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CAT2 posting

Former Member
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Hello friends,

Request your inputs for my queries below-

1 1. Once we post timecards in CAT2 against to a WBS, we can see actual costs booked against to the same WBS in CJI3. Then how exactly, the t-codes CAT5 and CAT7 makes difference, as the costs were already flew into PS (in CJI3)?  What is the significance?

2.2  When we post time cards in CAT2, it book costs on a WBS. How does it picks cost elements for postings? Where exactly, these cost elements would be maintained?

33. Can we restrict cost element while we use CAT2 (means, can we use our own selection of cost element for posting in CAT2)?

Thanks,

Sumanth.

T

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Former Member
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Hi Sumanth,

CAT2 will only record time and does not post time i.e. actual cost to cost object. After CAT2, time punched needs to be released and saved. Time booked/recorded in CAT2 needs to be manually or though background job needs to be posted to relevant cost object.CAT5 will do posting wherein the actual cost of the time booked will be posted against networks. CAT7 will help you to do posting reversal of posted time.

Each employee who is authorized to punch time in CAT2 will have info type 315 maintained in HR. From info type 315, system will pick relevant cost center and activity type while punching time. And the activity type is linked to cost element. This is default link in SAP i.e between PS network-HR-CO.A fixed rate activity and corresponding cost element can be forced to picked by system if you maintain activity type in activity of PS network. Subject to corresponding configuration.

Cost element is linked to activity type directly. So whichever activity type, time will be punched relevant cost element will be picked.

Thank you.

Sandeep

Former Member
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Hello Sandeep /Paulo,

Thanks for your inputs.

@ Sandeep - I understood that, by IT 315 from HR, the system would pick relevent Cost center and Activity type. But, about Network config in PS, (PS01, PS02..), I m still not clear, request more inputs.

Also, please let me know, once we book time in CAT2 (via Activity type), planned costs would be created and when we try to convert these costs to Actual by moving to any WBS via CAT5 (correct me if I am wrong), do we use any COST ELEMENT in CAT5? I mean, does the Cost element from Activity type defaults even in CAT5 as well??

Regards,

Sumanth

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

You need to decide what will be your account assignment in CAT2, WBS or NWA?

In case of NWA normally you would use the key PS01 - internal processing.

The plan cost has nothing to do with CAT2, instead in case of NWA it will be determined by number of hours you estimate for the activity.

CAT5 is the transfer to PS, nothing to do with account determination.  CO document will be always with Cost Element from the AType master record.

Also the determination of Sender Cost Center and Activity type does not need to come from IT 315, that is just one of the options.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

Thanks a lot for your prompt response.

I strongly feel, we are going to use WBS in CAT2, and we are very much concerned about Cost Element that we would be using via Activity Types.

So.. if I want to restric Cost Elements here, what would do you suggest. ( I mean, when we transfer costs to WBS, then it should be via only within a set of our cost element range)

Thanks again for your time and inputs.

Regards,

Sumanth.

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

You do not have any flexibility in choosing cost elements within CAT2 process.  The only flexibility you have is selecting Activity Type.  Next the system will use a Cost element from the Activity type master record.

I would suggest automatic determination of Activity type, so that users do not enter it manually. And if you want WBS as account assignment in CATS, that means using IT 315 where you should keep default Activity type.

If in your scenario same business user should be able to use various Activity types that is still fine, but then you cannot make a field as read-only.  KP26 will normally restrict Cost Center/AType available combos.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

Agreed with the approach that you have suggested.

Ok.. can we assign multiple Activity Types to a single IT 0315? if yes, how does the rates woulld be maintained, if required to specific personal number?

Or, if we have a single Activity Type, that would be used by all, can we change the CE in it and use going forward? Changing CE in Activity Type would have any implications on the existing Business?

Thank you,

Sumanth

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hello Sumanth,

1. It is not possible to have multiple assignments in IT 315 that are valid at the same time.  IT 315 has validity dates, but only one assignment is valid at a time.

2. Rates are maintained in KP26, they are not employee specific rates, but dependent only on Cost Center/Activity type/Period combination.

3. Assume that you cannot change the Cost Element in the Activity type once it has been used for postings.  To use another cost Element you will need another Activity type.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

OK... if we have SAP limitations like this, then I feel, for an example, suppose if we have 10 employees, and wanted to capture all our bookings /costs within the range of our cost elements, then create 10 Activity types (using CEs of our range) and process the time sheets and for any modifications in the rates required, we can then edit the same in KP26 specific to that Activity Type.

I feel, this is only the feasible way to control postings specific to CEs. Request your comments here.

Regards,

Sumanth

Former Member
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Hi Sumantha,

Make sure activity type is maintained in Network internal activity. So for ex. if you have internal activity "painting" system will pick the relevant activity code and thus corresponding cost element will be hint.

