SAP SUPPORT UPDATE

Volume 3, Issue 6. June, 2009.

SAP SUPPORT UPDATE A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE

What is an encumbrance, anyway?

IT@JH - ENTERPRISE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TEAM

By Robin Denning

Encumbrances allow organizations to recognize future commitments of resources prior to an actual expenditure. Anytime you hear words like “resource,” “source of funds,” or “expenditure,” you are probably talking about fund accounting. Even if you took an accounting class, it is not likely that the course covered encumbrances. Most of us learn about encumbrances when we come to work in a university, where encumbrances are widely used. In hospitals, expenses that have not yet been paid are recorded with accrual journal entries. Both techniques accomplish the objective of consuming budget and reporting expenses that are awaiting payment.

In this issue:

In SAP, encumbrances appear in Funds Management (FM) reports as follows: • Payroll encumbrances are called funds commitments • Shopping carts, Sponsored F&A, non-payroll cost transfer, etc., encumbrances are called funds reservations • Encumbrances for online payment requests are posted as parked documents • Trip encumbrances are called business trip commitments • Billing revenue encumbrances are called forecast of revenue • Encumbrances are also referred to as open items. The FM report, Non-Sponsored Financial Summary, shows how actuals and commitments are displayed. The FM module is on a budgetary basis of accounting. (Continued on page 2)

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1. /2. What is an Encumbrance? 3. BW Report: CO Master Data 4. Rate in Effect Overtime 5. A Change in Workflow 6. Travel Tips 7. Update VPN Access Now 8. Importance of Reports To 9. Meet the User 10. ISR Fields for American Recovery Act

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SAP SUPPORT UPDATE

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OK, that is interesting, you may say (if you are an accounting nerd, anyway!) but how do encumbrances affect me? After the end of the fiscal year, at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, the carry forward of FM open items will begin in SAP. The process of carrying forward open items to the new fiscal year took over 9 hours last year. FM open items are needed in the new fiscal year in order to take action on open purchase orders, trips, etc. On July 1, if you log on to SAP first thing in the morning, you may see a notice on the SAP Welcome screen stating that the new fiscal year is not yet ready for processing transactions which update FM open items. The SAP Welcome screen will be updated as soon as the carry forward has completed, and then you may continue processing open items. How do Encumbrances Affect me Throughout the Year? Throughout the year, users occasionally experience the frustration of being blocked from completing a task because an FM error has occurred. When these errors pertain to funds reservations or funds commitments, the errors must be cleared in order to proceed. For help with FM error resolution, the various Shared Services offices (http://ssc.jhmi.edu/) are your first point of contact. • For Purchase Order and Shopping Cart problems: Supply Chain Shared Service at 443-9975600 or for JHU [email protected] and for JHHS [email protected] • For salary commitment corrections: Payroll Shared Services 443-997-8146 or [email protected] • For Non-Payroll Cost Transfer encumbrances (Journal Transfers): Financial Research Compliance at [email protected] • For Online Payment requests and travel problems: Accounts Payable Shared Services at 443997-6688 or [email protected] • For issues with commitments in Business Warehouse (BW) reports: The BW Help Desk [email protected] in the Financial Systems Administration Department of the JHU Controller’s Office • If you are not sure who to call, call the SAP Help Desk at 410-735-4500 or [email protected]. We occasionally encounter FM errors that require deeper investigation, sometimes even asking SAP for help to resolve. If you suspect your problem is a real SAP system issue rather than one referred to above, contact Robin Denning EBS Finance Support Team at [email protected]. NOTE: To learn more about commitments, see the FastFacts session at: Commitments Overview (www.hopkinsfastfacts.org/PPT/FFMar05_09.ppt )

DID YOU KNOW: When you need to delete an ISR you should contact HR Shared Services at [email protected] or 443-997-5828. Back

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A New Cost Object (CO) Report: CO Master Data By Nelson Cascio This new report, CO Master Data, displays cost object master data for internal orders, cost centers, sponsored programs, and work breakdown structures. The report contains 28 fields about cost object, validity dates, status, person responsible, business area, etc. The report is located in the Finance->Controlling folder. Shannon Towner, Financial Manager in the Office of Financial Operations of the Bloomberg School of Public Health said “This new report makes it easy to find all of my cost objects (sponsored and non-sponsored) in one place. It will really save us time and effort!”

