In the collections process, the collection manager plays an important role in particular for all activities requiring human interaction.
An important step in organizing the collections process from the collection manager's perspective is to maintain the different responsible units and/or collection agents in the organizational structure according to the company's rules. The manager can always adjust this structure according to the business changes and demands like for example the extension of a unit engagement.
Worklists may be created automatically from the dunning run. Alternatively, the collection manager can create worklists manually. Worklists must be released after creation so that the collection agents can pick up work items and process them.
The work item assignments, as well as the processing of the work items of each list, can be monitored by the manager. The manager can manually adjust responsibility assignments in case one of the collection agents is, for example, absent due to sickness.
The collections process is initiated by the dunning run. New collection activities can be configured that create and/or close collections work items based on the function modules FKK_0350_WLI_CREATE_AND_CLOSE (for creating a work item which entails closing a previous work item) and FKK_0350_WLI_CLOSE (to just close an existing work item).
Different work item categories can be configured to represent different types of work collections. For each work item category, a collection activity needs to be configured (re-using the same function module).
Each work item category comprises different parameters, such as:
- Work item processing type (where it is defined if the work item should be processed either by a specialist or a dialer).
- Work item processing deadline (that defines which processing deadline the work item will have), and so on.
In order to prepare the system to generate work items, some settings have to be carried out in the ERP IMG.
In the IMG, under Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable → Business Transactions → Dunning, all customizing steps valid for both dunning with the dunning procedure and dunning with a collection strategy can be found.
It is important to start by configuration of the dunning activities.
In the Activity column, a key representing an activity that is carried out in connection with the creation of a dunning notice has to be entered.
Usually key 01 is selected as it is the key for the dunning activity category that must be executed for open dunning procedures.
The dunning activity should be given a name in the Name of Activity field.
The function module that executes the dunning activity has to be maintained - function module FKK_0350_WLI_CREATE_AND_CLOSE (or FKK_0350_WLI_CLOSE).
The flag for Determine Collection Specialist is relevant for dunning by collection strategy when the activity creates a work item or when workload balancing is done. In the latter case, not only activities creating work items need to be flagged, but all other activities participating in workload balancing need to be flagged.
Further settings are necessary so that the different types of work items can be created. The configurations take place in the IMG as well under Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable → Business Transactions → Dunning→ Dunning by Collection Strategy → Worklists and Workitems.
To begin with, the work item category has to be identified via a key like for example C1.
The category has to be given a name under the Category Name field. And it is important to define if it is mandatory that a work item is processed before the next dunning run. A flag should be set if this is the case.
The worklist processing type has to be defined so that it is defined whether an agent should process a specific work item or if it should be done by a dialer.
Under Create WL it has to be selected if the worklist should be manually or automatically created.
If it is set manually, the collection manager will have to manually group the work items in a list in the specific transaction for worklist management (FPWLM). Otherwise the system will group the work items automatically in a worklist.
Under the processing deadline, it is possible to specify the period of time in which the item should be processed. In this case, the key 11 corresponds to one week and 26 to two weeks.
If Own Worklist is marked, a separate worklist will be created for this specific data constellation.
Setting the Follow-Up flag indicates that this type of work item can be created manually by an agent (and is not created automatically through a dunning activity).
One last relevant customizing setting is to assign the work item categories to the dunning activities defined previously.
This transaction is performed under the node Assign Work Item Categories to Dunning Activities.
In the ERP system there is a transaction that enables the collection manager to perform most part of his daily tasks. In the SAP menu the collection manager selects Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable → Periodic Processing → For Contract Accounts → Dunning Notice → By Collection Strategy → Manage Worklists (transaction FPWLM).
As mentioned before in the customizing slide where the work item categories are defined, the system can be configured so that work items are grouped into worklists automatically.
Alternatively, it is possible for the collection manager to group the work items and create a new worklist manually.
On the New Work Items tab, it is possible to see all new work items that have been created with the dunning run within the responsibility area of the collection manager.
To create a new worklist, the collection manager selects the respective Collections Department and clicks on the Create Worklist button.
Different criteria can be selected in order to create the list. Among them, the Dunning Run ID, the respective date, the collection strategy, the collection step, etc.
Either the Processing by Collection Specialist radio button or Processing by Dialer radio button has to be selected. It is not possible to mix dialer calls and calls to be made manually within one worklist.
In this example the manager wants to have a worklist with only mandatory work items.
It is possible to see how many items have been selected by clicking on Determine No. Work Items button. The number will be displayed under the selection result area.
In order to display all the items that have been selected, it is possible to use Display Work Items button.
All items that will constitute the worklist are displayed.
An ID has to be given to the worklist that will be created.
A description is required as well so that the worklist is uniquely identified. Under No. of Work Items, it is possible to define the maximum number of work items that can be assigned to a collection specialist automatically. In Uncompleted Entries the maximum number of work items that a collection specialist can process simultaneously is defined. Once this number is reached, the collection specialist cannot assign themselves to any further work items.
Run Date field corresponds to the date by which all work items of the worklist must be processed. The collection manager can select a valuation rule that prioritizes the work items of the worklist. This is optional. If not set, the prioritization of work items as determined via BRF is used. SAP only ships a sample valuation rule. If different rules are needed, they have to be implemented via function modules. It is possible to type a descriptive text under Text in order to provide more information about the worklist.
The worklist will be created by pushing the Create Worklist button.
The number of work items not grouped in a worklist have reduced from 10 to 8.
On the Current Worklists tab, the collection manager will find the worklist he has just created.
The Worklist has status New/not released and before it can be processed or at all seen by the collection specialist, the manager will have to release it.
There are three different statuses for the worklist:
- Status N - New/Not Released, here all work items have status A - New / Not released
- Status O - Released (previously: Open), when at least one of the work items in the worklist is either B - New (already released), C - In process, or D - For Resubmission
- Status C - Closed, if the work items have status E - Closed; F - Closed by Dunning Activity, G - Closed after Incoming Payment, H - Closed Manually, or I - Closed by Reversal of Dunning Activity Run.
The worklists created automatically by the system will also be released by it.
In order to release the worklist, the manager will have to select the respective list and click on the Maintain Worklist button.
The manager must then click on the Release Worklist button and save the changes.
The status changes to Released (Previously: Open) and the collection specialist can now see the work items and start processing the same.
Worklist assignments can be monitored and adjusted in case one of the collection specialists is, for example, temporarily absent.
By using the Maintain Responsibilities button, the collection manager can proceed with an adjustment of the responsibilities.
The work item with an amount of 20,00 EUR is currently under the responsibility of collection specialist Simon Sears who cannot process the item as he is absent for the next two weeks due to sick leave.
Therefore, the manager checks the item's status and reassigns it to another specialist via the Change Responsibilities button.
The work items has currently the status B (New / Released). This means that its processing has still not been started.
The manager has to assign it to a new collection agent. This is done by clicking on the Assign New Collection Specialist button.
All collection agents assigned to the collection unit (50001903) responsible for the work item processing will pop up.
The manager selects the respective specialist that should take over the item in question.
The worklist has been partially changed as one of the items has been reassigned.
A reason for the reassignment has to be selected, for example, sickness.
The work item is now reassigned to Maria Blair.
The collection specialist now has two items to process.
After the items are processed by the collection specialist and the list is completed, it can be displayed on the Completed Worklists tab.