Thank you.

Sandeep

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hello Sumanth,

Try to put business requirement first, and solution only next.  I have a feeling you discuss very much the solution, while I do not really know what are the requirements.

It is not a good practice to have individual activity types for each employee.  Activity type reflects the nature of the business activity, like Painting, Transportation, Catering.  That is a "service".

If you have different contractors doing same thing, but with very different billing rates then CATS can be generating SES in MM module instead by referencing PO where you have price and quantity.

If you can elaborate bit more on the business case it would be easier to give suggestions.

Thank you,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

Apologies. The requirement is as follows-

Our business wanted to restric CATS postings wrt cost elements. That means, when they wanted to book time sheets, they wanted to use only a set of cost elements and they dont want any other cost element to be used outside of that set.

How can we achieve this, at what phase of CATS postings, would the custom development might required?

Thank you,

Sumanth

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

CATS postings are restricted by definition with cost elements from Activity type master records.  There is no flexibility there.  It is a special type of cost element, not from CoA, but in New GL you can map them to FI GL account.  Sorry that I have to repeat something I wrote before.

I do not know if in your setup you will get only CO document or both FI and CO.

Also there are many possible CATS scenarios, and it is not clear which one you plan to use.  So, I have to assume it is a cost allocation from Cost Center to WBS-elements.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

We use the setup which creates both FI n CO docs, when postings would be done. And, when it comes to time booking in CAT2, we use account assignment NWA (we use only this process).

Does substitutions would help here? Or any user exit which checks for relevent cost element when CAT2 will be processed? Any other suggestions /workarounds?

Thanks a lot for your time and support.

Regards,

Sumanth

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hello Sumanth,

You will have different accounts in CO and FI documents resulting from CATS postings, so what do you want to restrict?  That is because in CO it will be a secondary cost element, and in FI it has to be a GL account.

Honestly it is restricted by design, imagine you have Activity types A1, A2, A3 and those are mapped to cost elements CE1, CE2, CE3.  So, in CO documents it is restricted to CE1 to CE3. For New GL you map all of them (for example) to GL1, so it is only GL1 that can show up in FI documents.

You cannot substitute cost elements and GL accounts in standard SAP.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

Yes, it is secondary in CO and its primary /GL in FI.

I m just reiterating here that, we would like to restrict CEs whenever we process CAT2 (only). Not really whether feasible or not, by looking at discussions we are having here and limitations of SAP, I really doubt on mapping of this into SAP.

Is there any other, so that, we can use it an alternative, whenever we are using CAT2 (to amek sure that, right CE is being picked up in the Activity Type)?

Regards,

Sumanth


Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hello Sumanth,

You wrote: ...make sure that right CE is being picked up in the Activity Type.

The CE behind Activity Type is fixed by means of its master data record.  It cannot be restricted any stronger then that.  It is not "right" or "wrong", but the one from KL03.  What is assigned there, that is exactly what you will see in CO document.

And available Activity Types are restricted by KP26 plan data.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hi Paulo,

Completely agreed with your view on manual intervention in Activity Types, really make sense.

I will discuss outcome of our discussions with the Business and will see whats going on from their end. will update you.

Thanks a lot for all your inputs and suggestions. Will get back soon.

Regards,

Sumanth

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

MTerence
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

Without running CAT5, how the actuals posted for WBS element.

On entering time sheet, it just a plan cost, now you need to transfer then only cost will be posted.

Check whether there are any batch job running to post CATS.

Regards

Terence

Former Member
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Hello Terence,

Thank you for your response.

Ok.. i will replicate the scenario to test, whether CAT5 must required to bok actual cost on WBS.

But, please let me know, if you have any clues on my other 2 queries-

2. When we post time cards in CAT2, it book costs on a WBS. How does it picks cost elements for postings? Where exactly, these cost elements would be maintained? 

33  3. Can we restrict cost element while we use CAT2 (means, can we use our own selection of cost  element for posting in CAT2)?

Thank you,

Sumanth

MTerence
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

If you want to use cost elements, then you can use cost activity PS03, rather than time sheet / cat2.

Regards

Terence

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

The cost element comes from the master record of Activity type used in CAT2.  Basically by selecting Activity type you are selecting a cost element.

Regards,

Paulo

Former Member
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Hello Paulo,

Yes, that really make sense.

By the way, is there any config /Setting, by which we can make cost element field in Activity Type (while creating) to pick one from a range of Cost elements only? kindly let me know.

Thank you,

Sumanth

Paulo_Vitoriano
Active Contributor
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Hi Sumanth,

Yes, very much so, because they all must be secondary cost elements of special category 43.  Nothing to do with CoA in FI.

Regards,

Paulo