Figure 1 CO Master Data Table. BW reports are very flexible and customizable to meet your specific needs. Additional information is available to you in the report by using the properties of the characteristics. For example, you can add more information about the grant by using the properties feature. Right click on a grant (see figure 1) and select the properties that you wish to include by selecting them from the BW context menu (Figure 2). Using the properties display is a feature that is applicable to any BW report. For more information on “Working in the Business Warehouse: Characteristics, Properties and Key Figures” See the FastFacts session scheduled for June 18, 2009 at 10:00 am at http://www.hopkinsfastfacts.org/.

Figure 2 Attributes.

DID YOU KNOW: Sponsored billings prepared in SAP have a minimum billing requirement of $100, unless it is a one-time invoice or final billing. NonSponsored billings prepared in SAP have a minimum billing requirement of $10. For additional information, contact Accounts Receivable Shared Services Billings at 443-997-2480 or emailing [email protected]. Back

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Submitting Overtime Payment in SAP: Using Rate in Effect for NonExempt JHU Staff A department may choose to calculate overtime pay for its employees using the Rate in Effect method provided that all of the conditions listed below are met. Under this method, overtime pay is calculated based on the hourly rate that is in effect when the overtime is actually worked. •

The employee is working multiple positions at the University that are identifiably different from one another and that involve different kinds of work. • The employee has agreed to be paid different rates of pay for each position. • There is a written agreement regarding the Rate in Effect overtime payment between the employee and the department before the work is performed in the position where the Rate in Effect applies. • The department has consulted with its divisional HR office and has obtained prior approval to use the Rate in Effect method for paying overtime work. Example 1: The employee is non-exempt under FLSA and works 40 hours per week. • • • • •

Primary Position - Regular hourly rate: Second Position - Regular Rate in Effect: Overtime hours worked in primary position using premium rate: Overtime hours worked in second position using Rate in Effect X 1.5: Total Overtime Pay:

$ 10.00 per hr. $ 25.00 per hr. 2 hrs. @ $ 15.00 per hr. 5 hrs. @ $ 37.50 per hr. $ 217.50

Example 2: The employee is non-exempt under FLSA and works 37.5 hours per week. Prior to June 29, 2009, hours for which a non-exempt employee is paid but not actually worked (i.e., vacation and holiday) are counted in establishing the number of hours worked in the workweek for overtime pay calculation. Effective June 29, 2009, only hours actually worked will be used in calculating overtime pay. • Primary Position - Regular hourly rate: $ 10.00 per hour • Second Position - Regular Rate-in-Effect: $ 25.00 per hour • Overtime hours worked in primary position using regular rate: 1 hr. @ $ 10.00 per hr. • Overtime hours worked in second position using Rate in Effect: 1.5 hrs. @ $ 25.00 per hr. • Overtime hours worked in second position using Rate in Effect X 1.5: 3.0 hrs. @ $ 37.50 per hr. • Total Overtime Pay: $ 160.00

The Rate in Effect field on the Bonus Supplemental Pay ISR should only be used if a Rate in Effect has been approved by Compensation. If it is not approved leave this field blank. The premium overtime rate, which is derived from the individual’s base pay and labor distribution (infotype 9027), will automatically be populated on the ISR and entered in SAP for payment. If a Rate in Effect is entered on the ISR, both the Rate in Effect and premium overtime rate will appear on the ISR, only the Rate in Effect will be paid in SAP. For questions regarding Rate in Effect or overtime payments, contact your Divisional HR compensation analyst.

