Budget report is not logical

[robert_czik]

The budget reports have 2 columns, BUDGET and ACTUAL and one needs to see ALL ACTUAL values for all the nominals in order to enable good financial control. In other words, the budget report should always show all the actual balances and the bottom line in the ACTUAL COLUMN in the budget reports, should be the same as the Profit and Loss report. However, in SAP Budget reports, if the budget is NOT SET for a particular Nominal, then NO actual figures are reported in the Budget report. This is incorrect since one can have a scenario where the budget is Zero (no budget is set) but we actually spent money against this Nominal. In the current SAP logic, these expenses will not be shown at all in the budget reports.

My conclusion is that SAP logic is not workable since all actuals should be shown, even if one has not set a budget against a particular nominal.

I wonder if anybody has a solution for this? Maybe there is a way to show all Actual values even if the budget for a nominal is not set - please note that I have all the nominals enabled for budget and this should be sufficient to allow SAP to show the relevant actual figures.

Thank you

Robert

[kothandaraman_nagarajan · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Please check following SAP notes, whether it is related to above query:

1930421 - Inconsistent figures in budget versus cost accounting
report

1936855 - Amount in future column on budget report is
incorrect

1876225 - Budget Versus Cost Accounting report doesn't show the
Budget amount when the fiscal year i...

Thanks & Regards,

Nagarajan

[robert_czik · Accepted solution]

Hi Nagarajan

Any idea how can I access these links since its asking me for some different Password?

Thanks

Robert

[kothandaraman_nagarajan · Accepted solution]

You need valid S-user ID and password to access above notes.

[KennedyT21]

Hi Robert,,,

Have you checked the above does it solves your problem???

Regrds

[robert_czik]

Hi Kennedy

I am sorry but your suggestions do not resolve the problem in the  Budget V Cost accounting report, I cannot see all my actuals and there is no option to do this. I have ticked all the Nominals to make them "relevant to budget" but this option does not force the software to show actuals unless I put a figure against the budget. However, I have nominals that my budget is NIL and SAP does not accept a NIL budget so my Actuals do not show?

Thanks

Robert

[Former Member]

Hi Robert,

I don't think there is anything wrong with SAP's logic at all because not all company would have this similar scenario. Since this is a "standard" Budget vs Cost accounting report some of the options or parameters that you want might not be available. That's why SAP has provided a reporting tool which you can use to create a customized report that will suit your specific needs.

We did encounter a similar scenario which we ended up having to create a customized Budget vs Cost Accounting report using Crystal Reports which shows all Nominals regardless if there is a budget set or not.

Since this is more of a feature request as what Gordon suggested you can post your idea at SAP's Idea place

Hope this helps

Regards

JP

[robert_czik]

Hi JP

The problem I am highlighting is with the Budget v Cost Accounting report since this has no option to show Actuals unless a budget figure was assigned in the Budget Scenario. The reasons for running a budget is to control the profitability of a company and the ability to show all actual balances is a basic requirement for any business. SAP have recognized this need since they have introduced this option (of showing all actuals in their standard budget report), so I cannot see any good reason why this option should not be available in the Budget v Cost accounting report.

Perhaps we will write our own report but I think that SAP should rectify this problem. In my view, having a Budget report of any kind, should always have the option of showing ALL THE ACTUAL figures otherwise, one is ignoring "reality"

Thank you

Robert

[KennedyT21]

Hi Robert..

There is a option in the report to pull the nominal account without budget is assigned to the account..

If you uncheck the Budget Accounts only it will pull all the accounts in the report...

Regards

Kennedy

[robert_czik]

Hi Kennedy

You are right and this is helpful but we are talking about the Cost accounting reports (eg Budget v Cost Accounting report, Cost Center Report) So the issue I am raising is as follows: I am forced to set a Budget in order to show the Actuals and I the option to set a Zero budget, does not exist. Also the option that you are showing in the Trial Balance budget report, is not available in the cost accounting reports.

Thanks for this suggestion.

Robert

[KennedyT21]

In you first question you never said any about the cost account report..

If you need you can customize the report.

Rgds,

Kennedy

[robert_czik]

Hi Kennedy

You are absolutely correct and I did not define my question correctly - so the issue is with Cost accounting reports is that the option to show all actual figures is not an option - ie show actuals that have no budget against. If you know how to overcome this, I would be grateful.

