Easy cost adjustments in SAP - video demo

The typical process for adjusting costs in SAP—for example, correcting mischarged orders—can be time-consuming, error-prone, and overly reliant on systems outside your ERP.

In contrast, the HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (JETS) delivers fast, high integrity, and totally transparent cost adjustments directly in SAP. JETS is a NetWeaver-based application that integrates seamlessly with the SAP GUI you already know. It gives you total control over both primary and secondary cost adjustments, and creates a complete audit trail for future reference.

Watch the JETS demo video below to see an example of complex cost adjustments made simple in SAP:



Learn more about HPC JETS and contact us for a live demonstration.

SAP budgeting solution Allevo from Kern AG

While at the Controlling 2013 conference, we enjoyed speaking with our neighboring exhibitor Kern AG. Adrian Rochofski and Alexandra Stegmann showed us how their Allevo budgeting solution for SAP integrates Excel and SAP to optimize the budgeting process in SAP. Allevo reduces the complexity of planning, especially for users new to SAP, while taking full advantage of SAP's sophistication. Allevo can shorten the time required to budget, reduce staff workload, and increase data quality, enabling controllers and business owners to invest more time in analysis instead of data management (a common theme with our own JETS cost adjustment solution). We'd encourage all SAP users interested in improving their planning processes to take a look at Allevo.

Controlling 2013 - HPC JETS demonstrations

We've been at ERP Corp's Controlling 2013 conference in San Diego the last few days, and are blown away by the experience, knowledge, and engagement level of the attendees. Everyone here truly knows SAP Financials well, and the conversations demonstrate a much higher signal-to-noise ratio than at other events we've attended. Controlling 2013 has offered what we'd hope to see from any professional conference: substance, expertise, and collegial exchange. Even better, John, Alice, and the rest of the ERP Corp team have been exemplary hosts.

During Controlling 2013, we've demonstrated the HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (JETS) live, with practical examples of adjusting cost objects in SAP. (Watch an online video of how HPC JETS can adjust both primary and secondary costs.) Everyone gets it, nodding their heads in appreciation, and most recognize how it could benefit their organizations. We even had an opportunity to present JETS to SAP's Janet Salmon, perhaps the most definitive source of SAP CO product knowledge.

HPC CEO Jerry Cavalieri walks SAP's Janet Salmon through the JETS cost adjustment solution.

New project: work management, overheads, BCS reports, and HPC JETS upgrade

One of our latest customer projects is to strengthen the integration between work management functions in the SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) and Controlling (CO) modules with the Financials (FI) and FERC modules by automating the FERC indicator assignment to work orders of various types. We're also designing and implementing an overhead-centric process for allocations that simplifies legacy processes and speeds up the month-end close, and developing automated Budget Control System (BCS) reports that eliminate manual data manipulation outside of SAP. And last but not least, we're upgrading the customer's HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (JETS) software to version 2.0, which adds control over secondary costs to JETS' already robust functionality for simple, fast cost adjustments in SAP. Watch a video demo of HPC JETS v2.0.

SAP BPC Consultant (v10 Microsoft SQL-based)

We are seeking an experienced Microsoft professional for a 10- to 12-week, on-site BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation (BPC) project for our customer in San Francisco. The BPC functional consultant will be responsible for gathering business requirements, blueprinting the system design, and configuring system functionality for capital projects, long-range forecasting, and refinance analysis. Proven experience with BPC v10, a strong understanding of finance and accounting, and a location in/near San Francisco are required. Learn about the BPC Consultant qualifications and how to apply on our Web site.

SAP Controlling Conference - ERP Corp's "Controlling 2013"

We admit it, our inner accounting geek is just thrilled: HPC America is exhibiting at the Controlling 2013 conference hosted by ERP Corp on September 22-25 in San Diego, CA.

We're looking forward to sharing our experience and exchanging ideas with other SAP finance professionals about a variety of topics, from the nuances of overhead accounting to new developments in SAP reporting.

ERP Corp has lined up many customers to speak about their real-world SAP controlling experience, including case studies from Deere & Company and Johnson & Johnson, plus practical, actionable insights into HANA and CO from SAP's own Janet Salmon. Check out the speaker list and conference agenda.

Please contact us if you'd like to meet at Controlling 2013. We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

SAP Plant Maintenance Consultant - San Francisco East Bay

We have an open position for an SAP EAM/Plant Maintenance Consultant to lead a PM configuration project starting in September 2013 and lasting approximately five months. The work will primarily be on-site at our customer's facility in San Francisco's East Bay, with some periodic meetings in San Francisco itself.

This role will be the Project Lead and our primary, day-to-day representative to the customer. As such, ideal candidates will also have solid Project Management experience and be highly capable of working independently. Other team members will include an Engagement Manager and a Senior SAP Solution Architect.

Local candidates are preferred, as relocation or travel expenses may not be covered. Direct candidates only, no third-parties please.

Read the complete job description with required and desired professional qualifications.

