SAP Learning Journey

Managing Disputes and Inquiries

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Configure a dispute template

Managing Disputes and Inquiries

The Disputes feature streamlines and automates the resolution of disputes and inquiries between payees and the compensation administrator. Commissions payees can submit inquiries either in the SPM Home Page or in a report or dashboard. These initiate a workflow in SAP Commissions that is visible at all stages.

The Disputes feature includes a set of preconfigured templates, and the administrator can create new templates and configure customized workflows.

The benefits of Dispute Management include:

  • Streamline the disputes process
  • Provides transparency
  • Allows all stakeholders to view status in real time

How Disputes Work

If the payee suspects an error in their compensation payment, they can submit a dispute electronically. Once they submit the dispute their direct manager or other approver is notified.

The manager can either, approve, reject, or request more information before sending it on to the compensation team for resolution. At any point in the process, the payee can see the status of the dispute in the SPM Portal, and the administrator can view existing disputes in the Disputes Tracking workspace in SAP Commissions.

Before payees can submit disputes, at least one dispute template should be configured. The system contains a number of templates by default. The administrator can customize an existing template or create new templates if needed.

The Dispute Workflow

The dispute workflow is similar to the document distribution workflow, but with a bottom-up structure that is optimized to allow a payee to submit a dispute for delivery to the compensation team. Optionally, management approval can be added to the workflow.

Reason Codes 

When a payee submits a dispute, a Reason for Request field allows them to select from a pick list of options for the dispute. When customizing a dispute template, an administrator can customize this list using the Reason Codes section of the template.

Custom Attributes

The administrator can add custom attributes as fields on the dispute form and indicate whether the field is required. Custom attributes can be generic, number, date, or Boolean.

To create a new dispute template with a workflow:

  1. Select Plan Communicator → Disputes.
  2. Select Create.
  3. Enter the effective start and end date. As with the plan document, both the start and end date are required.
  4. Enter a name and an optional description.
  5. In the additional settings section, choose between associating the dispute with a particular plan or title. To leave it available for everyone, leave this field blank.
  6. In the workflow section, define the level of approval.
    • Indicate whether an approver is required to accept the plan document before it is sent to the resolver.
    • If an approver is required, select the number of days to approve.
    • Indicate whether a resolution is required.
    • Select the number of days in which the dispute must be resolved.
    • Select the name of the resolver. Generally this will be a member of the compensation team. You can add as many additional resolvers as needed.
    • Set the number of days after which a reminder is sent to the resolver.
  7. In the Reason Code Configuration section, enter a row for each reason for the dispute. This will populate the pick list for the payee.
  8. Select Next.
  9. To activate custom attributes, check the Active box next to a generic, number, date, or Boolean attribute.
    • Enter a custom value with the name of the field you would like displayed to the payee.
    • If the field is required, select the required box.
  10. Select Create.

Viewing and Resolving Disputes

Payees can submit a dispute by logging in to the Sales Performance Management portal and navigating to the Disputes page. To add a dispute, click the Add (+) icon.

Depending on the workflow settings, the dispute is routed to an approver or directly to the resolver.

Exercise: Create a Dispute Template

Business Example

In this exercise, you will create a customized Dispute form that payees can use to submit a dispute. You will then proxy as Celia Bates to simulate a new dispute.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Steps

  1. Create a New Dispute Template.

    1. From the Plan Communicator menu, select Disputes.

    2. Select the Create icon.

    3. Name the template My Dispute.

    4. Select BikesInMotion for the Business Unit.

    5. In the Workflow Settings section, select your name in the Resolver field.

    6. In the Reason Code Configuration section:

      • Type Missing Bonus Amount in the Code column in the Reason Code Configuration section.
      • In the second code field, type Incorrect Bonus Amount.
      • Scroll to the top of the page and click Next.
      • Add a custom field called Employee ID to this Dispute form.
        • Click the box under the Active column for the Generic Attribute 1 row
        • Type Employee ID in the Custom Value field column.
        • Click the box under the Required column.
        • Click Save.

  2. Proxy as Amy Whitton

    1. Use the Application Picker in the upper right to switch from Commissions to Sales Performance Home.

    2. Click the User menu and select Proxy As

    3. Select Amy Whitton (PA-1121).

    4. Enter your own password and click Proxy.

  3. Submit a Dispute on behalf of Amy Whitton.

    1. Select Disputes from the menu on the left.

    2. Click the Create icon.

    3. From the Inquiry Type menu, select My Dispute.

    4. Complete the rest of the form and click Create.

  4. Resolve the Dispute

    1. From the User menu, select Exit Proxy.

    2. Select Disputes from the navigator on the left.

    3. Select the dispute in the list.

    4. Select the Resolve link.

    5. Add a short comment and select OK.

  5. Optionally, proxy as Celia Bates again and check the status of the dispute.

Best Practices for Dispute Resolution

  • Encourage payees to view the most recent dashboard before submitting a dispute to ensure they have the most current information.
  • Encourage payees to attach documentation to their dispute that supports the reason for their dispute.
  • Add as many custom fields as needed to the dispute form templates, in order to gather as much data necessary to accurately process the dispute and reduce the amount of back and forth with the payee.

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