a link between the technical master data (includes installation) and business master data (contract account). The utility sales contract includes more information than the IS-U contract, such as the product. To create a utility sales contract when an IS-U contract is created, an integration scenario can be defined
With this feature, you can execute a cost calculation simulation based on the product attributes and the entered consumption to communicate the result to the customer. The billing simulation can be executed for a selected product and for a second product, to compare the prices.
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_o4mrlat3
Demo 1: Billing simulation during the contract management process.
Configuring a Bill Simulation Scenario:
The Simulate Bill function import is based on the EASIM framework and supports register-level rate types and rate fact groups. To simulate a bill, a contract template must be stored in the EASIMRATECAT configuration table. The Simulate Bill function import simulates a bill for a one-year period that begins on the move-in date of the contract template.
Recommendation: We recommend that you specify a move-in date that is in the future so that the rates that are based on the move-in period are triggered. If you specify a date that is in the past, the system date is used as the starting date for the simulation.
For more information about Configuring a Bill Simulation Scenario, see SAP Help Portal here.
With this SAP S/4HANA 2021 release, you are now able to change the details of sales contract items using the guided procedure within one process in the following ways:
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_cs0ysr48
Demo 2: Watch the video and see how you can change sales contract items.
For more information about Utilities Sales Contract Management, see SAP Help Portal here.
With this feature, you are able to start all the sales contract management processes which were accessible via menu entry Utility Sales Contracts directly from the sales contract item overview. The item overview can be accessed via one-click action Display Sales Contract Item at every sales contract item within the Interaction center.
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_k61i09zm
Demo 3: Start all the sales contract management processes directly from the sales contract item overview.
The joint interest billing (JIB) report can show gross billable balance per JIB and JIB subclass which can then be used for partner billing reconciliations. Furthermore, the report enables you to review the billable expenses prior to the execution of the month-end process and to view the JIB code classification for each account and cost object combination. Use the drill-down capability to document the online item level.
Picture 3: View the JIB code classification for each account and cost-object combination and drill down to the document line-item level.
Usage:
You use this app to check the number of billable expenses posted on the JIB code level before the month-end process. Analyze JVA-relevant postings, i.e. documents with JVA attributes, specific postings with JIB information. With this report, you can see the gross billable balance per JIB and JIB subclass which can then be used for partner billing reconciliations.
After filtering for a company code, fiscal year, fiscal period, and joint venture, all existing JIB billing reports are displayed by cost object and accounts.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Stay tuned!
If you are also interested in other Line of Business, I would like to draw your attention to my link collection blog – The Link Collection
If you want to learn more and actively engage with SAP subject matter experts on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, join our SAP S/4HANA Cloud Customer Community. This platform which is available to SAP S/4HANA Cloud customers and partners has a clear mission: deliver an interactive community to engage with one another about best practices and product solutions.
For more information on SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA 2021, check out the following links:
Follow us via @Sisn and #S4HANA, or myself via @VoglerChrist and LinkedIn
In this blog series, I will give you an expert view, from product experts to product experts, of some selected highlights for Industries of our SAP S/4HANA 2021 release. All these innovations will also be available for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition.
The blog is built as a series of 6 parts and present the key highlights for:
- Part 1: Consumer: Consumer Products and Fashion and Vertical Business
- Part 2: Consumer: Retail and Wholesale Distribution
- Part 3: Financial Services – Banking and Insurance)
- Part 4: Public Services – Defense & Security and Public Sector
- Part 5: Energy & Resources
- Part 6: Discrete
In this fifth blog, you can find information on functions that are used by Energy & Natural Resources Industries.
Utilities
Sales Management for Energy and Water: Harmonization of Contract Account Data Model
With this feature, you are able to use the harmonized version of the contract account with the business agreement. The additional customizing of the business agreement is no longer necessary. You are now able to select a contract account category during the creation process of the contract account.
Additional Details
With the new harmonization, the old business agreement object including customizing is obsolete. It can still be used, but it has been largely replaced by the new utilities contract account, which (almost) completely represents the FI-CA contract account.
Two new objects are introduced:
- Utilities Contract Account Header (UCAH) → figure table: FKKVK
- Utilities Contract Account Partner (UCAP) -> mapping table: FKKVKPEffects
Picture 1: Increase flexibility during the creation process by selecting different contract account categories
Customer Interaction and Service Management Utilities: Change IS-U Move-In/Out Date and Cancel Move-In/Out Using One-Click Actions in Interaction Center
With this feature you are able to use one-click actions at the IS-U contract item from the identification screen, to execute the processes "Change Move-In Date" and "Change Move-Out Date" as well as "Cancel Move-In" and "Cancel Move-Out".
