Using Billing Functionality in SAP S/4HANA

When billing in SAP S/4HANA, one single invoice can be created that combines billable items originating from different channels (for example internally in the system and external documents). Different billing categories such as one-time billing (for example for a specific sales order), recurring billing activities (for example based on a billing plan), and usage-based billing, can also be combined in one invoice. This is known as Convergent Billing.

SAP Best Practices solution process Convergent Billing (1MC) covers this convergent billing scenario.

The 1MC scope item includes the creation of a billing document in SAP S/4HANA, using:

• Billing data received from an external system
• Billing data received from an external system and data from a Sales from Stock process
• Billing data received from an external system and data from project-based services
• Data received from an external system, combined with data from a Sales from Stock process, and project-based services process
• External data via a Microsoft Excel upload (.XLS, .XLSX data format)

The following demonstration will show you where to find the SAP Fiori app Manage Billing Document Requests and some generic features of this app:

DemoWatch Demo

The SAP Fiori app Manage Billing Document Requests (BDRs) can be used to filter, display, create, delete and reject BDR documents.

The system uses BDRs to store billing-relevant data from a wide range of sources, such as integrated external systems and uploaded spreadsheet files.

Fuzzy search is supported across all searchable BDR attributes (such as document number and sold-to party) by using the search bar. Any search terms that are entered, are combined with the user's filter settings to filter the list.

The default filters (BDR number, source document, sold-to party, status, and billing date) can be used to filter the list more effectively. It is also possible to customize the filter bar by removing basic filters and adding more filters (billing type, description, issue, net value, and more).

In the above figure, you can see the scope, features, benefits, and value of using a billing document request (using the SAP Fiori app called Manage Billing Document Requests).

You can manually create external billing document requests by uploading billing data in Microsoft Excel file format (e.g. *.XLS, *.XLSX).

For more information see Creating External Billing Document Requests Manually .

Note

You can download a copy of the Microsoft Excel template from within the app to get an idea about how your billing data must be structured, so that it can be stored in the system as an external billing document request.

Concerning rejecting and deleting billing document requests (BDRs), it is possible to change the status of a billing document request to rejected to remove it from the billing due list and mark it as unsuitable for invoicing. When a billing document request is no longer needed, you can delete it.

Note

You can only delete billing document requests (BDRs) for which no subsequent billing documents exist. Even if the subsequent billing document has been canceled, you cannot delete the preceding billing document request.

The following demonstration will show you how to schedule a billing job using the SAP Fiori app called Schedule Billing Creation:

DemoWatch Demo

With the SAP Fiori app Schedule Billing Creation, it is possible to schedule periodic and non-periodic jobs for the creation of billing documents based on items in the billing due list.

Billing document creation jobs can be displayed, canceled, and copied. The integration of predefined and custom relative date functions enables billable documents to be selected for processing relative to the job execution date. This provides maximum scheduling flexibility.

The following is as introduction to the various options that are available in the system with respect to output management:

In SAP S/4HANA, output management for sales and billing documents can be set-up using SAP's Business Rule Framework (BRF) +. However, it is possible to still use the NAST approach (/framework) traditionally used by SAP ERP. A specific configuration parameter controls this. In Customizing (transaction code SPRO), follow: SAP Reference IMG → Cross-Application Components → Output Control → Manage Application Object Type Activation. By default, the NAST-based set-up is still used in SAP S/4HANA systems of release 1709 or higher.

Note

You can check SAP note 2228611 (Output Management in SAP S/4HANA) or help.sap.com for more details. See also SAP Note 2790427 (S4TWL - Billing Document Output Management) for more details about the configuration settings, where you can choose the relevant framework for output management (BRF+ or NAST).

SAP S/4HANA Output Management (using BRF+) is the strategic output management framework in SAP S/4HANA. Future developments will be delivered using this framework. Adobe XFA is the default technology for form templates delivered within this framework, but legacy forms (SAPscript, SmartForms, Adobe Forms) are still supported.

The main benefits of the BRF+-based approach are the following:

• Extensibility: broad usage of CDS views
• BRF+: flexible and powerful output parameter determination
• Unified solution across many applications: Sales, Procurement, Finance, and so on
• SAP Fiori: full integration with SAP Fiori apps
• State-of-the-art email support: flexible configuration, multiple recipients, and email templates

In contrast to NAST-based output management, SAP S/4HANA output management supports only the print, email, XML and IDoc (for on premise) channels.

SAP S/4HANA output control cannot be used if one of the following NAST transmission mediums is required:

• 8: Special function
• 9: Events (SAP Business Workflow)
• A: Distribution (ALE)
• T: Tasks (SAP Business Workflow)

Note

Again, see SAP Note 2790427 (S4TWL - Billing Document Output Management) for more details

Decision tables consist primarily of rows and columns. The columns are further divided into condition columns and result columns. Decision tables are used to determine the different output parameters (output type, receiver, form template, and so on).

When a decision table expression is called, every row is processed in sequence. In each row, every condition column cell is processed and evaluated from left to right. If the condition in each input column cell of a row is met, the field values defined in the result columns are returned. It is possible to enter expressions or direct values in these cells. It is possible to evaluate the values in each cell by using comparison operators, value ranges, and patterns.

Using decision tables, you can control the determination of the output type, receiver, channel, printer settings and form template for sales and billing documents. The table rows can be rearranged so that the most specific conditions are tested first. Tables can also be exported and imported to and from Microsoft Excel.