SAP Cost Adjustments - HPC JETS Video Demonstration

We previously introduced the HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (HPC JETS) which makes adjustments to SAP orders and cost centers incredibly easy — and with no loss of audit data. Our NetWeaver-based tool enables companies on SAP to correct mischarged orders without having to resort to lump-sump journal entries. Watch the demonstration video below to see illustrative examples of how JETS makes fast, high-integrity order corrections and cost center adjustments in SAP.

Learn more about HPC JETS and contact us for a live demonstration.

SAP Fleet Management and Fuel Fraud

Our recent work integrating SAP Fleet Management with fuel consumption data has raised the issue of identifying potential fuel fraud. Large fleets face the risk of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in unauthorized fueling, so distinguishing fraudulent and legitimate consumption is critical.

When a fleet is vulnerable to siphoning, side fueling, cloned fuel cards, and other shady behavior, Fleet Managers should of course watch out for unusual purchases such as multiple pump transactions in quick succession, irregular fueling locations, and purchase quantities that exceed a unit's actual tank capacity. Some of these occurrences may have perfectly acceptable explanations and reasonably easy fixes—for example, a driver who fills up his truck and the equipment it's towing with the same gas card, contrary to policy of using cards unique to each asset.

But other situations require a bit more detective work when reviewing mileage and odometer readings in SAP. Dramatically lower fuel economy could be due to hauling something heavy—or an indicator that fuel purchased with the company's card may be going into another vehicle. A new odometer read that's lower than the prior read could simply be an inadvertent transposition error—or a bungled attempt to hide an unauthorized fuel purchase. The HPC Fleet Management template for SAP pinpoints these anomalies, such that Fleet Managers can interpret the data within the full context of their departments: who's driving, which vehicle, where and for what work? And in our experience, that's key: while the data in SAP is foundational, results come from the analysis of it and a real understanding of staff behavior.

Rochester Public Utilities optimizes SAP FERC with HPC America

Earlier this year, we wrote about our FERC optimization work at RPU. Our latest customer success story describes how the Minnesota utility company now enjoys streamlined FERC reporting and automated assigned of costs to FERC accounts; a more accurate way to calculate actual labor charges; and a consolidated process for managing Fleet costs and equipment charges. RPU's enhanced regulatory reporting on SAP utilizes HPC Utility Financials Accelerator, which is certified by SAP as powered by the NetWeaver technology platform. Read the complete case study.

Cost adjustments in SAP - fast, high-integrity corrections with HPC JETS

What does your organization do when employees charge to the wrong order number, or when project managers need to move labor from one cost center to another? After struggling to identify such problematic charges, the typical solution is often a lump sum journal entry by the accounting department, which sacrifices detail for expedience.

The HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (JETS) eliminates all of the shortcomings of basic, corrective journal entries in SAP. Now in production at two utilities, HPC JETS is a NetWeaver-based solution that enables authorized SAP users to move designated transactions from one order or cost center to another, automatically generating fully auditable documentation of the adjustment.

Learn more about HPC JETS or contact us for a product demo.

SAP FERC project updates from customers

We recently heard from two utility companies that HPC has been advising on SAP regulatory reporting enhancements. One will be making HPC Utility Financials Accelerator a regular part of the monthly closing cycle, utilizing UFA's real-time reporting features with December 2012 results. The utility expects that this improved reporting process will free up extra time that the accounting department can use work on other projects.

Another customer just went live with SAP FERC configuration improvements we've made to their classic FERC module, including the implementation of some UFA functionality. Before, this utility only generated regulatory reports once a year, due to complex, time-consuming processes outside of SAP. Now, they can easily run FERC reports monthly, shortly after each month-end close. Everything stays in SAP, and the finance team can drill-down through many levels of each transaction. As part of this project, the utility modified its business process to require that all charges be applied to internal or PM orders, instead of cost centers. In a future blog post, we'll look into the organizational change management that facilitated this significant transition.

What's noteworthy about both of these customers is their shared commitment to getting the most out of the FERC module and legacy General Ledger. Neither is planning an SAP New GL migration at the moment. While we certainly recognize the New GL's benefits (and recently announced a real-time FERC solution for it), HPC strives to be as solution-agnostic as possible. Classic FERC, no FERC, new or old GL, it's all good in our books.

Case Study: HPC Real-Time FERC Solution at We Energies

We Energies (WE) provides electric service to 2.2 million customers in portions of Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and maintains more than 45 thousand miles of electric distribution lines and over 350 substations. In 2012, WE wanted improve its regulatory reporting processes in order to satisfy regulators more easily, and to facilitate its eventual migration to the SAP New General Ledger. WE selected HPC America's Real-Time FERC Solution for the SAP New GL, which enables utilities running the New GL to generate real-time regulatory reporting data without using the "classic" FERC module. Read the complete case study to learn more about the benefits WE gained from HPC's latest groundbreaking FERC solution for utilities on SAP.