PM Confirmations to update CATS2 (IW42 ->CATS2)

[Former Member]

Hi Experts,

We have a business requirement to use CATS2 for a standard approach to time entry. As such, the project that implemented SAP PM did not give access to the IW42 transaction (confirmations).

Now we still have the requirement for all time confirmations to be available in CATS for reporting, but the maintenance staff want to use IW42 to make life easier when completing their work.

So, we will have some people using IW42, and some using CATS directly. Because all data is required in CATS2 for reporting as part of our standard processes, we need to update CATS2 with any time confirmations entered in IW42. Sounds a bit backwards i know, but this seems to be the only option we have to achive the best of both worlds.

Considering the above,

1. Does anyone know of a better alternative to this approach?

2. Does anyone have serious concerns with this approach?

3. Are there any standard BAPI's that we can call to update data from IW42 into CATS (e.g. personnel number, order number, operation number, hours etc)?

4. What is the best way to ensure that CATS doesn't try to send data BACK to PM confirmations? Don't want double ups.

Regards,

Maikel

[peter_atkin · Accepted solution]

As far as I am aware, there is no standard process to update CATS from IW42 confirmation data.

I'm pretty sure it can be done via development, but you would need to inhibit the transfer process such that CAT9/CATA doesn't post the confirmations to the order a 2nd time..

Why is important to have the data in CATS if its already in IW42?

PeteA

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Pete.

I work for a very large company, and we have our business processes wrapped around CATS_DA reporting. So if the data doesn't wind up in CATS, then the reports wont capture all the data. Process owners don't want to change it.

The real issue we are trying to resolve, is to provide technicians a one stop shop to complete their confirmations. Currently, they have to do time entry in CAT2, IW22 for technical confirmations and goods movements separately. Is it possible to do more of this sort of thing within CAT2 directly?

I'm leaning away from updating CAT2 via IW42 now, I don't think its gonna work for us as just found out we have customisations in CAT2 to determine activity types etc before posting.

Cheers,

Maikel

[Former Member]

I agree with Pete this would mean a development and could be quite complex. Having just finished the configuration of CAT for use with Projects it would be much more simple to configure the CATS with worklists etc and carry out the time confirmations from CAT2 or if you require service providers to carry out confirmations you can do this via CATS for Service Providers.

Jim

[Former Member]

Hi Jim,

I'm very interested in this worklist idea, as I said to Pete the main thing we want to acheive is a one stop shop for confirmations (time, notifications, goods movements etc). Looks like we are stuck with CAT2, so if there is a way to do all this from within CAT2, then that would be excellent.

Cheers,

Maikel

[Former Member]

The worklist will look at all orders for a given work center or employee for a given period of time as specified via the CAT profile when configured. You can set this up so that if you select an order it will take the planned start and finish times fromthe operation that you wish to do the confirmation for.

Check online pdf file at (copy and paste the link to your internet browser) you will find the information on branching to material issues on page 41

http://help.sap.com/printdocu/core/Print46c/en/data/pdf/CATS/CATS.pdf

This explains that you can branch to for instance goods issue from the CAT2 timesheet

Jim

[peter_atkin]

If you want a "one-stop" solution for order and notification data then you will need to develop a solution.

This could involve a customer-specific screen where you enter the relevant order/notification data, and on saving, sends the data to CATS and the notification.

PeteA