Key features
- For both sales contracts and IS-U contracts, availability of a detailed overview from the identification screen, which can be called up by using a one-click action
- View of detailed information about business master data objects (for example, contract accounts) or technical master data objects (for example, register or device) by clicking on an object from the identification screen
- Access to overviews of selected objects by clicking on the IDs of technical or business master data in the identification screen
- Special tree views to get information about business partners with service orders or invoicing documents
- Complete technical master data tree that shows information about disconnection documents
- Embedded IS-U processes in the identification screen
- User ability to maintain IS-U documents through one-click actions
Customer Interaction and Service Management Utilities: Sales contract management for utilities allows multi-end, change contract items, and differentiated product selection
Interaction center agents can use the utilities sales contract management to display a list of utility sales contracts for a business partner and to access details such as contract data and product information.
The utility sales contract is available in the Interaction Center of SAP S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement and contains information, that applies specifically to the utility industry. This contract is created by the interaction center agent by choosing the entry Utility Sales Contract in the drop-down list on the left side of the Identification page.
Due to contract integration between SAP S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement and SAP for Utilities, an IS-U contract is also created automatically when a utility sales contract is created. This does not automatically work the other way around. The IS-U contract is a link between the technical master data (includes installation) and business master data (contract account). The utility sales contract includes more information than the IS-U contract, such as the product. To create a utility sales contract when an IS-U contract is created, an integration scenario can be defined
Billing simulation during the contract management process
With this feature, you can execute a cost calculation simulation based on the product attributes and the entered consumption to communicate the result to the customer. The billing simulation can be executed for a selected product and for a second product, to compare the prices.
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_o4mrlat3
Demo 1: Billing simulation during the contract management process.
Configuring a Bill Simulation Scenario:
The Simulate Bill function import is based on the EASIM framework and supports register-level rate types and rate fact groups. To simulate a bill, a contract template must be stored in the EASIMRATECAT configuration table. The Simulate Bill function import simulates a bill for a one-year period that begins on the move-in date of the contract template.
Recommendation: We recommend that you specify a move-in date that is in the future so that the rates that are based on the move-in period are triggered. If you specify a date that is in the past, the system date is used as the starting date for the simulation.
For more information about Configuring a Bill Simulation Scenario, see SAP Help Portal here.
Sales Contract Management - Change Contract Item Process
With this SAP S/4HANA 2021 release, you are now able to change the details of sales contract items using the guided procedure within one process in the following ways:
- Change premise
- Change contract start date
- Changepoint of delivery
- Change product
- Change contract account for payment
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_cs0ysr48
Demo 2: Watch the video and see how you can change sales contract items.
For more information about Utilities Sales Contract Management, see SAP Help Portal here.
Access Sales Contract Management Processes from Contract Item Overview
With this feature, you are able to start all the sales contract management processes which were accessible via menu entry Utility Sales Contracts directly from the sales contract item overview. The item overview can be accessed via one-click action Display Sales Contract Item at every sales contract item within the Interaction center.
https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_k61i09zm
Demo 3: Start all the sales contract management processes directly from the sales contract item overview.
Oil & Gas
Joint venture accounting on universal journals – updated reporting to analyze venture expenditures
The joint interest billing (JIB) report can show gross billable balance per JIB and JIB subclass which can then be used for partner billing reconciliations. Furthermore, the report enables you to review the billable expenses prior to the execution of the month-end process and to view the JIB code classification for each account and cost object combination. Use the drill-down capability to document the online item level.
Picture 3: View the JIB code classification for each account and cost-object combination and drill down to the document line-item level.
Usage:
You use this app to check the number of billable expenses posted on the JIB code level before the month-end process. Analyze JVA-relevant postings, i.e. documents with JVA attributes, specific postings with JIB information. With this report, you can see the gross billable balance per JIB and JIB subclass which can then be used for partner billing reconciliations.
After filtering for a company code, fiscal year, fiscal period, and joint venture, all existing JIB billing reports are displayed by cost object and accounts.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Stay tuned!
If you are also interested in other Line of Business, I would like to draw your attention to my link collection blog – The Link Collection
If you want to learn more and actively engage with SAP subject matter experts on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, join our SAP S/4HANA Cloud Customer Community. This platform which is available to SAP S/4HANA Cloud customers and partners has a clear mission: deliver an interactive community to engage with one another about best practices and product solutions.
For more information on SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA 2021, check out the following links:
- SAP S/4HANA release info: sap.com/s4hana
- SAP S/4HANA Community here
- The Link Collection for Product Compliance here
- SAP S/4HANA PSCC Digital Enablement Wheel here
- Inside SAP S/4HANA Podcast here
- Join the SAP S/4HANA Movement
- Best practices for SAP S/4HANA here
- Help Portal Product Page here
- Feature Scope Description here
- What’s New here
Follow us via @Sisn and #S4HANA, or myself via @VoglerChrist and LinkedIn
