Acquiring Data

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe SAP group reporting data collection features

Data Acquisition

Data Acquisition in General

This figure gives an overview of the different Data Acquisition possibilities in order to write data into the ACDOCU table.

Integrated Approach:

  • Your local accounting takes place in the same S/4HANA system.
  • Consolidation reads data dynamically from accounting into group reporting.

File Upload:

  • You generate a flat file from your accounting system and upload the file into group reporting.
  • You fill in an Excel sheet and upload it as a flat file.

SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting Data Collection (GRDC):

Using GRDC you can either load or manually enter financial data, non-financial data, and comments of subsidiaries into group reporting.

This figure data release logic of the Data Release task.

With the Data Release Task you release reported financial data that resides in the SAP S/4HANA system for accounting into SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting.

Releasing is an important control mechanism that prevents unwanted data from becoming available to group reporting. The release process will only release an FI document number one time. The tracking mechanism is based on a timestamp.

You can release the universal journal multiple times in the current period. Documents posted to the universal journal up to when you release the journal are considered for consolidation.

It’s recommended to lock the accounting period before you release the data for consolidation. If you release data while the current accounting period is still open, additional data can be posted in accounting.

If the data isn't released again during that period, the data is ignored for consolidation purposes. It's possible to release this data in a subsequent period.

This screenshot explains the File Upload options.

Flexible Upload of reported financial data is needed when data is not stored in the universal journal, i.e. the reported financial data of non-integrated companies.

You can assign an upload method either in the master data of the non integrated consolidation unit or select an upload method when you execute the Data Collection task in the data monitor.

Flexible upload is also possible for integrated companies.

The Calculate Net Income task should be run after the upload since annual net income and current year retained earnings are normally not in the upload file.

This figure shows the Data Upload Options for GRDC into the ACDOCU table and also shows the possibility of entering data manually via Input Forms into the ACDOCU table.

One of the main features of SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting Data Collection is Data Mapping. You can automate the mapping, transform your data, and load it from SAP and any non-SAP systems into ACDOCU.

The task status in the data monitor for the relevant consolidation units is automatically updated.

The other main feature is Data Collection Forms with the help of which you can enter data and comments manually in ACDOCU using pre-delivered forms, or by creating your own.

Note

It’s possible to send your accounting data from an SAP or non-SAP accounting system to group reporting via API (Advanced Programming Interface). Several APIs are delivered for group reporting.

For more information about APIs, search for it on the SAP API Business Hub https://api.sap.com web page.

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