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SAP SUPPORT UPDATE

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A Change in Workflows

By Allan Jerome

Workflows direct many of our actions in SAP. Two of the most common system generated workflows are the Quantity Discrepancy and Price Discrepancy workflows. The Quantity Discrepancy workflow is initiated when both an invoice is posted in SAP and either the Goods Receipt has not been performed or the invoice quantity is greater than the PO quantity. Workflow is automatically directed to the Requisitioner (usually the Shopping Cart preparer) or the Buyer. The Price Discrepancy workflow is initiated when an invoice is posted in SAP and the price on the invoice is greater than the PO price. This workflow is automatically directed to the Buyer. When Requisitioners or Buyers go into their SAP Inbox to address a pending discrepancy workflow, one option—Cancel Invoice, is to have that invoice cancelled by the Accounts Payable Clerk to whom it will flow if this option is selected. This option is usually selected when it is determined that an entry error has occurred; based on communications with the vendor. The Cancel Invoice option is selected and an appropriate explanatory note is entered. Workflow forwards the invoice to the Accounts Payable Clerk who reviews the note, approves the delete option, and cancels the invoice. However, there are times when the Cancel Invoice option is mistakenly invoked. This is usually associated with an incomplete or meaningless justification note (e.g.: “OK,” “?????,” “Do not know what to do,” “change,” etc.). Until now, when an Accounts Payable Clerk received the workflow with this type of note, the only action that could be taken was to cancel the invoice. There had been no option to redirect the workflow back to the originator for additional review. The Accounts Payable Clerk had been obliged to reenter the invoice and restart workflow resulting in a delay in the payment of the invoice. The EBS Support Team working with the user community reviewed the needs for change to the workflows. An additional decision point has been added in the workflow for the Accounts Payable Clerk. When clerks open a Cancel Invoice request and the explanation given is incomplete or does not justify the cancellation of the invoice, they can now have workflow return the invoice to the person who selected the Cancel Invoice request. The Accounts Payable Clerk is required to include a note explaining why workflow is being returned. Clerks may include their name and phone numbers and a message indicating that they can be called for assistance. When the workflow is returned to an initiator, an email is also generated and sent to the person who requested the Cancel Invoice option. That email includes the note from the Accounts Payable Clerk. If the Cancel Invoice request is acceptable, it will flow to the MR8M transaction so that the Accounts Payable Clerk can cancel the invoice in SAP. Accounts Payable Shared Services has the responsibility of assuring that invoices are processed correctly and in an expeditious manner. To do this, the bottom line is good communication. This change in workflow opens up another avenue in communication between the people who need assistance and the people who can give assistance. For additional assistance on this change or on Quantity Discrepancy and Price Discrepancy workflows contact Accounts Payable Shared Services at 443-997-6688 or [email protected].

DID YOU KNOW: Payroll Shared Services has updated the Direct Deposit and Direct Deposit Cancellation forms. The old forms are not longer acceptable. To access the new forms, please visit: Direct Deposit Form: http://ssc.jhu.edu/payroll/DataFiles/dd_Authorization_form.xls Direct Deposit Cancellation Form: http://ssc.jhu.edu/payroll/DataFiles/dd_Cancellation_form.xls For any questions on Direct Deposits or Cancellations contact Payroll Shared Services at 443-997-8146 or [email protected] Back

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Travel Tips 1: Save, Submit, and Keep it Active By Sadhya Sabatino • • • •

• •

• •

Save your Travel or Business Expense transaction (TRIP) one time to get a Trip Number (Figure 1) Save again as many times as you like, but click “No” in the “submit” window (Figure 2) until you are ready to submit it, then, click “Yes.” At this point, the TRIP is active—in workflow, and in the Approver’s Inbox. WinGUI WebGUI If you save the TRIP again, this will pull the TRIP back out of the Figure 1. Save a Travel Expense Report Approver’s Inbox. Until you submit it again, the TRIP cannot be approved or paid. If you do save a TRIP after submitting it, submit it again to return it to the Approver’s inbox. There are many functions which you can perform within the TRIP Figure 2. Submit a Travel Expense Report without affecting it, or requiring it to be re-saved, including: • Store your PDF receipts associated with the TRIP • View Stored receipts, view Results, check Workflow and History If SAP displays a warning message (Figure 3) when you have not changed anything, select the answer that will close without saving. SAP Travel Manager is designed so that expense reports can be updated and resubmitted; or opened, updated, and submitted again after being paid. This allows incremental payments as a traveler incurs additional out-of-pocket expenses. A traveler will not be paid twice for an item when a report is resubmitted. Figure 3. Warning Messages

Travel Tips 2: View Workflow, Seeing the Approval Status and Process. • • • •

•

You can check the Workflow status of a TRIP from within the expense report. Click the Services for Object button (Figure 4), upper left in the WinGUI; upper right in the WebGUI. Select “Workflow”, “Workflow overview.” If the TRIP was submitted more than one time, scroll down and doubleclick the most recent (usually the bottom row) submission. The name of the Approver(s) who have opened a TRIP are displayed in the right column. “Information” indicates that an Approver has not yet opened, or has opened and “Replaced,” the TRIP. Click “Information” to see the designated Approver(s). Figure 4.1 Services for Object: Workflow Look for “Exp Rpt # approved” in the bottom left line of display table to verify that the TRIP was approved by the required departmental Approver(s), and was routed to Accounts Payable for review and payment processing. Figure 4.2 Select Most Recent Workflow

NOTE: For further information on entering, tracking and troubleshooting Travel and Business Expense transactions for JHHS employees, go to www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sap > Support Resources and Job Aids, and scroll to the Travel User Guide. For JHU employees, go to http:// learning.jhu.edu > Course Catalogue, select the JHU tab and navigate to the Travel and Business Expense Reimbursement e-learning course.

