Analyzing Projects with the Structure Information System

Within the SAP Project System (PS), the project information system is a tool to monitor and control your project data. You can analyze individual projects, sub-projects, or several projects together. Overview reports and detailed reports are available.

In profitability analysis, reporting is performed at the profitability segment level. Reporting is based on key figures and characteristics. The reporting tools are called drill-down reports. The reports allow you to evaluate project data and production data together.

In profit center accounting, reporting is based on profit centers and their hierarchy. You can execute reports that enable you to monitor the success of your organizational structure.

The following types of reports are available for financial reporting:

• Hierarchy reports:

  These are drill-down reports. This reporting is based on value categories. Hierarchy reports allow you to drilldown on the basis of various characteristics, and to call line items and documents.

• Cost element reports:

  These enable you to evaluate costs and revenues based on cost elements.

• Line item reports:

  These enable you to evaluate line items and documents.

  The structure information system enables you to evaluate objects as well as logistical and accounting key figures. You can also edit (change and create) objects from the information system. 

  With SAP Business Warehouse, you can evaluate business data across systems and applications. SAP Business Warehouse allows you to display data interactively with high-performance and easy-to-use evaluations.

1. Refresh
2. Print functions
3. Save versions
4. Data export
5. Define and manage layouts (column selection)
6. Display/change objects
7. Filter functions
8. Highlight exceptions
9. Sort and group functions
10. Alternative hierarchies
11. Send report data
12. Go to other reports

The structure information system evaluates the structural and logistical aspects of projects and also displays costs, revenues, and other data in the structure. On the initial screen, you specify which data you want the system to select from the logical database in the SAP PS. You can select the data you require using dynamic selection or object statuses.

You can do the following using the structure information system:

• Analyze and edit the entire hierarchical structure of a project (including documents, PS texts, networks, other orders, investment programs, and Sales and Distribution (SD) documents via the structure overview and project structure overview transactions.

• Navigate from the structure overview to individual overviews, detail screens, and detail screen lists.

• Access individual overviews directly.

You can display individual overviews as SAP List Viewer reports or enhanced individual overviews.

Depending on which reports you choose, you can use a range of interfaces and functions. Important functions supported by these reports allow you to select fields from the project structures, display the fields as columns, and use them to sort or group objects. You can define filters or exceptions to select particular objects or highlight these in a different color.

• Use other views for your evaluations. For example, you can evaluate your objects in accordance with your cost center or profit center hierarchy.
• Display your project data graphically, send it via SAP office, and export it in different formats.
• Store the settings that you have made in the structure information system using profiles and display variants.
• Create and change project structures (for example, project definitions, WBS elements, networks, and activities) from the reports.
• Display and change assigned orders, for example, production orders assigned to WBS elements.
• Confirm activities and initiate pools of confirmations or confirmation workflows from the information system.
• Go to the mass change transaction if you want to change fields in many objects.
• Refresh the data (in other words, read it from the database again) to evaluate the changes straight away.
• Use the right-hand mouse button (context sensitive) to choose functions that are valid for the current cursor position.

The possible functions depend on the transaction interface. Consequently, all the functions of the structure overview will not necessarily be available in the project structure overview.

You can call the following graphics from the structure information system:

• Hierarchy graphic:

  Displays WBS elements and activities

• Network graphic:

  Displays activities

• Structure graphic:

  Displays other objects such as SD documents, project orders, or investment programs (except WBS elements and activities)

• Gantt chart:

  Displays the hierarchical structure of your project and also the corresponding situation with regard to dates. Unlike the Project Planning Board, this can be called for several projects.

• Portfolio:

  Provides an X-Y representation of two columns

• SAP Business Graphics:

  Displays graphs such as totals curves and histograms

You can export data from the structure information system in a range of formats such as HTML, TXT, Rich Text Format, or various spreadsheet formats.