Thanks

Robert

[Former Member]

I have given your answer already. Please post is under idea place.

[robert_czik]

Hi Gordon

I am sorry but your answer is not relevant to the issue I am raising since in my view, making Nominals "relevant to budget" should mean that actual figures recorded in SAP should show in a budget report and this is not the case in the Budget V Cost accounting report.

I can raise this issue on the portal you are suggesting anyway.

Thank you

Robert

[Former Member]

If you think my answer is not relevant to your posting, I could make the same conclusion to your postings. All those 2 "helpful answers" are not related to the actual requirement you want.

The answer is an answer. No matter it is negative or not.

[robert_czik]

Hi Gordon

The purpose of a user group is to discuss issues in a constructive way with other users who may have the same issues and I did object to your challenge to my logic and asking me to close the thread. This is an open discussion and other users did engage in a constructive way.

The fact remains that the Budget v Cost accounting report has some issues which I also posted on the portal you suggested.

I am not sure why you feel compelled to defend SAP, even when they get it wrong. SAP is great but it presents many challenges to users,  so giving our feedback is a necessary process that will lead to the product improvement.

If I am wrong about the issue I have raised, I will be pleased to receive a valid explanation but If I am right, perhaps SAP can listen...

Thank you

Robert

[Former Member]

I will stop comment on your posting.

I am not defending SAP. But your subject regarding "Budget report is not logical" irritating me. That is your own opinion only. It may not be constructive at all.

[robert_czik]

Hi Gordon

I am not sure what is irritating you since I have raised a valid discussion point - ie a budget report needs to show all actuals and this is not possible in the Budget v Cost accounting report. The second illogical point about this report is that it compares the BUDGET PER NOMINAL to ACTUALS PER DIMENTION - in other words, is not comparing like with like. Of course, you do not have to participate in this discussion but I feel fairly confident that this report is "illogical"

Thanks

Robert

[Former Member]

In this case, a better place for you to post is here: https://ideas.sap.com/SAPBusinessOne

You are more than welcome to post any ideas so that SAP may consider it when the request are many. Please close this thread.

[Former Member]

Hi Robert,

Your logic may not apply to normal B1 users. As the report definition, this report called Budget Report. It means if no budget, no Actual should be subject to this report.

You may create your own report to show all actuals instead of criticizing SAP's logic.

Thanks,

Gordon

[robert_czik]

Hi Gordon

I am a business owner and accountant by profession and the main reason for running a budget is to control the profitability of a company and this can only be achieved if all Sales and Expenses are included in any budget comparison, therefore, I would argue that showing all the actual Sales and Expenses is a desirable normal practice. The way the Budget report is constructed means that one ends up with a "selective budget" that does not reflect the whole company's financial position.

My remark was meant to open a constructive dialogue that may help SAP find out what business users need and I am not sure why do you think that other users have not come up with the same predicament?

In our company, we use last year figures as a basis for setting a Budget Scenario (with adjusted figures as required) however if we decide that for Nominal X we will not spend any money and the budget scenario is NIL, this should not prevent the Actual being shown. So the issue I am raising is that one should be able to budget ZERO expenses and the Actual should be still showing thus alerting the company that the Zero Expenses budgeted, are now exceeded. As far as I know, our only option is to enter a fictitious Budget figure (Not ZERO) in order to show an actual and this is not logical. Quite often a company decides not to spend any money (ie Zero Budget) but at the same time, one needs to see that the Actual has not been exceeded. I cannot see a way of doing this and this is not a unique business scenario.

Another example where one needs a Zero Budget is when the company decides to post an expense to a new Nominal code Y (previously=X).

So my Budget scenario needs to look like this:

Nominal X Budget Zero  - the Actual needs to show since we need to see any postings that come to this nominal incorrectly.

Nominal Y Budget  50000 - The Actual needs to show since this is the new intended nominal

Perhaps somebody knows a way to setting a Zero Budget, so that the actual will show.

I did not mean to "criticize SAP" but they can get things wrong and I was under the impression that this is a forum to raise such issues?

Thank you

Robert

PS How about scenarios where we think that we will sell ZERO product (budgeted as Zero) and we see ACTUAL sales for that Nominal, is this not a requirement?

[former_member184146]

Hi Robert

You can the actual figure under

Balance sheet Budget report

Trial Balance Budget Report

P&L Budget Report

--Manish