Figure 4.3 Check for Departmental Approval

Figure 4.4 Approved, Workflowed to APSS

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SAP SUPPORT UPDATE

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Working away from the Office? Update your VPN access now! Do you connect to the Johns Hopkins VPN to access work applications, including SAP? If so, you have probably been using the JHSecure remote access service. June 30th, 2009 is the retirement date for this service. JHSecure is being replaced by a new service JHConnect. This is a tool that uses browser technologies to make secure connections to the Johns Hopkins Network. JHConnect has been in production for over six months, and many Hopkins computer users (including SAP users) have already migrated to it and not encountered any problems. However, there are still a significant number of Hopkins people using the old system. If you are still using JHSecure, it is important that you start using JHConnect as soon as possible. We do not anticipate any problems, but this will give you time to correct any issues before we retire JHSecure. If you are not yet familiar with JHConnect, the best way is to review the FAQ at: https:// portalcontent.johnshopkins.edu/sslvpn/JHConnect-FAQ.html and the instruction guide for your operating system. You can use JHConnect while JHSecure is installed on your computer. We recommend first testing everything that you currently use through JHSecure before you remove the JHSecure client software. The best way to start is by logging into https://my.johnshopkins.edu and clicking the button along the left side of your homepage for JHConnect at https:// my.johnshopkins.edu/portalcontent/sm/SSLvpn/index.cfm. NOTE: If your JHConnect session is idle for sixty minutes your session will automatically be disconnected. We also limit the maximum time that you may have an open connection to a little over 12 hours. If you encounter any problems when using JHConnect, general help is available through the Hopkins Help Desk at 410-516-HELP(4357) or 410-955-HELP(4357). If you have a LAN administrator, they may be able to answer questions more specific to your situation.

Training Opportunities at Johns Hopkins. Training, including a range of SAP training, is offered to all employees who want to take e-courses or register for traditional classroom training. Employees can access the training centers by visiting their organization’s training site at: • Johns Hopkins University: http://training.jhu.edu • Johns Hopkins Medicine: http://www.hopkinsinteractive.org (clinical training) • Johns Hopkins Health System SAP: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sap Back

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The Importance of Accurate “Reports To” Information By Dave Levy All persons in SAP were assigned to a Position with a Position Number when they joined Johns Hopkins. Some people have more than one position (Concurrent Employment). Each position in SAP has a series of relationships that define it. These include the Organizational Unit to which the position belongs, information on the holder of the position, and the Reports To relationship, among others. This Reports To information identifies the relationship between two positions to show the supervisory hierarchy. This information may be used in a variety of ways. It is used to find the supervisor of an employee. It is used in workflows as a backup for routing approvals when the designated approver is unresponsive or if an extra verification is needed, for example when a price difference exists for a shopping cart item. Many systems in SAP depend on this Reports To information. It is, therefore, extremely important to ensure that this information is maintained current. Inaccurate or missing information interrupts process flows and causes delays in the completion of some transactions. Administrators should review their department’s reporting structure periodically as a routine and at any time that personnel changes occur in their department. Because the Reports To relationship exists between two positions (supervisor and supervisee(s)), when a supervisor leaves a position and is replaced immediately by someone else who moves into the same position, no change is needed. However, if supervisory positions becomes vacant for any length of time, or if supervisors are assigned to new position numbers, then all of the Reports To relationship information for their supervisees must be changed. If the Reports To relationship needs to be changed for any reason, a separate Position Maintain ISR must be completed for each supervisee. There are two ways to identify the Reports To relationship: one identifies the Reports To name and the other identifies the Reports To position number. To find the name of a supervisor to whom an employee reports, use any BW report that contains the column Employee. Select the characteristic of Employee called Supervisor Time Depe by right clicking the column header, and selecting properties. To find the position number for the supervisor in R/3, the Reports To relationship can be viewed using the transaction PPOSE. After locating the position in PPOSE click Goto > Detail Object > Enhanced Object Description (Figure 1), check Figure 1. PPOSE Display object the square button to the left of the Relationships, click the menu bar.

