Customizing Networks

The system determines the parameters for the network type according to the plant and the network type.

The Strategy field defines a key for determining activity settlement rules. The Default rule is a settlement rule that can be used in the above strategy. The Reduction strategy describes how the duration of an activity can be reduced automatically in case of deadline pressure. The CstgVariantPlan and CstgVariantActl fields describe how planned and actual costs are to be determined. The Plan Cost Calc. checkbox specifies when and how costing is to be carried out. Selecting the Wrkflw PO Chg. checkbox activates the workflow for changing purchase order quantities and dates. Using the Activity/Acct Assignment checkbox, you determine whether an activity-assigned or header-assigned network is generated. The Net Order Price checkbox controls whether the net price is transferred unchanged from the purchase requisition (PReq) to the purchase order. The Collective PReq decides for each network whether one purchase requisition with many items is generated or many purchase requisitions with one item.

The checkboxes under Status change documents enable change documents to be created when master data is changed (Change documents checkbox) and when a status is changed. Entering a BOM usage allows a BOM alternative to be chosen automatically. The Change Profile describes how the system reacts when changes are made to the configuration. Without the change profile, a configuration change is allowed only when the status is Created.

The attributes of activities are defined by the Control Key.

Using Scheduling, Det. Cap. With Req. and Costing, you can control whether an activity is relevant for scheduling, determining capacity requirements, and network costing. If the Schedule checkbox is not selected, the system uses a duration of 0 when scheduling the activity, regardless of the value in the Duration field in the activity. The Costs. act, Service, and Externally proc. act. checkboxes define the activity category. When you schedule externally processed activities, you can use the Sched. Ext. Act. checkbox to define whether the planned delivery time or the Duration field are used for scheduling. Using the Confirmation field, you define whether confirmations for an activity are planned or possible, but not necessary, or whether they should not be possible at all. To print confirmation slips or time tickets, the corresponding checkboxes must be selected in the control key. You make detailed settings for printing under print control in Customizing for Networks.

When you create a network, you must assign a network profile, network type, and reference to a plant to the network.

Depending on the plant and network type, the system selects control data and default values from three other profiles in Customizing: the parameter for the network type, the confirmation parameter, and the scheduling parameter. For example, you also require the Define Checking Control table to check the availability of material components in your networks. This table is defined depending on the plant and network type for open and released networks in Customizing for the SAP Project System.

The network type contains information for controlling and managing networks, including settlement profile, status profile, and residence times.

Network type parameters (plant and network type) include the following:

• Header/activity account assignment

• Costing variants

• Change profile

The scheduling parameters are defined in Customizing and include scheduling type, schedule automatically checkbox, and reduction strategy.

Confirmation parameters (plant and network) include checks, workflow, and proposed service.

Networks can be described using the following headings:

• Network Profile

• Network Type

• Network Type Parameters (Plant and Network Type)

• Scheduling Parameters (Plant and Network Type)

• Material Availability Check Parameters (Plant, Network Type, and Network Status)

• Confirmation Parameters (Plant and Network Type)

The control key of an activity stipulates the activity type (internal processing, external processing, service, general costs activity). The control key also determines how an activity is handled during calculation, scheduling, capacity planning, and shop paper printing.

The Field key describes the short texts for user fields. The Version profile controls whether status-dependent project versions are created and which data is contained in these versions. The Res./Purc.req checkbox determines when reservations and purchase requisitions are created. If the Capacity requirements checkbox is selected, the system determines the capacity requirements when the network is saved. If you use the Entry tool, the system branches to an activity's ​ Window_Title ​Detail​ Window_Title ​ screen when a new activity is created. TheProject Summarization checkbox specifies whether activities participate in project summarization. The Proj.summ.Master Data checkbox determines whether summarization is executed based on classification or master data characteristics. Using Align finish date, you define whether the component requirements date is aligned to the start or finish of the activity.

In the fields for Validation and Substitution, you can enter default values for the validation/substitution to be used in the network header and activities. These are executed automatically on saving.

The Graphic Profile describes the structure of the network structure graphic. In the graphic, all relationships are displayed as either FS relationships or according to their proper type (Relationship Display). Activities can be displayed in the graphic in four different levels of detail (Activity Display). In the extended display of activities, the specified color indicates an assigned object. The Project Planning Board Profile determines the appearance of the GANTT chart. The overall profile ID for capacity leveling contains all the settings.

The Activities tab page of the network profile contains default values for the different activity types. The activity key determines the business characteristics of each activity. For internal activities, the Cost Element can also be entered for the material planning value, as well as default values for the Unit of Work and Duration, and the Calculation Key, which describe the distribution of capacity requirements and costs across the activity duration. In addition to the Control Key for cost activities, a default can be entered for the Cost Element for the planned costs.

For externally processed activities and service activities, additional organizational data for Purchasing and default values for the Cost Element and Unit of Measure can be entered in the network profile.