on

A row in the Relat.text column (Figure 2) indicates Reports (line) to. The Rel’d objec number in that row is the position number to which this position reports. Figure 2. PPOSE Selecting a Position Number

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Meet the User

By Gordon Dean

Hoon Byun is a Business and Operations Analyst in Operations Integration for the Johns Hopkins Health System. He is also a doctoral student in the Bloomberg School of Public Health in Health Policy and Management. He said “One of my interests is in the use of computer systems and technology to health care. I expect that it will take me another three years to finish up.” His interests are very much in keeping with the functioning of SAP as an informational tool for Johns Hopkins. Hoon has also worked in the Schools of Public Health and Nursing. After completing his doctorate he would like to continue working at Johns Hopkins, “especially with the experience that I have gained over the last few years.” How do you use SAP? “I am involved with tracking expenses and budgets for six cost centers across the hospital and health system. Following labor distribution – especially salaries is very important for the departments especially under the current conditions. I use Online Payment, Travel Manager, and track monthly financial reports.” How did you learn what to do? “I started by taking some of the classes when SAP first went live. I also worked on my own learning to use the transactions. I think that I learned the most in class by being able to bring real work examples to the classes and work on them with the instructors. I also taught some of what I learned to other people in the department. I was able to get them started but then, as they specialized in their areas, they now know more about their areas than I do, so they can help me when I need it.” What resources do you go to for help with SAP problems? “I use the Learning Network and Fast Facts sessions when I can, and the trainers and support team have been quite helpful. When I have a problem, I first try to work it out for myself and then go out to the department staff for help. I always try to help them back when I can. Given that there are many specialists with such detailed knowledge, it is always possible to get help. We all need to work together to make the best use of this powerful product. I think that there is a need to break down barriers and for us to help one another according to our strengths and abilities.” “One of the things that I have been thinking about is that we should think about creating something like ‘bookclubs,’ where small groups get together in the office on a regular basis to talk through issues and share experiences on using SAP. The problem seems to be that we need people with the initiative to start and monitor the Hoon Byun groups.” Do you have any other comments about using SAP? “I think that it is a very useful tool, there is so much information being collected in one place. When I first started I thought that it was not very user friendly, but as you get used to it, it becomes much easier. I think that we need to continue to work on breaking down silo-thinking. Again, the trainers can be a really useful resource. I also think that some people have too many roles and can see more information than they need; it makes things more complicated.”

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SAP SUPPORT UPDATE

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Additional Data Requested on Position ISRs for the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act The federal government requires clear, accurate and timely reporting of positions that are funded through monies from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. To comply with this requirement, 3 new fields have been created in SAP on IT9101 (JHEN Additional Position Attributes). The new fields are: ARRA Funded Y or N ARRA Position Type New, Retained, or Existing ARRA Fund End Date Date Departments must submit this information in the Comments section of a Create, Copy, or Maintain Position ISR for all ARRA funded positions. For ISR questions, contact HR Shared Services at 443-997-5828 or [email protected]. For questions on ARRA Position Type or Fund End Date, contact the appropriate Office of Research Administration.

Do You Know Who To Call For SAP Assistance? If your call is about how to use any transaction or policies and procedures in SAP, you should contact the appropriate Shared Services. Contact information for the Shared Services offices is available at: http://ssc.jhmi.edu. For assistance with a technical or systems error contact the SAP Help Desk at 410-735-4500 or email [email protected]. For non-SAP related technical issues (computer or network) contact 410-955-4357 or 410-516-4357 or email [email protected].

Resources for SAP.

For Our Readers.

Fast Facts: http://www.hopkinsfastfacts.org/

The SAP Support Update is written

SAP Help Desk: http://www.jhu.edu/hopkinsone/Support/index.htm

activities within the Enterprise

Shared Services: http://ssc.jhmi.edu/

provide tips and tricks that will make

monthly to keep you informed of the Business Solutions team, and to your work with SAP easier.

JHU Controller’s Office: http://www.controller.jhu.edu/index.html

If you have any questions or

SAP Support Update newsletter archive: http://orchid.hosts.jhmi.edu/hopkinsone/News/archive.cfm

suggestions, or if you wish to submit an article or tip, please email us at:

SAP Mapping Assistance Recommendation Tool (SMART): [email protected] http://webapps.jhu.edu/smart/default.aspx Back

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